MD 421 II

I held the same opinion until recently. I've got 2x 421 ii's and 2x 421 u's. I'd only ever used the ii's on toms and was never really stoked, even given the reputation of the mic. I decided to finally try the u's on my last session and they are decidedly better in my opinion. Totally agree that they are big and clumsy, though!

421s for toms. Bad bleed rejection, clumsy and big, nothing special about the sound.

with you both on that. Was never happy with them on toms. Cool on kick drum though.

Not sure which model 421s I've used....I know the ones that I've mostly used are from the mid 1990s. Maybe that's a 421II? Anyway, what's the difference between a II and a U? And yeah, 421+fet47 is pretty darned good.

i love a 421 in and a fet47 style mic out on a kick. bonus points if its the 421u, but the IIs are honestly fine cause the bleed inside the kick isn't as bad, and the presence boost is just kinda what i'd do anyway. its not as scooped and sculpted as most other kick specific mics though, which gives the 421 the edge for me in the studio. it's also cool on it's own if you're going for a more vintage sound with out as much sub in the kick. they take EQ well on the low end, so you can put a big ole 60hz shelf into them to make them nice and fat, but they still feel tighter than some other mics that emphasize low end by design. \*i know i contradicted myself like 5 times there, i swear it makes sense in my head\*

Thanks for adding this even though it’s slightly off topic. I play flute, whistle, and sax with a loud fantasy metal/rock band. (I’m near St. Louis seeing your user name maybe you are too - how do we not know each other? lol) Currently using tomasi micro-cork for flute for better isolation (tone suffers a bit but effects cover it) and Sennheiser MD 421 vocal mic for whistles. Whistle mic has some bleed from cymbals but picks up lows well. I’ll have to compare it to the one you listed!

Sennheiser MD421. You really can't beat it for real world, full range sound, from a dynamic mic. You'll need a little patience & practice, plus a good pop filter, for vocals. But, it's a great mic for just about anything

At home a dynamic mic works best for me. Audix OM5 is my choice right now. I've also used an Electric Voice PL76. However, they are a bit obscure & problematic. & It's a condenser. More expensive choices are out there. M88 TG by Beyerdynamic is a great mic. I've used an MD421 but, it's a bit "poppy". Depends on what & how you are using it for. I love the old standards Shure SM57 & SM58 but they can be a bit flat sound for recording vocals.

You need an SM57 , an Audix OM5. You can do just about anything with that pair, vocals or single mic instrument. The next mic I'd consider is the MD421. It's the perfect compliment to the 57 on guitar cabs, records toms like nothing else & can really cover just about anything. Everyone gets the bug to get a large diameter condensor. They are amazing. Pretty useless unless you have a good space for them, though. Id wouldn't get too hung up on that, right away. But, keep your eyes open for a sure KSM32, on the used market. A great mic. Highly underrated

I have a black one. NEVER connected with its sound, and I’ve had one for 25 years. BUT the original beige ones are very nice.