I liked the AE2300's smaller size and high SPL handling capabilities; it's made out of brass and together with the included AT8471 isolation stand clamp, it can be placed tight in on my guitar amp's speaker. In addition, its small size means there are more possibilities in its exact placement such as in and around snare drums or tom-toms in a tight drum kit setup.

The AE2300 sounded physically closer to the snare and had a wider frequency range--I did not feel the immediate urge to grab the EQ on the console after I had optimized the AE2300's positioning. With my usual dynamic snare drum microphone, I ALWAYS EQ to compensate for its dark and thick sound.

The AE2300 maintains cardioid directionality across the entire frequency range--frequency response is nearly identical at 0, 90 and 180-degrees from the front of the mic. I also liked the switchable low-pass filter with its corner frequency at 5kHz--it helped out when recording harsh sources--abrasive percussion instruments.

It's a great option to have right at the mic rather than trying to fix it in the control room. Most of the time I used the mic's flat position and it's wonderfully complementary on most sources with its slight 5kHz presence peak.

The Artist Elite® AE2300 cardioid instrument dynamic microphone sells for $269 MSRP and has a five-year limited warranty. It includes the AT8471 isolation stand clamp and a soft protective pouch.