Using a Hardware Distressor on kick in the studio, Hard Rock/Metal genres.

[bapu]

I have a choice to make on which mic to use with the Hardware Distressor for kick.

Lewitt DTP 640 REX (dual capsule: FET and Dynamic), obviously I can only use one
1970's AKG D12
Shure Beta 52A
AKG D112
Shure Beta 91A

Which would suggest (in or out)? I have a hole in the front kick head. Kick is Mapex 22x16.

[zerocrossing]

I would definitely recommend not doing this. The reason is, what often sounds good at first, can need to be dialed back during a mixdown, especially on a bass drum. If you’re printing an effect like distortion, there’s no way to put that toothpaste back in the tube. You’re much better off putting the distortion on a send after the recording, and then tweak/blend to taste.

[Synthman2000]

Is this for mic rental or you have them all to try ?

I would find mic choice and mic position spot before you even put the compressor in line. There are these things on the side of your head called ears, sound engineers use them a lot to judge if sound is good or bad, you can do the same. That will be more important to get attack/body/tone balance before adding additional sound changing elements.

I would put mic in usual place/s and listen, that might take 25 mins to swap them all and listen. Don't go nuts with a compressor gain reduction when recording just cause you have a decent one, give it 3-5dB gain reduction max and don't deform the natural kick too much.

Then you retain options for later.

[legendCNCD]

As said, I'd also make non-compressed versions and then compressed versions with few different tweaks. Now at mixing stage you'll have a possibility to also parallel mix non-compressed with hardware compressed OR software compressed non-compressed.wav because ... well you saved non-compressed.wav

[bapu]

Great advice people. I will follow that.