7KIT
S E V E N P I E C E P E R C U S S I O N M I C R O P H O N E K I T
Introduction
Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the 7KIT percussion microphone kit from
Samson Audio! We understand that the sound of your drum kit is extremely personal
and important to your livelihood, so we carefully designed the 7KIT as a complete
solution specifically for miking your drum kit. The 7KIT includes the QKICK for your
bass drum, a QSNARE for your snare drum, and for your tom-toms, three QTOM
mics will more than “fill-in”. In addition, to capture the brilliance of your cymbals and
the overall ambient sound of your drum set, we’ve included a matched pair of our C02
studio condensers. Special attention in the construction of the neodymium elements,
together with precise capsule porting produces a frequency response that has been
carefully contoured for each of the specific drums in your kit. Thunderous low end
from the bass drum, crisp and punchy attack on snare plus thick and defined tom-tom
sounds are easy to get with this powerful complement of percussion mics. In addition
to the great sound, the QSNARE and QTOM feature an integral mounting clip that
easily installs on any standard drum rim. The multi-adjustable mounting clip allows
you to carefully position the mic and completely eliminates the need for external mic
stands which can be difficult to position around cymbal stands. Thanks to the great
sound and flexible mounting solution, the 7KIT excels in both live performance and
recording applications.
Should your microphone ever require servicing, a Return Authorization number (RA)
must be obtained before shipping your unit to Samson. Without this number, the unit
will not be accepted. Please call Samson at 1-800-3SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) for a
Return Authorization number prior to shipping your unit. Please retain the original
packing materials and if possible return the unit in the original carton and packing
materials.
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7KIT Features
Features
The Samson 7KIT utilizes state-of-the-art microphone technology and each micro-
phone is engineered to the finest detail for the drum it is to be used on. Here are
some of the 7KIT’s main features:
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Seven piece percussion microphone kit including one QKICK bass drum mic,
one QSNARE snare drum mic, three QTOM tom-tom mics and a matched pair
of C02 studio condensers for overheads.
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The QKICK, QSNARE and QTOM are neodymium, dynamic percussion micro-
phones, designed from bottom to top, specifically for the drums they mic.
The C02 condensers have an extended frequency response range for optimum
reproduction and exceptionally clear, crisp sound with great transient response
making them ideal for cymbals and overhead miking.
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Extended frequency range, contoured and optimized for each drum providing
deep low end and snappy attacks.
Integral, multi-adjustable mounting clip allows the QSNARE and QTOM to be
easily mounted on any standard drum rim, therefore eliminating the need for
an additional mic stand.
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Tight super cardioid polar patterns minimizes feedback problems and effective-
ly rejects unwanted signals from other drums in the kit.
Capable of withstanding high SPLs, lending themselves to a wide range of
close miking applications above or below and inside and outside the drums.
The QKICK, QSNARE and QTOM employ ultra sensitive neodymium elements
that pick up all of the nuances of any performance.
Lightweight and compact, the QSNARE and QTOM can be mounted on any
standard tom-tom and easily positioned to stay out of the way of your playing.
Rugged Die-cast and ABS case construction ensures reliable performance in
even the most demanding environments.
Included foam-lined, impact resistant carrying case for convenience when
transporting the microphones from venue to venue.
Gold plated XLR Connectors.
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Mounting the QSNARE and QTOM
Installing the QSNARE and QTOM to your
drums with the integral DMC100 mic clip is
easy. Follow the simple steps below to
install the DMC100 mic clips to your drum
kit.
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First, get the DMC100 ready for instal-
lation. Release the tension on the
upper and lower thumbscrews by turn-
ing them counter-clockwise.
Next, place the bottom claw the under
the bottom edge of the upper drum rim,
then push the DMC100 forward until
you hear and feel it click into place.
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Now, tighten the lower thumbscrew to
secure the DMC100 firmly to the rim.
Adjust the height and tighten the upper
thumbscrew in place.
Once the DMC100 clip is fixed in place
and the height is set, you can adjust
the angle.
Note: While adjusting the angle, you will
want to place the mic in a position that is
least likely to interfere with your playing
style. Because of the QSNARE and QTOM’s
pick-up pattern, and due to a phenomenon
called proximity effect, slight adjustments of
the microphone position and angle can
make a big difference in sound. For further
information on positioning your micro-
phone see the section “Microphone
Placement and Tone Quality” on page 6 of
this manual.
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Connect the QTOM using a standard
XLR mic cable and dress the wire away
from your drum using the cable strain
relief.
Note: For more information on wiring and
mic cables, see page 10 in this manual.
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Using the 7KIT
Microphone Placement and Tone Quality
When you position your mics on the drums, it will be easy to get a great sound
since, in general, they are positioned so close to the sound source.You can make
slight adjustments to the height and angle that will have an effect on the sound.
