You forgot the most important rule.. Hook em up and hear how they sound.!!!!There is just way to many variables to determine based off a graph which sounds better....

The musician, the instrument, the Room, the mic pre, the recorder, heck even the Damn elevation you are recording (No I am not kidding) can all have an effect...@!!!

USE THOSE EARS...

if you ever record screamers, the beta 52 sounds nice, and i like it better for floor tom then practically anything......

K

I definitely think it will just take you experimenting with them and learning how they sound. Those charts and graphs don't mean much if you don't hear how it sounds in the real world.

I have both of those mics and am constantly experimenting with them on different sources. They suprise me on a regular basis and it really is a situation specific thing.

So I thought I registered over here...maybe I'm going insane, or maybe this really is my first post.

But never mind. Those graphs are all well and good, but what I've found: Frequency response, schmequency response!! Use your Mark I eardrums. If you have both mics, try both in different situations, and use whichever you like better. (Or the client likes better.) Don't worry about what has worked for others.

That said, I'll tell you what's worked for me!! ;-) (Well, I suppose the expereinces of others are a good guide, but don't take it as gospel.)

I've found the B52 has a lot more "balls" on kick drum and bass. I've put it with an ART Pro MPA (what, do you think I can afford the expensive crap?) and it's thunderous. Once I put that combo into a TASCAM MS-16, no NR, slamming the tape. Maybe too much of a good thing, but hey, still thunder. For a live recording, I have to turn down the low end on that channel, else the feedback can be earth-shaking.

It seems that a lot of people hate the D112. I'm not one of them. I've had good luck with more mellow bands' kick drums. It's a bit more "clicky" which may be what you want. I've also miced up bass cabs with it, and it's got its own sound there. Compare it wih a 421, or even a 57. I seem to remember trying one on the lower pipes of a real pipe organ some years ago, but I forgot what it sounded like. (Probably fine.)

B52 on floor tom. Hmmm.....

-GRW

Both mics can add real power to floor toms and both are very usable on bass cabinet.

Also, the beta 52 is a good second guitar cab mic to add some lows, if needed. (of course, watch the phase).

Chris