Audix i-5 Reviews

Great alternative to the SM57.

I'm using it to record snare and amp cabinets and honestly, I prefer it to the 57. It sounds similar but less honky on the low mid frequencies.

It's well built and very robust which makes it perfect for the road.

great guitar amp microphone

I sold all my SM57's and replaced them with I5's, enough said. Excellent on guitar and bass amps and snare drums, very good for horns, also used it proficiently as an emergency vocal mic once, when I run out of 58's and 935's

I use it for my snare drum and it's great. It's also great for vocals and in a live situation very versatile.

Value for money.

I bought this mic for recording amps.

It gives a nice touch for its cost

Good Snare Mic

I bought the Audix i-5 as a replacement for a Shure SM57 I was using on the drum kit (snare drum).... I read the reviews and thought I'd take a chance and so far so good.

Very solid and robust, it takes quite a few knocks and still sounds as good as it did on day one.

If I had to be picky I'd say that the mic holder is ok but not as adaptable as I wish - For example, if I want to place the mic on the edge of the snare I can't.

However, that doesn't diminish it at all - the mic is as good if not better than the previous SM58.

Fantastic sound!

OK, I know...the big debate...Audix I5 or SM57?

Well, I have sm57 as well and of course the sound is awesome. Now I got this one and for what I hear, it sounds a little smoother and this I like very much. It also looks cooler then the sm57 ). I use mostly for my guitar cab and sometimes I records vocals with it and I very like what's coming out of it!

Well done Audix!

Good utility dynamic mic

I have one of these, I use it for all the jobs you'd typically use a sm57 for (recording guitar cabs, snare drum, toms, hand percussion, etc.)

I like this mic. It's very well built and comes with a good, snug holder. It has no fragile plastic parts on the outside, it's been hit by a few over-enthusiastic drummers and there's not a scratch on it.

Soundwise, it won't blow you away or anything, but it does what it's supposed to. I can't think of any cons, it just does the job.

Soundwise, I find it a bit brighter than my sm57 (which I find a slightly murky-sounding mic), I like to use it on snare top and guitar cabs, it captures the top end of amp spring reverbs well. I've also used it on rack toms, it did the job much as expected.

I'll pick up another few of these when budget allows.

For me personally, an SM57 beater

I've always had a love-hate relationship with the SM57 - it does a great job for the money, but it always takes work and it's kinda harsh.

The i5 seems to be growing in popularity, and the moment I got one it was obvious why. It's even more solidly built than a 57, and it sounds better even before you use any processing on it. Much smoother high end, much punchier low end. It's the best snare mic I've ever used. On guitar cabs there's less nasty stuff in the high frequencies, though overall it might be a hair brighter.

This is my go-to on snare and guitar now, and it works on just about everything else too. Grab a couple of these for your mic locker, you won't regret it.

Awesome on snares and amps

I'm using the Audix i-5 in the studio, mostly for recording snare drums and guitar amps - this microphone shines on these sources. It provides a very balanced and nuanced sound without being harsh or too edgy. A great addition to any studio mic locker and it could surely cost more than it does judging by the sound and the build quality - the microphone is sturdy and rugged and can withstand all sorts of abuse - I definitely recommend this microphone for recording snares and guitar amps.

Audix i-5

I was really happy with this nice for a change instead of a 57 but I wouldn't compare it to it like some people do its a different mic and a different flavour great for all styles on guitar, snare, vox etc. Great price would defiantly recommend!!!

Great MIC

So this I use for my snare drum i i find it better then the sure 57, just because i simply but in on and it sounds great i dont have to go messing around with the desk. A great price and good quality.

Impeccable quality all round mic

I've been using this mic for snare, and it works very nicely for that. I have yet to decide what I really feel about the sound, but that is the sort of thing that is really hard to review anyway - people have different taste in sound, also, much depends on the audio source as well.

Have yet not tried it with much else than snare.

