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Double Bass DPA 4060-BM microphone

#21
The 4060 is an omni. miniature mic - DPA only make omnis in this series. The 4021 is a cardioid and is a compact mic, being slightly bigger than the 4060 - and it costs about 3 times as much. I have a 4061 which I've used on my bass, but being an omni, makes it very susceptible to feedback. I've thought of getting a 4021, but the cost is very high, and I already have a pair of Neumann KM-184s, one of which does a very good job mounted in between the legs of the bridge, pointed at the fingerboard.

DPA (formerly Brüel & Kjær) make the best microphones in the world - bar none!


- Wil
 
#24
myrick said:
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.
Click to expand...
The DPA 4011 is a cardioid mic, whereas the type of mics that are most effective in avoiding bleed from other instruments (drrrrrummmsss!!! for instance) are hypercard mics. Is bleed an issue for you during your gigs? And what type of amplification do you use with your DPA?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions!

Vincent
 
#26
eric.damstra said:
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?
Click to expand...
Hi Eric,

Have you gigged with the DPA already? And which preamp did you buy, if any?

Regards,

Vincent
 
#27
Monte - I doubt the mounting thingie could be made to work on another mic, unless 1) mic not too heavy, and 2) diameter is exactly the same is the 4021. the 4021 mic slides into a rubber isolation doughnut, which is attached on an adjustable angled rod extending from a little clamp which you put on the string afterlength (between bridge and tailpiece). Maybe a slightly smaller diameter mic could be wrapped in electrical tape or something and made to work. main advantage of this mounting is it is small and easy to put on and off. main disadvantge is it offers limited positioning leeway. It won't get you near f-holes (usually not the best place to mic anyway) but it hits lots of spots up under the bridge, and can point at a wide range of angles. It is clever functional design and beautifully made, though as I mentioned, seems a little delicate. In my use, so far - so good, but this past year I have been more of a weekend parttimer, not a six-nights-a-week gigging warrior.

Vunz - a little bleed is inevitable with almost any mic, I suppose. somehow between positioning the mic on my bass, and me and bass on the stage, I haven't found bleed to be too much of a problem. I avoid a line-of-sight from drum kit to mic. With close micing, obviously, the SPLs off the bass are pretty high and the mic's pretty sensitive, so whatever drum sound is drifting around the stage is mostly overwhelmed in the signal by bass's own sound.
 
#29
myrick said:
vunz - just noticed the other part of your question.

I have used it with AI contra, Schertler Pub, and often direct into house, all with good result. Need phantom power. I have used Art Tube pre, and others, or house board if p-power is avaliable. probably this mic would perform even better with the perfect pre, but I haven't tried many options.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies, myrick. I think my current Invalid Link Removed would be the perfect match for your mic...

Vincent
 
#31
Vunz said:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] is an interesting article for those interested in using the DPA 4061 on bass. But keep in mind, that that article was a press release from DPA itself, and I don't know if their publicity department is as neutral as their mics...

Vincent
Click to expand...
And [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] is a link to a song from the album the press release talks about. If the bass really is recorded with just that tiny DPA 4061, then it sounds mighty impressive!

Vincent

EDIT: it is the song "Cuanto antes (Barcelona Suite)" that is listed on the top of the page.
 
#32
Vunz said:
Hi Eric,

Have you gigged with the DPA already? And which preamp did you buy, if any?

Regards,

Vincent
Click to expand...


Vincent,

I bought a Presonus Bluetube. But didnt have the chance to gig or take it to rehearsal. I tried it at home and it worked. I still trying to figure out if I can use a backline amp or that I should use something of a hotspot PA monitor / in ear system. Besides that I have to chance my way of playing and probably the setup of my bass to get the maximum acoustical output. I always used amplification for my bass but now I'm using a microphone and have to work on my unamplified tone. I see this more as a proces that will take several month's. For me it's not like a different way to amplify my bass but a whole new aproach.

BTW I saw you're also from the Netherlands so I you want to try it yourself, your welocome!
 
#33
eric.damstra said:
Vincent,

I bought a Presonus Bluetube. But didnt have the chance to gig or take it to rehearsal. I tried it at home and it worked. I still trying to figure out if I can use a backline amp or that I should use something of a hotspot PA monitor / in ear system. Besides that I have to chance my way of playing and probably the setup of my bass to get the maximum acoustical output. I always used amplification for my bass but now I'm using a microphone and have to work on my unamplified tone. I see this more as a proces that will take several month's. For me it's not like a different way to amplify my bass but a whole new aproach.

BTW I saw you're also from the Netherlands so I you want to try it yourself, your welocome!
Click to expand...
Hi Eric,

Thanks for the invitation, I am very interested to check out how the mic works on your bass. And yes, amplifying the bass with a mic is a whole other ballgame than using a pickup. This I noticed even when switching from a Wilson to a Schertler Dyn-B, which is not really a mic, but comes very close.

But, in the end, I am sure that the effort will be more than worth while!

Regards,

Vincent
 

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