What do we have here?

DTP Beat Kit Pro 7 comes in a sturdy black road case with an eccentric label that reads – “Sounds like Lewitt”. In the top compartment you will find one DTP 640 REX, a unique dual element kick drum, and a special splitter cable to access each of them separately. Then there lie four dynamic mics, three supercardioid DTP 340 TT and one cardioid MTP 440 DM. Those mics are meant for the tom toms and the snare respectively. For overheads, there is a pair of LCT 340 with cardioid capsules and foam windshields. The omnidirectional capsules are not included in this particular kit.

On the second level of the case, you will find the following mounting accessories. Five DTP 40 MTS rubber shock mounts, three for the toms and two for the overheads. For the snare mic there is a different MTP 40 MCS, handheld-style shock mount, and the kick mic doesn’t need any. Finally, the kit includes four DTP 40 MT rim mounts for the toms and the snare. Therefore, all you need is a decent drum set, two overhead stands, a kick drum stand and you are set. The quality of the accessories is great; they hold well and don’t loosen. In case you need a replacement, they are cheap as well!

DTP 640 REX review

This drum mic combines two phase-matched cardioid capsules in one housing. First capsule is dynamic and the second one is electret condenser. Although both of them offer a full spectrum linear frequency response, the condenser element excels at producing a rich, quality low end while the dynamic element makes for a more expressive drum attack. Moreover, Lewitt DTP 640 REX has three EQ settings and two pad attenuators, so it’s a very versatile mic. It can be used for something like double bass or bass cabinets but first of all it is a kick drum mic, so let’s talk more about its performance in that vein.

The rich low end response of this mic actually lives up to the hype. Its condenser component goes as low as 20 Hz and remains incredibly clean yet powerful… enough to shake the walls! Of course, you will need some decent acoustics, huge hifi monitors and a good power amplifier in order to appreciate its full potential, but even without all this, it’s just hard not to notice how much better it is at reproducing the low-end component of any given kick drum, compared to dynamic mics. And what’s especially great is the absence of color and resonances, so on that part, it will work equally well for drums of any size.

But what about the attack of the DTP 640 REX? Well, the dynamic capsule has a neutral response. It’s not as bright and hyped as most other mics, yet still gives you lots of detail and clarity. It sounds very much natural and realistic, however if you have a shitty drum, it may also sound shitty. If you are after a scooped mid-range sound of Audix D6 and similar mics, you can set the EQ switch in the third position and it will do just that. In the second position, it will only boost the attack and sound similar to Beta 52A. I personally didn’t find myself using those filters but the flat mode gave me the ideal sound I was after.

DTP 340 TT for toms

Lewitt DTP 340 TT’s are dynamic tom tom mics with a supercardioid pattern. This pattern helps to eliminate the bleed while increasing their feedback resistance. At the same time, the mic takes advantage of the proximity effect for achieving a deeper and more substantial sound. What’s important is that they sound fat without being particularly annoying. They produce a punchy attack and sound very crispy on the high end as well. There is a decent amount of brightness while the mids are gently scooped out. This makes them very effective in the mix for tom toms and percussion instruments in general.

MTP 440 DM for snare

MTP 440 DM may be an inexpensive mic, but comparing it to a Shure SM57 is like comparing a Cheops Pyramid to a pile of dung, or sort of. The Lewitt’s mic is less resonant, smoother and more resistant to feedback, and produces a higher output as well. The midrange is far more stable and so is the low end, which also extends a bit lower. You may not necessarily need all this for getting a decent snare sound but try comparing vocals and you will be amazed by the difference! Finally, MTP 440 DM is far crispier than the SM57. Not as bright though, but the overheads would usually brighten it up a bit.

LCT 340 for overheads

Lewitt LCT 340 are probably ones of the best overhead mics in the industry. Among others, they beat the legendary Shure SM81 and Sennheiser e914, not to mention the cheaper mics. But do not be surprised! They are actually quite expensive and sell $499 a piece. And this drum kit includes a matched pair, which is just unbelievable considering the price. So yeah, as I said, it is actually worth buying this kit for those overheads alone. The only caveat is that they don’t include the omni capsules, but you can live with that, don’t you? Anyway, for drum overheads it is much easier to use cardioids than omni.

So what’s the big deal about LCT 340, and how are they different? Unlike most other instrument mics, they are externally polarized. This gives them an advantage over the more common electret condensers as being a bit more flexible. Those mics have a decent sensitivity, relatively low self-noise and high SNR and wide dynamic range. The frequency pattern is also notably flat, which is important for the overheads because you don’t want to color the cymbals. There is only a touch of added brightness but the higher end is very smooth and it captures all the details and subtleties without adding any harshness.

