Austrian Audio OC-B6: a large-diaphragm condenser for kick drum

At NAMM 2026 Austrian Audio introduced the OC-B6, its first large-diaphragm capacitor microphone made specifically for kick drum. The company also launched DMK1, a complete drum microphone kit for studio and live use.

The OC-B6 capsule

The microphone is built around the CKR6-B, a variant of the company's CKR6 one-inch true condenser capsule. In this version the gap between diaphragm and electrode is doubled and the resonance frequency is tuned lower. Austrian Audio says this greatly increases headroom, so the OC-B6 handles sound pressure levels that, according to the company, no other capacitor microphone on the market can, and slightly refines the frequency response.

Construction and features

• Open acoustic design derived from the OD5 and OC7 microphones, in a compact body.
• A swivel joint with 220-degree rotation for aiming the microphone.
• A subsonic filter that removes content below 18 Hz to keep infrasound from eating headroom.
• Fully discrete electronics without integrated chips.
• A thread built into the body for direct mounting on a stand without a clip.
• Every capsule and microphone is hand-built and measured individually in Vienna.

The OC-B6 can be placed inside the drum close to the beater, near the resonant head or in front of the drum. The company positions it as a combination of large-diaphragm condenser sound and the robustness usually associated with dynamic microphones.

Prices

The OC-B6 costs $599, £449 including VAT or €499. The DMK1 drum kit, which includes the OC-B6 and is described as an eight-microphone set, costs $4,999, £3,499 including VAT or €3,999.