@@Paul_Teal Hi Paul_Teal, good question! I chose a cajon with sensitive snares to begin with (Meinl Artisan Tango) and possibly the mic positioning helps - I have a Behringer C112 at the back and a Behringer C-1 condenser as near as I can get it at the front. These aren't expensive and I'm no expert but try mic positioning on a cajon with very sensitive snares. Also I don't play with fully open brushes - mine are nylon (Meinl again), and can be tightened at the base to reduce the brush flare and create a harder impact. Hope that helps!