Is there a difference on how drums are recorded?

This is a drum recording test: one song, same backing tracks and three different recording methods. As this is not a mixing test, drum tracks are mixed using only volume and panning. No eq, dynamic processing, drum samples, sound replacer or reverb on drums during mixing. All versions are mixed using analog mixing console. Backing tracks are identical on each version. Version 1: The most common way nowadays: microphone to microphone preamp (no eq, no filters and no dynamic processing) to A/D converter and recorded on computer. Version 2: The same setup but using analog eq and hardware dynamic processing before A/D converter. Recorded on computer. Version 3: Exactly the same setup as Version 2, but recorded on 2” 24 track analog tape machine. On version 1 and version 2 tom tracks are “cleaned” on DAW. On version 3 toms are gated during recording using DDrum piezos to open the gates. On all versions drum room is delayed 22ms. On version 1 and version 2 by using a delay plug-in and on version 3 by sending room tracks thru a delay unit before hitting the tape. Song : R.O.C.K. - Counting The Stars Drums by Toni Paananen http://www.youtube.com/user/DonZabal Produced, recorded, mixed & mastered by A. Kippo @ Astia-studio A (Lappeenranta, Finland). http://www.astiastudio.fi http://www.facebook.com/astiastudio http://www.vk.com/astiastudio http://www.soundcloud.com/astiastudio Video editing by Toni Paananen. Interested to hear more or cannot hear big difference on drums? Download separate stereo drum tracks of all three versions free using this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/udomva3uqyut87n/AADHhggTSTT9gR7_i1tJ4uqSa?dl=0 Files are stereo wav 44.1kHz 16bit from the first intro until the end of first chorus. All rights to these files belong to Astia-studio. Any illegal use is prohibited. Drums on all three versions are one take from beginning to end. No overdubs on drums. No editing on drums has been done. Only tom tracks have been cleaned, but nothing has been moved. RMS has been matched as close to each other as possible on each version. Version 1 was the most difficult because of not enough high frequencies on bass drum and too much low frequencies on cymbal tracks. Also the lack of compression makes Version 1 sound more weaker on some moments. On Version 3 tape compression makes it sound louder on some moments. If you can’t hear any difference between the versions, please listen again or try listening not with your mobile phone or laptop speakers but with proper home stereo, studio speakers or with headphones. It might take one or two rounds to start hearing the differences. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think. With best regards, Anssi Kippo Astia-studio Lappeenranta, Finland.