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Audio Technica AE2500 Dual Element Microphone HUGH ROBJOHNS MIBS reviews an innovative and unusually flexible, dedicated kick drum microphone. here are several dedicated kick drum microphones available, but Audio Technica has recently added to its Artist Elite range a rather innovative mic for this purpose. The intriguing new AE2500 is described as the ‘ultimate kick-drum mic,’ but putting the marketing hyperbole to one side the unusual aspect is that it is a ‘dual-element’ cardioid microphone. It contains both a dynamic and an electret capsule mounted side by side with inherently different sound characters, and the user is able to blend their outputs, providing a far wider range of kick drum sounds than is possible from a traditional single capsule design.
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Construction The AE2500 measures 165 x 55 mm and weighs 390 grams, with an anthracite grey metal body. A long ‘connector stalk’ at the back of the mic accommodates the included AT8471 stand clamp which is constructed from a pliable rubber compound to provide a degree of vibration isolation. The supplied five metre cable terminates in a 5-pin XLR at the mic end and a pair of 3-pin output XLRs. The two capsules are phased identically, of course, and their respective outputs are clearly marked on the XLRs with both colour coded sleeves and text labels. A pair of recessed switches in the mic body provide a 10dB pad and an 80Hz 12dB/octave high-pass filter for the electret capsule, the latter being very useful as the electret’s LF response extends well below 20Hz. The electret capsule also requires phantom power to operate (drawing 3mA). The two cardioid capsules are mounted side by side with their diaphragms on the same plane to maintain an accurate phase relationship. The 16mm electret element is roughly 3dB more sensitive than the 28mm moving coil capsule, with ratings of 2.8mV/Pa and 1.9mV/Pa respectively. A maximum SPL is not given for the dynamic capsule, but the electret can withstand 148dB SPL for 1% distortion, or 158dB if the pad is switched in. The microphone’s information sheet includes separate frequency and polar plots for each capsule, which reveal that the electret is remarkably flat between 20Hz and 5kHz. Above 5kHz there is small peak (about 4dB at 9kHz), followed by a fairly steep roll
off reaching -3dB by 15kHz and over 15dB down by 20kHz. The moving coil element is also relatively flat – at least compared to the response of most dynamic kick drum mics – exhibiting two mild peaks centred at 120Hz and 6kHz – the former very smooth and broad reaching maybe +3dB, while the latter is rather more Alpine and reaches about 5dB before the response plummets, reaching 30dB down by 18kHz. Both capsules demonstrate accurate cardioid polar responses, even at the LF end – which is often not the case in dedicated kick drum mics, some tending towards omnidirectional or figure-8 responses at LF. Most kick drum mics exhibit a Himalayan frequency response with peaks centred at 80Hz (to provide ‘weight’) and between 2 and 5kHz (to emphasise the ‘click’ of the beater), combined with a broad suck-out through the mid band. The aim of this ‘spectral shaping’ is to deliver a ready-made rock-oriented kick drum sound, but the downside is that every kick drum tends to sound the same – the mic’s response swamps the drum’s own character. While the moving coil capsule in the AE2500 shares a similar – although rather more restrained – profile to most other kick drum mics, the electret capsule is essentially flat. Thus this mic offers the best of both worlds: the dynamic output gently emphasising the thump and click, while a more neutral rendition, showing off the qualities of the drum shell resonances, is available from the electret.
In Use I was surprised at just how much ‘controllability’ this dual capsule arrangement offers, but either element can also be used individually if necessary. I found this microphone to be extremely effective and versatile, and the ability to mix and match the characteristics of the two capsules without fear of phase problems is a very attractive feature for anyone working in a variety of musical genres. Given that there is twice as much technology inside the AE2500 than any of its peers, the microphone costs roughly twice the price – but its unmatched level of flexibility and Audio-Technica practical convenience is impressive, and I Tel: +44 (0)113 2771 441 thoroughly recommend trying one out for www.audio-technica.co.uk yourself. Price: £340.38 ex VAT
LINE UP Aug/Sept 2003
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