Not only are the mics incredibility crisp, they also boast having a very accurate low end and mid-range. And if you don’t need the low end, there are three switchable low cut filters at your disposal. The pad attenuators are very flexible too; you can adjust for 6 dB, 12 dB and 18 dB depending on how close they are to the source and how loud is it. Aside from the overheads, those mics will excel with stringed instruments, pianos, different percussions and what not. So if you happened to be the lucky owner of the Lewitt LCT 340’s, be prepared when your fellow musicians ask you to borrow them for a while…

Conclusion

Is it really worth buying the Lewitt DTP Beat Kit Pro 7? Nope, just buy the above mics individually and forget about Amazon, so you will pay the full retail price as well. Let’s see now just for the lulz, how much that would cost you. DTP 640 REX – $399, DTP 340 TT – $105 x 3, LCT 340 – $629 x 2, MTP 440 DM – $119. Total of only $2,091 (excluding the accessories). So yeah, don’t you ever buy this kit! I’m just kidding… For the price they are selling it, I think it’s a no-brainer. Last year we have reviewed the Audix DP7 in a similar price range and it was great, but the DTP Beat Kit Pro 7 obviously beats it hands down.

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What’s in the box

• Microphones:
• Accessories:
• 1x PGA52 for kick drum
• 3x A25D clips
• 3x PGA56 for toms
• 3x AP56DM rim mounts
• 1x PGA57 for snare
• 7x C15J 15 foot (4.6 m) XLR cables
• 2x PGA81 for overheads
• 1x 95F16526 carrying case

Shure PGA52 review / kick drum

The new kick mic from Shure is an ass-kicker! We’ve been used to their Beta 52a for over a decade and all agreed that it was a great mic, although it did have its own distinctive sound that many people would disfavor. Particularly, it sounded too deep and no matter how positioned, it just couldn’t be flexible enough to accommodate for different playing styles and especially smaller size drums. The rock music would sound richer and fuller but the jazz would become unbearable. Adding up, that loud and clean attack of Beta was put together well, but in terms of freq. response and naturalness, it could have had more balance.

Shure PGA52 and Beta52a, although sharing the same series number are actually two completely different mics with different capsules. PGA52 is lighter, it has more gain / sensitivity and the sound is unbelievable – nothing like the old model! This time Shure has brought up a better-balanced attack while also tuning the lower range… The bass part is now nicely defined and has a more appropriate frequency peak (76 Hz). Overall, not only did the sound improve and became more natural, it has actually gained much more flexibility for the use in various kinds of setups!

It was really amazing to see it working equally awesome for both a noisy metal band with 24” and a calm pop drummer on a different 20” kick drum. The trick was partly about positioning; depending on the placement, we were able to get some good combinations of sharpness and depth. Other kick drum mics hardly offer such flexibility – usually there is only a single position where the sound is OK and anything else results in something harsh or unnatural. On the other hand, PGA52 seems to have that very good balance right from the start – and that’s the other part of the trick.

Shure PGA56 review / toms

PGA56 sounds kind of similar to SM57 on high toms and gets the job done just fine. Although it is a relatively cheap mic, I find it that tom mics do not actually have to be expensive in order to sound decent (unlike the overheads), so I really cannot complain. Yes, there are certainly better models out there, for example my favorite Sennheiser MD421. However, very few can afford it and since we are reviewing a budget set, such comparisons are irrelevant. On the other hand, many mics are worse, and I am glad that PGA56 sounds pretty natural without being congested or ringy like some others.

On low tom, PGA56 sounds even better, wider and clearer – a bit better than I thought it would. I like it more than SM57, which tends to add some strange cloudy midrange, but still it is not as good as the original Beta 56a. No wonder the old Beta still rocks, as it is more than twice as expensive! Like the new kick mic, PGA56 has some good amount of gain and a nice looking design. The rim mounts that come along with those are very convenient. You can quickly set them up and remove without any issues. I wish all my microphones had the mounts like these!

Shure PGA57 for snare

PGA57 has a smooth frequency pattern and it’s capable of providing natural sound with good amount of detail – and that is quite very important for snares. It has a gently fading low frequency roll off, which I find more appropriate than the original SM57. The mid-range is transmitted beautifully but I find it lacking the crispiness comparing to professional models. However, the extended response isn’t considered a big deal for snares, as there are mostly only subtle harmonics… As long as it has natural mids and upper-mids, you get a very satisfying sound for the price.

