Earthworks DrumKit DK7 User manual

User’s Guide
DK7
DrumKit™

Congratulations on your purchase of the Earthworks DK7 DrumKit™ High Deni-
tion Multi-microphone Drum System. You will be thrilled with the results you will
obtain when using the included microphones. You will hear more detail in the attack
in addition to hearing subtle low level details that are not audible using conventional
microphones. You will now walk into a whole new world of pristine drum sound us-
ing Earthworks High Denition Drum Microphones™. After reading this manual, if
you have any unanswered questions, please email or phone us using the contact
information on the back page of this manual.
Happy Drumming!
Please verify that you have received everything listed below.
Included with the DK7 DrumKit™ Drum Microphone System:
2 – SR25 Cardioid Microphones (overheads)
4 – DM20 DrumMic™ (tom & snare)
1 – SR20LS (kickdrum)
4 – RM1 RimMount™ (for DM20s)
3 – SRW3 Foam Windscreens (for SR25s & SR20LS)
4 – PW1 Windscreens (for DM20s)
1 – High Impact Carrying Case
with custom foam insert
1 – User’s Manual
Version 1, August 15, 2017 1

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Please Read This:
Drums and Microphone Output Level
The SR25, DM20 & SR20LS have been designed for drum applications, and in
most cases will not require the use of a pad to prevent overloading outboard
microphone preamps, preamps in mixers or consoles and computer audio in-
terfaces. The majority of preamps will accommodate high input levels at the
microphone preamp input without distortion. However, some preamps will not
handle high input levels at the preamp input and will require using a pad to pre-
vent distorting. We encourage you to check the specications of your preamps
to verify that they will accommodate high microphone output levels of approxi-
mately +20dBV.
Different Types of Preamp Input Pads
Some outboard microphone preamps, preamps in mixers or consoles and com-
puter audio interfaces may have a built-in pad that can be switched in or out.
However, on some units these pads are not attenuators that precede the pre-
amplier input, but instead just reduce the gain of the preamplier. Unless these
preamplier inputs will handle a high input level (i.e. +20dBV) these so-called
pads will typically provide no preamp input overload protection from high level
microphone signals (see Fig. 1-A). In contrast, other outboard preamps, mixers,
consoles or computer audio interfaces have actual attenuators (pads) that pre-
cede the preamplier input. These types of pads will provide the input overload
protection that is needed (see Fig. 1-B). Such pads will typically provide 10dB or
20dB attenuation. If an external XLR type microphone pad is needed, Earthworks
offers a LevelPad™ that provides 20dB of attenuation and is simply plugged into
the microphone cable. The DM20 and SR20LS have been designed with a lower
output level than the SR25 and should not require an external pad even when
close-miking toms, snares or kickdrums. Likewise, in most cases the SR25 over-
head mics should require no external mic pad. In case you do need an external
mic pad, please read further.
2
Figure 1-A and 1-B Types of Preamp Input Pads
A B

If it becomes necessary to lower the microphone output level to avoid over-
loading the preamp, then the use of an XLR-type outboard pad is suggested.
The Earthworks® LevelPad™ XLR-type outboard mic pad provides 20dB of
attenuation and can be simply plugged into the microphone cable. The Level-
Pad™can be inserted into the microphone cable in one of the three ways
indicated below:
3
Figure 2-A LevelPad™ inserted at the microphone
Figure 2-B LevelPad™ inserted in the microphone cable
Figure 2-C LevelPad™ inserted into mixer mic input
CAUTION: Plugging the LevelPad™ into the mic in-
put of a mixer can cause damage to the mixer input
connector if the LevelPad™ receives a hard push
to the side. However, if you are careful, placing the
LevelPad™ at the mixer mic input can provide greater
accessibility in installing or removing the LevelPad™.

