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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: mysticeyes on May 04, 2013, 08:33:31 AM

Title: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: mysticeyes on May 04, 2013, 08:33:31 AM

I recently got a pair of DPA4061's to deploy as flankers, and the main reason for me to get the kit was the convenience of different mounting methods, so that I can use the magnetic or boundary mounts, or simply tape the mics to a surface, etc. But first, I have a couple of questions for owners of DPA mini mics. Mine came with only one set of grids, and I don't know if they're the low-boost or high-boost type. They're just about 6mm in length. Can anyone help me with this?

(http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/lanmtu/dpa4061_grid.jpg?t=1367670002)

Finally, do the grids have to be removed for the mics to fit inside the boundary mounts?
Thanks for all the help!

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: fmaderjr on May 04, 2013, 12:45:02 PM

Quote from: mysticeyes on May 04, 2013, 08:33:31 AM

I have a couple of questions for owners of DPA mini mics. Mine came with only one set of grids, and I don't know if they're the low-boost or high-boost type. They're just about 6mm in length. Can anyone help me with this?

Looks like a long (soft boost) grid to me.

Finally, do the grids have to be removed for the mics to fit inside the boundary mounts?

No.

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: mysticeyes on May 04, 2013, 01:41:52 PM

Thanks  :)

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: Gutbucket on May 04, 2013, 01:55:15 PM

That is a low boost 'short' grid.  The high boost 'long' grid is the same overall length, but the screen is flush with the end of the plastic cylinder.  It's the lenghth of the solid part which determines the characteristic of the boost.

The short grids are the ones you want for music recording, IMO.

You can use either use the grids or not when using the boundary mounts.  There is a difference in response, but not as much as with the mics out of the boundary mounts.  I think the important issue when using the boundary mounts is to make sure the active side of the capsule faces outwards. Its orientation can be difficult to determine without removing the grid. The active side of the square gold capsule has the little holes in it.  I put a little square of gaff tape on the back side of the mount to keep the mic from rotating, which probably isnt necessary with new, tight boundary mounts.

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: Tisbo on May 05, 2013, 09:50:20 PM

Mysticeyes, I have just gotten boundary layer mounts (BLMs) for my 4060s and have not yet put them to use, but I still have the instruction card in front of me. According to DPA, "The smoothest frequency response is achieved with the diaphragm perpendicular to the reflecting boundary." In addition, they state: "Please note: The microphones must be mounted with the short grid (soft boost grid). The long grid will not fit in the disc" [boldface original]. Finally, they caution: "When you mount the microphone in the BLM, be sure that the mesh is completely covered, so there are no openings, as they will affect the sound." While they state these directions in rather stark terms, the only consequence they name for not following them is "coloration." Because Gutbucket is such an accomplished recordist, it would be the height of arrogance for me to second guess his technique. Besides, the greatest esthetic pleasure for the engineers at DPA may come from looking at frequency response graphs and I think Gutbucket is more concerned with musicality. That said, since I had the manufacturer's instructions at hand, I thought I would pass on the information along with encouragement to experiment: the "coloration" that might mar the beauty of a graph could improve your recordings of particular sounds in particular spaces. Enjoy your 4061s!

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: mysticeyes on May 05, 2013, 11:56:35 PM

So it's a good thing that I've got the soft-boost grids, since I record music, and it's now clear to me how to use the mounts. Thank you all.

Title: Re: Questions about DPA4061's
Post by: Gutbucket on May 06, 2013, 12:20:45 AM

LOL!

Not sure if I can live up to that. I know that's the DPA instruction, I point them straight up mostly for a practical reason- if the capsule rotates slightly, the response won't change much.  Where if it is oriented sideways, it doesn't need to rotate downward much to become obsucred. 

That's most of it, but I do feel the sharper peak in the response caused by the boundarymount (you can see it in the boundarymount response graph) might flatten out slightly with the grids off and the capsule pointed up so the cavity is larger and less pronounced.  When using the boundary mounts the response is perceptually brighter to me, which can be useful, but sometimes I'll either use no grids in the boundary mounts or not use the boundary mounts at all and just tape the mics with short grids to the surface, both of which seem to lower the Q of that peak, maybe.

I don't like to run the mics without the grids otherwise, but they are well protected in the rubber boundary mounts. Actually these days, I usually just gaff tape the mics to the surface to boundary mount them unless they need the protection of the mounts.