Topic: Anyone used / heard the DPA 4099s?

[dominicperry]

Has anyone used or heard the DPA 4099's at all? Are they suitable for taping, close work or only instrument mic'ing?

Thanks

Dominic

EDIT: Sorry, ignore this - the forum search didn't help but Google search found me a great thread here.

[Len Moskowitz (Core Sound)]

It has a flat bass response at around 20 cm (around 8 inches). At 100 cm (around 39-inches) from the sound source it's down around 5 dB at 160 Hz and around 12 dB at 50 Hz. Beyond that it will be slightly more rolled-off.



If you were to use it for concert recording, you'd have to EQ the bass up quite a bit in post-production.



Its off-axis fall-off is reasonable within +/- 30 degrees and it has the rejection you'd expect of a supercardioid at 90 and 180 degrees.

My opinion is that it's not suitable for concert recording unless used in an array with other mics. When mounted properly on instruments  it's an excellent sounding mic.

(Note: Core Sound is a full-line DPA dealer.)

[sinethomas]

I've used DPA elements on body mikes in Musical theatre, and I've used DPA microphones before they were DPA, and were still Bruel & Kjaer.

They're definitely in a class by themselves

[Gutbucket]

I use a pair of 4098H (hanging hypercardiod) primarily designed for choir mic'ing instead of close-mic'ing instuments.  It's very similar in response to the 4099 but with a bit more of a diffuse-field-EQ-ike extension up top, significantly higher sensitivity (equivalent to the 4060), and an integrated goose-neck, all of  which it more appropriate for my use than the 4099.  It has the clear, open DPA sound to it, but as Len mentions, it's bass response is shelves down considerably at a distance.   I use them in an array along with a spaced pair of 4061 which compensates for that very nicely.  I've also played around with EQ'ing them to compensate for it just to see how well that adjustment works with them alone and was able to flaten the response to what I needed without a problem.  If not using them along with omnis, you'd most likey want to do that unless the source was bass heavy to start with and needed a reduction down there anyway.  A few recordings I've made with them fall in that category.  Its an excellent sounding miniature directional as long as the reduced low end response is acceptible.
 






I've found the integrated gooseneck very useful too-

[Gutbucket]

Found this vid on the miniature mics on DPA's website-
DPA webinar: Miniature Microphone Technology https://youtu.be/SEtfvq1RhDw

Details on the miniature pressure omni series- 4060/61/62/63 and the miniature pressure gradient mics- 4080/98/99, including info on the miniature interference tubes these mics use.