DPA Microphones
2012

Compact cardioid microphone

The 2012 cardioid microphone is a universal rod microphone that guarantees outstanding sound quality for every instrument on a live stage.

Ensures great results with any instrument on the live stage.

The 2012 Compact Cardioid Microphone is the best all-around microphone for a wide range of live stage applications. It is a rugged and reliable condenser microphone best suited for single instrument miking. Its particularly powerful features make it an extremely flexible microphone, suitable for a wide range of instruments, especially in the high frequency range.

Features

Long-lasting, robust construction
Excellent impulse response
Homogeneous cardioid characteristics
Excellent SPL processing
Natural and precise sound reproduction

Applications

Snare Drum
Hi-hats
Cabinets
Percussion
Conga, Bongos
Acoustic guitar
Horns

Durable, rugged construction

The 2012 is designed to withstand the rough handling on a hectic live stage. It has a thicker, robust body construction made of brass, which is highly durable and known for its corrosion resistance and tolerance to metal fatigue. In addition to the durable materials, the surfaces of the microphone handle and grille are finished with a protective black chrome coating that provides better aging resistance.

A FEW INFOS ABOUT CARDIOID CHARACTERISTICS

Named for its "heart-shaped" polar pattern, a cardioid (or directional) microphone has the highest sensitivity at the front and the lowest sensitivity at the sides and back. They come in many variations - with wider or narrower sensitivity angles (supercardioid, hypercardioid, wide cardioid, etc.). Although cardioids also pick up sound coming from the sides, this outer-axial sound is usually more or less colored and attenuated. However, DPA's unique capsule technology avoids the coloring of sound coming from the sides or back of the microphone, and reduces only the sensitivity to these angles, providing perfect sound stages. The amount of attenuation depends on the exact specifications of the microphone.

A microphone with a cardioid characteristic is by definition attenuated by -6 dB at the 90° side input of the microphone, but for many the word cardioid generally encompasses microphones with a directional characteristic as opposed to omn microphones that pick up sound from all directions.

Because of their nature, directional microphones are often used on the live stage - both in concerts and in speech performances to capture the focused sound of an instrument or voice. The narrow sensitivity angle helps keep other noises from becoming too prominent on a busy stage. For microphones with a cardioid pickup pattern, be aware of the proximity effect, which leads to an increase in bass response the closer the microphone is brought to the sound source. Therefore, when evaluating microphone specifications, you should always look for the distance at which the linear frequency response was measured. Also, cardioid microphones are much more sensitive to wind, pop, and handling noise than omnidirectional microphones, so you should take appropriate precautions.

Unmatched transient response

The 2012 is a professional condenser microphone and therefore the best choice for instruments with high frequencies. It has a much better settling response than any dynamic microphone and can therefore capture even the quietest sounds with high precision.

Uniform cardioid characteristic

The 2012 has a cardioid capsule with DPA's signature linear off-axis behavior. In addition to high gain before feedback, this feature makes it easier for sound engineers to deal with interference from other instruments in close proximity. The 2012 picks up off-axis noise in a very natural and attenuated way.

Natural and precise sound reproduction

Like all DPA microphones, the 2012 is characterized by a pure and transparent sound.

Outstanding SPL processing

The 2012 can capture extremely high sound pressure levels as well as very soft sounds. With a maximum sound pressure level before clipping of 156 dB, the 2012 is suitable for a wide range of instruments and can capture the loudest drums, guitars, brass and more.