5. Boxed Sets

Many of the mics we’ve discussed until now are ‘industry standard’ professional mics, with a price tag to match. Fortunately for the rest of us, many manufacturers now offer complete drum mic packages which are not only cost effective, but also take the stress out of choosing many different microphones for all the specialist jobs. Boxed sets generally include anything from three mics up to seven or even more in some cases. The mics are specifically designed for drums, with frequency responses optimised for their particular part of the kit..

Boxed sets usually come with mic clips tailor-made for drums, with swivel heads which make it easier to manoeuvre the mic into your desired position. Some of these clips are designed to be attached directly to the rim of a drum, and so reduce the ‘traffic’ of stands around the kit, as well as the cost of purchasing them. Although most boxed sets come from ‘budget’ manufacturers, some of the established brands are now also starting to catch on.