The changes in sound may be difficult to notice at first, especially in live sound
applications, however the more you use your microphones and listen to the sound,
the more you will understand, and hear, the effect the microphone placement has
on the sound. As always, experimentation and experience are the best teachers.
Obviously, in live sound applications you can’t always hear the final results of the
sound you’re getting because most of the time your drum kit will be positioned
behind the PA speakers, so rely on a band mate or sound engineer to help you dial
up the sound. In recording applications, print some scratch tracks and check the
sound by listening to your headphones and to the control room monitors.
By the way, the “Golden Rule” of getting a great sound miking any instrument, with any micro-
phone, is to start with a great sounding instrument. Be sure that you pay careful attention to
the tuning, and if necessary, the dampening of your drums. Miking your drums is similar to
putting the sound under a microscope. Any unwanted buzzes and rattles coming from your
instruments may be much more noticeable when you mic the kit.
You’ll get a great sound just by positioning the mics close to your drums however,
there are some basic principles and fundamentals that should be followed. (If not,
at least understood.)
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The 7KIT drum microphones have cardioid pick up patterns, which means they
pick up sound directly in front of the microphone, and reject the sound behind
the microphone. This means in order to get the best separation between the
drum you want to pick up in a particular mic and the ambient sound around it,
let’s say your cymbals or other drums, you can aim the mic so that it is facing
away from the cymbals or other drums. As with any drum miking situation,
you’ll have to make some compromises with the ultimate position for sound
and interface to your playing style.
For more information on polar patterns, see the section Polar Pattern on page 9 of this
manual.
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All microphones, especially uni-directional or cardioid microphones, exhibit a
phenomenon known as “proximity effect.” Very simply put, proximity effect is a
resulting change in the frequency response of a microphone based on the
position of the mic capsule relative to the sound source. Due to the result of
the proximity effect, slight adjustments of the microphone position and angle
can make a big difference in sound. Specifically, when you point a cardioid
mic directly at the sound source (on axis) you will get the best frequency
response, however when you start pointing the microphone slightly away (off
axis) you will notice the low frequency response dropping off and the micro-
phone will start to sound thinner. Knowing that the bass will decrease as you
change the mic angle can be a big help if you are getting a “boomy” sound
from your drum.
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Using the 7KIT
Application Guide
The following section will describe some basic miking techniques for the various drums in
your kit. Use this as a guideline, but remember every sound system, every room, every
drum kit and every drummer is slightly different, so experiment around until you find the
sound that’s right for you.
Snare drum
When you mount the QSNARE on your snare drum rim you’ll be well on your way to getting
a great sound due to the close placement of the mic. You can experiment by changing the
angle of the microphone to change sound. If you want to get more stick attack try lifting the
mic slightly so that it is pointing bit way from the rim and aim it more in the direction
towards the center of the drum head. You can use the proximity effect to your advantage to
increase the low-end response by pointing the mic further downward. For recording and
advanced live sound applications try a second QSNARE under the snare drum to pick up
more of the sound from the snares. When using the second QSNARE under the drum, be
sure to reverse the phase polarity on the mic input, otherwise some of the sound will actu-
ally cancel.
Bass Drum
The QKICK is perfectly happy positioned outside the bass drum for more of an ambient
sound, which is sometimes desired for recording, or inside the bass drum for a tighter
sound like in live sound applications. When positioning the QKICK you will notice that
changing the distance the microphone is placed from the head will have an effect on the
low frequency response.You can use the proximity effect to your advantage by moving the
microphone closer to the head if the sound is too boomy, or try moving the QKICK back a
bit to add more low end. If you want more of the click attack sound from your bass drum,
try aiming the QKICK directly at the beater.
Tom-toms
When you mount the QTOM on your tom-tom rim you’ll be well on your way to getting a
great sound thanks to the close placement offered by the DMC100 clip. You can experi-
ment by changing the angle of the microphone to change sound. If you want to get more
stick attack try lifting the mic slightly so that it is pointing bit way from the rim and aim it
more in the direction towards the center of the drum head.You can use the proximity effect
to your advantage to increase the low-end response by pointing the mic further downward.
Overhead Drum Kit
Because of it’s extended high frequency response and fast transient response the C02 per-
forms outstandingly when used as an overhead cymbal microphone.You can position one
C02 on a boom mic stand directly above the kit pointing from front to back. For stereo mik-
ing, use two C02’s placed over the drum set at a distance of three to five feet.You can
experiment with the exact placement depending on the size of the room and whether you’re
looking for an ambient or close-miked sound. In general, when miking a drum kit it’s a good
idea to start with the overhead mics. Even though you use the overhead mics mostly for the
cymbals, try to get the entire kit to sound great in the overheads. Then it will be easier to
just bring up your individual mics for more attack and thickness in the overall sound.
