Thoughts DPA 4097

DPA make excellent mics, both lavs and shotguns.

The 4097 seems like a great idea, and the sound quality is in line with what one would expect from DPA. The problem is that it is way too easy to snap the gooseneck off at the connector. A colleague of mine recently came off a shoot where they lost a couple of them this way during driving shots. That’s a pretty big concern for me.
 
If often though DPA make their reputation though sound and price, as in they’re expensive enough owner operators take extra care, but for hire stock or stores supplied kit they’re too fragile. They get hired in, so the users take no ‘owner’ care, they just use them as a work tool. My show budget for DPA headsets is silly. So many breakages from actors abusing them accidentally. Sennheiser and Countryman’s were so much tougher.

Neat product though but it’s a super, not a shotgun, hence their invented term, micro-shotgun.
 
My son sometimes uses the similar DPA 4099 on his saxophone and oboe for live performances (remember those? sigh...). It's also a supercardioid, but can handle the SPL of sax. Some other great players use it too. DPA makes a bunch of decent instrument mounts for the mic.
https://www.dpamicrophones.com/instrument/4099-instrument-microphone

But like Paul says, it seems delicate. Less of on issue on a really fine musical instrument (where the player really doesn't want their instrument damaged), I'd think, than in the rough-and-tumble world of video/film production.

I've used Peter Engh's little gooseneck mic for plants with great success.
https://www.trewaudio.com/product/peter-engh-omnigoose-microphone/

pe.jpg

Though it's been a few years and I wouldn't be surprised if the DPA sounds better. OTOH, the Engh is less expensive, sounds pretty good, and is robust. And like everyone, I've built little mods with various other lavs (esp COS11) and done plenty of car and plant rigs with mics; those work fine.

The delicacy (??) of the 4097 mics is a concern. I considered buying a couple for remote rigs. Sort of along these lines:
https://www.dpamicrophones.com/news...otgun-for-sales,-rentals-and-field-production

DPA_iPhone.jpg

Really clever solution, but the $1100US price for the mic+interface was a bit much for what we were doing (of course, you don't need the interface for lots of uses).

Anyway, if anyone ends up buying (or already has) a 4097, I'd love to read about what you think...
 
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