MD 421 Kompakt

Get a couple of CAD M179. The best tom mic out there IMO! They are a bit big though, so they aren't the best choice if you want something small that's easy to clip to the toms. If you want something small but great sounding there are always the Earthworks DM20 or the new Sennheiser MD421 Kompakt. All of these are roughly in the same price range. Earthworks mics are a bit cheaper if you live in north America, but even if you live in Europe or somewhere else the DM20 are only about $100-130 more expensive than the other two (which they are well worth).

I’ve tried a bunch of other things and have mostly settled on a SM57 as a “primary” mic and a MD421 as a “supporting” one, which is kind of funny since the 421 is several times the cost of a 57. But, they pick up almost everything you want, am very little you don’t, on a cab. Perfect mic for the job.

I’d reach for an RE20 or the MD421 over an SM7b any day of the week. 421 has a built in strip that acts as a pop filter too!

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.

421 with a good sounding drum and preamp I think sounds great on a tom, but those sound best an amp paired with a ribbon. Re20 sounds good on a kick, great on a floor tom, particular vocal, or bass cab. Sm7b through a dbx160 makes all the difference. SM58 as a talkback drum mic squashed can sound great. I’ve made a lot of records and those mics are work horses for a reason.