DPA Mics

[Silvershads]

Hi Folks

 

As a separate query from my other thread re mix on stage, I thought I'd ask if anyone has experience and feedback for me on the DPA 4088 head microphone I've just bought? I was told by one of the sound engineers running the We Will Rock You West End show that most of the west end stage shows use these mics and on the strength of that went ahead and purchases one. Finding getting to grips with the sound a little difficult. Compared to my Shure SM58 mic it actually doesn't sound as good and I'm wondering if there is a special tip for setting these specific mics up so that I get the same sound from DPA as I get from Shure SN58 (or better, of course! :P )

 

Cheers

Chris

[paulears]

why on earth would you want it to sound like a hand-held dynamic mic? I think you've misunderstood the entire concept of headworn mics. The idea is to get a quality microphone onto an actor and in close enough to give decent level before feedback. Most of these mics are omnidirectional, however this one is cardioid, which does mean it has to be positioned a little more carefully. This type like to be in close, near the corner of the mouth. Common descriptions of the sound are neutral/open/clean/tight and none of these descriptions apply to a 58 - which had little top end, exhibits huge amounts of bass tip-up when it is used close in, and it has a round and punchy sound - ideal to use in close on a feeble voice and still sound solid. Headset mics have a much more flat frequency response that extends higher than most can hear - mostly because they use miniature condenser elements, nit chunky dynamic ones. You will need to eq each channel to get a flattering result on each person - rarely will a one eq fits all happen. If you compare a 58 against almost any type of condenser, there is a big difference - against a headset mic the difference is even greater.

[MarkPAman]

I was told by one of the sound engineers running the We Will Rock You West End show that most of the west end stage shows use these mics

 

Possible, but probably not for drummers.

[Silvershads]

Hi Paul

 

why on earth would you want it to sound like a hand-held dynamic mic? I think you've misunderstood the entire concept of headworn mics. The idea is to get a quality microphone onto an actor and in close enough to give decent level before feedback. Most of these mics are omnidirectional, however this one is cardioid, which does mean it has to be positioned a little more carefully. This type like to be in close, near the corner of the mouth. Common descriptions of the sound are neutral/open/clean/tight and none of these descriptions apply to a 58 - which had little top end, exhibits huge amounts of bass tip-up when it is used close in, and it has a round and punchy sound - ideal to use in close on a feeble voice and still sound solid. Headset mics have a much more flat frequency response that extends higher than most can hear - mostly because they use miniature condenser elements, nit chunky dynamic ones. You will need to eq each channel to get a flattering result on each person - rarely will a one eq fits all happen. If you compare a 58 against almost any type of condenser, there is a big difference - against a headset mic the difference is even greater.

 

Thanks for the come-back. I understand the raised eyebrows but all I really know, from use over the years, is the SM58 so very used to "that sound" coming from it. I've chatted to the folks at Sound Network and they reckon it's possible to get a little more "punch" from the mic by upping the mids and tops a little and NOT removing bass, which I've been doing, simply because that's what we always do with the SM58. <groan>

 

Going to experiment with it and see what happens. The mic is positioned fairly close to the corner of my mouth, about an inch away. I try not to bring it too far forward as I'm worried about pops and breathing noise etc. and that seems to be OK.

 

So it's down to "play with the EQ" and see what happens!

 

Cheers

Chris

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

I was told by one of the sound engineers running the We Will Rock You West End show that most of the west end stage shows use these mics

 

Possible, but probably not for drummers.

Hi Mark

 

Yeah! I know - sorry - I was gushing so much that I muddied the waters a little. I meant that I was told that the stage folk all wear DPA mics..

 

:bolt:

 

Cheers

Chris

[Gareth Owen]

I've just bought? I was told by one of the sound engineers running the We Will Rock You West End show that most of the west end stage shows use these mics

You may have been slightly misled - even We Will Rock You (by far the loudest show in the Westend) dosen't use 4088s on the entire cast. They use a combination of 4066s and 4088s with the majority of the cast, I believe, on the former.

 

As for most of the other shows? Not really that I can think of - most use the 4066 if a boom is required as these are soooo much easier to get a nice sound out of (IMHO), plus you don't need the horrible director unfriendly popsheild on the end...

 

Just my 2p worth.

[paulears]

I missed the other topic - so didn't realise the context. If you like the sound of a 58, then no amount of tweaking is going to make this mic sound like one.

 

Shure do make a drummer's dynamic mic have a look here.

[Silvershads]

Hi Gareth

 

I've just bought? I was told by one of the sound engineers running the We Will Rock You West End show that most of the west end stage shows use these mics

You may have been slightly misled - even We Will Rock You (by far the loudest show in the Westend) dosen't use 4088s on the entire cast. They use a combination of 4066s and 4088s with the majority of the cast, I believe, on the former.

 

As for most of the other shows? Not really that I can think of - most use the 4066 if a boom is required as these are soooo much easier to get a nice sound out of (IMHO), plus you don't need the horrible director unfriendly popsheild on the end...

 

Just my 2p worth.

Thanks for the response. Actually, I was told they use a combination of 4066 and 4088 but because of it's more omnidirectional qualities, the 4066 wouldn't be good for me, hence my choosing the 4088.

 

Yeah - I'd love to do something with the popshield on the end of the mic.... heh heh - probably not a good idea though! :P

 

Cheers

Chris

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

Shure do make a drummer's dynamic mic have a look here.

Yep - and I have one of those sitting not more then 10 feet from where I'm typing this to ya! I like the Sm10a a lot but the headband is cumbersome. Sound is very good though.

 

No - I have to get this DPA working for me. Been doing some testing since earlier posts and, with a little pushing on the mid (not much), a little pushing on the tops (quite a lot) it's sounding a whole lot more like wot I'm trying to get.

 

Thanks to all for the responses. This is a great forum!

 

Cheers

Chris

[TomHoward]

With regards to the DPA mic, in the same band mentioned the drummer used a Shure headset mic, I'm not sure of the exact model but I would imagine it was the PG30 or similar. My initial concerns about a condensor mic used in that situation is it's going to be very (if not overly) sensitive, and I wouldn't be surprised if you picked up a lot of the drums through it as well, and if I would probably have opted initially for something more in line with the Shure dynamic series, as I imagine they would be easier to work with. However, having made the not insignificant investment, you may be able to get a workable sound if you persist with it - as mentioned it would probably need some beefing up in the bottom end of the EQ a bit to stop it sounding quite so 'natural'.

 

Having spent quite so much on the mic I was thinking of suggesting that it might be worth getting a dedicated outboard EQ to work on it with, rather than entrusting it to the desk EQ (which might well get reset between gigs), although the more I think about this the more I am convincing myself that this would be overkill and simply adding to the over-spec problem. It would be better to alter the mic position and work with the existing gain on the desk and get to know it more, and create a solution that way, rather than throwing more equipment at the probem.