Anyone has any experience with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], that can be attached to the bass with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] ? I am planning on getting one, so...
Vincent
Vincent
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Double Bass DPA 4060-BM microphone
- Thread starter Vunz
- Start date
It's omnidirectional so it's going to pick up everything that's around you (drums, guitar, etc..) . Also, it's designed for the human voice so it's probably not going to pick up the lowest frequencies of the bass very well. That's just assumptions from their description.
- Dec 13, 1999
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- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
the other thing you might want to look at is how it handles high SPLs (sound pressure levels). The Big Boy can pump out a pretty big transient with every attack.
When I was A/Bing mics, I ended up with a large diaphragm mic for that very reason...
When I was A/Bing mics, I ended up with a large diaphragm mic for that very reason...
I've been happy with the LCM 100 bass mic. The company is in Amsterdam so it should be easy to try one.
Link Removed
Link Removed
I have a DPA 4061, which is of the same series, but is slightly less sensitive than the 4060 - the disadvantage is that it's an omni, so it works OK in a studio, or somewhere where you're recording one instrument at a time. However, in a live situation, something like a Neumann KM-184 is more suitable, as it's a cardioid and doesn't pick up everything around it. The frequency response is very good in both cases, so I don't think that so much of an issue, but the pickup pattern is very important, especially if you're planning to use it in a live situation. Also, bear in mind that if you use it at high volume levels, acoustic feedback will be a problem. I've found that at high volume levels, I use much less of the microphone, and much more of the Fishman Full-Circle, which I've found to be almost immune to feed-back
Hope this helps -
- Wil
Hope this helps -
- Wil
Thank for all the replies. It indeed was the omnidirectionality that I thought would be the biggest problem. I will think about it for a while, and I still have my trusty Schertler Dyn-B, so I am not in a hurry.
Wil, do you never use the DPA live? Is it really not very usable?
Thanks again,
Vincent
Wil, do you never use the DPA live? Is it really not very usable?
Thanks again,
Vincent
The mounting device of this mike seems a bit heavy. Doesn't it act as a mute when you mount it to the bridge of your bass? Otherwise, it seems very interesting. How does it function in real life situations? Do you use it alone, or in combination with a pickup?ctxbass said:
Vincent
I never noticed a change in the sound of my bass when the mic is mounted. ( My guess is it interferes less than any of the bridge wing mounted picKups.) I pretty much center the mic near the bottom of the bridge arch, angled toward the G side f hole, catching just enough "wind" to give some low end punch without the boom. I use this mic alone on a carved bass with gut strings. It works well in a trio with drums and a miked grand piano. As with any mic, the better the quality of the amp/speaker system, the better the reproduction. When I need loud stage volume, I prefer to use a plywood bass with a pickup.
Mike Crumpton also uses this microphone. You can read his comments here.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105436
Larry
Mike Crumpton also uses this microphone. You can read his comments here.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105436
Larry
I just looked at the picture on the SD Systems site. The mounting clamp looks a bit different than the one I have. They also had an optional mount that attaches with velcro to the back of the fingerboard and extends toward the bridge.
Thanks for your comment. In what way does your mounting clamp differ from the one pictured on the website?ctxbass said:
Vincent
My clamp is about 75mm long and 20mm wide. The metal is 1mm thick and lined at the contact areas with rubber about 3mm thick. It may just be shadows in the photograph that make it appear different. The mic mounts on the clamp the same way.
ctxbass said:
I just re-read what I wrote - nothing to change - sounds good, still not having any problems with feedback and during a couple of times at a workshop, teach - who is a bass player and proffessor (in the US sense), couldn't tell if it was switched on or off. However, with any amplification, you will be able to tell to an increasing degree as the volume goes up - but it impresses the band and sounds better than other pickups I've heard by semi-pro players who have a bass like mine. I've done a lot of gigs with it by now. Unlike CTX I'm using Superflexes, and have tried Sprio Weichs - OK - and mittels (or Orchs). The diffferent qualities of the strings was apparent through the amp - and thats fairly subtle between these simmilar (on my bass) sounding strings.
The clamp on the site looks the same as the one I've got. Notice the slots in the sides of the mic - they seem to work best with them pointing sideways as in the pic.
