Looking For The Best Kick Drum Mic For Live Sound?
Here’s a look at our favorites, including our top pick – the Shure PGA52-XLR.
Whether you play professionally or just for fun, you want the right equipment in your corner. If you love the drums, you need a kick drum mic that can faithfully recreate the sound of a live concert, something that not every mic on the market is able to do.
If you are ready to add a top quality kick drum mic to your gear kit, you need to shop around and choose the one that is best value. These kick drum mics come in a variety of sizes, styles and price points, to it is important to compare their features, benefits and ratings before making a final decision. Here are five of our favorite kick drum mics for recreating the live sound you love so much.
What to Look for in a Kick Drum Mic For Live Sound:
- Clarity: Every microphone has a slightly different sound to it. At first your ears might not be able to pick up the difference, but over time you become accustomed to hearing the subtle difference. For a kick drum mic, you want definitive clarity, no coloring of your sound or loss of richness. All of the kick drum mics on our list have the up most clarity for proper reproduction of your kick drum sound.
- Price: Some mics are much more expensive than others, but they all essentially do the same thing right? Wrong, very high end mics will give you a faithful recreation of your exact kick drum sound. All of the mics on our list meet that standard of clarity at an affordable price point.
- Sound Reproduction: This is the main job of your mic, faithful sound reproduction. All of the mics on our list are hand picked because we ensured they could faithfully reproduce the sound of your kick drum.
Shure PGA52-XLR Cardioid Swivel-Mount Dynamic Kick-Drum Microphone with 15′ XLR-XLR Cable
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The Shure PGA52-XLR Cardioid Swivel-Mount Dynamic Kick-Drum Microphone is one of the best, and certainly the best reviewed, kick mics on the market today. It is clear after hearing this mic that real players will love the versatility and flexibility of this kick drum microphone.
The Shure Dynamic Kick-Drum Microphone uses a tailored microphone cartridge design for more faithful sound reproduction in all kinds of conditions. If you are looking for a mic that can faithfully reproduce concert sound at your practice sessions, this one can clearly do the job.
The Shure PGA52-XLR Cardioid Swivel-Mount Dynamic Kick-Drum Microphone also comes with a swivel joint, complete with quick-release latch for fast and easy positioning. That quick-change versatility will be very valuable on the stage, but it will also come in handy at home. The cardioids polar pattern used on this kick drum mic is designed to eliminate unwanted background noise while picking up audio from the source, making it one of the best sound reproduction microphones on the market today.
What Users Are Saying:
- Five star rating
- Great microphone for the money
- Sounds good no matter where you place it
Neewer NW-7A Wired Microphone Kit for Drum and Other Musical Instruments
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Next up is the Neewer NW-7A Wired Microphone Kit is one of the most versatile around. You can use this great kick mic on your drum set, but it is also suitable for a wide variety of other instruments. If you are looking for a flexible mic that can faithfully reproduce your live sound, you might want to outfit the entire band with Neewer NW-7A Wired Microphone Kits.
The Neewer NW-7A low price point makes it an excellent value for beginners and serious players alike. Some of the most notable features on this great mic include a holder with thread inserts for drum microphones, clamps for snare drums, windscreens for condenser microphones and even a sturdy carrying case. Whether your drum kit includes snare drums, kick drums, tom drums or hand drums, this great microphone can capture your live sound and make your practice sessions more productive.
What Users Are Saying:
- Great for someone building a mic collection
- Perfect for home recordings and demos
- Nothing but great things to say about these mics
Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone with High Output Neodymium Element
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Let’s take a look at the Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone with High Output Neodymium Element. This is definitely one of the best kick drum mics, and one of the biggest values, on our list. With a number of features typically found on higher priced microphones, the Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone gives players of all ages and abilities the faithful sound reproduction they need without breaking the bank.
The unique frequency response on the Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone with High Output Neodymium Element is designed specifically for kick drums and bass instruments. That dedicated design allows the mic to capture and reproduce live sound more effectively, so you can go from the garage to the stage with confidence.
The Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone with High Output Neodymium Element also features a built-in dynamic locking stand adapter for easy adjustment and simple setup. It is designed for studio quality performance, and it is able to perform even at high sound pressure levels. With its supercardioid pattern, you get high gain without distracting feedback, making the Shure BETA 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone with High Output Neodymium Element truly one of the best on the market today.
What Users Are Saying:
- Included carrying case is a nice touch
- Great Mic
- It’s a Shure, so you know you’re getting high quality
AKG D112 Large-Diaphragm Dynamic Microphone
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Now we have the AKG D112 Large-Diaphragm Dynamic Microphone and it’s clearly one of the best kick drum mics on the market so we had to have it on our list. Its long list of features makes this microphone an excellent value, while its faithful sound reproduction makes it easy for musicians of all ages and abilities to transition from the practice room to the stage without a care.
The AKG D112 comes with a number of special features, starting with its very high SPL capability for faithful sound reproduction. This great kick drum mic also comes with a large diaphragm, making it suitable for all kinds of bass instruments. Whether you need a microphone for the studio, the stage, or both, the AKG D112 is definitely one to consider.
What Users Are Saying:
- Great for heavy footed drummers
- One of the top kick mics, if not the best available
- What an incredible mic
CAD Audio KBM412 Dynamic Microphone, Cardioid
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Finally let’s take a look at the CAD Audio KBM412 Dynamic Microphone which is clearly one of the best reviewed and best loved kick drum mic on the market today. This being our final option in our buyer’s guide, it came down to a couple close competitors, but ultimately the CAD Audio mic won out.
With its faithful live sound reproduction and its impressive list of features, the CAD Audio KBM412 Dynamic Microphone is also one of the biggest values around.
Some of the impressive features included in the CAD Audio KBM412 are the cardioids polar pattern, designed for faithful reproduction of source sound and elimination of distracting background noise. This great mic also features a frequency response rate of 30Hz-12KHz, making it one of the most powerful in its class. If you are looking for a kick drum mic that can go from the practice shed to the stage with ease, the CAD Audio KBM412 is definitely one to think about more closely.
What Users Are Saying:
- Great kick drum mic for the money!
- Very well built
- Amazing, also great for floor toms
Takeaways
Dynamic sound reproduction is an essential part of learning to play and playing your best. If you have been looking for a great mic that can take you from the practice room to the studio to the stage, the microphones on our list are all worth your careful consideration. We know it’s hard to decide, but don’t fret too much. No matter which mic you end up choosing, we know you’re going to be satisfied with the results.
I started Music Store Central with one simple goal, to help answer all the questions that I know other musicians have. I wanted to make buying new instruments and gear for your passion completely effortless.