dpa 4099 mic -- brief review

[Bookstorecowboy]

I finally laid out money for this microphone and am pleased to report that it sounds far better than my Baggs mics. There really is no comparison in sound quality. The dpa is a respectable mic that gives a beautiful tone through my AER amp.

Since I can move it from guitar to guitar, it actually is cheaper than installing Baggs microphones in one guitar after another.

Downsides:
1. Feedback can occur. Don't even think about cranking it up.
2. Overall it feels fragile. The line that connects the unit is thin, and it is hard for me to imagine it holding it up under stress.
3. As many others have commented, the rubber holder does not seem terribly well designed. It doesn't grip firmly. But I think I may have figured out the problem at long last -- you have to bend it back and then release it. This makes it grip tighter. We shall see. Other reviewers have recommended using tape. I am not going to use tape on my guitar.
4. The actual position of the mic is hard to make firm and reliable since the gooseneck apparatus is a bit floppy. That said, if you do adjust it carefully it will not move by itself. Also, no matter what position it is in, it sounds better than the Baggs. But this is a mic for a player who sits, not for the guy who thrashes around with heart and soul and body. Richie Havens would probably have knocked this into the audience by the first minute.
5. It does pick up your voice if you sing, as I do. This is not disagreeable as it is a nice sound. But, at the same time, it is not a proper vocal mic by itself. To get a reasonably good sound in terms of balance, you have to lean over and basically sing into the guitar, which is obviously far from ideal in any way -- in terms of voice quality, performance (it looks weird), or comfort.

Overall, I love this mic but find it finicky and fragile. I would never return it, and I highly recommend it if you find those Baggs or other piezo or combo mics brittle and metallic, as I do.

[LiveMusic]

Thanks for your review. I have one of these, have had it for years, and I need to find it and try it again! Because I want a mic'd sound. Will have to experiment again.

[Aspiring]

I have one and enjoy it. I find your comments pretty accurate. I use mine primarily for recording. Due to a back injury I now play almost entirely standing with a strap. This allows me to record relatively easily while standing.

Some other caveats:

My cats really like to play with the microphone foam cover. They actually managed to knock it off at one point when I left it out and use it as a toy on the floor.

My robot vacuum proved out the fragility of the micro dot cable comment after the cat knocked the cable into the floor.

Good news is the replacements parts can be picked up although not cheaply.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Bookstorecowboy

5. It does pick up your voice if you sing, as I do. .

One of the funny experiences I have had with the 4099 is when I used it, running thru my own rig, with my own reverb added, then going to the house PA, and a vocal mic direct into the PA. (I don't sing, mic is for announcements only). I look back and see the sound guy frantically trying to figure out where the reverb is coming from on my vocal mic!

[Al Acuff]

This new Neumann mic system look like serious competition for the DPA mic. I'm retired from gigging so I'm not really in the market. Out of curiosity I hope someone here will give the Neumann a try out in the trenches and write about it. https://en-de.neumann.com/miniature-clip-microphone

FWIW I owned bought a 4099 when it first came out and after a while I sold it. It was prone to feedback and I didn't like the mounting system. It will be interesting to see if Neumann has addressed those issues in their new miniature microphone system.

[B. Adams]

I own a total of 16 4099's, 8 of the older style and 8 newer. I absolutely love them on orchestral strings, and I've had amazing results on piano and woodwinds. I've found them acceptable on mandolin, ukulele, and guitar, but your list mirrors my experience.

That is, with the exception of #2 on your list. I've found them to be much more durable than they appear at first glance. I wouldn't recommend being careless with them, but if the stagehands I work with can manage to keep all of mine in one piece after all these years, I'd say they hold up pretty well. That said, I don't keep my mics in the same place as our cat or robot vacuum, so your experience may be different.

Also, I always use a bit of gaff tape with a 4099 on guitar. I think you'd have to be the most gentle player in the universe to keep one on without tape. I also tape the mount on a mandolin, but I use the violin mount instead of the guitar mount. On uke I use the cello mount, actually. Taped to the bout. Or maybe the bass mount, I can't remember at the moment. Whichever one fits the curve better.

I would be very hesitant to use them with guitar, mando, or uke, on a stage with floor monitors. They seem to be more stable on orchestral strings. Maybe those instruments are louder, I don't know.

