Recording - July 2018 - 24

REVISITED

DPA

Microphones
d:vote CORE
4099
New electronics means cleaner, hotter sound
By Paul Vnuk Jr.

DPA bu i l ds s o m e o f t he c l e an es t an d m o s t
r ealistic, yet musical, microphones on the market.
They are also masters of miniature microphone
technology, found in the d:f ine headworn mics,
d:screet lavalier models, and-most relevant to
our readers-the d:vote 4099 miniature instrument
mic that we f irst reviewed in June 2010.
DPA mics have always been quiet and clear with low self-noise,
but last year they announced a new technology called CORE by
DPA, which takes mic performance to a new level. CORE by DPA
is a newly designed amplifier/capsule circuit that makes the mics
clearer and more detailed, with a dynamic range improvement of
up to 14 dB, depending on the mic. The two 4099 mic versions
have been renamed and color-coded with plastic rings for easy
identification. The d:vote CORE 4099 for Loud SPL, with the red
ring, has had its dynamic range increased from 100 dB to 108
dB; the d:vote CORE 4099 for Extreme SPL, with the yellow ring,
has had its dynamic range boosted from 95 dB to 109 dB.
More dynamic range means a louder, clearer signal without
pushing your preamp as hard. This leads to amazing clarity on
high-end preamps; I tried the Loud SPL mic with my Millenia
Media HV-3D preamp into the new 2x6 interface card in my
Apogee Symphony MKII (review coming soon), and was stunned
at the signal chain's dimensionality and realism. However, this
increased signal with less gain is even more important if you're
using a computer interface with a "mere mortal" preamp built in!

"Shotgun, gooseneck, windsock, shock mount"

The above is how I described the d:vote 4099 the first time I
reviewed it, and it still describes the mic best. A miniature 0.2"
24

RECORDING July 2018

capsule lives at the end of a small 1.8" mesh
tube, turning it into a miniature shotgun mic with
an ultra-tight supercardioid pattern.
This tube fits inside a foam windsock suspended
snugly in a dual O-ring rubber shockmount. The windsock
has been redesigned for the d:vote CORE 4099 with a
more conical shape. This is attached to a firm 5.5" gooseneck for positioning. While the entire assembly appears
fragile and delicate, it is physically robust and well-built.
The ultrathin cable attached to the microphone
terminates in a MicroDot connector which pairs
with the DAD4099 XLR adaptor or any of the company's wireless adaptors for use with third-party
wireless systems. The mic attaches the same way
as before to one of the many mounts offered by
DPA-violin, cello, bass, brass, winds, drums,
piano, sax, accordion, and guitar, as well as
general-use mic stand and clamp mounts.

In use

I was sent a matched pair of the new d:vote
CORE 4099 Loud SPL models. In addition to
single-mic and stereo tests on acoustic guitar,
I tried them out on hand percussion, shakers,
violin, mandolin, and cello. I have been using an
original d:vote 4099 on all of these sources for
eight years, and know its sound very well-I won't
track cello or violin without it.
I am a huge fan of using two hypercardioid (or in this
case supercardioid) mics on fingerpicked acoustic guitar,
one at the 12th fret and the other just at the bottom edge
of the soundhole to minimize boom. I then pan the results in
stereo, and balance them with a third room mic a few feet back.
Add a little reverb, and this yields a great 3-dimensional acoustic
guitar recording. I tried this with the new mics and the Millennia
Media/Apogee combo mentioned above, and was thrilled.
As a single acoustic guitar mic, I like the d:vote CORE 4099
thanks to its versatility. It can be easily positioned in the perfect
spot, and since it moves with the guitar, you don't need to worry
about the guitarist sitting in and/or returning to the same position
for take after take. In live recording situations, this mic is much
better sounding than most onboard acoustic pickups. Being
close to the guitar, its tight off-axis rejection means it rejects
both PA feedback and spill from other instruments very well.
What about the sound? No news is amazing news: the
sweet clear tone of the 4099 hasn't changed a bit, but the
CORE preamps offer noticeably cleaner sound at lower gain,
which is saying something considering how clean the original
was. I'm impressed, and I think you will be too.

PRICE: $619.95 with one mount of your choice
MORE FROM: DPA Microphones,
www.dpamicrophones.com


http://www.dpamicrophones.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - July 2018

Contents
Recording - July 2018 - Intro
Recording - July 2018 - Cover1
Recording - July 2018 - Cover2
Recording - July 2018 - 1
Recording - July 2018 - 2
Recording - July 2018 - 3
Recording - July 2018 - 4
Recording - July 2018 - 5
Recording - July 2018 - Contents
Recording - July 2018 - 7
Recording - July 2018 - 8
Recording - July 2018 - 9
Recording - July 2018 - 10
Recording - July 2018 - 11
Recording - July 2018 - 12
Recording - July 2018 - 13
Recording - July 2018 - 14
Recording - July 2018 - 15
Recording - July 2018 - 16
Recording - July 2018 - 17
Recording - July 2018 - 18
Recording - July 2018 - 19
Recording - July 2018 - 20
Recording - July 2018 - 21
Recording - July 2018 - 22
Recording - July 2018 - 23
Recording - July 2018 - 24
Recording - July 2018 - 25
Recording - July 2018 - 26
Recording - July 2018 - 27
Recording - July 2018 - 28
Recording - July 2018 - 29
Recording - July 2018 - 30
Recording - July 2018 - 31
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Recording - July 2018 - 33
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Recording - July 2018 - Cover3
Recording - July 2018 - Cover4
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