Good affordable overhead mics!

SimSalaBim

Senior Member
Hi

Just started using in ears. Have mics on all my drums for now, but I dont have cymbals in my mix and it sounds bad. Need some tips on some affordable budget overheads. I was looking into this:


The budget is around 100 to 150 bucks. Will this also cover the hi-hat? Any tips are really helpful cause I am total noob in this department. Thx
 
Rode M2’s come in matched pairs at an affordable price.

Edit: Just realized I meant M5’s.. as mentioned below… oops.
 
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I use one large diaphragm condenser over the center of the kit and one pencil condenser on the hi hats right now. In a live situation I may forego the hi hat mic if I'm using small hi hats (14 or 15) because your snare mic is going to pick up enough of that for a live show.
 
The best kept secret for overheads are LineAudio CM4.
But they over your budget, if only a little.
Otherwise, these are also very good value for the money:

 
I have been pleased with the tracks I have done with my Rode M5s ($200/pr)... Are they amazing like something 10x as much.....no.....but they accurately capture what I need and give me something really solid to work with in post processing
 
Thank you all for the tips. Kind of liking those Rode M5s. They sound like a good deal. Lewitt's are a little out of my price range.

River19 some users reported M5s could be little too bright. What is your opinion and can you descrive the sound and performance a little more? I am really interested in them.
 
Thank you all for the tips. Kind of liking those Rode M5s. They sound like a good deal. Lewitt's are a little out of my price range.

River19 some users reported M5s could be little too bright. What is your opinion and can you descrive the sound and performance a little more? I am really interested in them.

When I got the M5s earlier in the year it was part of a long list of items for a build out so I purchased them with the thought of "good enough to start with and can upgrade". While that still may happen, the performance of them hasn't pushed that to the front of the list for upgrades.

I would say their sound just accurately captures what they are aimed at........ I have them setup in a traditional overhead setup equidistant from the snare to maintain an accurate image of the kit (at least how I want it). Any "brightness" can be EQ'd on the track should I want to. Clearly I am using these for recording and I send each mic to it's own track so I can EQ them individually.if need be.

EDIT: Just solo'd them on a blues track I cut for someone and again they sound "fine" and in the final mix I don't come away noticing anything unwanted in the sound. That being said I am also not using them in a typical Glyn Johns setup etc. where I would be dependent on the OHs more than I am. I have each drum close mic'd, 2 overheads and a room mic so they are 2 of 7 mics.......

I cannot speak to them as live overheads........
 
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If you really want to go cheap, the Behringer C-2 pair on sale for $50usd is not bad. Mics are only as good as what you plug them into, so no need to get spendy off the rest of your gear isn’t up to snuff.

They will work fine as a first set, and when you get something better they make a great back-up to keep in hand. Also useful for windy gigs when a stand may fall over.

I had an ADX-51 start making noise at a gig and pulled one these out of my stick bag and I was back in action. My pair are at least 10 years old.

Thomann may have something similar to these.

 
If you really want to go cheap, the Behringer C-2 pair on sale for $50usd is not bad. Mics are only as good as what you plug them into, so no need to get spendy off the rest of your gear isn’t up to snuff.


I'm glad you mentioned these! I'm getting ready to pack these in my drum case to take to gigs and try them out as overheads. I used these to record my hammered dulcimer albums along with acoustic guitar, and I can't believe how well they did!

What's crazy is not only do you get the mics, but you get a little padded hard case, mic clips and adapters, stereo bar, and windscreens. When I bought mine, they were $40. I'm getting ready to find out how road worthy they are.
 
I can't believe how well they did!
I was shocked as well. The mic stand they were on, mounted to the included stereo bar of course ;), cost more than the mic kit. I typically run a single ADX-51 these days if there is no provided backline, but I wouldn't hesitate using these.
 
Hi

Just started using in ears. Have mics on all my drums for now, but I dont have cymbals in my mix and it sounds bad. Need some tips on some affordable budget overheads. I was looking into this:


The budget is around 100 to 150 bucks. Will this also cover the hi-hat? Any tips are really helpful cause I am total noob in this department. Thx
i use two of these and they are great

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C1m--behringer-c-1-large-diaphragm-condenser-microphone
 
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