We’re all looking for the perfect kick drum mic. For some it’s the Shure Beta 52, while for others its an AKG D112 (or vintage D12 if you can get one). Many like a good old RE20, while others get their best results from a combination of mics. Telefunken wants to be one of the choices as well with their M82.

The Telefunken M82 is a large diaphragm cardioid microphone designed to be robust enough for kick drum work, and versatile enough for voice overs. It features two EQ switches to accomplish those tasks, labeled High Boost and Kick EQ. The High Boost tilts the frequency spectrum in a slow rising 6dB boost starting at 2kHz and ending at 10kHz, making it appropriate for announcers and radio. The Kick EQ provides a familiar dip at around 350Hz like many of us use. Put them both together and you have a either the classic kick drum sound or something more modern.

This looks like a mic destined for mic lockers everywhere as the word gets out (it’s already been out for a while but I haven’t seen it in many places yet). The M82 retails for $499 but the street price is lower, putting it more in the range of an RE20 but more expensive that either a B52 or D112. Still, it’s hard to find a large diaphragm dynamic mic that’s more versatile. Check out the Telefunken website for more info.