Earthworks Drum Mics
The Earthworks DrumKit™ High Denition Three-Microphone Systems™ have
had great success because they pick up drum sounds with far more detail and
accuracy than conventional microphones. This improved sound quality is due to
proprietary technologies utilized in Earthworks High Denition Microphones™.
Many drummers such as Jeff Campitelli, Steve Gadd, Keith Carlock, Ronnie
Vannucci, Anton Fig and Anthony King, in addition to many FOH engineers
touring with major artists who are using Earthworks High Denition Drum Mi-
crophones™ for overheads, toms, snare and kickdrum with exceptional results.
The SR25 has been a popular drum microphone for many years and will han-
dle up to 145dB SPL. The DM20 is a new generation of Earthworks tom and
snare microphones. It features a stable gooseneck for easy positioning that
will stay in place even when the drums are played very hard. It also can handle
high acoustic sound levels up to 150dB SPL. The Earthworks proprietary
polar technology provides a stunning 32dB of rear rejection (nearly double
that of conventional microphones) and a consistent frequency response out
to 80 degrees off-axis. This vastly reduces phase cancellations, minimizes
pickup of unwanted sounds at the rear of the microphone and provides a sub-
stantial reduction in unwanted acoustic feedback for live sound applications.
Earthworks High Definition Microphones™
the New Science in Microphones
David Blackmer, the brilliant engineer who invented the innovative technol-
ogies of dbx, is also the inventor and founder of Earthworks. In the last few
years of his life, David developed a number of revolutionary technologies that
dramatically improve the sound quality and performance of microphones. In
short, Earthworks High Definition Microphones™ pick up sounds more accu-
rately and with more detail than conventional microphones. These dramatic
improvements are in the areas of impulse response, diaphragm settling time
and advanced polar technologies. Those who have heard Earthworks High
Definition Microphones™ say they have more rear rejection and more gain
before feedback in addition to hearing more detail of the attack, more subtle
detail in low level signals thereby providing a more pristine sound quality than
with any conventional microphones can provide, regardless of price.
Miking Drums
There are many ways to mic drums and it seems that most every recording or live
sound engineer has their own way of doing this. Our objective is not to indicate
which drum miking approach is better, but to make suggestions and look at ad-
4

5
vantages and disadvantages of each. Every engineer or producer uses their own
methods to obtain the results they desire, and that’s what matters.
Multi-microphone Method
The objective in multi-microphone drum miking is to place a separate micro-
phone on most or all the elements of a drum set. Typically, separate mics are
used on snare, toms, hi-hat and kickdrum, along with one or two overhead
microphones. The overhead mics pick up the overall sound of the drum set
including cymbals (which are typically not miked separately). By this method,
the mixing engineer can control the level, and signal processing (limiting, EQ,
etc.) for each element of the drum set (toms, snare, hi-hat, etc.). This provides
a great deal of control over the sound of the entire drum set and allows bring-
ing out certain patterns on hi-hat, snare, etc. Multi-miked drums are desirable
for live sound, providing more control and increased gain before feedback,
and when recording in a large room with high ambient sound this reduces the
amount of unwanted room sound and provide greater control of the drum mix.
Earthworks Near-Perfect Polar Response
One of Earthwork’s proprietary technologies is near-perfect polar response
i.e. very uniform response over the front 160 degrees of the microphone. Con-
ventional microphones (even expensive ones) have a loss of high frequencies
at the sides of the microphone. Have you ever tried to put three singers on a
single directional microphone? The singer at the front of the mic sounds great,
but the two on the sides of the microphone sound muffled due to the lack of
high frequency pickup at the sides of the microphone. In contrast, the Earth-
works proprietary polar technology provides virtually the same frequency re-
sponse on the sides of the microphone as at the front. This uniform frequency
response at the front and sides of the microphone dramatically reduces phasing
issues. Refer to Figure 3-A & 3-B to see the uniform Earthworks microphone
(A) polar response, in comparison to the conventional microphone (B).
Earthworks SR30 Cardioid
500
1K
2K
4K
8K
15K
Competitive Cardioid
500
2K
15K
10K
1K
20K
5K
500
1K
2K
4K
8K
15
BWithin 12dB
500Hz to
15kHz &
Within18dB
to 20kHz
DM20 Polar Conventional Polar
Figure 3-A & 3-B Earthworks vs. Conventional Polar Response
AWithin 3dB
500Hz to
16kHz

