Alpha Sound also selected eight DPA
4097 CORE Micro Gooseneck Microphones hanging from the ceiling above the choir and above the front and rear organs, supported by a pair of DPA
4006C Omnidirectional mics for ambience. This setup gave the church the audio solutions it needed without sacrificing the visual appeal. The team also installed four DPA
4011F Cardioid Capsules on MMP-F Modular Active Booms and two
4011C mics on short stands for various special events where the choir changes and instruments were added. Two DPA
4099P Piano Microphones were also selected. The
4099P mics can be left inside the piano when the lid is closed for storage, eliminating the need to set the mics back up before each use.
DPA was initially chosen because of its impressive performance in past Alpha Sound installations. “Going this heavy with DPA was a really big step for our company; it means the brand really impressed us,” says Sheets. “We previously used DPA microphones with incredible results. The sonic quality really stuck in our minds. That, combined with the industry name recognition, made it obvious that we should be moving in the direction of DPA for our high-end clientele. The DPA
4098 Gooseneck Microphone was so impressive in a prior install that we amended the St. Mary’s quote to include this mic.”
The DPA microphones also work seamlessly with the rest of the equipment Alpha Sound selected, which includes a Dante-enabled network with a Yamaha MRX7-D processor to ensure day-to-day operations perform without skipping a beat. A custom-decorated Nexo line array speaker system was additionally installed in the open air high above to enable maximum sound quality in what the team dubbed, “a difficult acoustic space for amplification.”
“In our opinion, you can’t buy better than DPA,” says Sheets. “People all around the world respect the brand and we know that it’s good. We’ve experienced the mics and we love them.”