This is the 2nd generation ATOM tom microphone from Avantone and a great deal of R&D effort has culminated in this rugged, great sounding mic. We feel it represents the very finest tom microphone available, both for live clubs & concerts, as well as serious studio recording projects. The Avantone ATOM tom mic adheres to our overall tonal philosophy of “big sounding drums” and incorporates an oversize capsule that captures a huge low end as well as a penetrating attack. The ATOM is custom voiced to yield a fat, big sound that often requires no EQ at all! Because of the special voicing on the ATOM, it also is fantastic on djembe, large congas, and bass amp cabinets. Each Avantone ATOM tom mic is die cast from zinc, with a brass and steel grill assembly. As with all of our mics, there is NO PLASTIC to break! Aesthetically, each mic features an elegant Cabernet Wine-Red finish, accented with polished nickel trim and a black grill assembly. All components are designed and manufactured using the finest materials yielding a very solid feel, superb structural integrity and rugged reliability. A unique feature of all our drum mics is pair of machined insets on the barrel of the microphone body. These insets allow the O-rings of the SSM shockmount to “lock” the mic into place, which prevents mic shifting and slippage. The Avantone ATOM features internal shockmounting on the capsule assembly to aid in preventing the transmission of unwanted “rumble” from physical vibrations. The included SSM shock mount is as rugged as you can find and allows for a superb decoupling of the mics from unwanted low-frequency transfer and rumble. This feature, coupled with the use of the Pro-Klamps, results in a much tighter, less muddy sound than other brands of drum mics. The O-rings are manufactured using a custom formula. The new world class Ethylene Propylene formula provides enormous resistance to breakage, resistance to surface nicks and remains supple and effective even against dry, hot temperatures. It is resistant to ozone and weathering, which makes it great for use around electronics devices, and maintains its physical properties even in a stretched condition. Each SSM is constructed of heavy-duty die-cast zinc, which is not only incredibly durable but also adds mass, which contributes to vibration dampening/decoupling.