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When it comes to drums, going for a mic kit can be a double win. It takes the burden of handpicking individual mics off your shoulders and comes with potential savings. But there’s no point buying a large set that doesn’t perform half as well as a few high-quality mics you selected yourself. To help you avoid this trap, we narrowed your options to the five best drum mic kits. Let's check them out!
Included in this guide:
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  |
| 4.2 | Check Price |
Runner-up  |
| 4.9 | Check Price |
Top Pick  |
| 4.7 | Check Price |
Top Pick  | sE Electronics V Pack Arena Drum Mic Kit
| 5 | Check Price |
Lowest Price  |
| 4.6 | Check Price |
Related Article: Capture The Beat: The Top 5 Best Kick Drum Mics (2023)
Audix’s DP7 is a professional-grade kit made to fit both in-studio and on-stage miking. For overheads, you get two pre-polarized ADX51s with gold-plated XLR connectors, known for their crisp responses. The second pair is the hypercardioid D2s, ideal for rack toms. Meanwhile, the best mic for floor toms in the kit is the D4, which is also hypercardioid.
The package also includes an all-purpose, compact i5, which you can use for your snare. However, the highlight is the D6. It’s Audix’s flagship kick drum mic, featuring a VLM diaphragm fit for natural sound reproduction on the low end.
The e600 features a quartet of tom/snare clip-on e604s capable of handling high SPL. The supercardioid e614 pair also has a high-SPL handling potential, but the electret condenser transducer makes it ideal for cymbals and overheads. For your bass drum, you get a lightweight e602-II with an integral stand mount.
All the mic bodies are rugged. For instance, the e602-II’s aluminum construction keeps the mic lightweight yet reliable. The e604 quartets aren’t too far behind, featuring reinforced glass-fiber bodies.
Shure’s PGA isn’t a top-of-the-line kit. However, it’s durable and delivers a solid performance, especially for a home studio. The package includes a quick-release PGA52 kick drum mic, a set of three PGA56 snare/tom mics, a PGA57 fit for a snare, and a pair of PGA81 small diaphragm condensers. Note that the PGA81 works well for hi-hats and as an inside-kick mic.
Rather than a typical hard shell, Shure went with a slim, semi-rigid case. It’s zippered, though, which some people find more convenient. You can also get smaller versions of the PG Alta, like a five-piece kit instead of the full seven-piece one.
With a selection of professional-grade, non-obtrusive mics, the V Pack Arena is quite versatile. At the heart of the kit is the award-winning V Kick with sound-shaping classic/modern switches that support four frequency configurations. Sharing the spotlight is the dynamic V7 X snare mic, an instrument-oriented version of the vocal V7. This supercardioid mic offers great hi-hat rejection.
For the toms, you get three ultra-compact V Beats with parallel XLR connectors. To capture the entire kit, the V Pack comes with a matched pair of the iconic small diaphragm sE8s. If you want to get a third sE8 as a spot mic, you’ll find an empty slot in the case that fits it perfectly.
Despite the affordable price tag, the BC1500 bodies are rugged with a metal die-cast construction. Plus, the 3-pin XLR output connectors are gold-plated. The largest piece in the kit is the C112, a dynamic kick mic.
Next in line is the quartet of snare/tom-friendly TM1500s, featuring medium diaphragm dynamic capsules and mount clamps. For the cymbals, Behringer added a pair of small diaphragm condenser CM1500s with switchable low-frequency roll off. Ideally, you’ll want to position the CM1500s around 3 feet above your cymbal and hi-hat.
Related Article: Top 5 Best Drum Overhead Mics To Capture Your Kit
There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow. Some people mic each instrument, while others make do with a couple of mics. To keep things balanced, we recommend seven-piece sets.
You want two condensers for your overheads. Those can pick up a wider frequency range, but they need phantom power. The rest can be dynamic.
Many brands opt for a mix between cardioid and hypercardioid/supercardioid. However, it’s possible to find an all-cardioid option. Either way, you need to modulate your expectations—there will always be slight bleeds.
It depends on your setup. Some people believe the tight polar pattern would reject cymbals. Yet, others find that the high-frequency lobe can actually accentuate them.
While most kits include mounts/clips, there are other components to consider. Not all manufacturers include the cables, for instance. Plus, you’ll likely need to buy stands separately.
All five picks on the list are great for a starter kit. That said, the Audix DP7 stands out with an impressive sound and construction quality. The Sennheiser e600 is a close second, but it only features three models rather than five. It’s also a bit expensive. So, if you’re on a tight budget, we recommend going for the Behringer BC1500 and spending some time on EQ adjustments.
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