Nearly Twice the Amount of Rear Rejection
One of the typical disadvantages in the multi-microphone approach is picking
up the unwanted sound of other elements of the drum set from the rear of
each microphone. Conventional microphones provide only 18dB of rear rejec-
tion, while Earthworks microphones with 32dB of rear rejection provide nearly
twice the amount of rejection of conventional microphones. The Earthworks
drum mics will nearly eliminate any leakage present at the rear of the mi-
crophone. Figure 4 shows conventional drum microphones with 18dB of rear
rejection and Figure 5 shows the Earthworks drum microphones with 32dB of
rear rejection.
6
Conventional
Microphones
Approx 18dB
Rear Rejection
Figure 4
18dB of
Rear
Rejection
Using
Conventional
Drum mics
Figure 5
32dB of
Rear
Rejection
Using
Earthworks
Drum mics
Earthworks
Microphones
Approx 32dB
Rear Rejection

7
Close Miking Toms and Snares with the
DM20 DrumMic™ Microphones
Inserting the DM20 Microphone into the RM1 RimMount
The RM1 is designed specifically for the DM20 allowing you to mount the mi-
crophone on the side of a tom or snare. The RM1 can also be used on the top
or bottom of a tom or snare.
It is suggested that you insert the DM20 microphone into the RM1 RimMount™
prior to attaching the RimMount™ to the drum.
To insert the DM20 microphone into the RM1 just insert the mic head and the
gooseneck into the rubber holder from the bottom of the RimMount™. Push on
the body of the microphone from the bottom (XLR connector end) to move the
microphone up inside the rubber holder. The fit will be firm, so you will need to
apply a little pressure to move the microphone body up into the rubber holder.
The suggested procedure is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6 Inserting the DM20 DrumMic™ into the RimMount™
1 2 3 4
Mounting the RM1 RimMount™ to the Drum
The RM1 RimMount™ is designed for metal drum rims, and will not work on
wooden drum rims. Attaching the RimMount to the drum rim is quite easy.
While reading this section, please refer to Figure 7-A, which shows the var-
ious elements of the RimMount™. First, loosen the thumbscrew so there is
more than enough space for the Delrin® cushioned rim-guide to clear the
bottom of the drum rim. Then determine where on the drum rim you want to
position the microphone and place the “hook portion” of the RimMount bracket
over the desired place on the drum rim.

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Soft Polyolen® Coated
Metal Bracket
Rubber
Holder
Delrin®
Cushioned Rim-guide
Hook Portion
of Bracket
Thumbscrew
Figure 7-A. Elements of the RM1 RimMount™
Referring to Figure 7-B, notice that on the Delrin® cushioned rim-guide there
are two sets of grooves. One groove is in the “center” of the rim-guide (1),
while the other groove (2 & 3) is “off center” (or closer to the edge of the rim-
guide). These two sets of grooves provide you with “three” mounting options:
(A) using the “off center” rim-guide groove will place it closest to the drum
shell, (B) or rotating the “off center” groove 180 degrees will place the rim-
guide furthest away from the drum shell, and (C) the “center” groove will allow
placement in-between the positions (A) and (B).
Figure 7-B Positioning the Cushioned Rim-guide
Centered
Groove
1
Offset Groove
Positioned
on Left
Offset Groove
Positioned
on Right
23
Various types of metal drum rims have the bottom flange of the rim either
closer or further from the drum shell. One of the three positions (A, B or C
previously mentioned) will allow the RimMount™ bracket to be mounted par-
allel to the drum shell. Position the rim-guide so the bottom edge “flange” of
the drum rim fits comfortably into one of the RM-1 rim-guide grooves. This will
ensure that the cushioned rim-guide remains securely in place as you tighten
the thumbscrew to firmly secure the RM-1 to the drum rim. The soft protective
Polyolefin® coating on the RimMount™ bracket will prevent the possibility of
scratching the drum shell finish.