Double Bass Just got my DPA 4099B:))

Carlos, thanks for posting. I've enjoyed watching you (on TV) w/ Wynton and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

I agree! Just got my own 4099B as well, and I am being blown away by it - it sounds amazing! I zip-tied the extra cords and such to my tailpiece so that it lives on the bass, which is very convenient. Using my old set-up (beta57 + full circle) I could never use just mic. I'm very happy now to be using mostly mic on most of my gigs because the 4099 sounds so good!

Matt

hello Carlos,
what kind of preamp do you use? and straight to PA with just a monitor for you?
thanks, Tito.

Hi Carlos,
I saw you with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Budapest last year, it was amazing.
I use 4099 since a year, I'm pretty shure is the best live mic for DB on the market. I use it with the guitar mount since, when I bought, was not ready relashed the bass mount version. I'm happy that, you use the same mic, and you happy with it. All the best

This is a really outstanding mic. I used it for the first time with a big band in a concert hall setting last night and it really shined. I used a FC pickup for monitoring and sent the 4099 FOH, as well as having some monitoring of the mic for the rest of the band. Punchy, clear, with no feedback all night. The drummer "couldn't believe how big" it sounded.

On the other hand, the FC really didn't sound great next to that sound. Next to the 4099, the lack of 'testicular fortitude' was totally obvious, which makes me consider going back to a Realist, which seems to be a choice with some more high-profile bassists that like to blend signals. I kinda missed some of those "low-lows". I'd have been better off to go mic-only.

I'd be curious to know where other users are positioning their mics. I got the bass attachment (which goes on the string afterlength below the bridge) and I experimented with various places: between the bridge feet, just above the bridge (on the belly), and below each bridge foot. I really like the focus you get right in the middle of the belly, about 2 inches above the bridge, with the gooseneck going between the bridge feet, but I tended to angle the mic slightly over the bass bridge foot (and the bass bar). I got a little more bottom end, but still retained that awesome focus of sound. I also read about someone positioning the 4099 under the bass foot over the bass bar and tried that, too. It was the loudest position, but also the boomiest. I'm having a lot of fun with this mic, and I'm excited to start experimenting in the 'trenches' with it on gigs (and through an amp). I'd recommend it in a heartbeat.

PT

p.s. The gig was with the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, Carlos. Hello from Sean Jones! We played Art Of the Groove (Mvt 1-3) and Continuous! Fun music.

Bajo,

What pre-amp are you using?

Thanks.

pdbass said:

This is a really outstanding mic. I used it for the first time with a big band in a concert hall setting last night and it really shined. I used a FC pickup for monitoring and sent the 4099 FOH, as well as having some monitoring of the mic for the rest of the band. Punchy, clear, with no feedback all night. The drummer "couldn't believe how big" it sounded.

On the other hand, the FC really didn't sound great next to that sound. Next to the 4099, the lack of 'testicular fortitude' was totally obvious, which makes me consider going back to a Realist, which seems to be a choice with some more high-profile bassists that like to blend signals. I kinda missed some of those "low-lows". I'd have been better off to go mic-only.

I'd be curious to know where other users are positioning their mics. I got the bass attachment (which goes on the string afterlength below the bridge) and I experimented with various places: between the bridge feet, just above the bridge (on the belly), and below each bridge foot. I really like the focus you get right in the middle of the belly, about 2 inches above the bridge, with the gooseneck going between the bridge feet, but I tended to angle the mic slightly over the bass bridge foot (and the bass bar). I got a little more bottom end, but still retained that awesome focus of sound. I also read about someone positioning the 4099 under the bass foot over the bass bar and tried that, too. It was the loudest position, but also the boomiest. I'm having a lot of fun with this mic, and I'm excited to start experimenting in the 'trenches' with it on gigs (and through an amp). I'd recommend it in a heartbeat.

PT

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I'm still working on mine. I agree that the belly 2" up from the bridge seems to be the best place and, yes, I get too much boom if I go near the bridge foot/f-hole area. As an 'early adopter' I'm using a guitar mount on the bridge. This seems perfectly fine. I enquired about the new afterlength mount and it works out at the equivalent of $77 in UK, so 'no thanks'.

I get a nice open and stringy sound on the mic alone. I'm reinforcing it with an Underwood to get some lows, about 75/25 in favour of the mic. I'm a lot happier now that I can leave the mic on the bass between gigs and I simply have the spare length of DPA wire sloshing around inside the bass! The connector sits on the tailpiece alongside the Underwood jack.

Both signals are mixed in a Headway preamp. This goes a long way towards killing any feedback from the mic. It also provides phantom power.

Any good amp would then do the job. At the moment I'm favouring an EA iamp 500 and twin 10" Wizzies but my Clarus does just as well.

As I've posted before, in the circles that I work in there are few opportunities to mic the bass through FOH. Either there just isn't any provided or the band I play with don't want to 'damage' the speakers and just don't see the need. A local village band that I work with are a bit more enlightened and have hired the church hall next week just so we can do some sound checking and give all our toys a work-out. Should be interesting.

Roger, this is intriguing as I recently switched to an EA Doubler and a Wizzy 10. Are you able to use the DPA in a more 'traditional' setting, i.e amp close to the player? I'm looking for a new (better) pickup solution - had been thinking along the lines of DPA mixed with pickup of some sort and hoping that it's off-axis rejection would be sufficient to use it to make up a lot (or at least an audible proportion) of the sound, even amped in a club or similar with the band at reasonably close quarters. Have you tried the setup through a single Wizzy?

On the Headway regarding feedback rejection, are you using anything other than the notch filter and phase reversal? As the Doubler already has both plus adjustable HPF and phantom power, I wonder if I might get away without a preamp...

