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ericthegreat « for your kick »
Published on 01/31/12 at 21:30The TG X 60 by Beyer Dynamic is a dynamic mic that is specifically designed for large drums. It has a very large dynamic capsule, so that it can respond better to the long wavelengths of bass frequencies. It is a cardioid polar pattern. There is no switchable pattern, and there is no pad for higher SPL's. There is also no low frequency filter, since the goal of this mic is to capture them. The mic connects with a standard XLR audio cable. The mic definitely has a tailored frequency response. There is definitely a bump in the low frequency area from 50Hz to maybe 200Hz. The mids seemed to be scooped out a bit until around 2-3k, and at that point there is definitely a spike. That is probably to help bring out the click; in a kick drum to help it cut through in a mix instead of just sounding muffled and washed out. You could use this as your studio kick drum mic, and also as a live one.
OVERALL OPINION
I have had this for years, and I still haven't decided if I like this or AKG's D112 more. They are the same price, so it's an easy comparison to make. The TG usually ends up with a sound that is beefier and has more weight to it, but it is often harder to get it to cut through in a mix than a kick recorded with the D112. Another nice use I have found for this mic is miking a bass amp. If you combine that signal with a DI signal from the bass, you can just use the miked signal to serve as the bottom end, and then use the crisp DI signal for the top. The result is a well balanced bass sound that won't turn to mush in a mix. It doesn’t cost much, so the price is low for a very nice kick sound. Gets my seal of approval.
OVERALL OPINION
I have had this for years, and I still haven't decided if I like this or AKG's D112 more. They are the same price, so it's an easy comparison to make. The TG usually ends up with a sound that is beefier and has more weight to it, but it is often harder to get it to cut through in a mix than a kick recorded with the D112. Another nice use I have found for this mic is miking a bass amp. If you combine that signal with a DI signal from the bass, you can just use the miked signal to serve as the bottom end, and then use the crisp DI signal for the top. The result is a well balanced bass sound that won't turn to mush in a mix. It doesn’t cost much, so the price is low for a very nice kick sound. Gets my seal of approval.