Carvin D-44 Owners manual

CARVIN ENGINEERING DATA D42, D44 Drum Mics OPERATING MANUAL

Congratulations on purchasing Carvin’s D42 and D44 drum microphones. These mic’s are capable of handling high sound pressure levels without distortion making them ideal for live or recording close-miking of all types of drums and percussion instruments. They are also accurate for use in sonic reproduction of brass, woodwind and other instruments producing high sound fields.

FEATURES

• Cardoid pattern allows close miking to minimize bleed-through from other drums or stage instruments.

• Up to 140dB SPL handling capacity for distortion free reproduction of even the loudest drums.

• Transformerless moving-coil dynamic design for enhanced bass and fast

transient response.

• Zinc die-cast metal housing construction for maximum reliability.

• Solid mesh metal wind screen and adjustable stand mount.

• Small, low-profile design for minimum visibility and close miking placement around the drum kit.

• Gold plated XLR connectors for maximum conductivity.

• Full frequency response for sonic punch with exceptional clarity.

SPECIFICATIONS

Element Moving Coil Dynamic Polar Pattern Unidirectional Frequency Response Snare-Tom Mic D42: 50Hz to 16kHz Bass Drum Mic D44: 20Hz to 10kHz

Sensitivity

(@1kHz, 74dB SPL)

Snare-Tom Mic D42: -54dB, ± 3dB Bass Drum Mic D44: -58dB, ± 3dB

Impedance Snare-Tom Mic D42: 600Ω Bass Drum Mic D44: 250Ω

Maximum SPL (@1%THD) Snare-Tom Mic D42: >130dB Bass Drum Mic D44: >140dB

Dimensions & Weight Snare-Tom Mic D42: 1.63” x 4.13” Wt 6 oz Bass Drum Mic D44: 2.75” x 5.00” Wt 1 lb

GETTING STARTED QUICKLY

If you are like most people, you probably want to get started right away.

In order to get started, you will need your new D42/D44 mics, XLR Mic Cables and microphone stands. Carvin recommends our MS line of stands (MS11, MS13, MS15). Other equipment needed is your mixer (sound system or recording system).

1. With the mixer power off, plug the D42/D44 mics into your mixer using balanced XLR cables.

2. Please see the other side of this manual for suggested Mic Placement. Each mic can be mounted on a mic stand with the built-in mount. Depending on the threading of your mic stand, you many need to remove the inner threaded adapter. Use a large flat screwdriver or coin to assist you.

3. Once the mics have been placed into position, you can turn the mixer ON (make sure all volume, gain knobs, or faders on your mixer are turned OFF).

4. Bring the channel volume or fader up to 0 dB.

5. Play each drum individually and turn the mixer’s gain up on each channel and stop just before the signal peaks. This should be done at the loudest volume you will perform at. Check for transients that can cause the signal to peak and adjust your gain up or down as needed. It might be a good idea to do a second signal check while playing the entire kit. Drummers can tend to play louder during a song with other band members playing along.

6. With the signal levels set, adjust any EQ that might be needed.

TYPICAL POLAR PATTERNS

Cardioid — rotationally symmetrical about microphone axis, uniform with frequency

12340 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

(800) 854-2235

www.carvin.com

D44

D42

76-04244

Floor Tom

Snare

Tom Tom

cutaway view of Tom Tom so snare mic placement can be seen behind

use condenser mics for overhead cymbal pickup.

cutaway view of front Bass drum head. Place mic inside drum using front port.

MIC PLACEMENT

Ask any studio or live sound engineer and they’ll have their own preference on how to mic a drum kit. There are numerous ways to close-mic, distance-mic or stereo-mic a drum kit. The drum kit and drummer can also be a large factor in how it will sound. The one hard rule is “whatever works for you is correct”.

For beginners here is a quick overview on how to close-mic a drum kit.

KICK (BASS) DRUM

For a tight punchy sound place the D44 mic inside the drum at a distance of approximately 1 to 6 inches from the beater head. Move the mic until the desired sound is obtained. Placing a blanket or small pillow inside the drum is helpful to reduce rattle and help muffle a bass drum that resonates too much.

SNARE DRUM

The D42 snare drum mic is placed just above the top of the head with a 2 to 6 inch distance. Distance and angle can vary. Very thin or snappy sounding snare drums may benefit from a mic placement with a minimum of 4 inches from the actual snare head. If a drummer is not consistent with the attack or power in which they play their snare, a compressor is extremely helpful to provide a constant level for recording and helps smooth out transient signals that could cause clipping or distortion.

TOM TOMS

Tom Tom drums can have D42 mics placed just above the drum head. Pan the Tom Toms slightly in the mix for a stereo effect. For Tom Tom drums that have top as well as bottom heads, be sure to tune both heads for optimum performance. A loose bottom floor Tom Tom head can create unwanted low frequency resonance that is undesirable for both live and recording purposes.

OVERHEADS (CYMBAL MICS)

The D42/D44 mics are intended for miking drums. Carvin also makes Condenser mics that are ideal for miking cymbals. The CM90E is ideal for overhead placement of crash, splash and ride cymbals. It is also excellent for hi-hat use. Some engineers also use a pair of these mics for placement over the entire kit to add the sound of distant mics to the mix. Be aware that other instruments in the same room can bleed through into the overhead mics. Other high-end condenser mics available from Carvin are CM87S and CM98ST. These two mics are primarily used as studio vocal mics but can also be used for recording percussion.

One final note. Always try to accommodate the drummer. If the drummer is likely to smack the mics while playing or if the mic stand is in the way, move them into a better position. Perfect mic placement must also include a set-up that will allow the drummer to play comfortably.

D44

D42

CM90E