'official live sound thread'

[arvoitus]

I'm planning to buy a new kick drum microphone stricly for live sound purposes. I already own a Sennheiser E602 but sometimes i'm looking for a different character.
The performing bands play everything like indierock/punkrock/stoner/grunge and harder stuff like metalcore.

I am in doubt between the Beta 52a, Beta 91a and the Audix D6.
The Beta 52a seems to be the most popular allround bassdrum mic.
The Beta 91a is the king of click, but i'm affraid it will be a one trick pony and not really useful on its own. But i do love how easy it is to place.
The Audix D6 is gaining a lot of popularity with a good combination of low-end and click.

What are your opinions?

 

[Trevoire520]

I've not been too enamoured with the D6 when I've used it to be honest. I think the mid scoop is too big and too wide so you get ZERO mids. Just sub and tick.

Beta 52 is ok, it's a bit ugly sounding to me but I see it used alot.

You're right in that the 91A is king for click, I see alot of guys doing sound for indie bands using them too.

I quite like the 602 actually, modern enough that you can do metal with just a little post eq, but even with the eq flat I think it's already tailor made for general rock/punk kinda stuff.

 

[arvoitus]

I quite like the 602 actually, modern enough that you can do metal with just a little post eq, but even with the eq flat I think it's already tailor made for general rock/punk kinda stuff.

The E602 is the only kick mic i have ever used. I pretty much dont have any experience with anything else but there is something with the mids which i really don't like.

Perhaps a E602 + Beta 91a combo would be great, a lot of soundguys over here use the Beta 52 + Beta 91 combo.

 

[Trevoire520]

Yeah 602 and 91 is a great combo as the 602 has a awesome low end, blend it in with the 91 for attack and you should be getting some really awesome kick sounds.
52 and 91 is one of the most common combo's I see on kick, it's a very flexible setup that can do just about any genre. Personally as long as I have a 91 inside I'm happy with almost anything on the outside just to get the subs moving. Even a D112 will do the trick.

 

[Sloan]

This past week did Dweezil Zappa, Down, and Warbeast. If you have any gear questions, just ask!

 

[arv_foh]

91+52 is king. D6 if I have to use one mic

 

[lelahel]

anyone uses tubescreamer in live situation? if yes why? if not why?

 

[Sloan]

anyone uses tubescreamer in live situation? if yes why? if not why?

I've seen rigs with tubescreamers. Same reason for recording, to tighten up and shape the mids.

 

[Sloan]

Transfer console settings between different consoles and more...this is crazy...
http://cuecast.com/

 

[MotherEel]

We tend to always negotiate that "the venue is small enough we don't need guitars through front of house, just mix the drums and vocals based on volume". We generally get a crushing sound everytime.

 

[fade_2_black]

Transfer console settings between different consoles and more...this is crazy...
http://cuecast.com/

Cool concept. Like the idea of VCA/DCA and CG assigns - very cool. Obviously individual channel settings - EQ, dynamics, etc - are easy enough to do on the fly on any digital console. Have you used this before? Does it look after softpatching, etc?

Would be cool if it catered for more consoles - only 4 at this stage..

 

[Sloan]

Cool concept. Like the idea of VCA/DCA and CG assigns - very cool. Obviously individual channel settings - EQ, dynamics, etc - are easy enough to do on the fly on any digital console. Have you used this before? Does it look after softpatching, etc?

Would be cool if it catered for more consoles - only 4 at this stage..

I have not used it, it was in the Jan 2013 FOH magazine and my boss man brought it up... I think he might have signed up for the free thing. He does Bonnaroo and other stuff so I'll ask if he has had a chance to use it...

 

[fade_2_black]

The E602 is the only kick mic i have ever used. I pretty much dont have any experience with anything else but there is something with the mids which i really don't like.

Perhaps a E602 + Beta 91a combo would be great, a lot of soundguys over here use the Beta 52 + Beta 91 combo.

