What inspired DPA Microphones to move further down the signal chain and develop a wireless system?
“Great sound doesn’t stop at the microphone, which is why we have moved down the signal chain to create a wireless solution. For over 25 years, DPA has been dedicated to delivering the most natural, transparent sound possible, and this philosophy has guided the creation of every microphone we have designed. Since most of our microphones are already used with wireless systems, it seemed only natural to develop a wireless solution that can preserve the clarity and precision of our microphones. As a result, we have extended our mission to ensure the same uncompromising sound quality is carried through the wireless chain, with N-Series. We worked to design hardware, firmware and software with the audio engineer’s needs in mind.”
Did the team encounter challenges in bringing the N-Series to the market?
“Developing a fully digital, wideband, true-diversity wireless system that lives up to the DPA sound standard required integrating high-quality mic preamps, state-of-the-art A/D conversion and robust radio frequency (RF) engineering. What’s more, getting a wireless system to work in a world of ever-increasing RF congestion takes robust equipment, hard work and skill. Additionally, entering a new field of audio engineering required us to expand our expertise (and vocabulary!) and build on the skillsets of the organisation’s partners across Europe. This meant not only significant collaboration, travel and testing, but also a new approach to engineering.”
How does the N-Series integrate with existing products in the DPA Microphones family?
“N-Series is designed to work seamlessly with all of DPA’s existing microphones, including handheld vocal mics, headsets and lavaliers, as well as the newly revamped 4099 CORE+ Instrument Microphones and the 2024 Vocal microphone that was designed specifically for the N-Series. Additionally, the N-Series handheld transmitters feature an industry-standard SL1 thread, which are compatible with a variety of handheld microphone capsules.”
Why is the flexibility of the N-Series such a valuable asset for rental houses and production companies?
“The N-Series offers ease of use, even for the inexperienced users. With a wide tuning range of 470 to 870 MHz, and 400 MHz of bandwidth per unit, N-Series makes it easy for engineers to quickly find open microphone channels, even in the most congested RF environments.
This wideband philosophy also makes N-Series a secure investment for rental companies, since a single unit can be deployed across multiple regions without concern for frequency shuffles. Combined with true diversity operation for reliable, dropout-free performance, the N-Series ensures smooth setup and operation for both seasoned professionals and less experienced users.”
Where do you expect the N-Series to feature in the coming months?
“The N-Series is perfect for a wide variety of live and installed applications. We expect to see it quickly adopted in corporate events and presentations, houses of worship, touring productions and fixed installations such as conference centres and government facilities. Several installations are already underway in Europe across these exact use cases, and we’re seeing an incredible level of interest from customers in the US as well.”
What benefits can sound engineers expect by using the N-Series in the field?
“Engineers can expect that DPA will remain true to its original promise: preserving the original sound with complete transparency. Beyond delivering outstanding sound quality, N-Series provides a secure RF Link without dropouts, thanks to its true diversity and digital design. It was also important to make the system easy to operate everywhere. We have therefore delivered a solution with wideband operation that gives engineers more flexibility than many high-end systems, making setup faster and more reliable in challenging RF conditions. This counts for both the transmitters and receivers, which are designed with a DPA look and feel – intuitive and built for professional environments. In short: it sounds fantastic, is easy to operate anywhere and delivers both maximum stability and pristine audio!”
How will the introduction of the DPA Audio Controller enhance the wireless system?
“The DPA Audio Controller is an intuitive software that allows for remote control and monitoring of the entire system via either PC or Mac. It features a comprehensive, built-in frequency analyser that covers the entire bandwidth of the system – 470 to 870 MHz – and gives users complete visibility into available channels and RF activity. Designed for ease of use, it doesn’t require lengthy training and provides a way to manage N-Series systems in live or installed environments.”
How significant is the inclusion of AES256 encryption when working on highly sensitive or secure productions?
“AES256 encryption is essential for applications in which privacy is non-negotiable, such as boardrooms, governmental facilities and high-stakes events, where you want to ensure that no one is listening in. With AES256, users can be confident that no unauthorised party can intercept the audio feed, which is why encryption was a critical feature for N-Series from the outset.”
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Words: René Moerch
Photo: DPA Microphones
