Founded in 1995, Earthworks Audio is known for its precision measurement microphones along with condenser models for choir, vocal, piano and percussion applications. Located in Milford, New Hampshire, Earthworks’ US-based factory designs, tunes and assembles each of its microphones.
On stage or in the studio, Earthworks microphones easily handle complex waveforms without smearing in the time domain or missing important content in fast transients. Excelling in mechanical construction, housings of machined stainless steel or aluminum stand up to the rigors of day in and day out life in tough touring applications.
Out of the Box, Good to Go
The DM6 Kick Drum Microphone is no exception. Built to capture the true sound of a bass drum, the DM6 sounds great right out of the box. It offers an accurate kick drum sound with no fuss, but it’s versatile enough to take on an engineer’s creative EQ applied for flavor. Weighing in at over a pound, this compact condenser microphone is constructed out of machined stainless steel topped with an attractive black headcase. To minimize the effect of air movement plosives, the condenser capsule assembly is surrounded by micromesh screening, and the headcase incorporates an additional micromesh insert.
The side of the DM6 has a threaded (5/8” x 27) insert for the included Triad-Orbit M2-R ball swivel mount. A single knurled knob loosens and tightens the ball swivel allowing an almost unlimited number of ways to securely position the mic, making it easy to deploy. I own several Triad-orbit mounts and like Earthworks, their attention to design and construction is apparent.
Unlike other kick drum mics, the DM6 is a condenser with active electronics and requires 48 VDC phantom power. Capable of capturing a full 20 Hz to 20k Hz frequency range, Earthworks engineers tailored the response curve, enhancing the low range to focus on a drum’s full round tone while a slight high-end peak accentuates the beater impact.
The DM6 also has a higher output level (1mV/PA) than typical dynamic kick drum mics, but it is not as high as other Earthworks condensers, enabling the DM6 to handle a kick drum’s extreme SPL without overload.
Let’s Get Kicking
My DM6 arrived in an unmarked plain white box. (Earthworks told me they were finalizing the actual packaging.) Along with the M2-R Ball Mount, the mic included a padded zipper pouch. I immediately noticed the mic’s heft. Compared to my other kick drum mics, this little guy was built for some serious stage work. I set it up on my house kit and did a quick comparison to my go-to dynamic kick mic. I positioned the DM6 so its headcase was just inside the drum head hole. Right away I noticed the condenser difference. The DM6 had all the punch and detail with less of the mushy boom that I heard with the dynamic. On a jazz player who doesn’t hammer the kick, the sound was clear and open with good dynamics. However, when the drum was hit with force, the DM6 handled the high SPL with ease.
I took the DM6 out to several different gigs (hard rock band, 80’s cover band, big band jazz) and in each case, I quickly got that good rich, full-bodied, kick drum sound without a lot of work. Knowing the DM6 was a condenser, I did back the channel trim down a bit, as I would with any condenser microphone.
Normally for my kick mic setup, I use a compact, round base, desk-type mic stand with a customized (ok… sawed off) short boom arm. With the heavier DM6 mounted, this stand became tippy. Swapping the desk stand out for a small tripod base boom stand eliminated the issue. The mic’s M2-R Ball Mount made positioning a snap. Once situated, a simple twist of the knurled knob locked the mic in place so it didn’t move.
Horizontal Kick… No Problem.
Every year I do sound for a “Gospel Meets Symphony” concert where a 150-voice gospel choir is backed by a symphony orchestra and gospel rhythm section. This year, due to stage space constraints, the drummer showed up with a modified sit-down cocktail kit. His 20” open-back kick drum was mounted horizontally, upright on floor tom legs with the batter head facing the floor, while a modified pedal assembly enabled him to play it normally.
In this application, I placed the DM6 slightly off-center with the mic aimed toward where the beater hit the drum. I was glad to have the M2-R Ball Mount as there wasn’t much room to maneuver in the tight quarters. The excellent off-axis rejection minimized reflections from the floor, while the tailored response gave me the sound I wanted with only a minor amount of channel EQ. Similarly, the DM6 would also be a great choice on floor toms.
At another symphony event, I tried the DM6 on low tympani. I was quite pleased with the results. Positioned to one side of the instrument, aimed slightly off-center, the mic yielded a lush, full-bodied low-end while still capturing the energy of the drum without overload. It would be fun to try a set of these on all four tympani.
The DM6 is a nice addition to the Earthworks drum mic lineup. This rugged mic is easy to set up and the M2-R Ball Head makes positioning the mic a breeze. Right out of the box, it captures the drum’s full body tone and beater smack. A versatile workhorse, I liked the way it sounded on a wide range of kick drums, yet I could easily add some creative EQ for that extra special flavor.
At a Glance:
Kick Made Easy
Earthworks Audio’s DM6 SeisMic kick drum microphone is a compact, rugged, easy-to-position condenser that captures a kick drum’s flavor with minimal EQ effort.
Earthworks Audio DM6 SeisMic
PROS
- True to life kick drum sound
- Easy to position using M2-R mount
- Excellent plosive filter
- Higher output level
CONS
- Needs a sturdy mic stand
- Pricey
SPECS
- Microphone Type: Condenser
- Freq. Response: 20 Hz – 20k Hz
- Polar Pattern: Supercardioid
- Sensitivity: (@ 1kHz): -60 dBv/Pa (1mv/Pa)
- Power Requirements: 48 VDC phantom, 6.5 ma
- Minimum Load Impedance: 1k ohm
- Self-Noise: 20 dBA SPL
- Max SPL: 150 dB
- Included Accessories: M2-R ball mount, windscreen
- Body: Stainless steel
- Dimensions: 4.97” x 1.93”(not including M2-R)
- Weight (w/M2-R): 1.25 lbs
- Price: $399
MANUFACTURER: Earthworks Audio
CONTACT: www.earthworksaudio.com
