DPA Mics (formerly B&K)... Help me buy a pair

[Thonex]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if you could decide on the best matched pair set of DPAs... it's for a wide variety of sampling session type work... from orchestral... to guitar... to vocal close/medium and far.

Do you have any advice as to which DPA would be best suited for this workhorse application?... and which one is considered the best between these:

4006-TL omni
4041 Large Diaphragm
4011-TL Cardiod
Any hwlp would be most welcome.

Cheers,

Andrew K

[OpenMind]

If it's mainly for recording instruments / vocals or sampling, I would choose cardiod instead of omni... which leaves the 4011 as the 4006 and 4041 are both omnidirectional.
It also has a nice high SPL, which makes it very suitable for close recording of loud dynamic sources like drum, brass. vuvuzelas and explosions. :icon_eek:

BTW: I wasn't aware that Bruel & Kjaer did not sell microphones anymore. If these DPAs are just as good as the old B&Ks from the 1980/90s, they will be excellent! :icon_cool:
To me they shared first place with Neumann in those days.

[Thonex]

If it's mainly for recording instruments / vocals or sampling, I would choose cardiod instead of omni... which leaves the 4011 as the 4006 and 4041 are both omnidirectional.
It also has a nice high SPL, which makes it very suitable for close recording of loud dynamic sources like drum, brass. vuvuzelas and explosions. :icon_eek:

BTW: I wasn't aware that Bruel & Kjaer did not sell microphones anymore. If these DPAs are just as good as the old B&Ks from the 1980/90s, they will be excellent! :icon_cool:
To me they shared first place with Neumann in those days.

Thanks OpenMind... I agree with everything you just said... and got the same advice in other places.

Yep.... DPA = B&K... just transfer of ownership or something. Happened quite a long time ago too.

Yeah... I'm putting my order in for the 4011 and also the accessories (stereo bar, ORTF and XY adapters and good shock mounts etc).

[Animus]

Sorry Thonex, but you are gonna have to buy a matched pair of vintage ELA-M 251's. if you are going to be sampling for me I expect nothing less. :eusa_snooty:





:icon_lol:

[Thonex]

Ok... now someone said I should get the DPA 4015 -- which are wide cardioid mics... interesting.

http://www.dpamicrophones.com/en/products.aspx?c=Item&category=189&item=24015#diagrams

[OpenMind]

The wide cardiod 4015 will give you less seperation from the surroundings, which may be a problem during live or open air recording.
However, it might be a pre when you record instrument groups instead of seperate instruments in an orchestra or big ensemble.

DPA has some info about this on their site:
http://www.dpamicrophones.com/en/Microphone-University/Lite.aspx#Directional/cardioid%20vs.%20omnidirectional%20microphones