Shure PGA81 as overheads

PGA81 turned out to be another pleasant surprise –these are excellent overheads for those who cannot afford the original SM81 that cost 3 times as more. Those condensers are just as crisp and offer a nice transient response due to their diaphragm size. The frequency pattern is similar, still somewhat smooth but not flat. For instruments, this could have made a difference; for overheads, this isn’t that crucial. In fact, you will not notice any audible difference between this and professional models, so unless you are very picky and do a lot of professional recording, you won’t find any reason not to love those new Shure’s overheads.

Overall

Overall, those are very great mics and what’s most important is they have an unbeatable price. There is no deceit – PG Alta is a very recent release and as the trend goes, new models generally cost less to produce. Every single piece included in this set is actually good by itself (especially that amazing kick drum and the overheads), so you can be assured of a quality sound. Each mic also comes with its own wire and mounting tool, which is a nice and thrifty addition. Setting it up is a breeze and once locked, nothing ever goes loose – a pleasure to work with in all aspects!

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Package

CAD Audio Touring7 is obviously designed for 7-piece drum set. It is pretty much standard, with the only exception that it has four mics of exact same type for capturing three different toms and a snare drum. So, the package contains 1x D12 as a kick mic, 4x TSM411 for toms / snare, 2x GXL 1200 for overheads and a soft case to carry them around. Then, you also get four pieces of mounting clips –quite cheap but they do hold well.

Sound & Quality

This set relies heavily on TSM411, which is used for floor toms, rack toms and a snare. Those drums produce different sounds covering low to middle frequencies, so they are usually miked with different pieces of equipment. For instance, Audio Technica sets use three different mics for this purpose and that gives them a bit of advantage. Touring7 here is inferior in terms of quality, but on practice, that difference isn’t big.

TSM411 does an amazing job on toms as it offers a lot of clarity along with balanced lows. For a snare drum though, it may sound kind of hollow. SM57 in this case is more accurate and simply better to my ears. However, TSM411 does offer a better sound rejection due to a super-cardioid pattern, so even at the price of under $50 it remains a tough competitor and a viable choice for many. The more directional pick-up pattern is also one of the reasons why this set does so well for live gigs.

D12 made for kick drums is equally as important. An unadjusted kick mic can easily ruin the whole setup and there’s a number of things can possibly go wrong. Fortunately, CAD did not disappoint us and brought another decent mic, which is in line with the rest of their products – cheap looking but good sounding. It features a crispy and accurate click, which I like to emphasize even more with a bit of EQ. The bass part is more solid, though it mainly suits medium and small kick drums. On larger drums, you may find it lacking that depth.

GXL1200 is a more common model from CAD Audio – a pencil mic that also finds some general uses such as stereo miking. It is bloody cheap and I’d say has only average quality. The frequency response is a bit shaky at the upper end, and as a pencil mic, it can be considered as ‘noisy’. However, it does pretty well for overheads, and on stage, those small issues would never be noticed anyway. To put it simply, if you need cheap tools that work – I could easily recommend this model.

Conclusion

TOURING7 is a set of cheap but good mics where you are offered 7 pieces for a price of one. CAD Audio is best at producing budget mics that may look terrible yet still offer a great performance. Like all budget sets, it does have its own minor issues but overall it has a great sound quality. Four mics in this set are supercardioid, and this makes a big deal in sound rejection, which is so much needed for live performance. A well-made set that performs far better than you would expect!

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Foreword

When it comes to drum mics bundles, there are usually two pitfalls:

Manufacturers naturally want to maximize their sales, so they create all kinds of bundles out of their existing models. In reality, such mics have a broader use and aren’t necessarily honed for drums. Thus despite the overall mic quality, you may often discover a lack of the necessary edge for that application. On the other hand, some manufacturers start inventing a whole range of new models to accommodate for different drums. The caveat here is that often what comes out is but a bunch of generic models that may be good but not good enough…

The package

Now, with DP7 you actually avoid both of those problems. Audix among other things does specialize on drum miking and each included model is well thought of. Those mics can be purchased individually and many people order them. This is also a good thing because if you lose one, you don’t have to worry about finding a replacement. However, if you bought them separately they would cost you much higher, around $1,100 just for the mics. That is excluding the aluminum case and mounting accessories.

