Earthworks DP25C User manual

Made in U.S.A.
Earthworks, Inc.
37 Wilton Rd.
Milford, NH 03055
603-654-6427, ext. 14
www.earthworksaudio.com
Printed in U.S.A.
DP30/C
Frequency response
Polar Pattern Cardioid
Sensitivity
1
0mV/Pa (-40dBV/Pa)
Power requirements 48V Phantom,
1
0mA
Peak acoustic input
1
45dB SPL
Output XLR (PIN 2+)
Minimum output load
600Ω, balanced
between pins 2&3
Noise
22dB SPL (A weighted)
Dimensions L x D
Weight
30Hz to 30kHz +2dB@6”
1
0.75 x .860 inches
(275mm x 22mm)
.22lb (
1
00g)
DP25/C
Frequency response
50Hz to 25kHz +2dB@6”
Polar Pattern Cardioid
Sensitivity
1
0mV/Pa (-40dBV/Pa)
Power requirements 48V Phantom,
1
0mA
Peak acoustic input
1
45dB SPL
Output XLR (PIN 2+)
Minimum output load
600Ω, balanced
between pins 2&3
Noise
22dB SPL (A weighted)
Dimensions L x D
Weight
1
0.75 x .860 inches
(275mm x 22mm)
.22lb (
1
00g)
DP25/C
DP30/C

Congratulations on your purchase of the Earthworks Drum Periscope
Microphone(s) and accessories or a SnareMic™ or TomMic™ Combo
Kit(s). You will be thrilled with the results you will be able to obtain us-
ing the DP25/C SnareMic™ and/or DP30/C TomMic™. After reading this
manual, if you have any unanswered questions, please email or phone us
using the contact information on the back cover of this manual.
Happy Drumming!
First, identify the exact product you have purchased from the list below.
Then verify that you have received each of the items
listed below the product model/name.
Items Enclosed with:
DP25/C SnareMic™
1 – DP25/C Drum Periscope™ Microphone
1 – PW1 Foam Windscreen
1 – Users Manual, Case with foam insert
DP30/C TomMic™
1 – DP30/C Drum Periscope™ Microphone
1 – PW1 Foam Windscreen
1 – Users Manual, Case with foam insert
SMC1 - SnareMic™ Combo Kit
1 – DP25/C Drum Periscope™ Microphone
1 – RM1 RimMount™
1 - LP1530 LevelPad™
1 – PW1 Foam Windscreen
1 – Users Manual, Case with foam insert
TMC1 - TomMic™ Combo Kit
1 – DP30/C Drum Periscope™ Microphone
1 – RM1 RimMount™
1 - LP1530 LevelPad™
1 – PW1 Foam Windscreen
1 – Users Manual, Case with foam insert
Version 1, May 15th, 2009 2
NOTES
13

Figure 8-A and 8-B Miking the Top Head of a Tom
The DP25/C SnareMic™ and DP30/C TomMic™ High Definition Drum Peri-
scope Microphones™ have been used successfully by drummers with major re-
cording artists in both recording sessions and for live performance. The Drum
Periscope Microphones™ will provide you with years of exceptional and reli-
able results and will withstand the rigors of the road. We welcome you to the
ever-growing number of drummers and sound engineers using Earthworks High
Definition Microphones™.
We know that when you use the Earthworks High Definition Drum Periscope
Microphones for your recording and live performances you will be thrilled with
the results. We are pleased to welcome you to the ever-growing family of profes-
sionals using Earthworks High Definition Microphones™.
We hope the suggestions in this manual have been beneficial to you. Don’t be
afraid to experiment with mic placement. You can be as creative with your mic
placement as you are with your music. You are the judge of what works best and
sounds best.
If you have any questions, or require any additional information, please do
not hesitate to contact Earthworks using the contact information on the back
cover of this manual.
TWO-YEAR WARRANTY
All Earthworks
® products carry a two-year limited warranty (parts and labor).
If you have any problems with your Earthworks products, please contact our
warranty/repair department by email at: [e-mail] or by
telephone at [phone], ext 20.
12
A. B.
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Please Read This:
Use of the LevelPad™ - The DP25/C SnareMic™ and DP30/C TomMic™ mi-
crophones have a high output level, which may overload the preamps of some
mixers or consoles. Many outboard microphone preamplifiers and preampli-
fiers in mixing consoles will handle as much as +24dbv at the microphone
input, without distortion. We suggest that you check the “maximum preamp
input level” specifications of your mixer or preamplifier to see if it will accom-
modate signal levels this high. Some mixers and preamps will not handle this
high level at the microphone input. To avoid overload, please use a LevelPad™
in the microphone cable feeding each Drum Periscope Microphones.
Some mixer or outboard preamplifiers have a pad that can be switched in or
out. However, some of these pads are not attenuators that precede the pream-
plifier input, instead they only reduce the gain of the preamplifier. These (so
called) pads will provide no input overload protection from high level micro-
phone signals (see Fig. 1-A). In contrast, other outboard or mixer preamplifiers
have actual pads that precede the preamplifier. These types of pads will provide
the input overload protection that is needed (see Fig. 1-B). Such pads will typi-
cally provide –10dB or –20dB attenuation. However, due to the very high output
level of the Drum Periscope™ microphones, -10 dB or even –20dB may not be
enough attenuation when close miking snares or toms with Drum Periscope™
Microphones.
In any case where the pad does not precede the preamplifier, or the pad does
not provide enough attenuation, the Earthworks LP1530 LevelPad™ can be
used and will provide either –15dB or –30dB of attenuation. The LevelPad™
comes housed in a stainless steel tube with gold-plated XLR connectors on
each end. As the LevelPad™ is inserted in the mic line, it will always pre-
cede the preamplifier input. It makes no difference if the LevelPad™ is inserted
at the microphone, or somewhere in the middle of the mic line, or by plugging
3
Figure 1-A and 1-B Preamp Input Pads
A.
B.

