The Earthworks DM20 is a cardioid condenser microphone designed for recording or amplifying live drums—specifically your snare or tom-toms. The microphone features a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz in order to capture the full tonal palette of the drum.

Earthworks is a company well-respected for their transparent sound, and the DM20 is no exception. The capsule picks up frequencies evenly around the cardioid polar pattern within 6", ensuring no frequency coloration due to off-axis capture. Furthermore, the microphone offers 32 dB of rejection from the rear, so when you need to make sure your high-hat won't bleed into your snare track, or your snare won't bleed into your tom channel, you can position the mic to cut out the offending sound without changing the tonal characteristic of the intended drum.

The DM20 can handle sound pressure levels of up to 150 dB, which makes it able to stand up to the hardest hitting drummers. Furthermore, the condenser capsule has been fashioned in such a way that the diaphragm's innate vibration has been kept to a minimum; after the transient hits, it settles into its resting state a lot quicker than comparable mics, and thus, does not blur further transients.

The capsule sits on a flexible gooseneck that remains secure no matter how hard the drummer thwacks away. It is fashioned out of stainless steel to better withstand the rigors of the road, and ships with an RM1 RimMount for mounting the mic on your snare or tom.

Cardioid Condenser Microphone    For Snare and Toms    For Live Sound or Recording    20 Hz to 20 kHz Frequency Response    Even Response Across Cardioid Pattern    Handles 150 dB SPL    Captures Accurate Transient Response    Stiff, Flexible Gooseneck    Stainless Steel Construction    Included RM1 RimMount & PW1 Windscreen

• 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response captures detail and dynamics of your playing
• Fast impulse response for reproducing full detail of transient attack
• Short diaphragm settling time guards against blurred transients
• Near-perfect cardioid polar pattern reproduces all specified frequencies uniformly at any position within the pattern
• 32 dB of rear rejection for mitigating bleed
• High gain before feedback
• 150 dB SPL capability for loud drum attacks
• Right-angle mic head is mounted to the gooseneck for easy positioning
• Robust housing for protecting capsule from drumstick hits
• Stiff mini-gooseneck will not move when drums are hit hard
• Heavy stainless steel construction withstands rigors of the road
• Included RM1 RimMount for mounting on rim of snare or toms

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. I have one of these piano mic'ing system at my church.One of the mics on the pole stopped working.Where can I have this repaired at?

A: Hello Jay,Your Piano System can be checked at the Earthworks factory in New Hampshire. I recommend contacting the office to get the process started. Heres the contact info:Earthworks Inc.37 Wilton Road, Suite 1603-654-2433Hope this helps!Pedro RochaEarthworks AudioBusiness Development Manager

Q: 2. could this microphone be used in a conference room setting to pick up voices around a table?

A: This is a cardioid polar pattern mic, meaning that it's focused on capturing the sound directly in front of it. For conferences where people are all around, an omni-directional polar pattern mic would work best. You could use this mic for recording conferences, but it wouldn't capture everyone's voices. I suggest looking for omni-directional microphones or microphones that have multiple polar patterns with omni-directional being one of them.

Q: 3. For pro podcasts and webinars in a slightly treated room, how would this compare to the RE20 or MKH416 running through a MixPre 3 II as the interface?

A: The Earthworks ETHOS B Broadcast Condenser Microphone is similar to the Sennheiser MKH 416 Shotgun Microphone in its capsule type and directionality, both being directional condensers. The ETHOS B has off-axis rejection for reducing room noise but is likely more forgiving than the MKH 416 in terms of capturing voice when the head turns. The 416 would require discipline from the user in the sense that they would need to be speaking directly at the microphone for the best pickup. The 416 would also be more optimal at a distance, making staying on-axis a bit more difficult. The Electro-Voice RE20 is a less sensitive, dynamic end address microphone more commonly used in these scenarios. It has a wider, more standard cardioid pickup pattern than the ETHOS B. The ETHOS B is more sensitive than the RE20, but makes up for potential room noise issues with its tight pickup pattern. The ETHOS B also has the widest frequency response of the three microphones.

Q: 4. Will this work for the BMPCC4K

A: No, the BOYA BY-MM1 Mini Cardioid Condenser Microphone is not compatible for direct connection to the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. The BY-MM1 requires plug-in power which the camera does not provide through its 3.5mm mic input. As another option, you may want to consider the BOYA BY-BM3011 Camera-Mount Cardioid Shotgun Microphone ( B&H # BOBYBM3011) or the Opteka VM-8 Directional Mini-Shotgun Microphone (B&H # OPOPVM8) which both operate using a single AAA battery and are around the same price. Any other battery-powered mic with a 3.5mm TRS connector will also work with the BMPCC4K.

Q: 5. Will it work with the Canon Rebel T7?

A: No, the BOYA BY-MM1 Mini Cardioid Condenser Microphone is not compatible for use with the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera because the camera does not have an input to connect an external microphone. You would need to connect the BOYA mic to a separate audio recorder.

Q: 6. What is the diameter of the tip, for SLP calibrator adapters?

A: The capsule diameter of the Earthworks M30 is 5.8 mm.

Q: 7. Does this mic work with PC?

A: Hi, yes this product will work with any computer that has a 3.5 mm microphone port. Thank you for shopping at B&H!

Q: 8. Hi, since this mic is no longer availbile, which would be a similar mic?

A: The AKG P170 (B&H #AKP170B) could be considered quite similar to the Audio-Technica AT2021 Cardioid Condenser Microphone.

Q: 9. Hello. I wonder how noisy it is? How does it work for recording low volume stuff?

A: The AT2021 Cardioid Condenser Microphone is designed for general instrument capturing, vocals, amplifier cabinets, and similar applications. It's signal to noise ratio is 75db and has a max SPL of 145db. It features a Cardioid polar pattern, reducing sound pickup from the sides and rear, improving isolation of the desired sound source.

Q: 10. Will this connect directly into my Mac or do I need some sort of converter?

A: You will need an audio interface or audio mixer to provide power to the microphone as well as an XLR cable to connect the mic to one of those devices. The audio interface or audio mixer can then be connected to your computer and be recognized as an audio device.