Recording - January 2018 - 32

Earthworks
DK7 Drum Kit
System
The impeccable Earthworks
sound meets your favorite kit
REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

arthworks is well known for its unique miniature-diaphragm condenser microphones that offer a "slice of reality" clarity. Over the years, the
Earthworks line has evolved to include variations such
as handheld vocal mics, the PianoMic system, and clipon drum mics, but the slice-of-reality reputation remains.
The company has offered a variety of drum mic
kits over the years, beginning with a 3-mic setup
that featured a pair of traditional high-gain TC or
SR series overheads and a third SR mic for use
on kick (in conjunction with Earthworks' own inline KickPad). Back in our November 2012 issue,
we took a look at their DP30/C periscope style
drum mics, made for close-miking use on snare
and toms. The DP30/C is now discontinued; this
month we will be looking at its successor, the
DM20 DrumMic, which features prominently in
the company's new DK7 Drum Kit System.

What's in the DK7?

DK7 stands for "Drum Kit, 7 Mics." The package
starts with four of the new DM20 mics for snare and
toms, then adds a pair of the company's SR25 25
kHz Instrument Microphones. The set is rounded out
with the new SR20LS kick mic, which is currently
exclusive to this kit but will be available on its own
in the first quarter of 2018.
The kit ships in a slimline molded case with
four RM1 RimMount drum mounts for the DM20
mics. These are the same as those used with the
previous DP30/C mics; they are big, solid, and
well-designed. Once attached, they stay put-and
so does the mic. There are also three MC1 mic
clips for the standard-shaped Earthworks mics,
along with petite foam windscreens for each mic.
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RECORDING January 2018

The DM20

The DM20 is a periscope mic. Its base is similar in size and shape
to most other Earthworks fare, but instead of a thin tapered body and
capsule enclosure at the tip, it has a built-in rubber-encased gooseneck.
Perched on top of that is the periscope-style capsule; it now looks like
the capsules found on most of the company's other models, with similar
porting and styling.
The DM20 is a cardioid mic with a frequency response of 50 Hz to 20
kHz ±2 dB at 12", a sensitivity of 8 mV/Pa (-42 dBV/Pa), a maximum
acoustic input of 150 dB SPL, and a 74 dBA signal-to-noise ratio with 20
dBA SPL equivalent self-noise.
Like most other Earthworks models, this mic is darn near ruler flat
over its range, with tight linear dropoffs both above and below. These
mics have an exceptionally fast transient capture and zero coloration
to their sound.

The SR25 and SR20LS

The SR25 is one of the percussive/loud source warhorses in the Earthworks line; it can be found in many of the company's long-standing drum
packages. At 6.5" tall, it is also one of the shorter-scale condensers. It is
also a cardioid mic, with a frequency response of 50 Hz - 25 kHz (±2
dB) at 12", a 10 mV/Pa (-40 dBV/Pa) sensitivity, a maximum acoustic
input of 145 dB SPL, and 20 dBA SPL equivalent self-noise.
The SR20LS is a specially-designed SR20, which was and is in my
opinion one of Earthworks' best all-around workhorse mics. It's fantastic
on everything from vocals to acoustic instruments, overheads, strings, and
more. LS stands for Low Sensitivity; I'm venturing a wild guess that the
SR20LS is, for all intents and purposes, a specialized SR20 with a built-in
KickPad.
Its specs are interestingly 100% identical to those of the DM20.
Comparing said specs to the original SR20 sheds some light on the new
Low Sensitivity model. Most significant for a kick mic, the LS version has
a 50 Hz to 20 kHz response where the normal SR20 is 100 Hz to 20
kHz. The 8 mV/Pa sensitivity and 150 dB maximum SPL on the SR20LS
compare favorably, for this application, to the SR20's specs of 20mV/Pa
sensitivity and maximum SPL of 139 dB.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2018