Capturing the human voice is tricky, especially when that human is moving, or needs both hands, or is surrounded by competing sounds. The headset mic was developed just for this purpose, and Danish company DPA has become known for raising the bar for headset microphone performance in recent years.
To make a headset mic lighter, more comfortable and nearly invisible, smaller is better. A few years back, DPA developed one of the smallest headset elements in their 6066 omnidirectional mic, with a capsule just 3mm across. To generate a strong signal with low noise, however, smaller is not better. Pulling clean audio from such a tiny capsule required DPA to develop their CORE amplification system.
With the new 4466 and 4488 headset mics, DPA combines their CORE electronics with a larger 5mm capsule. This results in an increase of 10 dB in dynamic range over the 6066, which allows the 4466 and 4488 mics to handle louder voices with less distortion. The larger capsule also opens up the possibility of directionality, hence the 4488's cardioid pickup pattern.
The 4466 and 4488 mics promise various improvements to DPA's award-winning headset assembly. Boom length is adjustable, but the new boom mount allows for adjustment of angle without bending the actual boom. As with past DPA headset designs, you can easily place the boom on either the right or left side. A sliding cable mount can be moved along the boom to better hide the cable down the back of the neck. At each ear, the new headset touches at three points instead of two for better stability and comfort. A new anti-rotating mechanism is designed to keep the 4466 and 4488 mics in place once adjusted. DPA claims other ergonomic improvements for the 4466 and 4488, which we are eager to test.
Because of the 5mm capsule, the 4466 and 4488 have a larger mic assembly at the end of the boom. Hiding the mic isn't practical, so DPA has departed from realistic skin tone colors for the new mics. Instead, the 4466 and 4488 come in more metallic-looking beige, black and brown finishes. The stainless steel headset and boom also boast a new Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating, giving them a rich matte finish. DPA claims the new PVD finish is extremely durable and attractive.
Durability of a headset mic is critical, and the DPA 4466 and 4488 are both IP 58 certified. This means the mics are resistant to dust and other particles, and are fully waterproof to the point of being submerged in water. One main point of failure with most mic systems is the cable; to combat this the 4466 and 4488 use DPA's rugged Kevlar-reinforced cable. A service connector makes it easy to replace the cable in the event of failure.
DPA is known for innovations in the headset microphone market, and the company's latest mics appear poised to reinforce that reputation. We look forward to putting the new DPA 4466 and 4488 mics through their paces.
