DPA 4099B D/B mic.

[gypsyjazzer]

Has anyone tried the DPA 4099B D/B mic? I may be thinking of buying one--your thoughts on the mic?

[tickbite]

I've used one for about 6 months, initially as the only method of amplification for my double bass (in a pub band), but since last week when I added a Shadow SH 950, as the secondary method.

IMHO, the mic captures the authentic sound of the double bass, arco and pizz, but the level of output was limited by feedback.

[thisnameistaken]

If you're considering a contact mic, also take a look at the Ehrlund EAP. BC member daflewis is selling them in the UK. There's a thread about it here and a couple of quite long threads on Talkbass with lots of experiences documented.

I put one on my bass a couple of months back because I was sick of the sound of piezos and it has made amplifying my bass so much more enjoyable. With regard to the feedback issue versus a piezo element, it is probably the case that the piezo will go a bit louder so depending on the kind of gigs you're doing it may be worth having a piezo too, but in my experience the Ehrlund goes surprisingly loud and - more to the point - is more audible because you can hear all of the instrument.

[bassace]

I've been exchanging a couple of PMs with gypsyjazzer this morning during which I expressed a few reservations re the DPA. I used mine on a gig a couple of weeks ago, going straight into a Clarus while I put an Underwood through the second channel just to tighten things up. I finished up using just the Underwood because I couldn't get a sensible volume out of the DPA before feedback. NB, the Clarus has phantom power and a notch filter so should be OK. I've just been up to my bass room where the Upton is standing side by side with a Super Flightcase, 4" separating the two. I put the DPA on and stuck an ART Tube MP in the chain. I can get quite high levels of vol before any feedback by juggling with the ART's input and output controls and phase reverse. This is quite impressive when you consider the proximity of bass to amp. Thomann's prices are ART Tube £30.78 and Headway £178.16 so the ART is worth a punt if you're considering using a DPA.

[TPJ]

Those Tube MP's are good little units. We used them for all our acoustic sets with DB and AC guitar. The valve seemed to help manage feedback and volume. They work wonders for electric basses as well. I'd always thought the phase switch helped when using both a mic and pickup, but that phase switch seems to noticably alter a single input too.