Bass Amp Mics

ilnickyJ · #1 10-04-2010, 07:18 AM

What are the best mics for:

1. High End Bass

2. Low End Bass

Emibass · #2 10-04-2010, 07:23 AM

1. the one that sound good

2. ....the one that sounds good too

Mo' Bass 00 · #3 10-04-2010, 07:24 AM

Shure SM-57, maybe not best out there but great for micing amps and vocals too!

metalmariachi · #4 10-04-2010, 08:19 AM

1. Sennheiser e914

2. Sennheiser e902

MM

waleross · #5 10-04-2010, 09:39 AM

Shure Beta 52A

toobalicious · #6 10-04-2010, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mo' Bass 00

Shure SM-57, maybe not best out there but great for micing amps and vocals too!

ugh... i cringe when i see that about to happen to my cab, especially if there isnt a DI going on too.

T-Bird · #7 10-04-2010, 11:25 AM

Hi.

The ones I like regardless of the frequency range:

Sennheiser MD421
AKG D12

My sound doesn't require miking though, DI works better for me.

Regards
Sam

rockstarbassist · #8 10-05-2010, 12:50 PM

Highs - SM57 will do. Just make sure you have a DI doing the lows. Alone it's pretty meh to awful.

Lows - I have a Heil PR40. After playing almost 13 years it's my first mic. Abso-friggin-lutely love it. Gtfo DI!

TimmyP · #9 10-05-2010, 09:45 PM

Nothing ever sounds as good mic'd as it does to the ear.

Bass cabinets don't go down nearly as low as the instrument (or the PA subs) (neither do a lot of mics).

As such, I prefer to use a DI. I've never found a mic to add anything useful live (in the studio it can be a different story).

However if I had to mic, I'd hope to have a PR40, RE20, or D4 on hand.

EskimoBassist · #10 10-06-2010, 02:18 AM

AUDIX D6!

rockstarbassist · #11 10-07-2010, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimmyP

Nothing ever sounds as good mic'd as it does to the ear.

Bass cabinets don't go down nearly as low as the instrument (or the PA subs) (neither do a lot of mics).

As such, I prefer to use a DI. I've never found a mic to add anything useful live (in the studio it can be a different story).

However if I had to mic, I'd hope to have a PR40, RE20, or D4 on hand.

Thanks for the relevant post. Your input on this thread has been beyond invaluable.

SactoBass · #12 10-07-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

I have a Heil PR40. After playing almost 13 years it's my first mic. Abso-friggin-lutely love it.

+1

OP: you have received quite a few recommendations. After you spend some time researching each mic like I did a few months ago, you will likely come to the same conclusion I did, which is, the Heil PR40 is the one. Pay close attention to frequency response and high SPL capability. Some people incorrectly believe that a good bass drum mic also makes a good bass cab mic. It doesn't!! IMO, the Heil PR40 is the only mic to use for bass cabs.

bound'n'blocked · #13 10-08-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EskimoBassist

AUDIX D6!

+1

Also RE20 (Sennheiser?)

421 and D112 are also good.

BnB

JimmyM · #14 10-08-2010, 10:24 PM

best bass mics i've used:

heil pr 40
ev re 20
sennheiser 421 or 421a (sorry, 421 fans, but i like the 421a too)
beyer m88

but for my money the re 20 and the pr 40 are the ones. i have one of each, although my re 20 needs fixed. they can be made to sound very similar. but the pr 40 is $75 less and smaller, so...

and ignore these di noodniks. di is fine, but if you like a mic'ed amp sound, you need a mic'ed amp. believe me, i've tried to make peace with a di and will use one when i have to. but i greatly prefer a mic.

walterw · #15 10-09-2010, 01:21 AM

from what i've gathered, kick mics are not so good due to typically having a pre-set "scooped" tone. maybe a "floor tom mic" like the audix D4, something that has reasonable low end extension but not the mid-scoop.

Graig · #16 10-09-2010, 04:18 PM

i've made some very good Experience with an Audix D6 on my 2-Way Cabinet, placed between the 15" Woofer an the 8" Midrange-Driver. On a recent Recording-Session we got best Results with this Setup. Changing the Position of the Mic towards one of the Speakers was like using a Tilt-EQ. We've been able to find a sweet Spot where the recorded Sound was nearly like the Sound we heard in the Room. For Backup we also captured the Line-Signal but we hardly used it. I will give it a try for some of the next Live-Shows.