4
the LevelPad directly into the preamplifier input. The most popular practice
is to plug the LevelPad™ into the preamplifier input, which makes it more
accessible to switch the attenuation settings (-15dB or –30dB) if needed.
Figures 2-A, 2-B and 2-C show how the LevelPad can be inserted into the
microphone line in one of three ways as indicated below:
Figure 2-A LevelPad™ inserted at the microphone base
Figure 2-B LevelPad™ inserted in the microphone cable.
Figure 2-C LevelPad™ inserted into mixer mic input
All of the previous information in this manual applies to both toms and snares
when using a Drum Periscope Microphone.
The DP25/C SnareMic has been optimized for miking snare drums, while the
DP30/C TomMic has been optimized for miking toms. The DP25/C SnareMic
has less low frequency response (down to 50Hz) so it does not sound “tubby”
on a snare drum. When using the DP25/C SnareMic, if you feel that there is still
too much low frequency response, use either a high-pass filter set somewhere
between 60Hz and 100Hz to reduce the low frequency response or a low fre-
quency equalizer (EQ) to accomplish the same thing by attenuating/cutting a
few dB in the area of 60Hz to 100Hz for the desired results.
The DP25/C SnareMic™ can be used on either the top drumhead, bottom drum-
head or both. Figure 7-A shows a snare drum with a DP25/C microphone placed
over the top drumhead, while Figure 7-B shows a share drum with both the top
and bottom heads miked.
Figure 7-A and 7-B Miking theTop or Top & Bottom of a Snare
Close Miking Toms with the DP30/C
The DP30/C TomMic™ has been optimized for miking toms with a low fre-
quency response of 30Hz. This extended low frequency response will provide
a rich and full tom sound. You can mike either the top head of a tom with the
DP30/C TomMic™ as indicated in Figure 8 or you can also mike the bottom, or
top and bottom of a tom in a similar fashion as shown on a snare in Figure 7-B.
You will notice in Figure 8-A the microphone head is placed closer to the drum
rim, while in Figure 8-B the microphone head is moved closer to the center of
the drumhead by changing the position of the mini-flex gooseneck.
11
A. B.

