sE Electronics constructing microphones and gear for the recording skilled. They construct dependable, workhorse merchandise that gained’t allow you to down in a session. Audio is all about perspective and, make no mistake, extends to our gear decisions as properly. Determining the instruments required to do the job your approach, can take an audio skilled years to hone, particularly given the quantity of expertise required to make a really knowledgeable determination. With the close to countless choices and opinions obtainable, it may be a by no means ending pursuit, overhauling {hardware} and gear decisions to be able to discover the holy grail.
Nowhere is that this extra prevalent than in drum micing-optimising mic decisions to go well with particular person items of the equipment and positions within the open air. Make no mistake, piecing collectively mic decisions to position round a drum equipment, be it for stay sound reinforcement or a studio recording session could be a powerful slog, with the variety of required mics usually moving into double figures when all is alleged and achieved. While most gained’t be in a right away place to select and select particular person mics for this process, be it a restricted price range or palms on expertise with totally different items, a microphone pack from one model has been a tried and true option to get issues going rapidly and affordably.
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sE microphones are a model who at all times have a knack for suitability straight out of the field, and their cornerstone drum providing, the V Pack Enviornment, continues this lineage.
Whereas most drum mic packs can have one prized piece, offset by a bunch of cheaper or much less recognized mics, the V Pack Enviornment is energy from end-to-end. What’s instantly clear is simply how function constructed every providing is throughout the pack. Which may seem to be a painfully apparent factor to say, however there’s nothing extra satisfying than throwing up a mic onto an instrument equivalent to a kick drum, turning up the mic achieve, pushing up the fader and considering “now, that seems like a kick drum.” I actually can’t say that for each mic I’ve ever personally setup or heard by way of a PA or studio monitor – you’d be stunned at among the surgical procedure required to get issues within the ballpark. Not so with any of the mics examined within the V pack.
The V Pack Enviornment is sE Electronics flagship drum mic pack, with two others within the vary being the V Pack Membership and V Pack Venue. All packs embrace the V Kick, V7X, and at the least two V Beat mics and as every packs title suggests, sufficient bases will probably be coated for his or her meant use and dimension of venue they’re prone to discover use in. The Enviornment pack nonetheless has the complete vary of mics obtainable together with two of the slightly pretty sE8 small diaphragm condensers, which sit instantly under the flagship RN17 (made in collaboration with the late, nice Rupert Neve) within the SDC (small diaphragm condenser) vary. The sE8’s present very good element, lightning quick transient response in addition to extremely excessive dynamic vary (as much as 146dB with pad) and SPL dealing with (as much as 159dB with pad), all while being whisper quiet in operation. The built-in attenuation pads of -10dB or -20dB and low lower filter choices of 80Hz or 160Hz make for a pair of extremely versatile microphones. Completely matched to be used as overheads or a devoted hi-hat mic, they’re additionally equally at house on acoustic guitars, piano, strings and extra. A real workhorse of the stage and studio.
Being a part of the V vary of microphones, the V Kick shares the identical applied sciences and options as its siblings the V7 and V7X, together with the specialised aluminium voice coil. Its customized DMC8 SB capsule is customized tuned to precisely capturing even the bottom, loudest sound sources making it an ideal match for kick drum clearly, but in addition bass cupboards or a thunderous flooring tom if that’s what the vibe requires, and being extremely compact, it may well nestle its approach in and round a drum equipment slightly comfortably. Its transient response is impeccably clear and detailed, with a clean and pure midrange. The 4 switchable tuning choices make the V Kick that rather more versatile than different low frequency centered microphones with out instantly needing to achieve for an EQ.
The sE Electronics V7X, like its sibling the V7 enjoys an revolutionary design, particularly its aluminium voice coil. Its supercardioid polar sample does get up work on rejecting undesirable sound sources, equivalent to a hello hat when positioned on snare drum bleeding into the mic. Tailor-made for a variety seize, the V7X’s tonal stability produces loads of backside finish reinforcement (implausible for snare drums) with a balanced midrange (undoubtedly not spiky) and a crisp, detailed prime finish. The refined bump starting from 1.5kHz proper by way of to round 15kHz brings forwardness to sound sources that talk on this vary, serving to them come ahead barely within the combine with out sounding peaky or too aggressive. An absolute stay stage and studio killer.
Lastly, the V Beats are a tom’s finest pal, having fun with the identical sonic advantages of the V7X, however in a compact drum pleasant package deal. Pure, full and extremely strong, I by no means felt just like the V Beat’s would peril with an unintentional stick hit to the grille or physique, as an alternative I used to be extra apprehensive for the stick. Their supercardioid polar sample rejects undesirable sound amazingly properly and that aluminium voice coil once more, simply does one thing slightly particular.
The V Pack Enviornment was every thing I might have hoped for from sE Electronics, with every mic serving their meant sound supply with distinct function and immediacy, however with sufficient versatility to open this mic pack up onto different devices on a stay stage or in a studio session if required – which is barely however a superb factor. While not the most affordable mic pack in the marketplace, it completely delivers bang for buck and I’d fortunately take this as my solely drum mic equipment to a gig or studio session with out batting an eyelid.
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