TROMSO, Norway — The Hålogaland Theatre here is putting its new DPA d:fine Headset Microphones through their paces for the venue’s current musical, which runs from Sept. 6 to Nov. 28. Jim Oddvar Hansen, head of sound at the venue, credited the headset microphones not just for performance but for user comfort as well — undoubtedly making the cast of Les Misérables less miserable.
More details from DPA Microphones (www.dpamicrophones.com):
“The microphones stay in place even with theatre productions like Les Misérables that include dancing and running about the stage while singing,” says Jim Oddvar Hansen, head of Sound at Hålogaland Theatre. “This was a major consideration when it came down to our choice of headworn microphones — we needed something that not only offered exceptional sound quality but was also durable and practical. The DPA d:fine fits all these criteria.”
Supplied by sound company Lydproduksjon Tromsø AS, in conjunction with DPA’s Norwegian distributor Lydsystemer, the theatre chose the d:fines as a means to upgrade its existing stock of DPA 4060 omnidirectional miniature microphones. The theatre now has 40 directional d:fine Headset Microphones and 40 d:fine omni microphone booms, which are being used wirelessly through a new 32-channel Shure Axient wireless system. The DPA omni microphone booms, which are less sensitive to handling noise and to wind, blows and pops, makes them ideal for fast-paced productions.
“We felt that omni microphones would give us the best sound quality for musical productions,” continues Hansen. “Also, having both long and short booms provide maximum flexibility and makes it possible to use the microphones on children, or to hide them underneath costumes.”
The crew at Hålogaland Theatre, the regional theatre for Troms and Finnmark, chose the microphones because of their long-standing relationship with the manufacturer. “The new d:fine Headset Microphones replace a selection of DPA 4060 miniature microphones that we had had for some time,” concludes Hansen. “Since our previous experience with DPA technology had always been good, it made sense to upgrade using the same manufacturer’s products.”
