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Recommend me a mic

Piggy8692

Piggy8692

Oct 2, 2010
265
23
Northern Utah
#1
I'm getting ready to do some home recording with my band. I'm planning on running DI and micing my cabs, then doing a mix.

I've heard about going DI to get the lows and then micing to get your mids-highs. I've got a Shure sm57 for my 4x10 but I'm not sure what I'll be wanting for my 18.

I've heard good things about the Heil pr40, but it's a little out of my price range. I came across the pr48 which is a drum kick mic. Has anyone had experience recording bass cabs with these?

I'm going to get either the pr48, or a Shure Beta 52a.

Suggestions?

It's a metal project in which I'm using a low A. I'm going to be using the sm57 for my mids/grit whatever. I'm hoping to get some powerful low end punch from that 18.
 
#2
You're more likely to get "powerful low end punch" from the DI or the 4x10 than the 1x18, which will probably be slow and flabby (plus adding a third source to the mix makes phase harder to deal with). I'd just go with the 57 on the 4x10 plus the DI. The 57 will get more than just mids and highs (unless you're biamping or something), it just won't extend super low but you can use the DI for that.

If you need to buy something I'd go with the PR40 over the other two as you will find it more useful as a full range mic, you could use it for almost anything. Those pre scooped kick mics aren't usually good for anything except kick, floor tom and bass. Never used a PR48 but I've used the Beta52 quite a bit, I've had the best luck on bass cabs a few inches back otherwise the proximity effect makes it super boomy.
 
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#3
18 is useless for metal usually. There is no punch. It's dull, slow and low. It's a bass pillow, not a bass fist :) 10 cabs are quite "punchier". The 10+DI combination is a classic choice for metal. And compression, compression, compression, lots of compression! But it is your sound engineer's problem.

BTW I like Shure B52 and AKG D112. AKG has a very recognizable "color" you can fall in love with or hate it.
 
#5
I wouldn't bother micing the 1X18. Totally unnecessary.

With that said, your SM57 could do exactly what you want in getting the mids and highs. If you want a "better" all around mic with a flatter frequency response I would suggest the EV RE20 as mentioned above. If you want something a little less expensive the Heil PR40 is a very good substitute for it.

I wouldn't get a kick drum mic like the Beta 52 you mention. It's going to be all lows and highs, none of the mid content punch you're looking for.
 

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