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Has anyone tried the AKG c1000's, will they work for drum overheads? what other uses do these mics have? are they good?

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TeddyG Mon, 03/14/2005 - 15:08

I use one for voiceover. Yes, I'll get something more expensive when I can(Just because), but for now, it's fine. For VO, I use a "stocking" filter a couple of inches away.

I like that I can use it with phantom power, if available, or plug a 9v battery into it for remote stuff.

I can't vouch for the little "inserts" that come with it to "modify patterns", as I plugged them in and tried them(They did "stuff") and took them back out again - I didn't need to go any further.

It is stated to be, and others have said it is, good for instruments. A nice all-round condenser. Supposed to work well at a distance, too. It's shape should allow hand-holding.

I bought it because it was the cheapest condenser I could find with the name AKG, on it. Couldn't afford a C414, couldn't bare a Chinese mic, so... I don't regret it.

Even if I do get something better, the C1000s will come in handy for lots of things, studio or stage...

Teddy G.

anonymous Tue, 03/15/2005 - 07:00

I use a pair for hihat and ride spots. I also have a pair of KM184s. The c1000 seems to be less sensitive than the 184's but sometimes thats a good thing. I use them on hats and rides as they seem to reject snare leakage better. I have used them on overheads when I do a band off the floor as it doesn't pick up as much ambient room sound as the 184's, you know, the grunting, foot pounding, pick sounds etc.

moinho Wed, 05/25/2005 - 01:49

It seems to have become mandatory to bash the C1000, so I'll counter this:

Using the C1000 for drum overheads gives you a kind of Eighties sound, which may or may not be what you want. Apart from that, the fact that it can be powered with phantom or battery makes it useful in a lot of applications. In my experience, toms always sounded rather thin in the C1000 overheads - which might not be a problem if you close-mic the toms.

There are other microphones in a similar price range which you might consider, as others pointed out. You might give the sE 1a a try.

Rainer

anonymous Wed, 05/25/2005 - 07:59

The C1000 is way too noisy for my applications. I used it once when I had it borrowed for testing, and I ran out of "good" microphones.

It also has the strange property that it has both too much and too little treble at once. This is probably because the lower treble is somewhat exaggerated while the upper treble is partly missing.

anonymous Wed, 05/25/2005 - 22:24

I have used them for overheads, and basically agree with the previous posts (And I though I was just a little nuts).

The mike can seem a bit harsh if it is positioned too closely to the kit, especially the cymbals. I would recommend them if you kept some distance. They can be used in a variety of applications, but results may not be consistent. You might want to borrow one before making a purchase.