4099 by DPA

[fifthcircle]

Saw this as one of the new releases from DPA at the AES show. I was really impressed with what I saw. Once again, DPA has the micro-microphone world covered better than anybody else.

It is a supercardiod interference tube microphone. (basically a tiny little shotgun) with 3 different mounts that will work on brass/sax instruments, guitars and violins. They had a demo of acoustic guitar playing at the convention. On this guitar, there was a 4099 and a 4061 mounted on the instrument and on Flamingo stands, they had cardiod and omni mics. They were gain matched very well (actually, when the guitarist was sitting in the right place they were ). My impressions from the floor were that I did not like the 4061 at all and I wasn't thrilled with the omni on the stand either. Between the 4023 and the 4099, there were differences of course, but what was amazing was how close they really were. The 4099 was probably 85% of the 4023. The 4099 is $2000 cheaper and for a live show where you have a person moving around, the 4099 will stay in position due to the fact that it is mounted on the instrument.

I felt that there was a touch of proximity effect in what I was hearing that really helped fill out the sound. This definitely sounded like a mic that needs to be close to the source.

The little mounts are as you would expect, genius. The guitar and violin clamps should hold the mic firmly without changing the sound of the instrument. The sax and trumpet mounts are equally firm and the gooseneck on all of them allows for careful positioning of the mic.

Lastly, the mics use the same delicate microdot connectors as the 4061. Means there are lots of ways of using them from XLR attachments to all types of wireless. Also means they are going to be a bit fragile.

The microphone itself comes in 2 models... The one sold for trumpets has a decreased sensitivity due to the volume at the end of a trumpet's bell.

http://www.dpamicrophones.com/module...01&itemid=4099 Guitar&PID=&function=pdescription

--Ben

[Legacy]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for the report. I thought I'd add another link as I had some trouble getting yours to work:

Press Releases

The DPA site is a little annoying about direct links to pages.

I haven't heard the 4099 but am anxious to.

Best Wishes,
Silas

[fifthcircle]

Sorry about the link- you can get to it off of the page of miniature microphones. It is listed along with the various versions of 4060 and 4061 mics. Includes frequency response plots and such.

I'll likely get one or two of these for the work that I've been doing with bands and singer/songwriter types... Means I'll finally get a guitar sound that is something other than a direct box.

--Ben

[tenor39]

I just used a pair of these to capture audience response on a TV show for Nickelodion, My Family's Got Guts. I tie wrapped one on each end of the front handrail of the audience bleachers. The sound was very impressive and they sure took the shock and beating from the crowds. I can envision a minature X/Y or ORTF mount for these! Can you imagine the possibilities?

[sfoote]

I also liked the 4099 on the acoustic guitar at AES. They had a nice setup where one could compare them. Of course comparing mics amplifying all that background noise was pretty interesting. I liked the guitar plus background noise on the 4099 the best of the lot.

[John Hedger]

Very interesting! I'm still seeking a good, natural, amplified classical guitar sound for gigs and such. These may be worth a try. Are these available yet? I haven't seen a price posted anywhere.

[peeder]

Certainly the mic I'd get for guitar-on-stage...

[fifthcircle]

They said they'll be shipping in a month or so (if memory serves me right). They also told me they should run about $500 or so.

--Ben

[nnajar]

thanks for posting this. I'm excited about this mic. the 4061 sounds pretty good in the soundhole of my classical guitar for live recording (jazz trio, not classical in a hall!), but i haven't tried it for SR. 4061 sounds great on an upright bass too. but this new 4099 looks like the ticket for my guitar in the future!

N

[The Byre]

The DPA miniature series is the best thing they ever did.

[v2or]

I just demo'd the DPA 4099 G mic on a Flamenco Guitar in our studio and it is not a tube mic. It is the best sounding mic I have heard this far for playing live. We ran it through the Bose L1 System and it sounded fantastic and full. Needed no EQ or Compression. Very small mic and wonderfull.

[v2or]

You can order them direct from DPA I have not seen them listed anywhere either but these are just the best. The only way to go live.

[fifthcircle]

Originally Posted by v2or

I just demo'd the DPA 4099 G mic on a Flamenco Guitar in our studio and it is not a tube mic.

Of course it isn't... I said interference tube. AKA it is a miniature shotgun mic.

--Ben

[jasonraboin]

I used two of the 4099 last night for a show at the Wells Fargo Center in Santa Rosa, CA. During sound check we put them on fiddle, mandolin, and mandola. Our first impressions were very favorable. The mounting hardware is easy to use and provides a lot of options. It's nice to be able to move the mic around to change the tone rather than use eq. The sound is fantastic, though I could do without the high end boost.

We had been using a DPA omni 4061 on the mandolin combined with a pickup. Last night we just used the 4099. There was plenty of gain, even for the wedges. I solo'd up the mic during the show and bleed was negligible. We put the other 4099 on the mandola, and found that combining it with the pickup at a 50/50 ratio gave us the desired sound. After the show we decided that this would be the best way to go with the mandolin as well.

We have shows in San Francisco Tuesday and Wednesday. I am going to try the 4099's on fiddle, banjo, and acoustic guitar.

One problem that I should mention is tuning. It is annoying to have to mute the mic while the musicians are tuning. It would be great if I could find a pedal that mutes both a di signal and a mic without interrupting phantom power. Any ideas?

[John Hedger]

Originally Posted by jasonraboin

We put the other 4099 on the mandola, and found that combining it with the pickup at a 50/50 ratio gave us the desired sound. After the show we decided that this would be the best way to go with the mandolin as well.

I have always had better results in blending two, or even three mic/pickup sources when amplifying acoustic instruments, or in my case, classical guitar. It's alot more trouble, but the result usually sounds more natural, and more acoustic when multi miked.

Where are you all buying these DPA 4099's? I've done a search and cannot yet find a dealer to purchase one in the US.

[jasonraboin]

I'm not buying them. They're on loan from DPA.

[Bob Bickerton]

Originally Posted by jasonraboin

One problem that I should mention is tuning. It is annoying to have to mute the mic while the musicians are tuning. It would be great if I could find a pedal that mutes both a di signal and a mic without interrupting phantom power. Any ideas?

You could run a switch off the insert of the mic channel. I do this to mute phantom powered mics on stage.

Bob

[Bob Bickerton]

Interesting. I've used Audio Technica ATM350's for miking fiddle, cello and bass live for sometime.

The DPA looks to have a tighter pattern but the high frequency lift would be a disadvantage on instruments like fiddles where this is not an aspect of the instrument to be encouraged!

The ATM350 sounds nice and flat and I've even used them for serious 'live' recording projects.

Bob

[v2or]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

Of course it isn't... I said interference tube. AKA it is a miniature shotgun mic.

--Ben

You are right I misunderstood what you were saying there is a tube in the mic but not a vacume tube as in a Neuman M149 Tube

[John Hedger]

Originally Posted by jasonraboin

I'm not buying them. They're on loan from DPA.

If you can give me a shoe in...please have DPA send a couple on loan to me!