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James... « Monster for overheads on tour »
Published on 10/12/11 at 18:40Very simple matches pair of condensers. No filters or any excess features. Just two cheap matched pair mics.
OVERALL OPINION
No let's be clear. Nothing beats a pair of $700 shure mics for overheads in the studio. Nobody is debating that. I'm not going to write this review and tell you that a pair of Samson cheapo mics for a little over a hundred bucks can compete with a pair of mics over five times the price. But am I about to bring my $1000 set of matches condensers on tour with me? NO. I've tried before and they've been destroyed, stolen, you name it. So case in point, if I ever do drum tech work, I need a go to matched pair that's reliable and cheap. The Samson C02 set is just that.
I'll start with the sound. They are very very clear. When I listen to a pair of overheads in a mix, I have a method for evaluating whether I like them or not. I isolate them in a stereo track. And I listen to them all by themselves. I listen to see if it sounds like I'm standing right above the drummer as he plays. (this is what the good pairs sound like) If I can hear that, it's a great pair. The Samson C02 comes pretty darn close to that and it's almost scary. No they aren't perfect and don't expect miracles, but for the money I'm impressed.
Now, durability. These kinds of mics are at a disadvantage because not only do they get dropped the most, but they are also the most fragile sometimes. I see matches pairs all the time with dents in the grills and it gets annoying. People drop them. Okay. The question is, have these held up to me dropping them? Well yes. Although as far as I can remember I've only dropped them 2 or 3 times in the couple of years I've used them, they haven't suffered as a result. So I'm satisfied. If they break I'll write another review. Till then, you can bet I'll be using these on every tour I drum tech.
OVERALL OPINION
No let's be clear. Nothing beats a pair of $700 shure mics for overheads in the studio. Nobody is debating that. I'm not going to write this review and tell you that a pair of Samson cheapo mics for a little over a hundred bucks can compete with a pair of mics over five times the price. But am I about to bring my $1000 set of matches condensers on tour with me? NO. I've tried before and they've been destroyed, stolen, you name it. So case in point, if I ever do drum tech work, I need a go to matched pair that's reliable and cheap. The Samson C02 set is just that.
I'll start with the sound. They are very very clear. When I listen to a pair of overheads in a mix, I have a method for evaluating whether I like them or not. I isolate them in a stereo track. And I listen to them all by themselves. I listen to see if it sounds like I'm standing right above the drummer as he plays. (this is what the good pairs sound like) If I can hear that, it's a great pair. The Samson C02 comes pretty darn close to that and it's almost scary. No they aren't perfect and don't expect miracles, but for the money I'm impressed.
Now, durability. These kinds of mics are at a disadvantage because not only do they get dropped the most, but they are also the most fragile sometimes. I see matches pairs all the time with dents in the grills and it gets annoying. People drop them. Okay. The question is, have these held up to me dropping them? Well yes. Although as far as I can remember I've only dropped them 2 or 3 times in the couple of years I've used them, they haven't suffered as a result. So I'm satisfied. If they break I'll write another review. Till then, you can bet I'll be using these on every tour I drum tech.