Sennheiser MD 421-II Review:
What To Expect from This Mic
Quality
When you use the MD 142-II to record snare drums and toms, you get top-quality sounds that have a bit of low-end focus.
For that reason, this microphone works best when recording toms that are tuned low to medium. It brings out a lot of low-end punch from them, which makes them sound big and powerful.
You can also use this microphone to record bass drums, making it quite versatile. A lot of studio engineers like to place it inside bass drum shells to utilize it in the best way possible.
Construction
The construction quality of the mic is decent. However, it has a larger body that can easily get in the way of a drummer.
If you place one of these mics in a striking zone, the chances are high that a few drumstick shots will damage the casing over time. With the mic being so big, it’s hard to miss.
So, you need to be very careful of where you place it. If it never gets hit with sticks, the casing will last decades, though.
Performance
Again, this microphone brings big and low frequencies out of your drums, so you get a booming sound when you use it.
It sounds alright on a snare, but it’s your toms and kick drum where it will sound the best. If you get a few of these mics to place on each tom, you’ll get an incredible end result for your mix.
You may need to do a bit of EQing to dial in good settings, but it won’t be too tricky.
Price Value Ratio
This microphone has a mid-range price tag. It’s not as pricey as high-end studio microphones, but it’s a lot more expensive than something like a Shure SM57.
You’ll need to think twice before buying it, as it will cost over $1000 if you plan on getting one for each drum shell in your setup.
With that being said, we think the price is justified by the recording quality that you get.