DPA Microphones’ d:screet™ 4071 Omnidirectional Miniature Microphone recently
played a big role during the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts (LVA) production of
Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, providing both leads with a comfortable audio
solution. During the three-week run of the musical, students learned how to use the
company’s high-end miniature microphone, exposing the theatre department to a
behind-the-scenes, first-hand lesson in the simplicity of DPA’s products.

At LVA, a publicly funded magnet arts school, the curriculum is designed to teach
students the focused skills of their chosen major as well as life skills such as time
management and leadership, along with academics. An average academic year for
the theatre program includes three or four main stage and two black-box
productions, run nearly entirely by the students. Adjunct faculty member Eric
McFall, LVA’s volunteer resident sound designer, has been an advisor of the theatre
program since 2006. When he was presented with the chance to use DPA’s d:screet
4071 on the production of Aida, McFall jumped at the chance to expose the students
to the benefits of using DPA mics.

“As an educational institution, we try to put professional products in the hands of
the students as much as possible,’ says McFall. “So, when the opportunity came
along to introduce the students to DPA’s high-end microphones, I knew I had to take
it. We take great pride in the fact that we challenge our students to perform at a
level well beyond what they thought they could ever accomplish; we treat them like
the professionals they will become. Owing to this mindset, all technical and
performance operations for Aida were controlled completely by the students. The
feedback they had from using the miniatures was extremely positive. DPA is known
for being the best in the business, and the d:screet 4071 has proven that it is no
exception.’

Small enough to be easily hidden without hindering the audio of a performance,
DPA’s d:screet Miniature Microphones are a great fit for young professionals and
industry veterans who enjoy working with mics that produce a crisp sound and
maintain a linear dynamic range. “Right out of the gate, it was clear to my lead
engineer, who has never had the opportunity to work with DPA before, that we
wouldn’t need to be nearly as aggressive on the EQ as we typically are,’ adds
McFall. “With the mics positioned so close to the performer’s mouth, we often run
into issues with a nonlinear response. The 4071s, however, didn’t have any
feedback problems and allowed us to find an EQ that sounded equally good at the
high end as it did at the low end.’

In addition to the technical improvements noted by the lead engineer and students
working behind-the-scenes, the aesthetic differences were also noticeable. “The
performances are mostly funded by ticket sales, so we’re used to working with
lower budget mics,’ continues McFall. “I was impressed by the construction of the
4071’s — they are very well built and the cables are very easy to hide in the
costumes.’