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How to Make a Simple Low Frequency Drum Mic

Recording low frequencies can pose unique challenges for an audio engineer when recording music. Many microphones do not provide adequate extended low frequency reproduction, especially with drum tracks. Standard dynamic microphone elements have a relatively small diameter diaphragm, causing them to miss some of the low frequency sound of a drum kit. Raw speakers, however, are moving coil transducers just like dynamic microphones, but with a far greater diameter diaphragm allowing them to more easily capture low frequencies. These speakers can be make to build a simple low frequency drum mic.

Things You'll Need

  • 6 feet shielded audio cable
  • Wire strippers
  • Low wattage soldering iron
  • Electrical solder
  • XLR cable mount male audio connector
  • 10 inch speaker
  • 7 inch wire tie
  • Multimeter
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Instructions

  1. Preparing the Wire

    • 1

      Strip four inches of insulation from one end of the shielded audio cable using the wire strippers.

    • 2

      Separate the ground conductor (also called the shield or drain conductor) from the signal conductor by twisting the stranded wire.

    • 3

      Tin the two conductors with the low wattage soldering iron and electrical solder.

    • 4

      Strip one inch of insulation from the remaining end of the shielded audio cable.

    • 5

      Tin the solder cups for pins one and two on the XLR cable mount male audio connector.

    • 6

      Slide the XLR connector's protective boot over the shielded audio wire.

    • 7

      Solder the one inch stripped shielded audio cable's ground conductor to the XLR connector's pin one, and the audio cable's signal conductor to the XLR connector's pin two.

    • 8

      Slide the XLR connector's protective boot onto the connector.

    Wiring the Speaker

    • 9

      Tin the 10-inch speaker's positive and negative terminals with the low wattage soldering iron and electrical solder.

    • 10

      Solder the four inch stripped end of the shielded audio cable's ground conductor to the speaker's positive terminal and the signal conductor to the speaker's negative terminal.

    • 11

      Secure the shielded audio cable to the speaker's basket frame with the seven inch wire tie just behind the speaker's terminal solder connections to prevent accidental damage.

    • 12

      Test for accidental shorts with the multimeter. Place the multimeter's leads onto the XLR connector's pins one and two. The multimeter should read a low resistance but no shorts.

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