well, I ran one N101 and one MK6>KC5>PFA (both sounded good). I ran the attenuator -15db at the recorder as directed, however, the mic still was getting clipped even though it wasn't showing a clip on the recorder. Guessing that the N101 are too sensitive for running onstage close by a drum set. Not sure how I can get around this problem. Any thoughts?
so you can hear the clip, but it didn't overload the recorder or is it that it overloaded an active electronics recorder (which may not show the peak, but passes along an overdrove signal)? It actually could be either, they are rated for 1% thd at 130spl and close to an aggressive kick drum might hit past that. DSatz once said you can drive a condenser past that for some headroom (in trade of some noise) but you don't get more then 4spl worth until it takes an exponential hit on noise.
I've mic'd a kit overhead style before and it came out at around 132spl.