Danish manufacturer DPA Microphones will be co-exhibiting with its German distributor, Mega-Audio, on Stand B.88, Halle 5.1 of Prolight + Sound 2007, Frankfurt.

DPA is one of the leading microphone brands on the market today and its capsule technology is widely accepted as one of the best-sounding available. The Danish range of mics have become a standard for theatrical and orchestral work as well as for live, recording, installation and house of worship applications.

Among the wide selection of DPA products on display will be:

SMK4061 Stereo Microphone Kit

The SMK4061 Stereo Microphone Kit is a cost-effective and flexible stereo recording solution aimed at project studios and for discreet mic setup on stage. The kit packages two DPA 4061 high quality omnidirectional miniature microphones with a variety of mounting accessories. These include the BLM6000 Boundary Layer Mount, which can be used in conjunction with a 4061 (or any DPA miniature mic) for placement on a reflective boundary such as a floor, wall, ceiling, piano lid etc to capture the ambient sound of the area. The sound captured from this "pressure zone" has higher sensitivity, clarity and intelligibility compared to the sound captured from the "free air" and serves as a kind of acoustical zoom.

Other accessories included are the DMM0007 soft rubber holder which allows instruments from acoustic guitar through grand piano to drums to be miked in the best-sounding position, using special non-marking adhesive discs; two DAD6001-BC adapters with belt clips, for powering DPA's miniature microphones via standard P48; two DMM0011-B magnet mount for one or two miniatures; and five DUA050 foam windscreens.

BLM4060 Boundary Layer Microphone

Another recently introduced product is the BLM4060 Boundary Layer Microphone for use in boardrooms, conference facilities, courtrooms, teleconferencing and any application requiring excellent vocal pickup. The BLM4060 is a transducer designed to work under optimum conditions when placed on a tabletop, and also performs well on any hard, flat surface that reflects sound. It can be placed in any position on the surface, even close to the edge. The microphone element is a prepolarized omnidirectional miniature condenser microphone with a 5.4 mm (0.2 in) vertical diaphragm designed for maximum performance. The microphone body consists of a centre rubber disc that holds the microphone, mounted in an elegant stainless steel base.

The BLM4060 allows users to benefit from a 6 dB gain of direct sound and only 3 dB gain of the diffuse sound captured from the surrounding sound field on which it is mounted. Therefore the sound captured has a greater clarity - especially at high frequencies - and speech intelligibility compared to sound captured above the surface. A wide range of connection adapters and power supplies allow the BLM4060 to be used with any microphone input.

4090 and 4091 instrument microphones

Also on show at Frankfurt is DPA's recently-introduced range of instrument mics, which offer musicians flexibility and quality at an affordable price point, whether live or in the studio. The 4090 and 4091 microphones are housed in a 19 mm anodized black aluminium barrel casing with a 3-pin XLR connector which tapers sleekly down to the 5.4 mm omnidirectional capsule. The mics, which are a total length of 12 cm, fit neatly into the mic clip included.

Considering the miniature size of the 4090 microphone capsule, the 4090 can obtain an outstandingly low noise floor of just 23 dB(A) re. 20 µPa, and an impressive sensitivity of 20 mV/Pa, while handling sound pressure levels of up to 134 dB SPL peak. The 4091 is acoustically identical to the 4090 but the sensitivity is adjusted to 6mV/Pa, the noise floor is 26 dB(A) re. 20 µPa and it can handle sound pressure levels of up to 144 dB SPL peak, giving this version a larger dynamic range.

Applications abound for both mics when recording acoustic instruments in the studio, while in live performances they can handle just about any challenge, including miking an electric guitar amp. Due to their remarkably linear frequency response in the 20 Hz to 20 kHz range, FOH engineers can also use the mics for sound system alignment.