Talking about accessories, they don’t have any issues that are so prevalent among similar mic bundles. The clips are hard to break but easy to mount. They sit well on pretty much any drum kit, never going loose during performance and that’s a great thing. Here are the mics that are included in the package: D6 (kick drum), D4 (floor tom), 2x D2 (rack toms), 2x ADX51 (overheads) and I5 (snare). I shall now describe them one by one and afterwards share my overall impression of the set.

D6

The kick drum is the foundation of any drum set so this mic would be a most important piece. D6 is specced for 144 SPL, which is lower than majority of kick mics, yet in reality it doesn’t produce any noticeable distortion even during aggressive play. On contrary, this mic works wonders with rock and heavy metal music. It has a punchy attack sound that easily cuts through without being harsh or obtrusive. The low end is tight and both ends sound slightly more detailed than AKG112 or Beta52a. Overall, this is a great mic and it can sound nice out of the box.

D4 & D2

Audix D4 is meant for a floor tom; it is a way smaller than D6 yet it still brings a significant low end. A versatile mic, also perfectly suited for smaller kick drums. The sound is tight and clean, and has a distinctive “oomph” to it, but no mud whatsoever! Audix D2 add more body and warmth for rack toms – in my opinion they aren’t as great as D4 but still of high enough quality and they get the job done. Both mics are hypercardioid and have an excellent off-axis rejection.

ADX51 & I5

ADX51 are used as an overhead pair. Those lightweight, small diaphragm pencil mics produce clear and accurate highs, which won’t go wrong with any kind of setup. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from this pair but it turned out very decent. Finally, Audix I5 is an all-around mic that is very similar to SM57. Both mics work equally well for the snares and considered industry standard. I5 is maybe a tiny bit brighter but you won’t hear the difference.

Overall

Audix DP7 is an excellent bundle, not only for the quality but also for the price. With this kit, you can get that good sound without having much to worry about the EQ, compressors and other advanced stuff. All of those mics are time-proven and they make an excellent match. Durability is another nice addition – they are quite hardy, especially the D-series. Then a good road case makes them impossible to break while on tours. Even the mounting is a breeze (maybe except for D6) so I can’t recommend them more highly!

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Setup

Samson 8kit will work with pretty much any 8-piece drum set. This usually implies a snare, bass drum, 3 toms, 2 cymbals and a hi-hat. Each piece is served with a corresponding mic type, so you get the following models respectively: Q-Snare, Q-Kick, 3x Q-Toms, 2x CO1 for cymbals / overheads and C02H for hi-hat. They are easy to mount onto an existing drum set and this does not require any additional mic stands. However, the mounting system is underlooked in terms of durability. Clips may eventually break off so be prepared to improvise.

Sound & quality

In a drum set, all pieces are more or less equally important. However, when it comes to miking, some are more demanding than others are. First of all, this applies to the bass drum, so let’s start with Q-Kick. That mic model is relatively cheap and unknown… yet surprisingly it does an amazing job. I was actually expecting to hear something bland and tasteless as of a typical, cheap kick drum mic, but it was nothing like that! Perhaps, it is not as dynamic as AKG112 but it sounds briskly and never muffled. It has a sharp and stunning attack. The low frequency peak is lower and results in a deeper kick as well. Where AKG112 may sound thin, this thing will actually shine. It may take you some time to adjust for the best position but in the end, you will love how it sounds!

The pair of overhead LDCs is also remarkable – vivid, crisp, dynamic… I really find those CO1’s excelling at capturing cymbals after comparing it with a number of good and not so good models. Yet it’s still hard to believe that you get them as a part of 8-piece set! For reference a single LDC of a good quality would alone cost as much as $150-200. Maybe they aren’t that good for singing, but they are excellent overheads! Enough said. As for the rest of the pieces, I don’t have much to say except that they do mix well. Toms sound just as good as I wanted to and even the snare is terrific. I would certainly recommend them again and again!

Conclusion

Samson 8kit will probably satisfy even the choosy musicians with its above par sound quality, so do not think of it as just another cheap set, but rather consider low price as a bonus. Overall, the mics themselves are somewhat sturdy and relatively durable. The only problem is the mounting, which is unfortunately flawed. For studio use, this is not a big issue, but for live performance, some will find it problematic. We haven’t been using them for long and the mounting was still intact. However, it did look somewhat flimsy and from what other people say – they do break often. Personally, I would not want to mess around fitting them with tape, especially outside studio walls. Reliability is what they lack… Otherwise this would get a solid 10/10 score.

