Preramble: I have been primarily using drum samples in my recordings and am looking to make the next big step to recording a full acoustic set. I currently have a home studio located where else, the basement, and have quickly figured out that a dead room isn’t always ideal, especially when it comes to drums. To the dismay of my wife, I have found that the first story family room has a fabulous sound with 20’ ceilings. So, the idea is to set the kit up there and run a snake to the basement (man cave).

What I need help/advise with is with some of the equipment, set up (i.e. using what mic’s and preamps where etc..), and some guidance before I go spend money on what I think I want.

Here is outboard gear I currently have to work with: (I have a total of 16 individual channels on my converters)

The Kit: (Mapex Pro-M)
Floor Toms (2): 16x16 – 18x16
Rack Toms(2): 10x9 – 13x10
Snare: Pork Pie little squealer
Kick: 24x18
Cymbals: Sabian AAX – 12”, 16”, 20”, and a 12” china
Hi Hats: Sabian AAX - 14”

Mic’s:
Beyer M300 (1) (no ideas)
Shure SM57 (3) (top/bottom snare?)
Shure SM58 (2) (Rack toms?)
Sennheiser MD421 (1) (Floor tom?)
AKG 414B XL 2 (1) (In front of kick?)
RODE K2 (1) (room mic?)
Superlux CM-H8A (1) (no ideas)
Audix D6 (1) (inside kick)

Preamps:
Onboard pres in my MOTU 896’s that I want to bypass, but there are sixteen if I wanted to use them – but I don’t.
UA LA-610 (pre/comp)(1) (no ideas)
Great River MP2NV (1) (overheads?)

Comp’s:
UA 1176LN (1) (room mic?)

Here is what I think I want to buy:

Mic’s:
Sennheiser MD421 (1) (other floor tom?)
Shure SM81LC (2) (overheads)

Preamps:
API 500VPR 10 slot (1)
API 512c (10) (everything but overheads?)

Other:
12x4 100’ snake (1) I have an old rapco snake, but I’m not sure of its sonic quality, so recommendations here are also welcome.

Also, should I run the pre's closest to the mic's and kit or in the cave at the other end of the snake by the converters - or does it matter?

Thanks,
~Steve