Audix F12

Making music for about 20 years, access to pro grear for about 8, work as technician/engineer in recording studio.

Record to computer, mainly logic but also Cubase, AmaTools etc.

Listen on 20/20s at home, big Genelecs, Dynaudios at work.

Dynamic cardiod kick microphone.

Used on djembe - sounds terrible - wierd flatulant sound.

Used on kick drum - sounds fine, perhaps not a lot of character, but very punchy.

Been making music 30-odd years. Recorded analogue in the past, nowadays digital (well equipped home studio plus some commercial studios). Been sound-engineering 25-odd years.

Dynamic mic, (tight) cardoid pattern. Bought this too see what they're like. Audix basically describe the F12 as a bass-mic (kick drum), but it's frequency plot suggests it can do far more).

Have used the mic live on cajon (similar frequency range to floor tom and snare). Positioned about 8 inches behind the "soundhole", and facing towards the foldback monitors.

No problem getting a surprisingly good sound. Far better than an SM57/58. The F12 has a slight lift in the low bass rather than the more usual tail-off below 200Hz that mics like the SM57 usually have. This adds a lot of warmth to the sound. There's also a gentle presence boost which helps attack.

The mic needed very little eq-ing at all to get a good sound. Also very resitant to feedback.

Overall as good a stage dynamic as most, and a better low-pitch percussion mic than the usual Shures. Solidly built and extremely good value for money.