Renowned for their multi-tonal saxophone sound, explosive brass trumpet and vibrant rhythm section, the Taipei Jazz Orchestra is a popular Taiwan attraction that regularly fills large venues.
In order to ensure the best audio quality for audiences, the Orchestra uses various DPA microphones such as the company’s versatile 4099 Instrument Microphones, to amplify its sound.
“We have been working with DPA for several years now,” says Mr. A-Fu Kao, the Orchestra’s audio engineer and General Manager of record label Just Music. “We really love the sound characteristics of DPA products because they are so natural.”
Since the end of 2019, the Orchestra has been experimenting with DPA’s recently launched 4097 CORE Supercardioid Choir Microphone, which provides the same sonic qualities as the CORE 4099 Instrument Microphone but was designed specifically to capture dynamic choir sound.
The Orchestra gave the microphone a thorough testing on Christmas Eve when it played a Swing Christmas concert at the Taipei Zhong Hall. The concert featured a choir of children singing popular Christmas songs and Mr. Kao was keen to ensure that their vocals were not drowned out by the much louder instruments.
“The 4097’s supercardioid pattern provided a very clear sound with high gain before feedback, which minimized the sound from off axis,” he explains. “This is very helpful, especially in venues where the acoustics are bad. The microphone sounded amazing and worked perfectly, allowing us to capture the natural sound of the choir.”
Mr. Kao adds that the ability to use the 4097 as either a wired or wireless solution adds to its appeal. “It gives us the flexibility to deal with different applications,” he says. “The fact that it is also equipped with a flexible gooseneck means that we can quickly and easily adjust the direction of the microphone to the sound source. Also, the microphone boom is tiny and the new cable management system minimizes its footprint and makes it unnoticeable on stage.”
Mr. Kao also praised the 4097’s three level shock mounts, which cut down the rumble caused by movement on stage, citing this as another useful feature when dealing with live events.
The 4097 Choir mic was launched in June, 2019, and features DPAs transparent sound and even off-axis response, which makes the entire choir sound natural. Apart from being sleek and elegant, it comes in a wireless version so that you can avoid cables on the stage, making the solution even more discrete.
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