Sabian Sound Kit

[texasshawn16]

I just wanted to create a thread for the Sabian Sound Kit because prior to me purchasing it there wasn't too many out there. For anyone thinking about buying one I highly recommend it!!! Is it professional studio recording quility??? Hell no!!! But for the person that just wants to record practice or post drum cover videos on social media it's perfect!!! Prior to this I had well over a grand invested in the shure drum mic kit, 16 channel mixing board, and interface and never could get the mix right. I never went to school for sound engineering. I sold all that and then bought the sabian sound kit and a Gopro Hero 2 because it was the last gopro with a 3.5mm mic input. With 1 hour I had it all set up and dialed in. I can find drumless tracks on my phone and then use a 3.5mm cable to run it from my cell right into the mixing board and have a dual xlr to single 3.5mm going from the main out on the board to the Gopro. Now I just hit record on the camera, play the song, and pop the memory card into my laptop to trim and upload to you tube or wherever. I love the simplicity of this set up. I almost bought the Yamaha EAD10 and liked the effects that came with that but deceided it was not worth $300 more. (I found the sabian sound kit on reverb used but in mint condition for $175 with shipping) even brand new the sound kit only goes for $299 compared to almost $600 for the Yamaha if you get the snare trigger as well. So if your like me and have no engineering skills at all then this is the way to go!!!

 

[Mcjnic]

Could you please post a link to one of your videos utilizing this sound kit?

 

[Fat Drummer]

Awesome report and review but without video and examples, what have we got? Come on... post those links!!

I am excited to see this set up used in a real world application. Your right , when it hit I really found very few user demos so this is a good idea.

Ward

 

[cochlea]

As an EAD10 user, I'd like to hear some of your examples to see how the two compare. I like many of the effects (reverb, compression) built into the EAD module but I'd like to hear how it might be different since it's using separate mics that can be positioned in different locations rather than fixed to the bass drum.

 

[mkelley]

I purchased one this Thursday and it will be at my house on Tuesday. I wanted a simple way to record my home set. My guitarist and bassist both have home setups, I wanted a way to add drums to what they're doing without going the edrum route.

 

[texasshawn16]

Could you please post a link to one of your videos utilizing this sound kit?

I will record a cover and post it this weekend

 

[Gunnellett]

Does anyone use this kit that also sings?

I'm wondering how the overheads interact with a vocal mic and also if the overheads pick up some of the voice.

 

[Gunnellett]

This set would be almost perfect if there was another 2 or so XLR inputs to be able to add mics if you wanted. That is about the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger. There just isn't room to build upon the kit.

 

[Fat Drummer]

would prefer to use my love kit for the next recording

Well who wouldn't!

 

[Gunnellett]

Does anyone know who makes the mics for the Sabian Sound Kit? Are they rebranded mics? Maybe a model many are familiar with? How do the Sabian mics compare to the standards such as a Shure Beta 52A?

 

[DrumWhipper]

I’ve owned the Sabian Sound Kit for a little over a year now and have used it at home, but now I’m playing for an artist who wants the drums mic’d up for small club gigs, if for no other reason than to run the kick drum to the floor monitors and in ears. The kit does come with the two XLR outputs to run to the main board. I’m curious to see if anyone is using this set up for smaller gigs, and if so, how well is it working for you?

 

[bpaluzzi]

In a small room, overheads generally are the last thing you need on drums:
1 - due to their position and type (condenser), they end up picking up the WHOLE band on a small stage, and just make the front mix muddy
2 - cymbals generally don't need a lot of reinforcement in smaller rooms

Having said that, a kick mic is often super useful. I'd just run the mic directly to your main board and not worry about the sub-mix.

 

[DrumWhipper]

In a small room, overheads generally are the last thing you need on drums:
1 - due to their position and type (condenser), they end up picking up the WHOLE band on a small stage, and just make the front mix muddy
2 - cymbals generally don't need a lot of reinforcement in smaller rooms

Having said that, a kick mic is often super useful. I'd just run the mic directly to your main board and not worry about the sub-mix.