Sennheiser 901 and 902 are an unbeatable combo for metal or hard rock.

For live stuff, I'm a fan of the old SM91, not so much Beta 91. Haven't tried the new Beta 91a and don't really intend to, to be honest.

Not at all fond of the 52a for anything heavy. Pretty good if you're wanting a thuddier, boxier kick with less attack. D6 is also pretty cool for metal but I don't have one in my kit so don't know it too intimately.

 

[fade_2_black]

I'm planning to buy a new kick drum microphone stricly for live sound purposes. I already own a Sennheiser E602 but sometimes i'm looking for a different character.
The performing bands play everything like indierock/punkrock/stoner/grunge and harder stuff like metalcore.

I am in doubt between the Beta 52a, Beta 91a and the Audix D6.
The Beta 52a seems to be the most popular allround bassdrum mic.
The Beta 91a is the king of click, but i'm affraid it will be a one trick pony and not really useful on its own. But i do love how easy it is to place.
The Audix D6 is gaining a lot of popularity with a good combination of low-end and click.

What are your opinions?

If you already have a 602, you'll get the greatest tonal variation with a PZM mic - 901 / Beta 91.. That way you'll have two mics with completely different tonal and envelope characteristics

 

[SonicCulture]

I'm planning to buy a new kick drum microphone stricly for live sound purposes. I already own a Sennheiser E602 but sometimes i'm looking for a different character.
The performing bands play everything like indierock/punkrock/stoner/grunge and harder stuff like metalcore.

I am in doubt between the Beta 52a, Beta 91a and the Audix D6.
The Beta 52a seems to be the most popular allround bassdrum mic.
The Beta 91a is the king of click, but i'm affraid it will be a one trick pony and not really useful on its own. But i do love how easy it is to place.
The Audix D6 is gaining a lot of popularity with a good combination of low-end and click.

What are your opinions?

In my oppinion, the D6 is way too scooped and dosent really have any meaty mids, the 52 sounds nasty, and has this wired and way too open click. The 91 is a fine multi purpose mic, witch will work best in context with another mic. For the rock stuff i like the EV N/D 868, which is easyer to mold as you want it to be due to the not so scooped response, for harder music i like the 602 and 902.

Remeber, to get a tighter kick with too mics, its a good idea to align them.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I've only ever worked with the Shure Beta52a so I can't quite chime in a whole lot here. I never really liked the sound of it, but then again, it's most likely the drum/tuning/dampening which is causing more bad than the mic.

 

[Sloan]

it's most likely the drum/tuning/dampening which is causing more bad than the mic.

i agree with this. i've seen/heard 52's in so many venues and they almost always sound good unless the kick sucks. personally haven't had a problem just sticking a 52 in the kick hole. i need to find a mic that sounds ok when there's no hole in the front head. why drummers do this, i have no idea. i've seen a 91 in/52 out setup on a lot of acts when they bring their own stuff.

I haven't had a chance to use a d6, 902/602 live, but i would like to try them if i get the chance. i'm doing monitors here so i don't really have the opportunity to get into it yet.

 

[arvoitus]

Remeber, to get a tighter kick with too mics, its a good idea to align them.

Maybe a stupid question, but how do you align two mics with a analog console (other then phase reverse)?

 

[SonicCulture]

Maybe a stupid question, but how do you align two mics with a analog console (other then phase reverse)?

This will of course be easyier with a digital desk. Analog wise you would have to get a delay unit of some kind inserted on the kick channel.

 

[if6was9]

This will of course be easyier with a digital desk. Analog wise you would have to get a delay unit of some kind inserted on the kick channel.

From what I've seen most people don't go to this bother. Flip the phase and see which way sounds best. Guys will then Highpass the one they use for click (91) and low pass the low one ( beta52). Or at least something close to that with the available EQ.
Personally if things start sounding weird and phasey after this I revert to using 1 mic.