7 Best Overhead & Kick Drum Mics in 2024 (Reviews)

EDITOR’S CHOICE: With rigorous research on the best drum mic kits in the market, there is only one that stands out. This lucky drum kit worthy to be called the best drum mic is the Lewitt DTP Beat Kit. It comes with durable, responsive, and the best drum mics that let you record stellar sound quality.

Do you know that you don’t need a single microphone when you are recording drums?

If not one, then how many? You need around five microphones, particularly for overhead, kick, hi-hat, snare, and toms.

So, looking for a single microphone for your drum recording is very difficult.

Buying one microphone for each instrument might be challenging, as well.

But, if you’ll buy a set or drum mic kits, not only is it convenient, it’s also cost-effective.

So, I’ve researched and tested several microphone kits and finally found the seven best drum mic kits.

Not all drum mics are made equal. And, with all the options you can choose from, it’s kind of hard to really choose one.

But, don’t worry, I already did all the hassle to come up with the best seven products. It’s up to you to choose the best from the list below:

7 Best Overhead and Kick Drum Mics (2024 Reviews)

• Shure DMK57-52 Drum Microphone Kit
• Samson 8 Drum Mic Kit
• CAD AudioTouring Mic Kit
• Lewitt DTP Beat Kit
• Audix DP7 Drum Microphones
• Sennheiser e600 Drums Mic Set
• Shure PGA Drum Mic Kit

Shure DMK57-52 Drum Microphone Kit

Affordability, quality build, and sounds all rolled into the 4–piece drum mic kit, Shure DMK57-52. For this affordable mic kit, you will have reliable condenser microphones also efficient for overhead use. This kit is one of the finest from Shure; so it also delivers quality and clear tones with minimal noise.

• Affordable, yet brings out the Shure quality and usability
• Great both for live and recordings, even with only four pieces

• Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with condenser mics, which is great for overhead miking

 

Samson 8 Drum Mic Kit

Samson 8 drum mic kit is lightweight and reliable even at a low price, though everything is made of ABS plastic. Kick mic is more durable as it has a metal housing, but can easily be removed. Overall, these mics capture sounds with great quality, crisp snares, and very powerful kick sounds.

• Best kick and overhead mics
• Gives more balanced overall sound

• Fragile mounts really need to be handled with care

 

CAD AudioTouring Mic Kit

If you are looking for a quality set of drum mics, the CAD Audio Touring mic kit is the one for you. It includes seven microphones that are easy to set up to get the best recordings, mostly satisfying to every musician’s ear. It’s perfect not only in studio recordings but in live performances as well.

• Best drum mic for budget-buyers
• Packs with everything you need to get the best drum recordings
• Solid and very reliable drum mics

• Some users might find the sound quality to be a bit lacking
• Not a good investment for those who are looking for a“more” quality sound recordings

 

Lewitt DTP Beat Kit

If you are really looking for great drum mics without looking into the price tag, then Lewitt DTP Beat Kit is the one you are looking for. With all cardioid microphones, these 7-piece set gives you a stellar quality perfect for studio recordings. You got the punchy and clear recording in studio settings with minimal adjustments.

• Not an affordable mic kit, but worthy of every penny you’ll invest in it
• Stellar sound quality with minimal noise
• Very clear recordings; captures the real sound of the drums

• Might be very expensive, especially for beginning drummers and recording artist on a budget

 

Audix DP7 Drum Microphones

Although this might be a little expensive compared to other 7-piece sets up, Audix DP7 is a great alternative to the popular Shure mics. It comes with solid mics and strong clips, but easily mounted on. It’s a perfect package for tracking and recording, especially in-studio use.

• Best quality mics that produce professional recordings
• Durable, easy to mount and flexible mics

• Has cheaper alternative, still with seven pieces

 

Sennheiser e600 Drums Mic Set

This is a 5-piece drum mic kit that lets you maximize close proximity miking to get clean recordings. Sennheiser e600 captures a decent boost for snare and toms and balances the sound of the drums and cymbals. The mics are made with a fiberglass shells and aluminum shells that will surely last a long.

• Great build and solid quality; seems to be long-lasting
• Very versatile and a great choice for studio recordings

• Might be a bit expensive for beginners and budget buyers

 

Shure PGA Drum Mic Kit

The Shure PGA Drum mic kit is available in 7-piece and 5-piece sets. It has a cardioid dynamic toms and snare and cardioids condenser for cymbals, hi-hat, and overhead miking. It’s a solid kit with great overall sound for studio and live performances.

• Best value for your money; gives great overall sound quality
• Strong and durable, a very reliable mic kit

• Comes with alternative products, cheaper than this one

 

How to Choose the Best Drum Mic

Choosing the best drum mic or drum kit is very challenging. So, before jumping into buying any mic in the market, there are things that you need to consider first. Among these things are:

Number of mics

Though the more mics you have, the more drum sound is being captured. However, considering the number of mics in the set is purely based on the needs of the drummers. Players can opt to just have a 3-piece or seven-piece kit.

The truth is, while the set seems to be complete, you can still opt to have an extra single or a pair of mics for better recordings.

Quality

The quality of the mics depends on the material and the design they have.

Aside from looking into the quality of the materials, it’s also important to check out the customer reviews.

However, if you are on a budget, it is better to buy a drum mic kit that single mic for a specific purpose. Buying a mic kit will not only ensure you quality mics, but also quality captured sounds. Mic kit also works perfectly with each mic than when you buy single mic supposedly.

Compatibility

One of the most challenging aspects in selecting mics is if they are compatible with your drum set. Some drum mic kits are designed for a certain brand or model. Although there are universal drum mics, it’s still very important to double-check their compatibility.

 

Conclusion

Now that you know the pros and cons of the leading drum mic kits, you are now ready to pick one yourself. But remember you need to know your needs and the quality and compatibility of the mic before checking it out. In this way, not only will you choose the best drum mic for your needs, but you can also maximize its use in your recordings.