That is something I thought about with the condensers. If he decides he wants me to use the entire set up I’m going to have to get a shield.

 

[James S]

Does anyone know who makes the mics for the Sabian Sound Kit? Are they rebranded mics? Maybe a model many are familiar with? How do the Sabian mics compare to the standards such as a Shure Beta 52A?

I put this on another thread - https://www.drumforum.org/threads/sabian-sound-kit-3x-mics-and-mixer.176184/

The kick mic looks very similar to the AKG P2 so the overheads are possibly based on the AKG C430.

 

[James S]

I've been looking at this system and thinking about potential uses. Has anyone tried using it alongside close micing. It would be interesting to see how an 8 channel mix with individual EQ, gates & compression differs from what this will produce. And what blend you'd get by mixing them all together. Another interesting test might be to split the signals from the mics, running 1 set through the Sabian mixer to flat channels on your board/DAW and the other direct in to see if you can replicate its output. I appreciate that this is a bit sound techy but in doing something like that some new ideas and techniques may come up that takes your music making in a new direction.

 

[mkelley]

I would pull your mics info a different board or an interface if you’re recording to a DAW. The mics handle a kit well but the board is the weak point.

I left the mics in place and added an SM57 to my snare and got better results through my interface and Logic than if I patched that Sabian board with some of its built in processing into my Mac or directly into my interface.

 

[James S]

I'm very late to the party here and it would be interesting to hear how it all went but I' give you my thoughts for what they are worth. As far as I can see the Sabian mixer has just a LR output so isolating the kick for the wedges would be difficult. I assume its possible to separate it by panning it hard left and the overheads hard right but that makes it harder to use overall output. I would look at splitting the signal from the BD mic so that 1 feed can go direct to the sound board and 1 to the Sabian unit. That way there is the flexibility to just have the kick in the monitor mixes and have the blended output available for FOH use or if someone wants a more ambient drum sound in their personal mix. Like I said I'm too late really and you probably worked that out for yourself.

 

[mkelley]

I put this on another thread - https://www.drumforum.org/threads/sabian-sound-kit-3x-mics-and-mixer.176184/

The kick mic looks very similar to the AKG P2 so the overheads are possibly based on the AKG C430.

They probably have more in common with CAD mics than AKGs. That’s not a slam but the build features are not of AKG or Shure quality.

I still use my Sabian overheads but I also have 57s and D112s and Audix d6’s for direct micing.

 

[James S]

They probably have more in common with CAD mics than AKGs. That’s not a slam but the build features are not of AKG or Shure quality.

I still use my Sabian overheads but I also have 57s and D112s and Audix d6’s for direct micing.

Interesting. I don't own the set and was just comparing photos. I'm not familiar with CAD mics - they probably haven't made it to the UK. Are the Sabian overheads actually any good?

When you were exploring the Sabian unit did it appear that the OH channels were set up the same. They are marked OHL & OHR and I was wondering if OHL is further optimised for being over the SD and OHR for being the more general one and whether there would be differences if you didn't swap them for a left handed set up (or if you swapped them on a right handed one). I would be surprised if there is that level of subtlety in there but kudos to the design team if there is. And a smack on the wrists for not then marking the overheads properly.

Actually, after too many years of abusing my ears I probably wouldn't be able to tell.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I have a Sabian Sound kit as well as an EAD 10 . I use both for gigs . I prefer to use the EAD 10 for quieter gigs , Mai my I doors . Mainly to reinforce my bass drum with my Summit Steambent kit that has a 20 x 10 bass drum . It works well for this application.

I used the Sabian Sound kit with a Gretsch Bop kit (18/12/14) on a big outdoor stage with a really good sound system . I did swap out the stock bass mic for an AKG D112 V2 and it did really well and was very easy to dial in and get sounding good . I was quite pleased with it , so was the sound man at the gig .