GEAR HEADS
DPA MICROPHONES 6000 SERIES DPA Microphones Product Manager René Moerch, discusses the new DPA 6000 Series of Subminiature Microphones.
What were the original goals in the development of the 6000 Series? We wanted to create a microphone platform that delivered the same very high performance results as our established and 4000 series, but in a much smaller form. This required us to shrink the capsule down from 5mm to 3mm, which is tiny and the smallest microphone DPA has ever made. At the same time we were looking to incorporate this capsule into the ultimate headset microphone – one that met all the requirements of our various users across a number of industry sectors. We spent a lot of time working with customers to identify exactly what they wanted and we knew we needed to deliver a headset that was secure, lightweight, unobtrusive, easy to fit and extremely comfortable to wear. It also had to look sleek and sophisticated and, of course, deliver DPA’s renowned audio quality.
fantastic response from customers – to the point where we have lost count of the number of customers who have told us that, from now on, this is the only headset they will wear. What are the technical specifications of the DPA 6000 Series? In general the specifications of the 6000 series are on a par with our 4000 series of miniature microphones, which have been serving the audio community very well for many years. These microphones are so accurate that they set the standard for high performance and high durability from a capsule with a very small footprint. Indeed, our 4000 series is the mainstay of many prestigious theatre productions on Broadway and in London’s West End. The 6000 Series follows this tradition by offering comparable audio quality. For example, the noisefloor of the 6066 is exactly the same as the 4066. From a purely technical point of view, this shouldn’t be possible because the 6066 is approximately 60% smaller and the diaphragm is only about 30% of the size of the 4066. In theory, this should lead to a higher noisefloor as the diaphragm area plays a significant part of the selfnoise of a microphone – a larger diaphragm equals lower noisefloor and vice versa. However, our design team has achieved the impossible, and we now have a subminiature capsule with the same noisefloor as our miniature capsules – and with the same ability to withstand high sound pressure
What are the key design elements and how do they benefit the end user? The main design element of the 6000 series is its size. Because the capsule is so small and has such a low profile, it can be hidden much more easily. This means that on-stage performers, broadcasters and people working in film sound now have a microphone that is virtually invisible without sacrificing sound quality at all. All those attributes of stability, comfort and ease of use that we have designed into the 6000 Series headset has made it the first choice for many performers and presenters. Since launching it at IBC 2018, we have had a 90