The flexible mini-gooseneck will allow you to move the microphone head
either up or down above the drumhead as well as in and out from the drum
rim. In addition, you can change the angle of the microphone head for your
desired results. Figure 6-A shows how the microphone head can be rotated
while Figure 6-B shows how the microphone head can be moved more toward
the center of the drum by changing the positioning of the mini-gooseneck.
Figure 6-A and 6-B Positioning the Microphone Head
Plug in the LevelPad, if necessary
In close miking drums, one should keep in mind that the peak sound level at
the microphone head is extremely loud. Microphones used for close miking
drums should have a sound pressure handling capability of at least 140dB SPL
with no audible distortion. The Drum Periscope™ microphones will handle
up to 145dB SPL without distortion. However, as mentioned earlier, with this
kind of high sound pressure level, it is possible for the microphone output to
be as much as +24dBV which may overload some microphone preamplifiers.
The use of the Earthworks LevelPad in the microphone line will prevent any
such distortion or overload. So, to be safe, we suggest that you first plug a
LevelPad into the mic line feeding the Drum Periscope microphone. For full
information refer to pages 3 and 4 of this manual.
Close Miking Snare Drums with the DP25/C
As previously mentioned, when close miking drums with a Drum Periscope™
microphone, never position the microphone head parallel to the drumhead. Al-
ways position the microphone head at an angle to the drumhead. It is also sug-
gested that the microphone head be positioned between 1.5 inches and 3 inches
above the drumhead.
10
A. B.
Earthworks Drum Periscope™ Microphones
The Earthworks DrumKit™ High Definition Three-Microphone Systems have
had great success because they pick up drum sounds with far more detail and accu-
racy than conventional microphones. This improved sound quality is due to propri-
etary advanced technologies utilized in Earthworks High Definition Microphones.
Many drummers such as Jeff Campitelli with Joe Satriani, Keith Carlock with
Steely Dan, and FOH engineers such as Randy Lane with Dream Theater, were
using Earthworks High Definition Microphones™ for overheads and kickdrum
with exceptional results. They then wanted the same exceptional sound qual-
ity from their snare and tom mics. With the introduction of the DP25/C and
DP30/C microphones, they were able to get the same pristine, detailed sound
from their toms and snares as they were from their Earthworks High Definition
drum overhead mics.
We worked with major artists for nearly two years developing and field testing
our new High Definition tom and snare mics. During the development phase,
we miked a set of drums with nine Earthworks High Definition Microphones
(including our new tom and snare mics) and also nine industry favored mics.
When veteran engineers heard the difference between these two recordings,
they made the comment that the improvement was so dramatic, it didn’t even
sound like the same set of drums. They all agreed, “the increase in detail and
sound quality was staggering.”
The DP25/C, designed specifically for snare drums, has a low frequency re-
sponse of 50Hz while the DP30/C, designed for toms has a low frequency
response of 30Hz. Both microphones have a flexible mini-gooseneck and can
handle up to 145 dB SPL. The Earthworks patented polar technology pro-
vides excellent rear rejection and a uniformity of frequency response out to
90 degrees off-axis. This vastly reduces phase cancellation or other phasing
issues, and minimizes cymbal leakage as well as acoustic feedback problems
in “live sound” applications.
Earthworks High Definition Microphones™
the New Science in Microphones
David Blackmer, the brilliant engineer who invented the unique technolo-
gies 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 quality and performance of microphones. In
short, Earthworks High Definition Microphones™ will pick up sounds and
detail that other microphones cannot. These dramatic improvements are in
5

