The evolution e 600 Drum Set is Sennheiser’s “Mic of the Month” for August

August will see not just one microphone as Sennheiser’s Mic of the Month but seven: The e 600 Drum Set provides a full complement of drum microphones, including an e 602-II for the kick drum, four e 604 for toms and snares, and two e 614 condensers for use at the hi-hat or as overhead microphones.

The e 600 Drum Set
​Miking the drum set for your first demos or studio projects? The first gigs? The large e 600 Drum Set is ideal for this. It contains four e 604 mics that will easily clip to snares and toms, an e 602-II to provide full-bodied bass drum sound and two e 614 condenser microphones for overhead miking.

The e 602-II: kick drum marvel
​In acoustic terms, a kick drum or bass drum is an inhospitable environment because very high levels of resonance are generated in the internal space. “If you simply hold a microphone inside it, it sounds nothing like what you would expect”, said evolution expert Sebastian Schmitz. If miked directly, the high degree of resonance in the internal space would result in an unpleasant sound. “The trick”, continued Schmitz, “is getting a sound like you would expect: the bass ought to make your stomach flutter – and there should be a fine attack in the upper ranges.” The e 602-II is geared towards precisely that: Its frequency response curve is tailored such that disruptive resonance interferes with neither the solid nor the fine part of the drum sound. In the bass range, the e 602-II is in fact designed to be more aggressive than the e 902. In studio settings, the 600 series delivers its beloved and typically solid impact. For live stages, the rich foundation in the lower frequencies often has to be cut back a bit in order to avoid uncontrolled bass response. “But with a recording – with a recording that sounds amazing”, said Schmitz.

The e 614: Withstands high sound pressure levels and responds rapidly
​Cymbals produce extremely dynamic, impulsive sound waves and need lots of character in the high frequencies. The two e 614 small-diaphragm condenser microphones are perfect for meeting this challenge. They remain precise even at extreme sound pressure levels. Above all, however, their sound is impressive thanks to the outstanding impulse response. The e 614s follow the challenging dynamics with an extremely rapid transient response.

The e 604: Proven all-rounder on the tom and snare
​The Mic of the Month of July is an expert at picking up toms and snares, delivering a punchy yet clear and open sound. The e 604 features a glass-fibre reinforced housing that can easily take a few knocks, and a shock-absorbent microphone clamp that attaches to the edge of the drum. More information on the e 604 can be found at https://www.happyevolution.com or in the press area of the Sennheiser website at https://en-de.sennheiser.com/the-evolution-e-604-a-specialist-for-toms-and-snares.