DPA Strike A Chord With PLNU

The Media Services department at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) counts on DPA Microphones to take its musical performances to the next level.
The department recently upgraded its aging instrument mics to a stereo pair of DPA d:vote™ 4099P Instrument Mics for piano.
PLNU’s Media Services department is responsible for supplying the PA system for musical performances at the university’s chapel services, music department concerts and other campus events. With the school’s previous two microphone options posing some challenges -- one set was diminishing in audio quality and another did not fit under the lid of the grand piano -- PLNU Media Supervisor Bryan Pridmore knew that he had to find a better solution. Having used DPA Microphones at the church he attends, Pridmore was familiar with the audio quality and miniature size of the d:vote, and knew it would be a perfect fit for the university.
"The DPA d:vote microphones were a really good option because they are well isolated from vibration and highlight the quality sound of the instrument," says Pridmore. "Our previous mics had a lot of hissing and buzzing, and were way past usable. The d:vote not only provides an impressive audio reproduction, but also very good isolation and gain before feedback, especially when the piano lid is closed."
An integral piece of the school’s many jazz performances is its 12-foot Steinway grand piano. As a result, the Media Services department mics this instrument most often. The miniature size of the DPA d:vote microphones enables Pridmore to keep them out of sight beneath the piano lid. The d:vote 4099P is a complete microphone system that includes a pair of sensitivity selected gooseneck microphones with magnetic mounts for stable and repeatable positioning to the piano’s internal frame.
"We had a solo pianist in recently who I outfitted with the d:vote, and the performance highlighted just how phenomenal the microphone is," continues Pridmore. "He played the full range of the piano - lows and highs - and the audience was not only able to hear and feel the music, but also got a true sense of the awe of the piano and the performer’s musical talents. We weren’t thinking about how the mic was picking up the sound, but rather about the music itself. The d:vote was completely transparent, and that is what I want in a microphone."
While the DPA d:votes have proven to be an ideal pairing with the piano, Pridmore also relies on them for other instrumental performances. "When we’re not using the piano, the stereo pair of d:votes also enable me to separate the mics for other musicians on stage," he explains. "This is especially great for instances when a performer prefers to hear only the high-end audio through the monitor wedges. The low end also fills out the PA and makes the instruments sound full and big. The microphone has been really fantastic with subwoofers."
DPA Microphones’ d:vote is ideal for live performance settings requiring high-quality, discreet mics that are effortless to change.
PLNU was founded in 1902 in Pasadena, CA. Based on the Nazarene denomination of the Christian faith, PLNU offers more than 60 undergraduate areas of study and graduate program regional centers in Bakersfield, Mission Valley and the Inland Empire.
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