Really depends on the pre. Some have tons of gain some don't. I use the mic and notice nothing out of the ordinary, works really good.

Right now I have it going directly into my MOTU pre, but if I put a 421 on the same cord, I have to back it down more than a quarter turn to keep it from clipping. I know the 421 is a different mic, but it just seems a little excessive - maybe I'm just freakin out...

Hey I noticed your located in STL - me too - what part?

Located in Arnold, where are you at? Have you noticed any sound issues with the mic? If it sounds good then it really doesn't matter how loud you have to turn the pre up. On the pre's I use it on I usually turn the gain at least half way, sometimes as much as 3/4's depending.

Lerxst wrote: if I put a 421 on the same cord, I have to back it down more than a quarter turn to keep it from clipping. I know the 421 is a different mic

Yes it is a different mic. And all mic's will have slightly different settings to get the sound "right".
If all mic settings were the same, then the manufactors would not need to install input gain knobs on their pre amps.

jonnyc wrote: Located in Arnold, where are you at? Have you noticed any sound issues with the mic? If it sounds good then it really doesn't matter how loud you have to turn the pre up. On the pre's I use it on I usually turn the gain at least half way, sometimes as much as 3/4's depending.

I'm located in St. Pete ;) I haven't noticed any sound issues - it's really a decent sounding mic. I'm just not used to cranking the gain up that far to get a good signal with my other dynamic mics. I just wanted to see what peoples expierence is with this.

StevenColbert wrote: [quote=Lerxst]if I put a 421 on the same cord, I have to back it down more than a quarter turn to keep it from clipping. I know the 421 is a different mic

Yes it is a different mic. And all mic's will have slightly different settings to get the sound "right".
If all mic settings were the same, then the manufactors would not need to install input gain knobs on their pre amps.

Understood, but there is a little thing called noise floor that can be raised when you crank the pre up that far just to get a good signal. Also, like I said it just seems out of place compared to other dynamic mics. But thanks for your response.

Are you kicking the kick. Sounds stupid but I had a drummer in recently that just wouldn't hit his drums hard, he was fast but had no beef. His sounds ended up sucking. I did notice after a little test last night on guitar cab that you do really have to crank the mic to get acceptable levels, maybe I don't have that problem on kick because I make everyone kick the shit out of it.

Not a stupid question at all, but yes I'm hammering it pretty good. I put it on another pre with the same result, so the mic seems consistant across pre's.

I emailed Audix last night, and I'm going to pick up another D6 tonight to compare the two - then I'll know for sure..

Thanks again for the input! (no pun intended)

the d6 is made to handle high spls, so there may be an attenuator built into it, that might be why you have to crank it up.

check the manual,

i have a d6 myself and have never run into that much of a difference on the d6, my beta 52 however seems like it has more of a attenuation than the d6.

Thanks, yeah I looked in the manual it didn't indicate that it had a pad built in though I know at least one of their other mics does.

I thought the same thing as I know it's meant to be a kick mic so maybe it's by design. It does seem to have decent off axis rejection - I really do like the sound as well.

I just picked up the second D6 that I will comparison test tonight and post back.

Thanks again!

Okay the jury is back from deliberation, and the verdict is:

Not defective.

It looks seems the mic must have a built in pad as the new one I picked up had a similar response. I love the sound of this thing - really different than a 421.