Earthworks CMK4 CloseMic Kit, User Manual

Congratulations on your purchase of the Earthworks

®

 CMK4 or CMK5 kit of 

DM20 DrumMic™ Tom & Snare Microphones. When using these microphones 
on your toms and snare, you will hear more detail in the attack in addition to 
hearing subtle details that cannot be heard when using conventional micro-
phones. You will walk into a whole new world of pristine drum sound using the 
DM20 DrumMic™ High Definition Microphones™. After reading this manual, 
if you have any unanswered questions, please email or phone us using the 
contact information on the back cover of this manual. 

First, identify all the items that came in your CMK4 or CMK5 kit to verify 
that you have received everything listed below.

CMK4 CloseMic™ Kit   

CMK5 CloseMic™ Kit

4 – DM20s for Toms & Snare  

5 – DM20s for Toms & Snare

4 – RM1 RimMount™ for DM20s 

5 – RM1 RimMount™ for DM20s

4 – PW1 Foam Windscreens 

5 – PW1 Foam Windscreens

1 – High Impact Carrying Case 

1 – High Impact Carrying Case

      with custom foam insert 

      with custom foam insert

1 – Users Manual 

1 – Users Manual

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Please Read This

The DM

20’

s High SPL Handling and Lower Output Level

The DM20 has been designed for close miking toms and snares with high SPL 
handling of 150dB and a reduced output level. In most cases the DM20 will 
not require the use of a pad to prevent overloading the input of outboard mi-
crophone preamps, or the mic preamp inputs on mixers, consoles or computer 
audio interfaces. The majority of these units will accommodate high microphone 
levels at the preamp input without distortion. However, the more sensitive units 
will not handle high mic levels at the preamp input will require the use of a pad 
to prevent the preamp from distorting. We encourage you to check the specifi-
cations of your preamp, mixer, console or computer audio interface to verify that 
the microphone preamp input will accommodate high levels of approximately 
+20dBV.

Different Types of Preamp Input Pads
Some outboard preamplifiers, mixers or consoles may have a built-in mic preamp 
pad that can be switched in or out.  However, on some models these pads are 
not attenuators that precede the preamplifier input and just reduce the gain of the 
preamplifier itself. Unless these preamplifiers will handle a high input level (i.e. 

1

Version 1, August 15, 2017