Kick Drum - PVM 520i

[netrecce]

We mic'd our unported 22" Kick Drum with a PVM 520i and were blown away by the improvement in "balance".

We don't usually mic drums at a small venue. They're plenty loud enough. But this time we mic'd only the kick drum and found the best "Balance" between Toms a Kick very easy find. The best mic location on the unported drum was "Centered" about 4" away from the resonant head. If we put it closer than 4" the PVM 520i picked up unwanted over-ring. But 4" away was ideal. I feel silly for not doing this before.

Love the PVM 520i mic. It may be the most forgotten and under rated drum mic on the planet.

Peavey PVM 520i.jpg (12.55 KiB) Viewed 9083 times

[studiodtk5]

Thanks for the post and reminder. I have both the 520TN and 520i versions. Both microphones are close tonally. I gave the nod to the 520i version usually, but they are close.
Amazingly I don’t ever remember using the microphone on bass drum. I have the EV ND808 and have loved that on the bass drum. I will have to give it a try on the bass drum.
I have used the microphone on electric guitar cabinets, bass cabinets, and vocals. It worked good on those as well.

[Bartman]

I have several 520i mics because I also use them on guitar cabinets. It is my go-to mic for most any instrument except stuff that is all high frequencies (cymbals, flutes). Makes a great piano mic too.

[studiodtk5]

I just recently tried the 520i on acoustic upright piano. It sounds great. Aim at the back of the sound board. Full and articulate.

[j0nsnell]

Never had much luck with Peavey branded kick mics and always head back to the industry standard Shure Beta52a with Beta57 on instruments.

[studiodtk5]

Never had much luck with Peavey branded kick mics and always head back to the industry standard Shure Beta52a with Beta57 on instruments.

Curious as to which Peavey Bass Drum mic you are referencing. I only know of series of mics Peavey marketed as a drum kit that includes like five or so microphones. I can’t recall the model number. The price point of that kit made me think the microphones will not be great, so I never tried them.

[j0nsnell]

" Curious as to which Peavey Bass Drum mic you are referencing. I only know of series of mics Peavey marketed as a drum kit that includes like five or so microphones. I can’t recall the model number. The price point of that kit made me think the microphones will not be great, so I never tried them."

You get what you pay for.

[studiodtk5]

Well. The PVM520i or 520TN is considerably different from that. If you have experience with the 520s and didn’t like them, then let us know what was wrong with them.