Varus Morpheus Snare Drum – Drummer’s Review

Here’s the latest video from the Drummer’s Review Live Room looking at a Varus Morpheus Snare Drum

The snare features…

  • 14” x 7”, 6-ply, 5.4mm maple / beech shell
  • 45Ëš bearing edges
  • Black Nickel hoops / shell hardware
  • Metallic Green finish
  • 20-strand Fat Cat snare wires
  • Code DNA Coated batter head
“In a medium tuning it gives a crisp and articulate sound with plenty of projection and volume.”

Filmed at Paul Caboche Studios (Cornwall, UK), July 2024. Scroll down for recording / production details. 

Drummer’s Review, based in North Devon, England would like to thank the https://www.bathhotellynmouth.co.uk/ for the use of their hotel for this photo shoot in their stunning bar.  

Photography by Guy Harrop on location at Bath Hotel in Lynmouth.

“…we felt that the higher register was definitely the sweet spot for the drum.”

Varus Says…“Varus Drums can make a variety of incredible snare drums, made in ply construction or in “ Stave” solid wood. A seemingly endless variety of high-end finishes and colour options of hardware and wood to create the snare of your dreams.”

“One very defining feature is the twin row of small air vents with sandwich the Varus shield-shaped logo…”

Pro’s:

  • Excellent, flawless construction,
  • Great tone and body coupled with projection
  • Looks amazing!
“Overall this drum sounds superb. It has bags of character and warmth coupled with a massive amount of projection”

Cons:

  • Significant overtones at medium and lower tunings that require dampening
“Rounding things out is a 20-strand Fat Cat snare wire and piston-style snare throw as well as a Code DNA coated batter and unbranded thin clear resonant head.”

Varus Morpheus Snare Drum: RRP: €753.00

For more details, head to: www.varusdrums.com

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Recording Details:

Filmed at Paul Caboche Studios (Cornwall UK). 

Microphone List:

Kick Rear: Audix D6
Kick Front: Electrovoice RE27ND
Snare Top: Electrovoice PL80
Snare Bottom: Electrovoice PL80
Hi Hat: Oktava MK-012-01 Cardio
Over Head wide: AKG C414B (pair)
Centre Over Heads: AEA R88 MK2 Stereo Ribbon Mic
Front Centre Room : AEA R88 MK2 Stereo Ribbon Mic
Wide Room Mic’s: sE2200T Tube Mic’s (pair)

Recording Process:

Microphone Pre amps: 16x Rupert Neve Designs 5052

Pre amp outs to Avid HD analog to digital converters connected to Avid HDX card

Recorded into Pro Tools Ultimate latest version running HDX cards mounted in an Apple Mac Pro 2019 16core.

Audio Template Details: 

Basic EQ:

Basic EQ setting using the EQ section of the Neve 5052 mic Pre-Amps. No post recoded EQ or processing applied.

A Note From Paul…

“The microphones were set up with the overheads and room mic’s measured to the centre of the snare drum to keep the phase of any stereo pair in phase. The AEA R88 MK2 mic’s being stereo mic’s had no issue with phase but the front centre room mic and centre overhead where aligned with each other to keep the same stereo image. The phase reverse switch on the front kick mic was used to correct the phase between the two bass drum mic’s. The phase reverse switch was engaged on the bottom snare mic to correct the phase between the two snare mic’s. Hi pass filters only used on the hi hat mic, Ride mic and overheads. The live room of the studio has been treated to provide a neutral sound close to the drums & cymbals with the room mic’s then giving a true representation of what the instruments sound like in the room. Using 16 identical Mic Pre amps also helps with electrical phase so there is no difference between tone and phase of the Mic Pre amps. The brief for the recoding was to give as true a representation as possible of what the instruments actually sound like.”


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