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moonbaby 24 May 2013

Hello,
I am looking at a stereo mic kit to do simple remote recordings of live performances. Fairly diverse music genres - some chamber music, some big band, and some bluegrass. Most will be in a few decent halls in my region.
I have a collection of decent studio mics in pairs (AT4050's, SM81's,RODE NT5's), some good "spot mics"
(MD441, Beyer M130/M160, KM185, KSM32,C414XLS, RE-20 & RE200, others), but I don't have a decent stereo pair of omni's, and I feel that I will need them. In simple set-ups I will be using the pair with a Sound Devices USBPre to a laptop.
I am looking at a stereo mic kit from DPA - the SMK4060 (this is what DPA recommends in their guide), and they also offer the SMK4061. The 4060 is "Hi sensitivity", the 4061 is "lo sensitivity". I can't get more detail off the site than that. The kit is within my budget constraints (about $1K). I have never owned DPA products before, they have a very good reputation. However, these mics are kind of inexpensive compared to a lot of their other products :)
So, my questions are:
Are these kits of the same fine quality that other DPA models are known for?
With most of the program material being indoors and non-rock, should I stick to the "hi sensitivity" 4060's?
Is there something else similar that will offer more "bang for the buck" in that same ($1K) price range?
Will Darren ever marry Diane after she told him she was having Rock's baby? :)
Should I just stick a couple of 57's up in the air and cross my fingers? (Oh, sorry, R@^^# not here now)

Thanks

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Comments

audiokid Sun, 08/18/2013 - 11:08

DPA is amazing, Jim. They are stellar sounding, period. I have a pair of matched 4011 with the MA 2006 A caps. I've sold off about 40 mics in the last year but the DPA are still here along with a Royer SF24. What a combo. The day I sell those two brands is the day I'm most likely done recording.

If you can source out a used pair of 4006, I know you would be doing cartwheels. They are a great investment as they are easy to sell too. But, they are more than your budgets. I'm confident to guess that all their mics are no disappointment. Matching DPA's to a nice pre for the task and I bet you will be really happy with whatever you choose.

How about a matched pair of Mojave MA 100's? I had a pair of those and wish I didn't sell them.

moonbaby Mon, 08/19/2013 - 11:40

These are there stereo kits that allow them to be used for much more than merely lavs. They are omni's, intended to be used as part of my remote kit.
Chris, I will look at the Mojaves. I was also looking at the Beyer MC930 stereo kit, but because it was cardioid-only, I
figured the DPA would be a better match for what I was looking for.

JoeH Fri, 09/27/2013 - 10:00

If you can ever afford a pair of the DPA 4025s, you wont regret it. Several years ago, I got a package deal with a pair, including all of the stereo bar/mounting clips (for inside the piano, auditorium hangers, and much more. I also got a pair of their flamenco stands to go with them. Total cost was around $4500, if I recall, and although that may seem high; honestly, it was worth every penny. (Ditto for the 4006's that everyone has already mentioned/raved about.) With any of these mic's, there are simply no more compromises, and you're free to concentrate on everything else. The mics simply take all the guesswork out of the equation. Here's a link to a recording we did this past June in Fayetteville AR. Out of camera range are a pair of Omni's, and the only other mics are the pair of 4025's on a single stand, as seen in the video here:

audiokid Fri, 09/27/2013 - 11:39

beautiful work Joe. I surfed both the web and DPA for info on the 4025's and came up empty. Their website is excellent but a bit difficult pointing people to their archives. If you have a link on the 4025's please post it!

Being said, DPA is nothing short of astounding. To me, DPA takes all the guess work out of acoustic music, indeed. Other mics are honky sounding compared.
Through stellar pre's, converters and my analog summing gear, if I can put it this way, they are the ears to my system. I put them where they should go and its done. The rest is the performance and mixing. That makes recording totally fun.

Glad to read your news and I can't agree more. I have a similar DPA rig. I love their stereo kit. However, I find the shockmounts a bit weak when using standard cable. They start to sag from the weight. I think they are more suited for the finer cable?

JoeH Fri, 09/27/2013 - 12:17

"they are the ears to my system. I put them where they should go and its done. The rest is the performance and mixing. That makes recording totally fun." I could not have said this better myself! Exactly how I feel. Don't get me wrong; I love buying, testing, working with various mics, new and old; but when it's time to get the job done as good as it can be (and to silence any skeptics) THESE are my go-to mics. It just ends all the quesswork.

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