Kick Port thoughts?

Hi there, erm just wonderd what you guys thought of the kick port, for those of you that have heard one, or use one, what exactly does it improve? volume or just thickens the sound some how?

I just thought that it might be worth a purchase? as thats what I love a really thick, punch the crowed in the chest sound...

Cheers Tom
 
I purchased two of them so far. I use one on my 22 X14 1971 Slingerland bass and the other on my 18" Yamaha Hipgig. Seems to lower the freqency a bit and add a bit of punch but I can't say for sure?

They look nice and my guess is they protect the head a bit when you have a mic and cable in there.
 
The purpose of the port initially was just to get a microphone inside, I believe. Differences in sound were incidental. I find the port shortens the length of decay, which may be perceived as punchiness. I prefer the fatter warmer sound of an unported head, myself, so I got a Kelly Shoe internal mic mount. I like that arrangement much better.

As 2BSticks said, the rings you buy to go around the port hole are just to protect the head.
 
Alright guys, thx for your input, much apreciated! I think I will invest in one, and like you said 2bsticks, the protectino of the head would be good, as I do alot of gigs for my school and my port has taken a battering lol

Cheers Tom
 
I actually know the man who invented the ring for the hole - he goes by "Zay Speed." The original product was called "HOLZ." Every design you see today is based on those products. Unfortunately, he was unable to manage the business properly and doesn't have the means to defend his patent.

He was an extremely heavy metal player and was constantly splitting kick heads. He needed a way to relieve the pressure from inside the drum. So, no, this was not a micing issue.

I found that the feel, the tuning, and response TOTALLY changed after I installed the HOLZ. You will just have to try it out to know what I'm talking about.

Keep in mind that the size of the HOLZ is also very important. Using a very large, or many HOLZ is going to have the same effect as removing the resonant head altogether. The Drum Tuning Bible (use google - it's free) has some info on the mathematics here.

Another interesting thing about Zay Speed - he would NEVER use any heads with ANY KIND of muffling - not even coating.

-sheldon
 
Hi there, erm just wonderd what you guys thought of the kick port, for those of you that have heard one, or use one, what exactly does it improve? volume or just thickens the sound some how?

I just thought that it might be worth a purchase? as thats what I love a really thick, punch the crowed in the chest sound...

Cheers Tom

Search 'KICKPORT' we did a few threads on it.

KICKPORT is not just a hole protector like the 'HOLZ' its an actual port that aims to tune the bass drum in and around 30hz and it works... it also protects the head.



The purpose of the port initially was just to get a microphone inside, I believe. Differences in sound were incidental.

Cutting a hole in the front head does allow mic placement, but mic placement wasn't ever a problem and the worstest place to put a mic is in a port hole that's wooshing air, which is what ports do, the relieve air pressure creating a different feel/sound. Port sizes make a difference on sound/feel.
 
Hi all, Just got one of these and tried it out on a gig for the first time. All the band liked it and the sound guy who we have used for years and is also a drummer loved it! He had to take EQ off the BD mike and ran it flat and it sounded great. We fiddled with the front head tuning a bit and it got even better. I have just ordered a new batter BD head, a Remo Powersonic, so I will be able to remove the pillow in the drum. I will let you know how that turns out.

Mike
 
I see no point in cutting a hole in the heads of any of my drums. I have always played with intact heads. I think some drummers do it just because they see other drummers do it. I know sound people think it's important to stick a mike inside of just the bass, but not the snare or toms.
 
I see no point in cutting a hole in the heads of any of my drums. I have always played with intact heads. I think some drummers do it just because they see other drummers do it. I know sound people think it's important to stick a mike inside of just the bass, but not the snare or toms.

What's really entertaining is hearing the conversation between the drummer and the less experienced sound man when the the drummer's bass drum's resonant head doesn't have a port cut into it.

Dennis
 
What's really entertaining is hearing the conversation between the drummer and the less experienced sound man when the the drummer's bass drum's resonant head doesn't have a port cut into it.

Dennis

HA! Yes. I've had some of those. Sound men are creatures of habit and when they see a bass drum with an intact head, they kind of freak out. "How am I supposed to mike that?" "The same way you mike any other drum. Just put a microphone up to it."
 
I got one and not sure if it really does what it says its supposed to but if nothing else it looks really cool on my bass drum head : )
 
HA! Yes. I've had some of those. Sound men are creatures of habit and when they see a bass drum with an intact head, they kind of freak out. "How am I supposed to mike that?" "The same way you mike any other drum. Just put a microphone up to it."


... and use -20 db's of compression
 
HA! Yes. I've had some of those. Sound men are creatures of habit and when they see a bass drum with an intact head, they kind of freak out. "How am I supposed to mike that?" "The same way you mike any other drum. Just put a microphone up to it."

The best is when they want you to take the head off or they find a knife...that's when I threaten to end his life real fast.

I love it when engineers/sound men think they know more about drum sound than a drummer! Always entertaining. I'll lose a gig before cutting a hole in my bass drum resonant head.
 
The best is when they want you to take the head off or they find a knife...that's when I threaten to end his life real fast.

I love it when engineers/sound men think they know more about drum sound than a drummer! Always entertaining. I'll lose a gig before cutting a hole in my bass drum resonant head.

Yep, I know what you mean.

DSC_0211-1.jpg


Dennis
 
Indeed, kick port http://www.kickport.com/kickport.html is not just HOLZ. But for $40, I haven't been convinced yet, that they work/and I need one.


You might not need it, but every time I play one I sure notice the difference and like it, which makes it great to have.

KICKPORT is removable in seconds too, with no damage to the existing head.

One of the better bass drum enhancement gimmicks to come along in awhile.
 
The bass drum I play at church, a Mapex Saturn, has no hole in the front head, and it is miced. The few times I have heard someone else play it, it sounds very good. We have a top notch PA system though. Peace and goodwill.
 
The bass drum I play at church, a Mapex Saturn, has no hole in the front head, and it is miced. The few times I have heard someone else play it, it sounds very good. We have a top notch PA system though. Peace and goodwill.

The drums at my church has the reso intact too and it's miced as well. When I've heard others play it, it sounds great. I'm not sure what kind of sound equipment we have, but it clearly makes that kick drum sound awesome.

I was just wondering about this ported/non-ported issue recently. A friend of mine referred me to a recording forum that he posts on about another issue. While I was lurking around, I ran across several ''How do you mic a non-ported bass drum" type of threads.

Nearly everyone there agreed the only way to mike/record was to either use a non-ported head or take it off altogether. The vast majority of them were adamantly opposed to a drummer with a full reso head. I'm not really sure why that was. It seemed they were all after the same generic punchy/clicky kick sound without any thought to the music genre. I just hope I don't run into guys like that if I end up in a studio. I love the sound of a full reso.
 
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