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Double Bass Great mic - ATM35

Brian K

Brian K

May 21, 2004
361
28
Toronto, ON
#1
I just wanted to share the great time I had yesterday with an Audio Technica ATM35 clip-on mic.

My bass is a small newish Pollmann, and since I bought it in October, I've been trying anything I could get my hands on to amplify it.

First was a Realist pick-up. Okay pizz tone, terrible arco. Next were the bass specific mics, the AMT S25B clamp-on sounded fairly good, as did the SD Systems mic. The Audio Technica pro35x sounded equally good, at a fraction of the price. I kept looking.

I then began using just a stand-mounted mic, and I really liked it. I used an Apex 420, and Electro Voice RE200, and wasn't satisfied. For the last month I was using a Neumann KM 184, which worked well.

Yesterday, a friend let me borrow his Schertler Dyn-B electro-dynamic (don't call me a) pickup. I tried it, and I couldn't understand all the fuss. Sure it's a good sounding pick-up, but it still sounds like "my pick-up only louder" rather than the bass. Luckily for me, while recording the Dyn-B I decided to listen to all the at-home trials of the other gear I had been trying. The Audio Technica sounded better than everything else, and it was the pro35x, the entry level clip-on from them. I headed out to the Long & McQuades (or is it Loan & Persuades?) and rented the similar but better ATM35. OH MY!

This mic is the best amplified sound I have had from my bass. I gigged with it last night, and was so impressed. I clip it on the tailpiece, and put the mic parralel (in height) from the bridge, about 1-2" away. The mic points to the center of the top at a 45o angle. It goes straight into the board.

I see these mics from us retailers on-line for $189, so I will be an owner real soon.

If you're thinking of getting a new mic, do yourself a favour, and rent one of these, and see if it agrees with your bass and ears like it does mine.

bk
 
#2
I've only tried the AMT so that's the only mic I can comment on. The only thing I want to say is that with mics for live use, it's not really a question of just whether it sounds good, but how usable it is for gigging? There is a point at which feedback and/or bleed from other sources make a mic unusable and at that point, it's a useless piece of equipment to you.

Regarding the Dyn-B, results can vary - you need to take the time to find the best spot on the bass. I wouldn't use one for recording (at least not without mixing it with a mic signal).
 
#3
Because most of my gigs are without drums, and without stage monitors, feedback vs. volume isn't as big a concern for me as it is for most people.

I'm going to get a pick-up for the times when just a mic isn't feasable, but I wan't something easy to put on and take off rather than the Realist. The Dyn-B would be good for that, but it's too expensive for something I would only use a few times a year.
 
#5
Brian Kobayakawa said:
Because most of my gigs are without drums, and without stage monitors, feedback vs. volume isn't as big a concern for me as it is for most people.
Click to expand...

Yes I know :) That's why I wanted to raise the point. It's just that so often people will rave about how great a mic is but then someone else uses it and finds that it is unusable for them. People ask why a mic like the AMT costs as much as it does. It's not just because it sounds good but because it is very usable for live performance. Of course if you can get away with something that costs less and works for you then you should.
 
#6
I think the ATM35 sounds great. I had one for a few weeks-but I had to sell it as it picked up too much drums. I liked the sound a lot though. I'm going to try the AMT someday to see how it stacks up bleed-wise. I'd like to find one used or get one on trial to see if it's even going to be useful.
 
#7
I don't think I could go back to a pickup. I just haven't found one that really captures all the nuances. I have been using an AKG D112 the past little while and it sounds great. It is very hard to make this mic feedback. It is perhaps not as clear sounding as the C3000, or the KM185, but it definitely does the job. The only problem I have with it is carrying around the stand and positioning.
 
#8
Another ATM 35 user here...

How you position the mic as with any other is going to determine how much of other things it picks up. The cool thing about the ATM 35 is that you can replace the mic capsule. It comes stock with a cardiod pattern but you can replace that with a hypercardiod pattern.
 