of impulse response, diaphragm settling time and polar technologies. Those
who have heard Earthworks High Definition Microphones™, say that they
hear more of attack, more subtle details and a more pristine quality in the
sound than with any other microphones, regardless of price. The Demo CD in
the Earthworks Mini-Brochure should capture your interest in this respect.
A Mini-Brochure with a Demo CD is included with this manual. Even though
you have purchased Drum Periscope microphones, we suggest that you take
the time to listen to the other High Definition Microphones demonstrated on
this enclosed Demo CD.
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 so. Our objective is not to in-
dicate which drum miking approach is better, but to make suggestions and look
at advantages 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 mi-
crophone on either most or all the elements of a drum set. Typically, sepa-
rate mics are used on snare, toms, high-hat and kick drum with one or two
overhead microphones. The overhead mics pick up the overall sound of the
drums including cymbals, which are typically not miked separately. With
this method, the mixing engineer can control the level, and signal process-
ing (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 bringing out certain patterns on sock cymbal, snare, etc. Multi-
miked drums may be desirable when you are recording in a large room with
high ambient sound as it will reduce the amount of unwanted room sound.
Multi-miking is also a popular practice for miking drums in “live sound” ap-
plications such as concerts, as it will provide more gain before feedback in
addition to greater control of the drum mix.
No Phase Cancellation Issues
with Earthworks™ Microphones
One of the typical disadvantages in the multi-microphone approach, when
using conventional microphones, is the interactive microphone phasing prob-
lems that result in the cancellation of certain frequencies. These phasing
problems are a result of the poor polar response of conventional microphones.
Conventional microphones have a drastically different frequency response
between the front and sides of the microphone. It is common for conventional
6
9
The various types of metal drum rims may have the bottom flange of the
rim either closer to the shell or further from the shell. Depending upon the
type of metal drum rim, one of the previously described three positions will
allow the RimMount bracket to be mounted parallel to the drum shell. The
soft protective Polyolefin® coating on the RimMount bracket will prevent
the possibility of scratching the drum shell finish. Position the rim-guide so
the bottom edge “flange” of the drum rim fits comfortably into one of the
rim-guide grooves. This will insure that the cushioned rim-guide remains se-
curely in place as you tighten the thumbscrew to firmly secure the RimMount
to the drum rim.
Adjusting the Microphone Height
Once the RimMount is mounted securely on the drum rim with the Drum
Periscope microphone housed in the rubber holder, the microphone body can
be moved either up or down in the rubber holder to adjust the desired height.
Then the mini-gooseneck will provide a good amount of latitude in position-
ing the microphone head from any pre-set microphone body height. Adjust-
ing the height of the Drum Periscope microphone body is shown in Figure
5-A and 5-B.
Figure 5-A and 5-B Adjusting DP Microphone Height
Positioning the Microphone Head
Once the Drum Periscope microphone height has been set, then the micro-
phone head can be positioned where you desire. However, you should never
place the microphone head “parallel” to the drumhead. The microphone head
should always be at “an angle” to the drumhead. This will prevent any pos-
sibility of the diaphragm being forced to the microphone backplate which
could cause an unwanted pop or thump in the sound or recording system.
A. B.

microphones to have a loss of 10 to 20 dB at high frequencies on the sides of
the microphone. This is why you cannot place three singers on a conventional
microphone, the one in front of the mic sounds great, but the two on the sides
have a dramatic loss of quality. These drastic changes in high frequency re-
sponse on the sides of the microphone cause phase differences, and these are
the root cause of phase cancellations with conventional microphones.
In contrast, Earthworks has a patented polar technology that provides our
microphones with the same frequency response on the sides of the micro-
phone as it does at the front (no more than a 3dB loss at any frequency out to
90º off-axis). This very uniform frequency response at the front and sides of
the microphone will nearly eliminate any phasing issues when using Earthworks
microphones. In addition, Earthworks cardioid microphones have a very high
rejection of sounds at the rear (back) of the microphone. This feature
will greatly reduce the leakage of cymbals or other sounds at the rear of
Earthworks microphones.
Close Miking Toms and Snares
with Drum Periscope Microphones
Inserting the DP Microphone into the RM1 RimMount
It is suggested that you insert the Drum Periscope microphone into the RM1
RimMount™ prior to attaching the RimMount to the drum.
To insert the Drum Periscope microphone into the RM1 RimMount™ just
place the mic head and the mini-gooseneck into the rubber holder from the
bottom of the RimMount. Then push 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
indicated in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Inserting the Drum Periscope™ Mic into the RimMount™
7 8
Mounting the RM1 RimMount to the Drum
The RM1 RimMount is designed for metal drum rims, and will not work on
wooden drum rims. While reading this section, please refer to Figure 4-A,
which refers to the various elements of the RimMount™. Mounting the Rim-
Mount to the drum rim is quite easy. First, unscrew 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 place the microphone and place the top “hook portion” of the RimMount
bracket over the drum rim.
Figure 4-A. Elements of the RM1 RimMount™
Referring to Figure 4-B, notice that on the cushioned rim-guide there are
two sets of grooves. One set of grooves is in the “center” of the rim-guide,
while the other set of grooves is “off center” (or closer to the edge of the
rim-guide). These two sets of grooves provide you with “three” mounting
options: (1) placing the “off center” rim-guide grooves close to the drum
shell, (2) or rotating the “off center” grooves 180 degrees will place the rim-
guide further away from the drum shell, and (3)
the “center” grooves will allow placement in-be-
tween the positions described in 1 and 2.
Figure 4-B Positioning the Cushioned Rim-guide
Soft Polyolefin® Coated
Metal Bracket
Rubber
Holder
Delrin®
Cushioned Rim-guide
Hook Portion
of Bracket
Thumbscrew
Offset Groove
Positioned
on Left
Offset Groove
Positioned
on Right
Centered
Grooves