Impeccable quality. Good sound. This was my first Audix mic, and I've since gotten two more for drums specifically.

very nice on snare!

I bought this as I was not happy with the SM57 as a snare mic, and needed some options. This one sounds fuller and crisper, and for my rehearsal studio / recording setup it really made the difference,

Build quality seems good, but I find it hard to imagine it being as sturdy as an SM57 or 58.

Audix's answer to the SM57.

This mic is great. It's basically Audix's answer to the oh so commonly used Shure SM57 mic, and it's a fantastic all-around mic. I use two on my snare drum for the top and bottom head, and they work wonders. Inexpensive with great sound quality, and they can really take a beating if you end up hitting them or dropping them a couple of times. The only complaint I have is the clamp that comes with it. The mic tends to slip out of the clamp every so often, atleast when pointing downwards on a vibrating and shaking snare drum. I've had to push it back into the clamp a lot of times, which can be a bit frustrating if it starts coming out at the wrong time. Other than that, the microphone in itself is fantastic!

Great all round mic

This is a fantastic microphone. Small, robust and crystal clear sound. I use it mainly as a snare drum mic but it works great for vocals and on guitar amps. Highly recommended

The legend!

You cannot beat this mic for what it is!

It's a pure SM57 killer! No competition! I even have the beta 57 and that it terrible in comparison to this! Infact if somebody offered to trade for an old one of these I would take the trade in a heard beat.

These are sooooo much more clear than a 57, they've got a much more natural sound. I use them all the time at university and decided to buy myself some for home use.

I recommend them all the time to people, they're simply perfect. The only mic I have ever broke is a 57... they're not as reliable as people rave on about, I would prefer to use a 57 as a doorstop in all honesty. These are the real deal! They're the same price but they're literally four or five times better.

They sound better on snares and particularly guitars (without a doubt)

Mic winner

Used for recording bass or guitar amp.

Want to use something different from the shure;

And for me, the Audix is better sounding.

Adds clarity and definition to the sound.

Used for Home studio, playing Jazz, fusion and Metal.

Excellent for metal because of this clarity that will let high frequencies pop out.

GReat product

For me, this is the SM57 without it's flaws.

The i-5 is a straight up dynamic mic for use live/in the studio. Paired with a great mic pre, this mic sounds fantastic. After using an SM57 for many years, I was reluctant to give this a try at first, but having done a number of A/B's on various sources with the two mics, I'm confident to say that either mic will satisfy me on snare, guitar cabs and louder percussion.

If anything I prefer the i-5 for two reasons: firstly, the build is solid, no plastic spinning head on the end - and secondly, the mid range is just a little smoother, than high mid resonance within the 57 is gone.

Great job Audix.

Another great Audix mic.

Lovely microphone from Audix.

The build is solid and very resistant to stray drum stick hits, nice weight to it.

Comes with a mic clip which is comparable if not better than the Shure clips and fits the microphone well. The Audix cases are very nicely padded and keep the mics safe.

The size of the microphone is not much different to a sm57, so positioning is easy on snares, etc.

It has a much more fuller sound on snares than sm57's but have found that it needs an extra microphone on the underside to capture the 'snap and crack' properly.

Has a nice rejection on the sides and rear of the capsule, allowing for a lot less sound spillage from other instruments surrounding it.

I have tried this microphone on other instruments such as toms, guitars, brass, even vocals and depending on what sound you desire you can achieve some very high quality results. But i primarily use this for snare drums.

Overall i recommend trying this and other Audix microphones like the D6 if you are trying to get that full, phat and modern drum sound.

An added bonus is Audix send you a great sticker for your drum cases.

Thumbs ups!

snare mic

I use i5 for snare. It delivers a sound similar to sm57 but with much more pleasant low end definition and better attack. It also has better off-axis rejection that would filter out more of the hi-hat jumping into your snare sound which was the main reason I bought it.