Recording - February 2013 - 50

B Y PA U L V N U K J R .

DPA

2000 Series Reference Standard Mics
The DPA reputation for excellence in a surprisingly affordable format
DPA is short for Danish Pro Audio, a company that manufactures pristine highfidelity microphones in Denmark and distributes them in the US from its headquarters in Colorado. Most of its line falls into what we could call a pencil condenser style of small-diaphragm models as well as varied lines of miniature condensers for instrument and headset use. A few years ago I got my first taste of DPA when I had the pleasure of reviewing multiple models in the d:vote 4099 instrument mic series for violin, mandolin and acoustic guitar. You can read that review in our June 2010 issue. This time around I got to evaluate some of the company’s Reference Standard pencil condensers, with an emphasis on the capsules available in the new 2000 Series. Modular The Reference Standard series is made up of various components rather than actual mics. In this way it’s possible to choose the right preamplifier (body) and capsules to suit specific needs. Among preamps you can choose the MMP-A, the MMP-B that includes a lowcut and high-boost, and the MMP-C which is the compact preamp offering a bit more low-end presence. There is a choice of capsules: MMC4011 Cardioid, MMC4015 Wide Cardioid, MMC4006 Omni, MMC4017 Shotgun, and a pair of more affordable twindiaphragm capsules, the MMC2006 Twin Omni and the MMC2011 Twin Cardioid. For this review I was sent a pair of the MMP-A bodies, a pair of the MMC2006
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Twin Diaphragm Omni capsules and a pair of the MMC2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid capsules. I was also sent a pair of the coolest pencil-condenser shockmounts I have ever seen or used. Stop by the DPA website and take a look at the DPA SM1500 shockmounts on their accessories page. They are based on the Rycote Lyre system and are very impressive! I was also sent a pair of large foam windscreens and standard mic clips as well. Preamps The MMP-A preamps or mic bodies are a classy jet black and measure 5.8" long with a diameter of 0.75". They have a 138 dB dynamic range and use a transformerless, active circuit. DPA calls this design impedance balancing with Active Drive. There is a whole article on DPA’s website that goes into what this is, what it does and why, but in simple terms the Reference Standard series preamps offer a lower noise floor than transformers, better consistent signal amplitude, and extremely accurate linear phase response. Think ultraclean, ultra-quiet, and ultra-accurate, and you are on the right track. Twin Diaphragm Capsules Both of the 2000 Series capsules use a pair of opposite-facing, pre-polarized, pressure gradient miniature capsules in their design, and the 2011 Cardioid makes use of DPA’s interference tube design. In essence, these are miniature chambers in the capsule, and similar to how a shotgun mic works, hence this capsule’s extended size.

The MMC2011 Cardioid capsule is on the larger side at 2" in length and features a unique outer grill structure. It has a stated frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, a 10 mV/Pa; –40 dB ref: 1 V/Pa sensitivity, a 74 dBA signal to noise ratio and a 20 dBA ref: 20 uPa equivalent noise level. It’s a fairly flat mic with a slight dip between 50 and 100 Hz and a gentle smooth upward slope from 3 kHz, peaking at 10 kHz and then dropping off around 15 kHz. The MMC2006 Omni capsule is directly descended from DPA’s 4060 miniature Omni capsule. Unlike the 2011, this one does not use interference tubes in its design, and is only 0.67" in length. DPA lists it as having a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, a 40 mV/Pa; –28 dB ref: 1 V/Pa sensitivity, a 78 dBA signal to noise ratio, and a 16 dBA ref: 20 uPa equivalent noise level. Frequency response is almost ruler-flat across the board with a very even sloping rise between 6 kHz and 20 kHz, peaking at about 15 kHz. In use Combined with my Millennia Media HV-3D mic pre I put the mics and capsules through their paces on nylon-string classical acoustic, flute, ocarina, African kalimba, wooden shaker eggs, Tibetan singing bowl, tabla, brass-jingle tambourine, and choral voices. Part of my studio life is devoted to sound design, sampling, and ethno-ambient music; these kind of mics, married to a preamp like the Millennia, yield a combination that is about as clean as it gets and are perfect for this kind of work.

Recording - February 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - February 2013