Description
Behringer BC1200: a drum microphone set sold as a complete kit
The Behringer BC1200 is a drum microphone set supplied in a carrying case, aimed at players and engineers who need to microphone a full kit without assembling a collection one microphone at a time. The listing gives a package of 18 by 13.9 by 5.2 inches at 5.44 pounds, with the microphones classified among instrument dynamic microphones. It has been listed since July 2021.
Sets like this exist because miking a drum kit is a multi microphone problem by definition. A kick drum, a snare, several toms and a pair of overheads for cymbals each need their own microphone, and each of those positions wants a different kind of transducer. Buying them individually is the better technical route and a considerably more expensive one, particularly for a first setup. A kit puts a workable collection and a case into one purchase, and the case matters more than it sounds: drum microphones are moved constantly, and loose microphones in a bag get damaged.
What a drum kit actually needs from microphones
Different positions on a kit place very different demands on a microphone. A kick drum produces high sound pressure at low frequencies and generally wants a large diaphragm dynamic microphone tuned for that job, which is the specialty of a dedicated model such as the Shure BETA 52A. Snares and toms want compact dynamic microphones that can be clipped close to the head without getting in the way of sticks. Cymbals want a pair of overheads, and small diaphragm condensers such as the Rode NT5 matched pair are the traditional choice there because they respond quickly to transients.
A kit at this price makes compromises across all those roles. The microphones will be more generalized than dedicated models, and the overheads in particular are the position where a budget set most obviously trails a specialist pair. That is the tradeoff being made for the convenience and the price, and it is a reasonable one for live use, rehearsal recording and demos.
Clips, positioning and channel count
Drum microphone sets normally include mounting hardware, which matters because positioning is most of the job. A snare microphone has to sit close to the head, angled away from the hi hat, and clear of the drummer arc of motion. Clips that attach to the rim solve that; stands do not always fit around a full kit.
The other practical requirement is channel count on the mixer or interface. Every microphone in a set needs its own input, and a kit with several microphones can consume most of a small interface at once. Anyone recording a full kit should count inputs before buying, and should note that any condenser overheads will also need phantom power, which not every small mixer supplies on every channel.
Live use adds a further consideration. On stage, every open drum microphone also picks up everything else nearby, and more open microphones mean more bleed and less control at the mixing desk. Small venues frequently use fewer microphones than a full set provides, often just a kick and a pair of overheads, precisely to keep that under control. A complete set gives the option of using all of it or part of it, and knowing when to leave microphones in the case is part of using one well.
Highlights
- Complete drum microphone set supplied in a carrying case.
- Covers kick, snare, toms and overhead positions in one purchase.
- Case protects the microphones between rehearsals and gigs.
- Classified among instrument dynamic microphones, suited to close miking loud sources.
- Package listed at 5.44 pounds and 18 by 13.9 by 5.2 inches.
- Positioned for both studio and live performance use.
- Behringer product with a steady position in the instrument microphone category since 2021.
Things To Consider
The listing data for this product is very thin and that is the most important caveat. It does not state how many microphones are in the set, which is the first thing any buyer needs to know. It does not state the polar patterns, the frequency responses, the maximum sound pressure levels or whether the overheads are dynamic or condenser microphones. It does not list which clips or mounts are supplied. Every one of those affects whether the set will cover a particular kit, and none of them can be answered from this record. Confirm the contents with the seller before ordering.
The Number of Channels field reads 1, which describes a single microphone rather than a set, and Hardware Platform reads PC, which has no meaning for analog microphones that connect to a mixer or interface. Power Source reads Corded Electric, which for a microphone usually indicates phantom power, but with no confirmation of which microphones in the set require it. These are template artifacts.
Budget microphone sets also tend to be uneven. Some positions in a kit are easier to serve than others, and a set at this price will usually do better on kick and toms than on overheads, where the demands are highest. Many working engineers use a set like this as a foundation and replace individual positions over time, which is a sensible path and worth planning for.
Finally, microphones alone do not record drums. A mixer or interface with enough inputs, stands or clips for every position, and cables for every microphone are all required, and the total cost of miking a kit is usually several times the price of the microphone set itself. Anyone whose goal is quiet practice or electronic recording should consider whether an electronic kit such as the Alesis Strata Core solves the problem more directly, since it outputs audio without any microphones at all.
Who it suits
The BC1200 suits a drummer or engineer setting up to record or reinforce a kit for the first time, a rehearsal space that needs a durable set kept in one case, and a live band that mikes drums occasionally and wants everything in one box.
It is the wrong purchase for a studio that needs specific microphones for specific positions, for anyone who cannot confirm the contents before ordering, and for a setup with too few inputs to accommodate a full set. Those buyers should look at individual models in the instrument microphones category, or at the multipurpose microphones category for general studio options. A single dynamic microphone such as the Shure SM48 covers a completely different need and should not be confused with a kit set.
