Awesome. 
by Chris from Chicago, IL, March 2007
Music Background:  Musician, Novice Recording Engineer

I've been looking to replace my drum mics for some time now. I had been looking at the Sennheiser e604 3 pack for some time and was convinced when I called SW that's what I would order. Basically I have a small little project studio, so I wasn't about to spend more money than was practical for me (as I don't make a living from this).

Basically, long story short, I called up and Jon (my rep) and I discussed the e604s and then he mentioned the Audix DP4 pack. After a short discussion about how he loved them and would recommend them to anyone. I was sold. (Plus it comes with a fourth mic, the i5)

After the past two weekends of recording a friend's band, I can't believe I put off buying these mics for so long. The D-2 mics are very accurate and have a bit of a boost in the low/mid range which was very nice for the project I was doing. I didn't put any eq on them at all. Also, the drummer hits hard, really hard, and they stood up to the SPL test (ie. no clipping).

I ended up using the D-4 on the floor tom (as I have a beta 52 and beta 91 for the kick). The D-4 also reproduced the floor tom accurately with a bit of coloration, but not unwelcome.

However, the real secret in this pack is the i5. I know people have been swearing by the SM57 as the workhorse mic for the snare, but after using the i5, I don't know if I'd go back to the SM57 for the snare (maybe if I have enough channels to double mic, then I would). The i5 did a wonderful job capturing the body and the snap of the snare sound, without the midrange "harshness" you can pick up from the 57. Again, no EQ!

Now, I'm not saying get rid of the 57, but this is definitely a great alternative (and now you more 57's for your guitar amps).

Overall, this is a great mic collection for the price. They are built sturdy and seem to be able to handle the work you thow at them.

The only reason this pack gets a 4.5 and not a 5 is the drum mounting clips. I wish they would build a better way to adjust the gooseneck (rather than spinning the neck). I understand why they did it based on the lower chance of the neck sliding up and down, but it's kind of a pain to move them once the mic is on and ready to go, so minor adjustment isn't as easy as it should be.

That being said, that's not a huge issue at all, and really easy to overlook and overcome. I would recommend this pack to anyone with a small little studio or a drummer who wants a killer live sound.

Where's the 'hell yeah' knob? 
by Monte Thompson from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, April 2006

The Audix mics...in general, even the higher end mics, a re completely lifeless.
If you like the sound of your toms all taped up with richie rings and crammed with foam then you'll love these mics. No matter where you place them on the drum they sound the same.
That same predictability makes these mics ideal for live cover band gigs.
I strongly reccomend spending the same money or just a little more on Shure's drum mic solution. You'll end up with better flexibility in your drum sound and your studio.

Write Your Own Review!
We all love gear, and we all love talking about gear with our friends and bandmates. Why not share your thoughts with the hundreds of thousands of customers who regularly visit Sweetwater.com? Write your own customer review on this product! To begin, just Click Here!