#9
"How you position the mic as with any other is going to determine how much of other things it picks up. The cool thing about the ATM 35 is that you can replace the mic capsule. It comes stock with a cardiod pattern but you can replace that with a hypercardiod pattern."




do you use the hypercardioid capsule? I was using the stock capsule and no matter where i put it there were times where it was just too much drums. i'd give the hypercardioid a try though...
 
#10
CB3000 said:
do you use the hypercardioid capsule? I was using the stock capsule and no matter where i put it there were times where it was just too much drums. i'd give the hypercardioid a try though...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the hypercardoid is no longer made by AT. To make it more confusing, there are two versions of the ATM35: the pro and the artist version. I've forgotten which one is the better one ...

The Audix adx20i is also very nice for DB. I own both, and prefer the Audix over the ATM.
 
#11
jonas said:
Unfortunately, the hypercardoid is no longer made by AT. To make it more confusing, there are two versions of the ATM35: the pro and the artist version. I've forgotten which one is the better one ...

The Audix adx20i is also very nice for DB. I own both, and prefer the Audix over the ATM.
Click to expand...

If you're talking about buying the hypercardiod version of that mic, then you may be correct, however the mic elements are widely available and I believe Audio Technica still makes them. Here's some information on them:

Invalid Link Removed
 
#12
CB3000 said:
do you use the hypercardioid capsule? I was using the stock capsule and no matter where i put it there were times where it was just too much drums. i'd give the hypercardioid a try though...
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm using the hypercardiod capsule and I clip the mic onto the center of the tailpiece with the element about 1 inch from the top.
 
#13
I know this is an old thread but it fits so I'll add my $.02. An ATM35 popped up on Ebay for $100 so I bit. I purchased a hyper capsule (UE-H) a few years ago to try with the cheaper Pro35 mic but it didn't work out and I didn't really care for that mic. The UE-H capsules are still available and I have seen them on Ebay for under $75.
After experimentation I have settled on mounting it permanently to the bass in the following manner. Using a long piece of cut rubber band wrapped twice around the bridge feet and tied, the mic is suspended about 3/4" above the top pointed directly down and centered between the feet. The excess cable is simply bundled and stuck between the power pack and tailpiece which is attached with a black zip tie through the string holes.
Running into the Headway pre I have gigged with this a few times and loved it. It works well either FOH or into the amp. I haven't tried it with a drummer yet so that could be a problem. Most of my gigs are drummerless so I do expect the mic to get lots of use.
Dunno how it might compare with one of the more expensive mics like the AMT or DPA but am in now hurry to find out beause it sounds really good.
 
#14
I have been very happy with my ATM 350, which is a bit more expensive than the current 35, but I got a great new price from a dealer on eBay.

I started out clipping it onto the bridge adjuster wheel and pointing it up under the fihgerboard. Now I am clipping it onto the afterlengths and angling it up towards the Bridge and across towards my body slightly. Straight onto the strings as shown or clipping pieces of icy-pole stick each side of the strings. So far, I am happy running the ATM cable to a preamp or the board.

I am wondering if the Super/hypercardioid capsule fits the ATM350 model too?. My only reservation is the lobe pointing directly behind the mic, which is a nice dead spot for a cardioid. I guess it depends where any bleed might be expected to come from.

I saw the ATM 35 on Ray Brown's 'Live at Starbucks' CD - mounted on a mic stand, clipped onto a big shock mount. I think Chris Fitzgerald mentioned Ray using this mic on some recordings. ? Maybe because Ray was playing Arco on 'Caravan'.

Steve
 

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#18
The elements are clearly marked on the side:

Hyper cardioid: Has an icon of the pattern and an H under it on the side of the element in gray.

Omni: Has an icon of the pattern and an O under on the side of the element in gray

The stock element doesn't have these markings, but I imagine the cardioid element that's sold separately probably has a similar marking as the other two because these elements fit a couple of different Audio Technica mics.
 

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