Justin Hauck, drummer, percussionist and freelance musician, discovered his passion for music at a very young age. After getting his bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of Regina, he decided he wanted to take his craft to the next level by learning how to record drums. In his deep dive on YouTube, Hauck stumbled upon MXL Microphones, which he would later deem his go-to microphone for drum recordings.
“When I first started looking for a microphone to incorporate into my workflow, I turned to YouTube, where I discovered the pristine sound quality of MXL mics,” says Hauck. “Between the mics’ affordability and the positive reviews from artists and musicians, I knew I needed to acquire an MXL microphone. The first member of my mic locker was the MXL V67 large diaphragm condenser mic. I was initially drawn to the V67 for its eye-catching green and gold color.”
Hauck later stumbled upon a video of one of his icons, drummer Matt Chamberlain, performing in a live studio session where the engineers were using MXL’s V67 mics as stereo overheads for his drum kit, which led him to officially make the purchase. “Ever since I incorporated MXL’s V67 mics into my set up, I’ve received a lot of really amazing feedback regarding my overall pictured drum sound,” says Hauck. “The large diaphragm condenser really picks up a nice, clean sound with a wide sonic range.”
Through learning how to record drums, Hauck has been able to raise the bar for his talent with the ability to analyze and criticize his recorded tracks. “MXL mics have a very specific yet versatile sound to them, and I can really hear all the details of my drum kit. They have been a really helpful tool with learning how to record drums and step up my musical prowess.”
After relying on his V67s for a few years and becoming an avid fan of the brand, Hauck recently tried out MXL’s latest product, its Revelation Mini FET. “The Revelation Mini FET is an awesome microphone,” adds Hauck. “It has a very specific sound, and it’s quite warm, which is ideal for overheads on drums. The Revelation Mini FET sounds very similar to a high-end tube microphone, but without the big tube box and hefty price tag.”
In addition, Hauck finds the Revelation Mini FET to be a very flexible solution for capturing pristine drum sound. “The best part about the Rev Mini FET is that it’s an extremely versatile microphone. You can put them on standard drums, or on the bass drum or even toms. They also have a decibel pad so you can minus 10 or minus 20 decibels, which is really useful.”
With MXL mics having a very unique sound, Hauck is able to produce different tones with his V67s and Rev Mini FETs. “MXL mics have a very specific sound and a very versatile way of utilizing sound capture. The V67 has a more clean and crisp sound, where the Rev Mini FET boasts that deep, warm sound. If I want more low-end, I know the Rev Mini is the way to go. Whenever I send drum audio to engineering friends for sessions, they always have positive things to say about the sound quality. Overall, recording with MXL is a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to try out more mics in the future!”
