DPA put to the test in Africa
Published: MEA
AFRICA: Daniel Blinkhorn, an independent artist, composer and lecturer, has been using DPA microphones to capture the sound of some of the planet’s most important habitats. Mr Blinkhorn spent over a month travelling through Africa’s myriad soundscapes and chose to use DPA’s d:dictate 4006A omnidirectional microphones, which were recommended and supplied by the manufacturer’s Australian distributor Amber Technology.
Mr Blinkhorn has a background in recording sound for creative compositions, as well as archival and eco-acoustic resources. For this project, he recorded in the field in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Zanzibar and the Côte d’Ivoire.
‘A key reason why I chose DPA microphones was familiarity,’ explained Mr Blinkhorn. ‘Not only had I used them in places throughout Svalbard in the winter time, Alaska and Australia at the height of summer (really putting their ability to function in extreme heat and cold to the test), but I knew that many of the places I would be visiting encompassed expansive distances. This made the choice of microphone even more critical. With the DPA 4006As I could take full advantage of the lower frequency capacities on offer when recording from further afield, plus their legendary ability to offer uncompromising high frequency sound capturing meant they were also ideal when I was closer to the subject matter.
‘The d:dicate 4006A omnis are renowned for their precision and brought quite a bit more to the table,’ he continued. ‘Precision is very important to me when I’m recording in the field as I am attempting to capture all manner of nuance, depth and gradation of sound. Neutrality is also important and the DPAs provided a clean, responsive, highly articulate, zero colouration to the field recordings. Natural acquisition of materials is paramount, and the mics performed faultlessly in a variety of complex auditory environments.’
The scope of this project required that Mr Blinkhorn needed to be able to record at a moment’s notice. To meet this need, he modified a blimp and housed the microphones securely inside its casing in a stereo configuration. ‘After a little finessing and wrangling of the original blimp, I was able to attain a symmetrically balanced equilibrium between the two omnis in an attempt to capture as complete an audible image as possible,’ he explained. ‘It really did assist in an easier and smoother workflow.’
However, this was not the only technique he used. He also experimented with mic placement, at times using a single omni and other techniques. ‘Given the expansive, extreme and varied audible materials in the left and right axis in many of the places I was recording (Masai villages, open savannah, dense jungle), practicality and versatility were key – dismantling the rig quickly and easily was a major and time-consuming consideration.
‘One of the most impressive aspects of the DPA microphones was how adaptive they were to audible diversity,’ continued Mr Blinkhorn. ‘They captured the smallest nuance of animal sounds, yet also were incredibly well suited to acquiring people and cityscape ambience. As long as I kept a close eye on monitoring signals for unexpected transients and harsher industrial sounds, the d:dicate 4006As captured every nuance of the sonic environment across such a wide range, very effectively.’
Having now put the mics to the test in the field, Mr Blinkhorn certainly seems impressed with the experience. ‘The d:dicate 4006A microphones may not originally have been designed for field recording purposes, but they work beautifully within that context,’ he stated. ‘Also, as opposed to studio-based recording where very careful consideration must be given to avoiding “leakage”, recording in the field makes you very accepting of leakage – indeed, it can even be desirable. I found the full gambit of sound could be captured flawlessly thanks to the quality of the 4006As and their remarkable omnidirectional design.’