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Rostislav Pavlík in his studio in Slovakia.

DPA Microphones For Slovakian Producer & Record Label Owner Rostislav Pavlík

Producer records acoustic instruments in natural acoustic spaces such as concert halls, churches and manor houses.

Based in Tvrdošín in northern Slovakia, Pavlík Records utilizes DPA Microphones in recording classical, jazz and folk projects ranging from solo musicians to chamber ensembles and orchestras, in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound.

The label was founded by Rostislav Pavlik, who began his career in the early 1990s when he started recording amateur ensembles and folk musicians. Now, Pavlik Records has its own studio equipped with Dynaudio monitoring, a Merging Technologies Pyramix digital audio workstation and other premium components in a digital system that records in very high resolution (384 kHz and 32 bits).

“We focus on recording acoustic instruments in natural acoustic spaces such as concert halls, churches and manor houses, where I can capture the sound of the space and the instruments in both stereo and 5.1 surround without needing artificial reverberation,” he says. An example of how Pavlik uses DPA microphones is a recent recording he made at the Brno concert hall in the Czech Republic with acclaimed Slovak opera singer Gustáv Beláček.

“We worked with a string orchestra, piano, quartet and sextet,” he explains. “As a base for the recording I used a 5-channel setup fitted with DPA microphones. The main sound was captured by three DPA 4041 large diaphragm omnidirectional microphones. These were in the Decca Tree layout and, for LS and RS, I used a pair of DPA 4011 cardioid microphones (ORTF), plus DPA 4015 wide cardioid and 4023 compact cardioid (now replaced by 4011R) microphones for the eight-piece string section. I only tend to use spot microphones as a fuse because we try to minimize the need for contact microphones by working with the conductor to ensure that the sound of the orchestra is balanced. We also used a DPA 4041 to capture Gustáv’s voice.”

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A Pavlik Records deployment of DPA mics on a recent project.

Pavlik adds that he likes the balanced characteristics DPA microphones and the way their sound combines well in the mix. “In another project, we used a similar microphone layout to record six string orchestra concerts featuring violinist Milan Pala,” he says. “We also recently recorded various classical compositions for piano and saxophone at a venue in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This recording was only in stereo and I was able to use an AB stereo pair of DPA 4041 microphones, which worked very well. The 4041 is an amazing microphone and easily my favorite because I use it for almost everything, especially for stereo spatial recording (AB stereo, Decca Tree) and as part of a 5.1 set up. Like all DPA microphones, it can capture huge dynamic range and nuances, which I use to the fullest extent.”

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TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik’s mission is to design and build iconic microphones and modern professional audio equipment that provides classic sound for recording, broadcast, studio, and stage . Our vision is to be a global leader in emitting good vibes through manufacturing and design, all while capturing the spark of the TELEFUNKEN legacy and transmitting it with uncompromising quality.