Designers gathered at the Aalto-Theatre in Essen, Germany on the night of Monday, July 8, for the official presentation of the 2019 Red Dot Awards. Among them were DPA Microphones’ project lead Rune Møller and R&D manager Ole Moesmann, who received this prestigious award on behalf of the company for its 6066 subminiature headset microphone, which is a winner in the Product Design category.
Designed to be elegant, visually appealing and discreet, the 6066 subminiature headset microphone ensures usability across a wide range of applications. Although the advanced mechanical design is a work of art in itself, the basic premise of the headset is to be nearly invisible while providing clear sound. Whether a user is performing in a play or reporting the news, they can be sure that the audience is focusing on the message they are giving, not the tools of the trade.
The 6066 subminiature headset, which accommodates the 6000 Series capsule – the smallest microphone DPA has ever made at only 3 mm – was a huge developmental task to respond to the feedback from customers in various industry sectors.
“From the outset, DPA’s goal was not to simply ‘improve’ the headset it already had, but to make the absolute best professional headset possible to support the company’s new subminiature microphone capsule,” says Møller, who was project lead of the development of the headset and responsible for its mechanical design. “Starting with a clean sheet of paper, we set out to fully understand the actual challenges our users faced and how we might best meet their needs and requirements. Of course, we learned from existing products for evolutionary ideas, but we were also open to more revolutionary ideas.”
The challenge from a design point of view, Møller adds, was creating a solution that was optimized on all parameters. The frame had to be both comfortable and stable and it also had to be a great fit for everyone, straight out of the box, even though people’s heads and ears don’t come in standard shapes or sizes. Style and sophistication were also critical – DPA is renowned for its design aesthetics, so this product had to look as good as it felt and performed.
“Overcoming the challenge of implementing all the features we wanted in a small and elegant package required a lot of considerations and creativity,” says Møller. “It was a fantastic journey and I am personally very pleased with the result. At first glance, the headset looks simple and elegant but, when you look closer, you start to see the detail and appreciate the functionality we have designed into it based on all the input we received from our customers.”
Møller adds that while it is always a pleasure to be recognized and honored for one’s work, his biggest thrill is knowing he has made the customer’s job easier and enabled them to achieve better results. “We have had fantastic feedback from artists and talent as well as sound engineers,” he says. “That is what really motivates me and makes me happy.”
DPA’s 6066 subminiature headset microphone was one of over 5,000 products tested by the judges this year. Since its launch in September 2018, the 6066 subminiature headset microphone has found commercial success with significant sales around the world, and across many different market sectors, including theatre, broadcast, corporate and live sound.
As a Red Dot laureate, DPA’s 6066 subminiature headset microphone now joins the “Design on Stage” exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, which presents all the award-winning products. It is also on display in the Red Dot Design Yearbook, online and in the Red Dot Design App.
“Our ultimate goal is to create products that sound great, are consistent and durable, look sleek and elegant and also make the job easier for everyone using them out in the field,” says Anne Berggrein, vice president of marketing at DPA. “We are working on the edge of what is physically possible, and this product is DPA’s greatest achievement to-date. We are extremely proud of the product and we are overwhelmed with the feedback we get from the customers. Winning this award is a massive endorsement and encourages us to go the extra mile for the new and exciting products we are working on now and in the future.”
