DPA Microphones 4011A Cardioid Microphone

This condenser microphone is renowned in recording studios and live applications around the world as an exceptional mic. State-of-the-art components have been carefully selected to provide optimal neutrality, accuracy, and extremely low distortion.

The principal appeal of the 4011 Cardioid Mic is its directional quality and attention to detail. This mic makes everything sound like the original. The first-order cardioid pickup pattern provides superb separation between sound sources. It is equally suitable for close-up work on acoustic guitar, grand piano, overheads, percussion, wind instruments, and vocals as it is for spot-miking symphonies. It can handle incredibly high sound pressure levels (SPLs).

A flat on-axis frequency response and excellent phase response deliver a faithful reproduction of the original sound. The off-axis response is similarly smooth so that any leakage is an accurate reflection of the original, though attenuated according to the true first-order cardioid pickup pattern.

Combine it with the preamp of your choice
As with all of our modular pencil microphones, you can combine the Cardioid Mic Capsule with any of our preamps.

The MMP-A Microphone Preamp is an ultra-transparent, transformerless preamp with an active drive for impedance balancing. The MMP-C Compact Microphone Preamp is an ultra-compact preamp with an active drive for impedance balancing. It has a slightly softer character than the other preamps for our pencil microphones.

Other preamps include the very small form factor types MMP-E Modular Active Cable (XLR output) and MMP-G Modular Active Cable (MicroDot output), allowing for very slim set-ups. The MMP-G even allows you to match a larger microphone directly to a wireless transmitter.

4011A Cardioid Mic
This condenser microphone is renowned in recording studios and live applications around the world as an exceptional mic. State-of-the-art components have been carefully selected to provide optimal neutrality, accuracy, and extremely low distortion. It is equally suitable for close-up work on acoustic guitar, grand piano, overheads, percussion, wind instruments, and vocals as it is for spot-miking symphonies. It can handle incredibly high sound levels and even includes a 20 dB pad switch in the center of the XLR connector to attenuate the output of the microphone.

A bit about cardioids
Named for its “heart-shaped” polar pattern, a cardioid (or directional) microphone has the most sensitivity at the front and is least sensitive from the sides and at the back. They come in many variations – with wider or narrower angles of sensitivity (supercardioid, hypercardioid, wide cardioid, etc.). Although cardioids also pick up sound coming in from the sides, this off-axis sound will normally be more or less colored and damped. However, the unique DPA capsule technique skips the colorization of the sound coming from the sides of the rear of the mic and just reduces the sensitivity to these angles and thereby offers perfect sound stages. The amount of damping depends on the exact specifications of the mic.

A cardioid microphone is, by definition, damped -6 dB at the 90°side entry of the microphone but for many, the word cardioid generally covers mics with a directional pattern versus Omnis, which pick up sound from all directions.

Due to their nature, directional mics are often used on the live stage – both during concerts as well as spoken-word events, to capture the focused sound of an instrument or voice. The narrow-angle of sensitivity helps to minimize the bleed from other sounds on a busy stage. With cardioid mics, cardioid mics are the proximity effect, which causes an increase in bass response the closer the microphone is moved to the sound source. Therefore, when judging mic specs you should always look for a statement stating the distance at which the flat frequency response has been measured. In addition, cardioid mics are far more sensitive to wind, pop, and handling noises than Omni mics, so be sure to take precautions to guard against this.

In the Box
DPA Microphones 4011A Cardioid Microphone
DPA Microphones UA0639 Microphone Clip
DPA Microphones UA0896 Windscreen for 0.75" (19mm) Microphones
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