Question: Why are there two XLR connections on the AE2500 microphone?

Answer: Have you ever been to a concert where you were just blown away by the sound – and even the feel – of the kick drum? Or have you listened to a recording and wondered how they got such a sweet sound out of the kick drum? There’s a good chance it is because they were using the AE2500 Dual-element Cardioid Instrument Microphone. The Artist Elite AE2500 dual-element instrument microphone is the ultimate kick drum mic, and features both cardioid condenser and dynamic capsules combined in one housing.

Why two elements? The dynamic element delivers the aggressive attack of the beater; the condenser captures the round tonalities of the shell. Often audio engineers will use two separate mics, a dynamic and a condenser, to capture a kick drum, but have difficulty finding the correct placement to avoid phase cancelation. With the AE2500, the elements are positioned in a perfect phase relationship, something practically unachievable with two separate microphones.

The AE2500 includes a 16.5' (5 m) cable with a 5-pin XLRF connector at the mic end and two standard 3-pin XLRM connectors at the other end. The reason for this is that each element has its own XLR connector. This allows the engineer to EQ and set levels for each element separately to achieve the sound they are looking for. The XLR connectors are color-coded: blue for the condenser element and red for the dynamic element.

If you have further questions about this product or any Audio-Technica product, please contact the Audio Solutions Department for additional assistance.