What Mic Does Drake Use?

Drake is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world right now. For the average person or fan, the actual music he puts out as the final product is the only thing of interest.

However, for people that are audio or sound engineers, knowing the process involved in crafting the music is also of equal importance.

This post will discuss the kind of microphone that drake uses to record vocals.

I chose to do some research on this topic because I’ve seen a lot of people ask about this in many different audiophile forums.

With that said. What mic does Drake use?

Drake’s engineers can be spotted in many videos of studio sessions recording him with either of 4 microphones. The Neuman U87 Ai, Sony C800G,  the Mojave MA-300 or the Shure SM57 in rare situations.

The Neumann U87 Ai

The Neumann U87 Ai is a cardioid, omnidirectional studio microphone with a rated impedance of 200 Ohms, as well as a rated load impedance of 1 Kohms.

The Neumann U87 Ai microphone has a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz.

It’s usually used in studios as a vocal microphone but its wide frequency response allows it to be used just as easily as a spot microphone.

Even when used as a spot microphone, it still offers a great deal or versatility.

 Some people also use it as an instrument microphone.

We all know that labor costs are a major factor in the production of equipment, especially with products that are essentially handmade like the U87.

Most microphone manufacturers have simply outsourced their production to low wage countries that can do the work.

However, Neumann microphones are still made in Germany by specially trained people that know the value of good gear.

There of course, many microphones with more character and output characteristics that might sound “bigger” like the Neumann M149.

But the Neumann U87ai is a great choice for audio recording because it sounds realistic.

Furthermore, It’s easy to work with and sounds very good which is why an engineer like 40 would use it for vocals.

Sony C800G

The C-800G isn’t built like your everyday mic, for example you’ll notice a curious-looking appendage on it..

This is simply the  cooling system that maintains a good tube operating temperature, which is a factor that many audiophiles have deemed vital to consistent sonic performance with low noise and distortion.

The Sony C800G is an excellent mic for vocal recording in studios and ican also be used in film post production.

This Studio Tube Condenser Microphone is designed for high-quality sound.

It features a dual large diaphragm for true reproduction of vocal qualities and offers enhanced sound quality through a vacuum tube and a unique cooling system that allows for optimum tube operating temperature.

The Sony C800G is used by artists like Kayne West, Travis Scott, Drake, Joss Stone Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, J Lo, and Dr. Dre.

Furthermore, this microphone features a dynamic range of 113dB and a dual large diaphragm able to reproduce great sound quality.

Mojave MA-300

On the first encounter, the Mojave MA-300 has a nice hefty feel to it.

It  features switches for a high-pass filter and a built-in -15 dB pad. 

The MA 300 comes with an adjustable shockmount that is of the heavy-duty variety, which is good, because a lot of shockmounts being made today have a bad tendency to fall apart after a while.

Inside the mic is a hand-selected 3-micron double diaphragm capsule, based on the one in the Mojave MA-200 tube condenser, and the tube is a military grade JAN 5840. 

Mojave Audio recommends the MA-300 for a variety applications such as vocals, voiceover, broadcast, acoustic instruments, piano, drum overheads and drum rooms, orchestral and choral recording.

Most people that have tested this microphone for the various applications listed above conclude that it is a good microphone that can get the job done.

Certainly a mic I would recommend for someone looking for an excellent vocal microphone crafted with good internal parts that not only sound good but are also durable.

Shure SM57

Another mic that drake is known to use is the Shure SM57.

The Shure SM57 is a unidirectional dynamic microphone that is an exceptional choice for both musical instruments, pickup or vocals.

With its bright, clean sound and carefully crafted presence rise, the SM57 is ideal for live sound reinforcement and studio recording.

It also has a brilliant cardioid pickup pattern which isolates the main sound source while minimizing background noise keeping the overall output signal clean.