Nice to hear how you're getting on with this mic CTX - I was wondering and worrying. I wouldn't want to reccomend a pup and I haven't seen anyone else with one of these. SD systems have more famous names as users of thier sax mic than bass it seems. I don't know how much they are in the US but here they are harldy dearer compared to a piezo if you factor in a quality buffer amp - this comes with its own pre-amp and can plug into anything - very useful.
Hi Mike,Mike Crumpton said:
One more question regarding the SD Systems mic you use. Do you really only use the mike all the time, or do you add the inevitable piezo once in a while (for louder gigs)? If not, so if the mike is the only transducer you use, what is the average size of the audience you play to and in which setting? And what was the largest audience / band you used it in?
Many thanks in advance,
Vincent
I got one of those DPA 4060 microphones a couple of weeks ago. I tried it at rehearsal and was blown away with it's quality. I also got the string holder so I can mount the microphone very close to the bridge.
The microphone is sensitive to feedback because it's an omnidirectional. But because it's very small size and the string holder you can place it very close to the bass wich reduces the risk of feedback. But because it's an omni it has a very good bass responce. I plugged it right into the rehearsal PA and got a very natural sound. At first I thought that it wasn't working but my plywood seems to fill the room. Last week another bassplayer played my bass so I could take a listen and it sounded great.
Altough there are tradeoffs like feedback and monitoring problems I prefer the microphone above any piezo system.
The quality of the microphone is superb but DPA used to be the studio microphone department of Bruel & Kjear.
Now I'm looking for suggestions for a good and small mic preamp. Anyone experience with the ART Tube MP for this application?
The microphone is sensitive to feedback because it's an omnidirectional. But because it's very small size and the string holder you can place it very close to the bass wich reduces the risk of feedback. But because it's an omni it has a very good bass responce. I plugged it right into the rehearsal PA and got a very natural sound. At first I thought that it wasn't working but my plywood seems to fill the room. Last week another bassplayer played my bass so I could take a listen and it sounded great.
Altough there are tradeoffs like feedback and monitoring problems I prefer the microphone above any piezo system.
The quality of the microphone is superb but DPA used to be the studio microphone department of Bruel & Kjear.
Now I'm looking for suggestions for a good and small mic preamp. Anyone experience with the ART Tube MP for this application?
Hi Eric,
If you want to use the ART preamp, make sure that you get the studio preamp - that one does not the color the sound as much as the regular one. A better choice perhaps is the Presonus TubePre tube preamp (appr. 145,00). I already was warned by Wil Davis and others in this thread that the omnidirectionality of the DPA mic might pose a problem. Good to hear that you can deal with it.
I decided not to purchase the DPA exactly because of this problem. Initially, I thought of buying a SD Systems bass mic, especially after the excellent info about this mike Mike Crumpton gave me. But, when I visited my parents last week, I found out that my father - who plays tenor saxophone - had an unused AKG C3000 mic. I know that Talkbass member Monte Butts uses this mic and achieves great results, so I gave it a try (at my home, since my bands are on holiday right now). Wow! What a sound! I used it in conjunction with my SPL Gainstation 1AD mic preamp, my Lab.gruppen iP450 power amp and a Glockenklang Acoustic Art Mk. I cab, as well as recording with it, by using the digital output of the Gainstation directly into my computer. I could get a very loud volume before feedback, so if the hypercardioid setting of my AKG (I bought it from my dad) does minimize the bleed in live settings, I will be a big boy and play with a mic only.
To be continued...
Vincent
If you want to use the ART preamp, make sure that you get the studio preamp - that one does not the color the sound as much as the regular one. A better choice perhaps is the Presonus TubePre tube preamp (appr. 145,00). I already was warned by Wil Davis and others in this thread that the omnidirectionality of the DPA mic might pose a problem. Good to hear that you can deal with it.
