Ana Gabriel’s FOH engineer ‘blown away’ by new DPA mics

Isaias G. Asbun, front of house engineer and director at Pyramid Sound, opted to try out a DPA Microphones d:vote 4099 Rock Touring Kit when put in charge of the sound for Grammy-nominated Mexican singer Ana Gabriel’s "Por Ti" tour.

Asbun’s Kit consists of ten d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones, along with a few d:dicate 2011C Cardioid Microphones.

“This was my first time using DPA microphones and I was blown away by the quality,” says Asbun. “I have always chosen my microphones very carefully, and when I tested the DPA mics I knew I was set. During the sound check, I noticed that I had clear sounding mix with no extra steps needed. I had no problems during the tour thanks to my DPAs. I am hooked on these microphones.

“I invested in DPA mics to get a better sound than what I had. Ana Gabriel’s sound fluctuates, as she covers three different genres of music: Spanish Rock, Latin Pop and Ranchera. The DPAs transmit the natural sound of the instrument and, with a good miking technique, I am able to get the desired sound with virtually no EQ.”

For drums, Asbun placed a d:vote 4099 on the toms, hi-hat and snare. He also used the 4099s on the saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and percussion, including bongos, congas, timbal, toys and curtain. According to Asbun, “with the d:vote 4099s, the instruments all sound so clean and crisp. I also used the d:dicate 2011Cs on the kick drum and as overhead mics. The final sound was top-notch and the two types of microphones working together provided the audience with a well-rounded experience.”

The d:vote 4099 Rock Touring Kit offers a wide selection of condenser microphones and accessories designed for use on the road. DPA claims that the d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphone series allows users to achieve ‘the purest reproduction of an instrument’, and that they are are ‘discreet and elegant, yet able to withstand the rigors of touring.’ The d:dicate 2011C is described as being ‘acclaimed for its close-miking excellence and hi-SPL handling,’ and ‘optimised for onstage use, it exhibits a previously unheard of blend of clarity, richness and dynamic range.’

“When traveling on tour I need to have microphones I can rely on,” Asbun continued. “With my DPA mics, I am able to capture the sound I need and feel fully confident that I can bring them on the road with me. I am excited to recommend DPA mics to friends, colleagues and to every lover of good audio in the industry. I cannot wait to use them on my future projects with other artists, including Diego Torres and Ricardo Arjona.”

http://www.dpamicrophones.com