GEAR REVIEW
DPA DPK2015 PIANO STEREO MIC KIT | Kent Morris
KEY FEATURES
• Built around a stereo pair of DPA 2015 Wide Cardioid Microphones.
• Designed to capture the piano’ s natural tone with exceptional clarity and detail.
• Delivers a balanced, spacious stereo image of the instrument.
• Out-of-the-box solution that includes everything needed for professional piano miking.
• Installs quickly so you can start recording or performing immediately.
• Includes versatile mounting options that work inside or outside the piano, with the lid open or closed.
• Wide cardioid pickup pattern captures a broad sound field while reducing unwanted noise.
• Low-profile design remains unobtrusive for live performances and video recording.
• High sensitivity microphones reproduce subtle dynamics and expressive playing.
• Suitable for live sound, broadcast, and recording applications.
There are only so many accolades available to give premier manufacturers and only so many descriptive words to convey the sound of something truly excellent. DPA Microphones consistently have high-quality microphones. Without missing a beat, DPA has continually built not only great mics, but mics capable of defining entire segments. For instance, the brand’ s 4099 small-diaphragm condensers are the world standard for strings such as violins and violas. Any orchestra worth its salt likely has a dozen 4099s in the closet. DPA mics are so renown, an off-the-shelf regular 4006 Omnidirectional mic was selected as part of NASA’ s Perseverance Rover to capture the sound of the mission. A store bought DPA mic landed successfully on Mars.
Back on Earth, in the world of piano micing, there are as many options as there are audio engineers. Everyone has their favorite mic and method with choices as varied as a spaced pair of large condensers to using old quadraphonic JVC headphones with built-in mics on a long boom arm. Earthworks, Audix, Shure, and almost every other major mic maker have a useful solution. DPA has chosen, with
its DPK2015 Piano Stereo Kit, to create a package built around the brand’ s lower cost 2015 small diaphragm condenser, due to its wide cardioid response pattern. Adding in two GM1500 gooseneck mounts attached to a single SBO400 latching stereo boom, the entire package is versatile enough to sit snugly inside a closed piano, move easily to open lid pick up styles, and even work well from outside the instrument.
Putting the DPK2015 kit to use is easy since it has all the components necessary to properly mic a grand piano, including windscreens, cables, and a nice case. Rycote is a revered name among location recordists and their Lyre suspension system serves as the basis for DPA’ s GM1500 mount and SBO400 boom, allowing almost any position to be covered quickly and securely. With the DPK2015, it takes only about 10 minutes from opening the case to listening to the piano, and the results are spectacular with clean highs, robust mids, and tight low ends void of exaggerated boominess. DPA is strict about its response curves and adheres to almost insane levels of quality assurance, which translates, in this instance, to default value of a
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