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[copperx]

I'm looking to buy a pair of mics for drum overheads. I've read a lot of praise for the MXL 603s here but it is still expensive (I want to spend as little as possible - $100 for a pair?) I can get 2 x ECM8000 or 2 x MXL 990's for that. I just want to know if the 603s are significantly better for overheads than the Behringers or 990s to justify $100 more for the pair ...   I have NO budget right now  

[hargerst]

Any of them are good choices.  The Behringers would be the cheapest set.  Someone is selling a pair of them at homerecording.com right now for $60.

[Chris Cavell]

In every pair I've used and looked inside of, the 603's and the 991's are identical with the single exception of the occasional older circuit board style (which used a bouple of wires instead of circuit board traces).  Circuit and capsule remain the same.  990's are also the same, except the head grille and enormous capsule mounting ring have a pretty profound impact on the sound and pickup pattern (much wider...nearly omni).  Ihaven't looked inside or used any of the newer 900 series, but imagine they're the same with additional pad and filter features.

Long story short: if you want the 603's so many people have been chattering about, there's no reason (as far as my ears, eyes, and bench equipment can tell) why you shouldn't save a few bucks and go with the 990's.

Cheers,
Chris

[copperx]

WOW I got the answer I was looking for. Thanks. I'll get the 990's.

[Chris Cavell]

Sorry copperx, I should have said 990 series.  The 991 is identical in every way imaginable to a 603.  The 990 will sound a bit different due to the oversized mounting ring and the effect it has on the pickup pattern.  The 990's (imo) actually make pretty good condenser tom mics...largely due to the low price lessening the worry about a stray stick.

You can often find a bundle containing both 990 and 991 for $100/pair...so you could experiment cheaply with condensers on toms, and use the 991's as overheads.

[spankenstein]

I don't think the 990 is horrible. I've often been pretty happy with them as over heads.

[josh]

Depending on your room, of your choices I'd probably go with the ECM8000's simply because they do so much so well, and of course they are very cheap.

However you might add KEL HM-1's to your list, at something like double or more the cost of the ECM's.

I guess it really depends on your room and what you're going for in terms of sound.  For me, my go-to overheads are the ECM8000's and that's the same for my go-to guitar cabinet mics even with a fairly decent selection of mics onhand.  Cheap or not those are really good little mics.