I decided not to purchase the DPA exactly because of this problem. Initially, I thought of buying a SD Systems bass mic, especially after the excellent info about this mike Mike Crumpton gave me. But, when I visited my parents last week, I found out that my father - who plays tenor saxophone - had an unused AKG C3000 mic. I know that Talkbass member Monte Butts uses this mic and achieves great results, so I gave it a try (at my home, since my bands are on holiday right now). Wow! What a sound! I used it in conjunction with my SPL Gainstation 1AD mic preamp, my Lab.gruppen iP450 power amp and a Glockenklang Acoustic Art Mk. I cab, as well as recording with it, by using the digital output of the Gainstation directly into my computer. I could get a very loud volume before feedback, so if the hypercardioid setting of my AKG (I bought it from my dad) does minimize the bleed in live settings, I will be a big boy and play with a mic only.
To be continued...
Vincent
Vunz said:
Yeah, I love this mic. I use it a whole bunch, and it always sounds great. As with any mic, stage placement is critical. If I set up on the opposite side from the high hat and slightly behind the drums, I have minimal trouble with bleed. In the trio settings I've been playing lately, I've been doing a triangle set-up where the piano and drums are even and I'm slightly behind the two of them.
Monte
Well, I guess it will take some experimenting for me to find out how to use the mic in a live setting. Normally, I prefer to stand at the drummer's left side, which might not be the ideal place to be with a mic... But I think it will be worth the effort. Playing through a mic somehow felt so much more organic, more real than with a transducer. And I don't want to say anything bad about my transducer, which is a Schertler Dyn-B. However, playing with a real mic is a whole different ballgame.
BTW: Monte, in part it was because of the photos you posted on the 2xbasslist that pictured you playing on a windy stage with just a mic -at some kind of balloonfest, IIRC - that convinced me that it is possible to play with a mic only!
Vincent
BTW: Monte, in part it was because of the photos you posted on the 2xbasslist that pictured you playing on a windy stage with just a mic -at some kind of balloonfest, IIRC - that convinced me that it is possible to play with a mic only!
Vincent
Vunz said:
I saw a baritone player this week, and he had a perspex disc that from where I was standing might have been about a foot (30cm) in diameter, with a hole in the centre which was put over the mic. It was very unobtrusive and may be a good idea to cut out feedback. The soundman was the guy who put it there as far as I know. The reason would have been that the bari was at the end of the line right by the pa speakers. People tell me that using a mic for bass is a great way to amplify the drums instead - not that it troubles me. Perhaps a small strategicly placed shield may help. I've seen improvised shields around bass mounted mics also.
As far as I know, those discs act as "monitors" for the horn players; the reflection of their sound by the discs make that they can hear themselves better. But, I might be wrong...Mike Crumpton said:
Vincent
just noticed this thread on DPA mics
I use their [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and attach to the bass with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] It works better than anything I've tried, and I've tried a lot of 'em.
The 4021 is amazingly accurate, handles the SPLs that my cannon of a flatback puts out with no problem, and the little attachment thing is unobtrusive, reliable, and simple to use. Main problem is cost is an arm and a leg, but the sound and performance is absolutely as good as it gets. Used to double it with various PUs through a PMB, but now I tend to use it by itself in just about any situation. Only worry is that the mic and cable seem pretty delicate - no problems to date, but it doesn't seem like stuff made to withstand the rigors of regular gigging. I handle it very gently, and, so far, so good. But I always have a backup PU or something else in my bag.
Don't know if the 4060 is less delicate, and they market the 4060 as a notch lower in sonic quality. But if my 4021 experience is any guide, DPA really know how to make mics that sound great.
I use their [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and attach to the bass with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] It works better than anything I've tried, and I've tried a lot of 'em.
The 4021 is amazingly accurate, handles the SPLs that my cannon of a flatback puts out with no problem, and the little attachment thing is unobtrusive, reliable, and simple to use. Main problem is cost is an arm and a leg, but the sound and performance is absolutely as good as it gets. Used to double it with various PUs through a PMB, but now I tend to use it by itself in just about any situation. Only worry is that the mic and cable seem pretty delicate - no problems to date, but it doesn't seem like stuff made to withstand the rigors of regular gigging. I handle it very gently, and, so far, so good. But I always have a backup PU or something else in my bag.
Don't know if the 4060 is less delicate, and they market the 4060 as a notch lower in sonic quality. But if my 4021 experience is any guide, DPA really know how to make mics that sound great.
