echoheadache, post: 297437 wrote: Hi All,

I am a studio owner/operator in Western Australia, I soon will upgrade my pres for kick and snare. I record metal predominantly, I won't bore you with all the sub-genres, but basically my favourite drum recordings are by Dave Otero(cephalic carnage work) and Terry Date/Shawn Lopez (deftones work). I want that punch that those engineers captured, but I want to use those tones in a more extreme gammet of metal.

I want an API 3124+, but I'd like to know if this pre was used on the drums on any of the albulms I'm about to list.

Thirteenth Step - A Perfect Circle
Lucid Interva/Anomolies - Cephalic Carnage
Around the Fur/Saturday Night Wrist - Deftones

I know Jamie King of Basement Studio records "Between the buried and me" with API 3124+, but those drums arnt quite as perfect as deftones.

I know the band "whitechapel" (music is average, but drums are huge and brutal) were recorded with Great River MP-2NV on kick/snare but I'm not as keen on great river as I am with API, plus I'd get twice the preamps with API for only a fraction more coin. I Am looking for a little food for thought. Cheers.

I don't know if an API was used on those records, but you can't go wrong with an API for kick, snare and toms. For OH and room mics I prefer The great river or Neve clone. IMO, it's more of the way you use compression, your room mics and reverb to achieve that huge sound. The API is going to give you a nice focused recording with good top and bottom to fill up those huge room sounds. Another thing that I would say is that a lot of metal records have triggered drums on them. Hope this helps!