Getting a set of drum microphones can be daunting. There are so many components needed to get a great drum sound and buying drum mics one by one is usually a lengthy process.
Thankfully, mic companies have drummers covered by providing pre-established drum mic packs. One of our favorite packs is the Senheiser e600 Drum Mic Kit. This pack has everything you need to start recording drums or amplifying them at live gigs. Let’s take a deep dive into everything that this pack offers.
The pack comes with 7 microphones. There are 4 dynamic microphones for the snare and toms, 1 mic for the kick, and 2 mics that can either be used as overheads or a hi-hat mic. All the mics are surprisingly durable and tough, and they make it pretty easy to get a good drum sound.
If you place all the mics in optimal positions, any drum kit is going to sound fantastic with these. We love how they even make kits with old and worn drum heads sound good.
On top of having a great set of microphones, this kit also comes with a sturdy mic case that will protect the mics wherever you go. Mic cases are pretty standard, but we feel this one stands out from many of the rest.
The e602-II is one of the best mics in this whole kit. It’s intended to be used as a kick drum mic, and it delivers everything you’ll ever need when it comes to getting a great kick drum sound.
It brings out a lot of low-end and punchiness from your bass drum, making it a strong tool to have when you need a powerful sound. It successfully brings that low-end out in both live stage settings as well as studio recording settings.
The e604 mics are intended to be placed on the snare and toms. They do a wonderful job of capturing both the attack and sustain of the drums. They’re also incredibly easy to place on the drums thanks to the included mounts. They don’t get in the way at all, making them very valuable tools to have.
For such small microphones, the high-quality sound you get from them is pleasantly surprising. Many mic packs include a dedicated mic for the snare, but we found that the e604 works just as well on the snare as it does on the toms.
The mic kit is rounded out by these two overhead mics that pick up the overall sound of your drums wonderfully. They particularly thrive when picking up cymbal sounds, giving you a clear picture and clarity when it comes to your cymbals.
It’s for this reason that you could also use one of these to mic your hi-hats. Using one as an overhead and the other as a hi-hat mic could potentially be a setup that will give you extra focus on your cymbal sound. Here’s a buying guide to know more about this mic.
If you want to stick with a two-mic overhead setup, you could always buy a third e614 separately for the hi-hat.
We’d say that these microphones fall into the mid-range category of mics. They’re not as expensive and high-quality as the top mics on the market, but they’re more than good enough for anyone to use in professional situations.
Someone who has experience with drum mixing could make the drums sound world-class with these. Anyone with little drum mixing experience would still be able to get a great sound since these mics naturally make the drums sound fantastic.
These mics are surprisingly durable for how small they are. They’d easily survive a few drum stick shots. However, you probably won’t be hitting them often since you can easily place them out of the way.
You’ll be using these for years until you decide you want to upgrade them. Even if you upgrade to more expensive mics, you could still keep these in your mic locker to use whenever you need to.
The pack costs around $1000. It’s not the cheapest pack of mics around. You could get a good set for about $500. However, these are much better quality and they’ll last you much longer. They also make it easier to get a good drum sound, meaning they’re a better choice for people who aren’t very comfortable with mixing yet.
So, the price-to-value ratio is pretty good with the Senheiser pack because it’s a solid investment for the future. You’re spending a bit more on mics to make sure that you still have a great set of mics for the long run.
The mics work well in studio settings, especially because you’re going to have all the time in the world to place them correctly and tweak the mix until it sounds right. They do a fitting job in providing you a solid base to work off of.
The initial sound is usually quite good from your drums, but the mics make it quite manageable to get a fantastic EQ and mix.
These mics make your drums sound fantastic in live settings, even with a flat EQ. No matter what venue you’re in, you’ll be able to tweak the mix to get a great sound. The drums will sound punchy as the mics bring out a lot of attack. They’ll also ring out nicely in the venue thanks to the accented sustain from the microphones.
Overall, the mics are just as good in live settings as they are in studio settings. This makes them incredibly versatile.
If you’re planning on recording drums, just getting a mic kit isn’t going to be enough. There are a few other things you need to have such as cables, an interface, and software.
XLR cables are something that every drummer should have. You’re going to need to connect one from each mic into the interface. The interface is the thing that connects the microphones to a computer.
Once you have the cables and an interface, you’ll need a Digital Audio Workstation to record the drums into. That’s also the place where you’ll EQ and mix the drums.
Drums need the most amount of microphones out of any other instrument. Controlling how each individual mic is picking up sounds and altering those frequencies is what makes recording drums quite tricky.
You’re controlling 7 different microphones and making sure that the sounds aren’t clashing with each other. With other instruments, you just need to focus on 1 or 2 microphones.
Drums are also tricky to record because everyone plays drums differently. There’s a certain way of playing that is better suited for recording, and it can be difficult to figure out how to play like that.
We think the Senheiser e600 mic kit is a fantastic option for anyone looking for a high-quality set of mics. Our favorite thing is the fact that they’re so small, yet they provide an incredible sound from your drums. They’re also very durable.
This mic kit will last you several years of good use, so it’s a great investment to add to your list of drum gear.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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