Sennheiser e 901 Boundary Condenser Microphone Reviews

This is a great addition to my studio. I use it for the attack on my kick. Works great with my D112.

I loved using my SM91 and Beta52, but after using this mic, the attack and audio reproduction I was getting was bar none the best I've ever heard. This is now my go-to for all kick mics. Love it!

does exactly what i was looking for

I've worked with every major kick mic available for the past 13 years I've been mixing live sound. This mic has proven to be my overall favorite. It out performs my beta 91a in low mid clarity, and has the precise hi end attack I need to get definition. I love the Telefunken M82, but that mic can seem to handle the high db demand over time. I can just make the e901 do exactly what I want, every time. Saves needing to double mic the kick. Really want that sub octave processing to be blended with your high end attack? Just double patch you mic on the digital console, process accordingly. No need to time align the inputs for phase! You may need to play with polarity if you did so, but that's it.
Bottom line, this is always the first mic I grab, if I need an external dynamic, I throw my beta 52 in there as another option. Stop thinking about it, just buy it. You will not be disappointed.

I had a beta 91 shoot the moon on me. I had been wanting to try the 901 but never had a real reason to buy it, until now. This mic has already replaced my beta 91 after 1 gig. I planned on using this guy as a "fill in" kick in mic until my 91 was repaired. Now I don"t think I"ll go back to the 91. This mic sounds GREAT right out of the box, all you need is gain, a lil high pass action, and some compression, and you"re there. The 10 year factory warranty is also a HUGE plus! Would recommend, or give 10 stars if possible.

This is a great inside kick mic. It is my preferred live sound mic, as it is very detailed and I can easily eq beater/click/attack out of the mic for softer music.

It is also working great in the studio, though it does pick up significant bleed.

The only con is that some drummers don't have sound holes, or their sound holes are too small. This is quite aggravating, but I blame them.

All of the reviews on this mic are spot-on. It absolutely hits the ball out of the park as a kick drum mic, and I am pretty picky on what I use on the kick. For some perspective, I normally like to use an Audio Technica AE-2500 dual-element kick mic, or even its little brother the ATM250DE, as they combine both a condenser and dynamic element into one mic. Worst-case scenario, I will use a nice dynamic like the Sennheiser e902 if I only have the time or channels to allow for a single kick drum mic. To make a long story short, I had a show coming up for a band I had never worked with before, and found out days before the show that the drummer had just bought a "new kit". Not having pictures of the kit, and not trusting his hole placement on the head of the kick, I read a ton of reviews and decided to give this mic a whirl based on numerous great reviews on a number of sites. I also did not know what I was walking into, so I wanted to make sure my piece of the set-up was a quick as possible. When I got to the show, he had a nice hole placement on his kick, so I really didn't need this mic, but I really wanted to try it out to see how it sounded (plus, it was literally "hook a cable to it and throw it into the drum" to set up!). Well, let me just say I was "blown away", as my 5-star rating would indicate. With just a little gating and compression (and NO EQ!!), this mic had the kick sounding tight and thunderous in about 2 minutes. I literally could not believe the great depth I got out of this mic, as being a condenser I had anticipated it being a little "crispy" and maybe not have the "kick" of a dynamic mic. No problems whatsoever with the low end or getting the subwoofers to move; this mic absolutely hit the sweet spot for the kick at an outdoor show where acoustic conditions are not always the best. I can honestly say I was ready to sell my other mics I have used on the kick in the past, but they still have use so I have kept them; they just won't be used live on a kick anymore! Bottom line is that this mic far exceeded expectations in a real-life live environment, and for its price there is simply no comparison in my mind. And as far as ease of set up, there is no comparison whatsoever: you just plug a cable into it and set it on the pillow or whatever pad is inside the kick drum about halfway in and you are done! No kick mic stand to mess with and have taking up space on the stage = AWESOME!! Don't hesitate or think twice: just buy it!!

I used this mic on my kick drum when I played at this year's Bonnaroo Festival 2009. I was blown away by its performance in a live setting, but factored in the top notch sound system and engineers. I went ahead and purchased this mic and compared it to my beloved D6 in my home studio. I have found my new favorite kick mic in 901! It sounds much more natural than the D6, less hyped, but still has weight, body, punch, and captures tone. Plus, being a PZM, I've used it on tons of other sources with great results. This mic kills the Beta 91 in features and sound: it has two holes in the bottom to mount it on a wall, a solid rubber bottom to eliminate slippage, and No tinny preamp cable. There is a lot to love about this microphone! Thanks Sweetwater!

Throughout my 30 year career of engineering for music (Studio & live) I have always had my trusty pair of AKG options. However my return to live sound has made me seek focused solutions - results with easy setup. This is where the e901 wins - hands down. I work with 4 different kick drums, four different drummers covering four different genre. Yet after an initial readjustment of the EQ - done. Ditch the stand and now I might consider putting my less than vintage D112 up for sale. Stay tuned...

Using a kick drum mic as a podium mic might seem silly, but it's working really well! Took a chance on the first suggestion offered by Brad, my sales engineer. Glad I did!

Using a kick drum mic as a podium mic might seem silly, but it's working really well! Took a chance on the first suggestion offered by Brad, my sales engineer. Glad I did!

I was told this was a better alternative to the Beta 91. Have not used the 91, so I don't know either way. Had to take the front head off as it is a little wide for some ports. It picked up everything from snare to cymbals, so you'll need a gate. But, it gave a nice chest thump with very little EQ. Paired with AUDIX D6 you get the best of both with very little work. Check polarity of course.

I use it in kick drums along with another mic. It does everything I need it to. I like it to because it durable, sounds great and has no cord, just a mic cable plug in.

Stick it in a bass drum and you're done! It's that simple and you get the perfect kick sound every time. Pair it with a AKG D112 on the beater side to get have more flexibility with your tone.