When I first heard a DPA microphone, I could not believe my ears that anything can sound so accurate and transparent. I did not hesitate to acquire a few DPA 4061s and I never used anything else unless I really had a difficult time hiding the microphone.
When DPA invited me to Denmark a few years back, I toured the facilities and saw a little headset microphone called d:fine™. It was flat and smaller than 4060 Series mics, making it great for mounting in difficult costumes. Seeing the potential and talking to the designers, I proposed a lavalier version of the same design, which later came to be known as the d:screet™ Slim. It allowed me to use a DPA all the time, even when I had to hide the microphone in a tough situation.
A few months ago, when DPA contacted me to test "a new microphone", I was used to the feeling of being excited by their new products but when I got the box a few days later my first thought was:
"Uh oh... There is only a cable". The microphone is missing. Did somebody open the box and rip it off? Did DPA send me only a cable?"
Then I noticed that famous front grid design on the very end of the cable... Wow! This thing was so small it looked like the cable was just cut... but it was a tiny mic. Could it sound as good as its bigger brother?
I immediately started using it and the sound did not disappoint. It was the same amazing DPA DNA but in the smallest package possible.
I worked on a show where the main host was a model wearing a very thin black bikini and the 6060 was so easy to hide. I just used a little black thread and a needle to sew the mic inside the very thin bikini top strap. Later, on a different show I used it on a male model with a very transparent fabric tank top. Having such a small microphone makes it invisible in any situation. I even mounted my tan "skin color" version directly to a shirtless male model's chest in front of a medium shot camera and I really had to concentrate to differentiate the microphone from his skin. The 6060 is so small I can easily hide it, even when I have to add a little fur to fight the strong desert winds.
DPA HAS DONE IT AGAIN! Their 4060 Series was the best sound microphone. They could have stopped there but they made it even smaller with the Slim Series. That should have been enough but those crazy Danes decided to raise the bar even further by introducing CORE by DPA– an even better sounding capsule. Did that stop them? Nope... Now they release the 6060 – a real game changer and an amazing achievement. It is almost as if DPA are competing with themselves and strive to continue to make not only the best, but also constantly better and improved microphones.
BRAVO DPA . You are making my job easier.
About Rado Stefanov
Rado Stefanov is a production sound mixer for reality shows, documentaries, commercials and scripted productions. With over 15 years of production sound experience, Rado is known for mixing reality-style television like Pawn Stars, Counting Cars and Deadly Possessions. He also works on documentaries for a range of networks, including HBO, UFC and FOX Sports.
