AT250DE kick drum mic

Michael John

Michael John

Junior
Jun 25, 2011
352
9
18
Sydney, Australia
eclipseaudio.com
I used a AT250DE at two different carols concerts on the weekend: different venues, drummers, kits and mixing consoles. On solo over headphones at both, I could hear what sounded like the mic clipping, just on louder beats.

The mic was just inside the port. I was only using the dynamic capsule. (The specs don't show a maximum SPL for the dynamic but AT say it will take very high levels.)

Does any have any experience with the 250DE? Thoughts? Opinions?

Michael
 
Re: AT250DE kick drum mic

My opinion on that scenario is that placing the mic in the port exposes it to excessive air movement and the "clipping" sound you're hearing is wind noise, not excessive SPL. Mic the head, the beater or the inside of the drum...not the port.
 
Re: AT250DE kick drum mic

Dick Rees said:
My opinion on that scenario is that placing the mic in the port exposes it to excessive air movement and the "clipping" sound you're hearing is wind noise, not excessive SPL. Mic the head, the beater or the inside of the drum...not the port.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yep, whole mic and XLR were inside so the I'm guessing the mic front grill was about 7" inside from the port.
Similar to the photos on http://recordinghacks.com/2012/06/08/kick-drum-mic-shootout/
You're suggesting even further?
 
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Re: AT250DE kick drum mic

If the diaphragm is about as far inside of the port as the port diameter, you should be fine. It does depend somewhat on how tight the skins are, very tight skins will suck the air back in at nearly the same speed, and then the inflow will extend further inside the post, similar to the outflow extending outside the port.
Sure you haven't got clipping in the preamp or mixer? I've seen clipping at -15dBFS on the meters because the averaging even at "peak" metering disguises the real peak of drums.
 
Re: AT250DE kick drum mic

Michael Smithers said:
Thanks. Yep, whole mic and XLR were inside so the I'm guess the mic front grill was about 7" inside from the port.
Similar to the photos on http://recordinghacks.com/2012/06/08/kick-drum-mic-shootout/
You're suggesting even further?
Click to expand...

While I've not worked with the AT250DE, some mics do benefit from being pretty much all the way into the drum. The D112 comes to mind as an example, where it works best if you use it to mic the back of the batter head, as in the mic is an inch or so from the head (use a short very heavy stand and a full size boom).
 
Re: AT250DE kick drum mic

Per Søvik said:
...Sure you haven't got clipping in the preamp or mixer? I've seen clipping at -15dBFS on the meters because the averaging even at "peak" metering disguises the real peak of drums.
Click to expand...

One was a Soundcraft Expression SI, the other was a Yamaha 01V96v2. Both had around 10 to 15 dB headroom on the meters.

Interestingly on the SoundCraft, the red clip LED would light up even if the meters were only reaching about 5dB lower, so it seems like Soundcraft have separated the clip LED from the meter averaging.
 
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