Hi Hat
The C02 is a perfect microphone for miking Hi Hats thanks to its smooth top end and the
ability to capture fast attack transients. Try placing the microphone over the edge of the top
cymbal. Experiment by moving the mic further over the cymbal to produce more of a stick
sound, but keep in mind it may pick up more of the kit. Remember that the C02 has a car-
dioid frequency response, so position the microphone in the direction of the Hi hat, but for
increased separation, be sure to point the mic away from other drums or cymbals whenever
possible.
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7KIT Microphone Characteristics
Polar Pick-up Pattern
Every microphone has a characteristic polar pattern that determines how well it
accepts or rejects signal coming from various areas around the microphone. For
example, omnidirectional mics accept all signals regardless of wherever those
signals originate (in front of the mic, behind it, to the side, etc.). In contrast, direc-
tional cardioid mics are specifically designed to accept mostly signal coming from
directly in front, and to reject signal coming from behind or from the side. The
super cardioid pattern is utilized by the QKICK, QSNARE and QTOM (as shown
in the illustrations on the following page). The supper cardioid is a slight variation
of the standard cardioid pattern with a slightly tighter pick-up pattern, which helps
increase the side-to-side rejection giving better isolation from drum to drum. For
this reason, the QKICK, QSNARE and QTOM excel in environments where there
is a good deal of unwanted ambient sound (like a live sound stage)—they deliver
those signals originating directly in front of the mic capsule itself while rejecting
those that originate from behind.
The C02 has a standard cardioid pattern offering good rear rejection, but with a
wider pick-up pattern which make them ideal for miking the cymbals and entire
kit when use as overhead mics.
In addition, the polar pattern also determines how prone a particular mic is to
inducing feedback. Feedback is that characteristic nasty howling sound that
occurs when a mic is placed too close to a loudspeaker—the signal from the
loudspeaker is fed into the mic, then into the loudspeaker, then into the mic, over
and over again until an oscillating tone is generated. Because the cardioid pat-
tern utilized by the QKICK, QSNARE, QTOM and C02 is so good at rejecting sig-
nal not coming from directly in front of the mic, you’ll find that using these mics
will greatly minimize feedback problems.
Frequency Response
Each of the QKICK, QSNARE and QTOM microphones have been designed with
a custom frequency response which is ideally tailored for the specific drum it is
going to be place on. The response is created by the careful consideration of the
microphone element and the design of rear porting. The C02 has been designed
to have a flat frequency response with just a slight lift in the highs making it great
for overhead cymbals and hi-hat.You can see the individual frequency response
of each mic included in the 7Kit on the following page.
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7KIT Microphone Characteristics
QKICK Frequency Chart
QKICK Polar Pattern
QSNARE Frequency Chart
QSNARE Polar Pattern
QTOM Polar Pattern
C02 Polar Pattern
QTOM Frequency Chart
C02Frequency Chart
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Microphone Wiring Guide
The 7KIT mics can be connected to any mixer, mixer/amplifier, or mic preamp
using a standard microphone cable. As shown in the wiring diagrams below, con-
nect the female XLR end directly to the microphone’s gold-plated connector and
the other end (normally a male XLR end, although some mixers use 1/4" connec-
tors) to the mixer, mixer/amplifier, or mic preamp.
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Specifications
QKICK Specifications
Type
Dynamic Microphone
Polar Pattern
Frequency Response
Sensitivity
Super Cardioid
50~16000 Hz
-62 dBV/pa (0.8mv/pa)
200Ω
Rated Impedance
Max. SPL
147 dB (THD≤ 0.5% 1000 Hz)
370g
Weight
QSNARE Specifications
Type
Dynamic Microphone
Super Cardioid
50~16000 Hz
Polar Pattern
Frequency Response
Sensitivity
-55 dBV/pa (0.78mv/pa)
200Ω
Rated Impedance
Max. SPL
Weight
133 dB (THD≤ 0.5% 1000 Hz)
150g (with DMC 100)
QTOM Specifications
Type
Dynamic Microphone
Super Cardioid
Polar Pattern
Frequency Response
Sensitivity
50~16000 Hz
-55 dBV/pa (0.78mv/pa)
200Ω
Rated Impedance
Max. SPL
133 dB (THD≤ 0.5% 1000 Hz)
150g (DMC 100)
Weight
C02 Specifications
Type
Condenser
Polar Pattern
Cardioid
Frequency Response
Sensitivity
40~20000 Hz
-40 dBV/pa (10mv/pa)
200Ω
Rated Impedance
Equivalent Noise level
Max. SPL
22 dB (A weighted IEC/DIN 651)
134 dB (THD≤ 0.5% 1000 Hz)
112 dB
Dynamic Range
Power Supply
48V Phantom Power (IEC 268-15/DIN
45596)
Current Consumption
Dimensions
3.5 mA
ø 20 x 150 mm
170g
Weight
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Samson Technologies Corp.
575 Underhill Blvd.
P. O. Box 9031
Syosset, NY 11791-9031
Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766)
Fax: 516-364-3888
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