CAD Drum Mics - Too cheap to be good?

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sentinel72

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May 14, 2009
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Hey guys!

Anyone else here seen these?

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/CAD-PRO7-7Piece-Drum-Microphone-Pack?sku=270749

At that kind of price I wouldnt expect much. But the reviews I have been reading are shockingly good.

Has anyone here used these? Or better yet, can you share links to recordings done with them?

I have no experience mic'ing drums and my band is thinking of self producing our next album... (needless to say I have been doing a LOT of reading here)
 
there really nasty sounding a friend of mine has them and there really not worth it you would be better off with a few used 57s or a decent condenser
 
I have 2 sm57's and a set of el cheapo condensers. (MXL 990 and MXL 991)

THe MXLs I got for free.

We're using a 5 piece drumset plus hi hat, 2 crashes and a ride.

Not a huge kit.

Any recommendations for piecing something together on a budget is appreciated!

(I'd prefer the advice come from people who have done what they are advising and have heard the results. Of course I understand that its playing and recording ability that deliver the results, not just gear.)
 
They're crap.

Used them to record 10 songs, and immediately put them up on eBay. I only wish I knew about sample replacement when I did that session as it took forever to get my kit to not sound like cardboard.

Depending on the music you're recording, Google the Glyn Johns micing method and the Recorderman micing method. Both of those can be done with 3/4 mics and you can get some really good tones once you've tweaked the mic positions and not have to go buy anything new. If you need the kit to cut through walls of guitars, then you'll be better off grabbing another 2 57s (or ES57s on a budget) and a semi-decent kick mic to close mic everything.
 
They are junk. I have used them once for live stuff and they were horrible enough at that. I couldn't even fathom using them for studio. The condensers are actually surprisingly decent but the rest of the mics are complete crap. The reviews were making me facepalm so hard.

"These mics sound great, and the only thing I know about recording drums is what I've read on the internet."

"These mics are great for recording drums, and anything else you can think of. The only problem, is that the condensers require phantom power. Kinda confusing"

"I'm not a sound engineer but these mics sound great" etc.

Grab some more 57s. Use them on snare and toms. Get a Beta 52 or an Audix D6 for your kick.... or you could just get triggers and sample replace the whole kit. I found a complete set of ddrum pro triggers used for $100. I don't have any experience with MXL on overheads... but try them and if you don't like you can always get something else. Those cad condensers would probably work decently well for overheads, but I've never used them for studio. Just live. They're only $50 for 2.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/CAD-CM217-Condenser-Mic-Buy-One-Get-One-FREE?sku=271324
 
The 7 piece Shure set is pretty good, I'd recommend adding a few SM57's on to it as well. Awesome tone -> price ratio.
 
there horrid!!! great to learn with though. currently using one as a talk back haha
 
I owned this set of drum mics for around 2 years and used them on a number of projects:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/CAD-4Piece-Drum-Microphone-Pack?sku=270777

I used a 57 for the snare, though, and an MXL 991 and Samson C03 for overheads, or a pair of Behringer C-2's (which SUCK). Actually, if you listen to my band (link in sig), the drums on everything off our last CD (The Bitter End) and our most recent demo is a blend of these mics and samples (using the MXL and Samson Cond. as OH's).

IMO, the nicer CAD's aren't as bad as the cheaper ones. They aren't super tight, and can have some bleed, but I never really had problems sample replacing using the mic signals, no mistriggers or anything. With well thought out and tested placement, they'd be OK, IMO. The kick drum mic has virtually NO high end, but it picks up a good amount of low end thump.

Obviously there are better choices, as others have mentioned, but at this price point I'd say these are about a good as you are going to get. I ended up selling mine when I started freelancing at the studio, as their mic selection is superb. I used the money to buy some DDrum Pro triggers.
 
awesome info.

Thanks a lot guys!!!!!

As a related thing, can anyone point me to a guide or good source for the topic of "drum replacement"?

I am familiar with the workings of DAWs but until now have always went the midi/superior drummer route. Never delved into "real" drums before... Seems this replacement thing is inevitable if you want a GOOD drum track.

Any help in finding some "how to noob-ish" info would be greatly appreciated!

:worship:
 
I have a CAD 4 piece pack. The kick mic is so bassy (really shit), the other mics - meh. I just use them as cheap triggers to be honest. I have seen somewhat good Youtube clips of a guy drumming with CAD mics, probably a different pack to mine.

 
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I looked at the recorderman technique. Pretty impressive!

Are condensers needed for this? Or can I use SM57's?

I have one of those "pencil" type condensers.... Its a crappy MXL 991

Another question: The recorderman method... ( ) The string thing is confusing me.... I see what they are doing but I dont see an actual length mentioned... .The back mic is 2 sticks away... How high is the top mic?

The video leaves a bit out....
 
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I have the exact set that you do. I have 4 sm57s, a beta 52a for the kick, and the mxl 990 and 991. I know it isn't "correct", but I put them in a spaced pair over the set and just mic up all the other drums. I normally sound replace all the drum sounds anyways, but yes, you can use the mxl's as overheads. I do and it sounds fine for the price of them.
 
They do their job. I have them and use them for drum recording. I replace 100% though. They work well as triggers! haha. The kick is pretty horrid sounding on its own, and the tom/snare mics aren't too hot either.

The condensers in the premium pack are actually not that bad. I'm definitely wanting to upgrade soon, but they do ok as overheads. Especially since I bought them on a budget as my first set of mics. You get what you pay for but with decent mixing you can make them sound alright. Like someone else said, they're great to learn with!


Edit: This is the premium pack I'm talking about. They're like 230 for a set of 7 mics. Definitely don't go any lower end than the premiums
 
The condensors in that pack are absolutely hideous. I bought them for like 60 dollars and had them like 2nd day'd to me becaues I needed a "matching"pair of overheads. Well, I got them, and plugged em in, started getting the levels for the drum tracks, and immediately yanked them down. Probably the most unpleasant sounding condensers I have ever heard. COMPLETELY un-usable in a mix. For live applications they may be alright, but DEF not in a controlled environment. Like I said, buy the shure pack or something comparable. Its worth it.

Also, look used. You can score some 57s for less than 75 dollars a piece I'm sure. I don't know about everyone else, but I buy a lot of gear used. I figure if someone is going to buy something nice like an interface or a nice mic, they aren't going to treat it like crap, themselves. It wouldn't make any sense.
 
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