[Al Acuff]

Here is an interesting experiment that you can try with your 4099 microphone. Mount the mic on your guitar and twist it around 180 degrees so that the back of the microphone points at your guitar. Plug in and play. Try the mic pointing both ways and compare the sound...

The results are likely to surprise you... I was surprised when I tried it. Then I sold the 4099 mic on eBay.

[MarvinLee]

I picked up a DPA 4097 recently. I work as a sound mixer for video production and also play guitar. It is the best sounding mic I have for recording acoustic guitar. Absolutely love the sound. The 4097 is a hypercardioid mic and does a really great job at rejecting off axis sounds. As I sing and play, this is good. It does pick up a little voice, but not very much. All that said, I would never use it live as I play bars and you would never be able to get the sound levels loud enough to keep up with a rowdy crowd. Of course... I use an Adamas for live. The 4097 is my Alvarez Yairi DY45's new best friend. Seriously LOVE how it makes this guitar sound.

[LiveMusic]

Originally Posted by B. Adams

I own a total of 16 4099's, 8 of the older style and 8 newer. I absolutely love them on orchestral strings, and I've had amazing results on piano and woodwinds. I've found them acceptable on mandolin, ukulele, and guitar, but your list mirrors my experience.

That is, with the exception of #2 on your list. I've found them to be much more durable than they appear at first glance. I wouldn't recommend being careless with them, but if the stagehands I work with can manage to keep all of mine in one piece after all these years, I'd say they hold up pretty well. That said, I don't keep my mics in the same place as our cat or robot vacuum, so your experience may be different.

Also, I always use a bit of gaff tape with a 4099 on guitar. I think you'd have to be the most gentle player in the universe to keep one on without tape. I also tape the mount on a mandolin, but I use the violin mount instead of the guitar mount. On uke I use the cello mount, actually. Taped to the bout. Or maybe the bass mount, I can't remember at the moment. Whichever one fits the curve better.

I would be very hesitant to use them with guitar, mando, or uke, on a stage with floor monitors. They seem to be more stable on orchestral strings. Maybe those instruments are louder, I don't know.

So, gaff tape is ok on acoustic guitars? Can you recommend a brand, I am scared, lol.

[TobyB]

I have had one for a long time. I have seen them widely used on the UK folk scene ... especially fiddle players ... which supports the comment that they are more robust than initial impressions.
They aren't idiot-proof however ... just like using decent SDC's or LDC's, experimenting to find optimal position and direction is important, as is level setting ... but having found the sweet spot, they are fantastic.

[Rick Shepherd]

I just bought a 4099, and I have to say it is wonderful! I mount the mic on the upper bout above the neck, and it can easily be positioned in the desired location for optimal sound. With a cutaway, this seems to be the best spot. I like being able to easily switch guitars. The mounting bracket works pretty well for me as a solo player and I am usually easy on my gear, so I am not worried about wear and tear. The tone is excellent, and you can position the mic to the desired location depending on what suits your ears. Normally I would mic my guitar during a live gig, so this is even better, no mic stand needed. I took it for a test run today, and I was thoroughly impressed!

[B. Adams]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

So, gaff tape is ok on acoustic guitars? Can you recommend a brand, I am scared, lol.

I just saw your question here. Sorry for the delay! It's only a year and a half later, so it's not that bad.

In any case, I've used gaff a bunch on guitars. I prefer Shurtape 665, but Pro Gaff works well too. I try not to use anything other than those 2 brands. One of the places I work in a lot started using 3M gaff tape, and that seems OK so far, but the jury is still out.

I'd probably be a little hesitant to use gaff on a guitar with a nitro finish, but only because I haven't dealt with them much. I can only remember using gaff on poly finished guitars. And ukuleles, mandolins, and tons of other instruments. It works fine, and doesn't leave a mark.

That said, I wouldn't recommend leaving gaff on anything for a super long period of time. Pull it off and replace it at least every few months. If it gets wet, pull it off immediately. There's nothing worse than crusty gaff residue, and I really wouldn't want it on my guitar. Then again, you probably can't squeeze the guitar into its case with the clip on the side anyway, so you'll probably be taking it off each time. Just a guess.

Also, Rick, I'm glad you're enjoying your new 4099! They're great mics.