Customer Reviews

Audix I5 Dynamic Instrument Microphone

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This mic is your standard dynamic instrument mic. There is nothing revolutionary about it, but I can say that it sounded better than the old reliable SM57 on snare drum. It sounded pretty good on a guitar cabinet, also - a bit better than the SM57 in that application also. It's $10 more expensive than the SM and I would say it's worth the extra change.

I did not like this for recording guitar cabinet. Compared to a SM57, it fell way short to my ears. It IS very neutral and I've used it for acoustic and vocals and it works well there. If you get only one instrument mic, then I would point you to the SM57. It is well made and will last, but my SM57 I bought in 1973, so if they haven't changed them, they'll last too.

This microphone is FANTASTIC! Use it on anything you would use an SM-57 or MD421 on. That doesn't mean it will replace these two microphones, or that it will be better than both of these microphones on everything, but the sound is somewhere between the two.

Personally, I use it on snare (top) and guitar cabs. I still use an SM-57 on guitar cabs, and I'll blend between the i5 and 57. Sometimes I'll still use a 57 on snare (top), or an Audix D1, but it's usually the i5 (because it sounds bigger). I still use an MD421 under the snare, and MD421's or (more commonly) CAD M177's (or M179's) on toms.

I purchased this over the SM57 and I am incredibly happy with it. Has a nice sound on snare drums and gets a great tone on guitar amps. It can easily handle high SPLs and can even handle a bass drum with some creative EQing.

The i-5 is a great workhorse microphone that will find its way nicely in any home studio or professional studio.

I've been recording audio for over 10 years now and am very familiar with many types of microphones. For the asking price this microphone cannot be beat.

I've tried it on a snare drum and Marshall cabinent. A/Bing the classic Shure SM57 this baby sounds like a condenser mic. It just sounds closer to a snare drum or guitar amp than the 57 does. After all this mic was released in 2004/2005 so it SHOULD be better...right?

It also feels as durable if not more so than the 57 (important for clumsy drummers). I can't say for sure if it would hold up to the abuse the 57 has been objected to (thrown out a moving car at highway speeds, dropped in a glass of beer, see YouTube for a good clip of some SM58 tests) but under "normal abusive use" it should fair fine.

The Audix i5 is THE microphone to use for guitar amps and snare drums. Bar none. I would not use it on vocals though like some have. Condensers are much better suited for that purpose.