If you’ve been hunting for that perfect drum sound, Universal Audio’s SD Series microphones might just be the answer you’ve been looking for. These aren’t your average dynamic mics — they come loaded with Hemisphere Modeling technology, giving you access to 32 classic microphone voices from Neumann, Shure, AKG, Sennheiser, and more. Think of it as having a whole locker of legendary mics at your fingertips, without the price tag.
Great mics are only half the battle. Placement is everything. Here’s your realistic cheat sheet for miking drums with the UAD SD Series.
The SD Series Lineup at a Glance
| Mic | Polar Pattern | Best For |
|-----|---------------|----------|
| SD-1 | Cardioid | Mono overhead, room mic, vocals |
| SD-3 | Cardioid | Snare, toms, percussion |
| SD-5 | Supercardioid | Kick drum (primary) |
| SD-7 | Hypercardioid | Kick (alternative), floor tom, high-SPL sources |
Each mic features all-metal construction, hand-selected capsules, and high SPL handling. And yes — they all work with Hemisphere Modeling.
1. SD-1 — The Overhead & Room Workhorse
Pattern: Cardioid
The SD-1 features a broadcast-style capsule with a smoother dynamic response, making it ideal for cymbals and ambient capture. Think of it as your go-to for that “glue” that holds the kit together.
Best Placement:
- Mono overhead: Position the SD-1 right in the center of the kit, equidistant between the kick, snare, and floor tom, pointed directly at the drum throne.
- Room mic: Place it further back in the room to capture the natural ambience and vibe of the space.
Pro Tip: The SD-1 excels at capturing the overall character of the kit. Use it when you want a natural, cohesive sound that doesn’t overemphasize any one drum.
2. SD-3 — The Snare & Tom Specialis
Pattern: Cardioid
The SD-3 is a compact cardioid dynamic mic tailor-made for snare drums, toms, and percussion. Its compact size lets you zone in for perfect placement even in tight spaces.
Best Placement:
- Snare top: Place the SD-3 about **1 inch above the snare rim**, pointed directly at the center of the drum head.
- Angle: Aim the grille at the drum head.
- Hi-hat rejection: Position the mic so the hi-hat is slightly behind the capsule. The cardioid pattern provides maximum rejection at 180°, effectively reducing cymbal spill.
Pro Tip: The SD-3 is an end-address microphone — sound enters through the black grille at the top, so point that directly at your source.
Hemisphere Models Included: DN-604 (Sennheiser e604), DN-545 (Shure Unidyne 545S), DN-4 (Audix D4), DN-57 (Shure SM57), DN-409U (Sennheiser 409U).
3. SD-5 — The Kick Drum Heavyweight
Pattern: Supercardioid
The SD-5 is your primary kick drum mic. With a supercardioid pattern and frequency response from 20Hz–15kHz, it’s built to handle the extreme SPL of a kick drum while delivering all the punch and heft you need.
Best Placement:
- For attack: Position the SD-5 inside the kick drum at about 1/3 depth, aimed directly at the beater.
- For body: Place it at the port hole for more low-end resonance.
- Just inside the resonant head: This placement captures the beater attack nicely while still picking up some of the body of the drum.
Pro Tip: The supercardioid pattern provides best rejection at 126°, giving you superior isolation from other drums and cymbals.
4. SD-7 — The Isolation King
Pattern: Hypercardioid
The SD-7 features the tightest polar pattern in the series — hypercardioid — making it the ultimate choice for maximum bleed rejection in dense setups.
Best Placement:
- Floor tom: Position the SD-7 about 1 inch above the floor tom rim, pointed at the center of the drum head.
- Alternative kick placement: Use it as a second kick mic for a different flavor.
- Rack tom: Close-mic a rack tom for articulate attack.
Pro Tip: The hypercardioid pattern makes the SD-7 perfect for high-SPL scenarios where isolation is critical. One user noted they’d “buy two instead of a 421” — high praise for any drum mic.
5. Hemisphere Modeling — The Game Changer
Here’s where things get really interesting. Hemisphere Modeling isn’t just a gimmick — it’s a powerful tool that lets you:
- Choose from 32 classic mic voices — switch between models of legendary dynamics, condensers, and ribbons.
- Adjust proximity effect and off-axis response — even after tracking.
- Audition different mics without re-recording — instead of setting up multiple mics to find the one you like, flip through Hemisphere models and pick what works best for the track.
Pro Tip: Follow the 3-to-1 rule between microphones to minimize phase issues. And don’t forget — all SD Series mics handle high SPL, so you can push them without worry.
Final Thoughts
The UAD SD Series gives you professional-quality drum tones with the flexibility of Hemisphere Modeling. Whether you’re tracking a simple three-mic setup (SD-5 on kick, SD-3 on snare, SC-1 overhead) or going for a full kit with multiple mics, these mics deliver.
The best part? You’re not locked into one sound. With Hemisphere, you can shape and reshape your drum tones long after the tracking is done — something traditional mics simply can’t do.
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