Belgian sound specialist 4ears is using a range of DPA microphones to deliver “the perfect sound quality” for a diverse range of live music events.

In recent weeks the company has been working with Belgian band SX, which used DPA’s d:facto Vocal Microphones to great effect at a concert at the Ancienne Belgique concert hall in Brussels.

Headed by experienced broadcast and live sound engineer and production manager, Peter Vandergoten, 4ears provides sound mixing and recording equipment to many top Belgium acts and events such as Salvatore Adamo, Ghinzu, Absynthe Minded, Night of the Proms and Rock Werchter.

Over the years Vandergoten has built up an impressive collection of DPA microphones including eight d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones that are regularly used for both rock and classical productions.

“Many bands that I work with combine acoustic instruments in a ‘rock’ setup,” Vandergoten say.

“Before the DPA d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphone was introduced I would use d:screet 4060 or 4061 Miniature Microphones to amplify classical or acoustic instruments because they sounded very good. However, when the d:vote 4099 came along I was more than happy to make the switch because this microphone gives such a wide range of great results. It has a small setup, it is presented in an elegant way, and it comes with a wide variety of mounting adaptors that give engineers like myself the potential to use it on lots of different kinds of instruments.”

Vandergoten’s collection includes eight DPA d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones, with different mounting adaptors.

“It’s such a versatile tool because it can be used with many different instruments – from drums to violins, for example,” he says.

Vandergoten also has four DPA d:dictate 2011 Recording Microphones and he has recently been using these as stereo pairs to record live Adamo performances.

“These microphones allow me to provide the artist with a really clear and representative recording of the concert,” he explains.

“In the case of Adamo, I always provide him with a mix from the left/right with the recorded d:dicate 2011 mics working as a stereo pair. They give me an excellent and natural sound that I have never been able to match using any other microphone set-up.”

DPA’s recently introduced hand-held d:facto Vocal Microphone is also proving to be a versatile tool for Vandergoten and his team. Since acquiring four d:facto Vocal Microphones from Amptec, DPA’s distributor in Belgium, Vandergoten has deployed them on numerous occasions on both lead and backing vocals.

“I now use them for virtually every band I work with, in both wired and wireless configuration,” he says.

“It is an excellent microphone that gives a wonderful, natural sound and is also aesthetically pleasing. Thanks to its minimal crosstalk from on-stage sources such as drums, guitar, monitors, etc, this microphone is proving to be a real workhorse for me and one that I can use in all situations – live, recording and broadcast.”

Vandergoten adds that his customers are equally delighted with the d:facto™. “In fact, the artists I work with are always very positive about the whole experience of using DPA microphones,” he says.

www.dpamicrophones.com