Your thoughts and experiences are much appreciated.

Sam

One Wizzy should be fine. I just tried two because some of our gigs (7 piece) are in quite large halls and sometimes one struggles. Also on a bigger stage the backline is not in such close proximity so less opportunity for feedback, although of course you'll want to stick your volume up higher.

You may be OK with just a Doubler but I cannot comment because I haven't used one. All I will say is I have used a Clarus (notch filter but no phase reverse) and I didn't get as good results as with the Headway in the chain.

To summarise, DPA with FOH is a cinch. Going into backline can be hard work. Try elevating a Wizzy on a pole, that won't bottle up the sound behind you and your bass so much.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I would be mostly using it through the EA backline, though I am sometimes lucky enough to gig with FOH support. I wonder whether I want the DPA to be something it isn't... Perhaps a more 'microphonic' pickup solution is what I need right now, rather than a mic, so that speaker proximity is less of an issue.

Elevating the Wizzy sounds good, though I do happen to like the floor coupling effect in some acoustics.

Thanks for the input - back to the drawing board

Roger Davis said:

I get a nice open and stringy sound on the mic alone. I'm reinforcing it with an Underwood to get some lows, about 75/25 in favour of the mic. I'm a lot happier now that I can leave the mic on the bass between gigs and I simply have the spare length of DPA wire sloshing around inside the bass! The connector sits on the tailpiece alongside the Underwood jack.

Both signals are mixed in a Headway preamp. This goes a long way towards killing any feedback from the mic. It also provides phantom power.

Click to expand...

The Headway preamp can handle 18v phantom power? It's enough to the 4099? As far as I know, it require 48v.

Barcza said:

The Headway preamp can handle 18v phantom power? It's enough to the 4099? As far as I know, it require 48v.

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Hi Barcza. Apparently the DPA 4099 works fine with the Headway. Here is a post from another DPA thread.

bolo said:

Hi Barcza. Apparently the DPA 4099 works fine with the Headway. Here is a post from another DPA thread.

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That's sounds good, but I can't understand why Headway can not build their product with 48v phantom supply.

bolo said:

Carlos [ Henriquez, aka BAJO ], thanks for posting. I've enjoyed watching you (on TV) w/ Wynton and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

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Now I've seen 'em in person. I took my youngest son Ian.

I am not sure if Carlos was using the DPA or not. But the band was smokin'. And the bass sounded real nice in the house.

Ali Jackson Jr. was superb. So was Carlos. The whole friggin' band. Oh my.

P.S. I told my son the other day "You need to practice your piano." He rolled his eyes. I said "If you want to be in Wynton's band, you need to practice!" And off he went.

P.S.S. I come home the other night. I start bitchin' because the music room is a mess. Same 10 year old has his alto sax case out AND his clarinet case lyin' on the floor. My wife tells me "He was practicing his clarinet because he said if he wants to be a jazz musician, he has to double." Ten years old.

Gonna buy him a flute too.

bolo said:

Now I've seen 'em in person. I took my youngest son Ian.

I am not sure if Carlos was using the DPA or not. But the band was smokin'. And the bass sounded real nice in the house.

Ali Jackson Jr. is a monster. So is Carlos. The whole friggin' band. Oh my.

P.S. I told my son the other day "You need to practice your piano." He rolled his eyes. I said "If you want to be in Wynton's band, you need to practice!" And off he went.

P.S.S. I come home the other night. Bitchin' because the music room is a mess. Same 10 year old has his alto sax case out AND his clarinet case lyin' on the floor. My wife tells me "He was practicing his clarinet because he said if he wants to be a jazz musician, he has to double." Ten years old.

Gonna buy him a flute too.

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That's terrific Steve! That's a habit you don't mind feeding!

On the DPA thread started some time ago, a couple mentions have been made of Mike Morgan at their USA office in Colorado. I called there today and was told that Morgan has not worked there in a while.
Best regards to all,
Bill Amatneek

Going to have an opportunity to (possibly) try the DPA in a recording situation in early March. 9-piece jazz nonet (redundant ).

Talked to the engineer today. I told him I had the DPA 4099 and a Beyer M88. He said to bring 'em both. Plus his mic locker, whatever is leftover after the horns and drums < sigh >.

I get my own room / iso booth. Oooooh. Gonna sound righteous (I hope).

bolo said:

Going to have an opportunity to (possibly) try the DPA in a recording situation in early March. 9-piece jazz nonet (redundant ).

Talked to the engineer today. I told him I had the DPA 4099 and a Beyer M88. He said to bring 'em both. Plus his mic locker, whatever is leftover after the horns and drums < sigh >.

I get my own room / iso booth. Oooooh. Gonna sound righteous (I hope).

Click to expand...

since you will have the chance, make sure you will try the ribbon mikes on your bass, maybe mixed with another one.
i would start with the Coles 4038 ribbon, its a great one.
for me nothing sounds like a ribbon, i always use my 40's western electric 639 B to record my bass
good luck.

Nuno

bolo said:

Going to have an opportunity to (possibly) try the DPA in a recording situation in early March. 9-piece jazz nonet (redundant ).

Talked to the engineer today. I told him I had the DPA 4099 and a Beyer M88. He said to bring 'em both. Plus his mic locker, whatever is leftover after the horns and drums < sigh >.

I get my own room / iso booth. Oooooh. Gonna sound righteous (I hope).

Click to expand...

Bolo,
I used the 4099 on a recording last year and it sounded great, but unfortunately the engineer decided to take Realist direct as well and mix the two. It's tone quality dominated and the sound was ruined IMHO. Since you're in a iso booth if he's got a Neumann that's the way I'd head, you can always use the DPA 4099 as a backup.

Ric