recording

Samson C01U Recording/ Podcasting Pak
$129.99
The microphone works great! It got a little banged up in shipping, however... it seems that the mic stand base shifted out of it's place in the case (see picture)... it must of bounced around and hit the mic and dented it a little bit, but doesn't affect the performance of the mic. It's a solid, pro-quality microphone and very easy to hookup via the usb connection to your PC. I'm not fond of the recording software it comes with... there are better ones out there.

MXL D.R.K. Desktop Recording Kit
$149.95
This mic is sold as not needing a preamp. I found this to be mis-leading. Trying to record on a PC sound card using only the 9v battery and the mic input was hopeless unless you want to record something very, very loud. I ended up getting a Behringer tube preamp and now I can record using the line input with high sensivity.

Other than that it works fine for my application: voice-overs.

The Drum Recording Handbook: Music Pro Guides
$29.95
This is a good book if you don't know much about studio work and you want to get a good drum sound.
It is however geared towards only one setup, the way that the author likes to mic drums, mostly for TV theme music or background music (all examples are from music to "family guy" and other TV shows). There is not much explanations on why things are done a certain way, it's mostly: "Do this, and it will sound good". There is very little about different distant mic techniques, such as Decca Tree or other famous classics. There is not much about variations, and how you can experiment to get different drum sounds for different music.
The text is very big and you get the feeling that the whole book is written for a child, not a professional person who wants to know all the ins and outs about a subject.

If you want to know how to get John Bonhams drum sound, or some other characteristic drum sound, then look elsewhere.

If you want a quick reference to how to get a decent drum sound that works in most situations, than this is a pretty good place to start.

The Recording Engineer's Handbook
$39.99
This updated edition of a classic best-selling guide covers the microphone and recording techniques used by top engineers around the world, covering everything from how to get the most from inexpensive equipment to mic placement, drum tuning tips, getting the most from a vocalist, and more. Interviews and a question-and-answer format make this easy to follow, and a pick for any musician's technical library.