- Reviewed at $299

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The sound of a kick drum actually consists of two components: the resonant low-end and the sharp attack of the beater on the drumhead. The latter has a much higher frequency and depending on how those two mix up, every mic brings a degree of uniqueness. AKG D112 can easily handle both of the components as well as anything in between. Its precision and accuracy makes it a versatile choice for bass drums of any size and even a viable solution for floor toms.

Design and build

AKG D112 has a distinct egg shape and it’s hard to mistake for something else. The thing is quite heavy as it’s made of nothing but metal, although it may not be obvious from the pictures. This solid construction serves an excellent protection from vibrations, whereas a special capsule design also does a good bit of stabilization. Unlike the Shure’s flagship, it uses a humbucking coil that further helps to reduce the hiss and noises resulting from circumference. The noise characteristics are therefore kept at a higher level.

The mic is connected using a standard XLR output, and as it uses a dynamic capsule, it does not require phantom power to operate. The mounting however may get a little bit tricky. Unlike the rest of the construction, the mounting clip is made of plastic and it tends to get loose as you perform. I believe this is still a small thing though, and not a real reason to reduce the score. Those clips are standard and any good drummer would probably have some handy alternative accessories.

AKG D112 vs Shure Beta 52A

Shure Beta 52A and AKG D112 are probably the two most common solutions when it comes to miking kick drums in general. Despite both are very popular models, they have a significant difference in sound under different setups. I usually pick one or another whenever it feels more appropriate (though more often I lean for AKG). As a rule of thumb, Beta 52A is more suited for larger drums that resonate at lower frequency where it delivers a rich and saturated bass. AKG D112 shines more with regular bass and smaller jazz drums though it’s versatile enough to work with anything. There aren’t any strict rules however, so you should base your choice depending on your personal preference.

Verdict

Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with this mic. It has a crisp and punchy, quality sound, it is versatile to accommodate for many kinds of drums and doesn’t cost a million either. If you are fed up with the sound of your “no name” made in China mics… this thing will undoubtedly bring a significant improvement!

- Reviewed at $165

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Sound & quality

Considering the price of the package, you will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. For toms and snares, the 57s sound nothing short of amazing, clean and accurate, needing little to no EQ. These mics are unpretentious, very easy to set up and require no magic whatsoever. Just clamp them on and you are ready to go. They work great for both studio recording and live performance, so you can carry them around. Although fairly inexpensive, SM57 can deliver a sound that is very close to high end. It may not be the perfect choice for a singer, but when it comes to drums you won’t find any better without doubling or tripling your investment, which will also scale with the number of drums.

Beta-52A is not a joke either. It delivers a lively, profound bass without sacrificing the clarity of the attack. The sound has a lot of presence and it is very well balanced. According to specifications, it can also handle the sound pressure of up to 174 dB, which is an insane amount. You simply would never get it overloaded even if you wanted to. Other than that, it has an in-built pneumatic shock mount that helps eliminating extraneous vibration and mechanical noise. Aside from kick drums, it makes a fantastic mic for bass cabs with a sound ‘n kicking low-end.

Build & setup

Both models are very durable and using hardened steel, they are actually hard to break. There is no hype in saying those mics can work for a decade as long as you shake off the dust. This is quite common for Shure’s microphones, and I wouldn’t expect any less. Clamps that come with the kit also seem to be of high quality. They are branded and are sold $40 apiece. Just google for Shure A56D and see some actual pictures. With this mounting system, you can fasten them on any kind of stands and this gives a bit of freedom. For a kick drum, you may need a small boom stand though, but it’s also possible to improvise.

Ideally, this kit is designed for a 4-piece drum set and it requires one or two overhead mics to capture the cymbals. For an overhead, any decent condenser mic with a cardioid pattern should usually do the trick. For those who like premium, I can particularly recommend a pair of Audio-Technica ATM450. Now, if you don’t mind a little bit of bleed, it is also possible to record a 5-piece set while capturing two high toms with one of the 57s. Finally, you can even set it up without overheads so as to capture cymbals as well, but I would never recommend it as other than a temporary solution.

Conclusion

When it comes to 4-piece drum sets, unarguably, Shure DMK57-52 is a beast. With its great sound quality, it comes very close to the high end while retaining a cheap price. Think of it, if you bought those items one by one, it would cost you $100 x 3 for SM57, $200 for Beta-52A and $40 x 3 for the clamps, which is over $600. That is why for the price they sell it for, many would consider it a steal. Whether you are a professional or a beginner drummer, you’ll never get disappointed with this choice even if you do have higher standards for gear, and especially if on a budget.

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