The long-running production of “Wicked” at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End is employing a range of microphones from DPA under the direction of associate sound designer Hyder Khalil working alongside sound designer Tony Meola.
After initially integrating DPA 6061 subminiature lavalier microphones, the production next added 2011 twin diaphragm cardioid, 4055 kick drum and 4099 instrument mics to its lineup. “As a whole, DPA makes things easier,” Khalil says. “You’re not fighting against the microphones 00 they have such a low noise floor. Compared to our old mics, the DPAs take the sound to another level; details are getting picked up where they weren’t before. Whether you want to hear those details or not is up to you but at least instead of getting lost, we now have the option to keep them in.”
Khalil first introduced the team to the 6061s, which they slowly deployed on individual performers until the entire cast was covered. “I’ve been a fan of DPA for a long time, so I knew the sound quality side of the brand was a given,” he adds. “The main challenge we were looking to solve was aesthetics. The DPA 6061 capsules are small enough to blend into the show while also high-quality enough to bring out the details and nuances of the performers’ voices.”
The detail provided by the 6061s was important for Khalil, who has seen numerous casts of “Wicked” and understands the miniscule differences between each actor’s performance. “It’s not that we had bad sound before, but with DPA it was an immediately noticeable difference,” he explains. “The 6061s sound as if you’re speaking to the actors face-to-face. This also helps improve the humor of the show because you can hear the little comedic changes in the actors’ voices. These mics are just raising the bar another step that wasn’t there before.
“We’ve had 4099s on the violin, cello and French horn for several years, and we most recently added them to the drum kit,” he continues. “We’re now also using them for the toms and added 2011s on the snare top and bottom. It’s been a real improvement. The musicians love the DPAs because they’re so small and unobtrusive while playing. Plus, the sound stays consistent between performers.
“We were also lucky enough to get one of the new 4055 kick drum mics and it has been great,” Khalil concludes. “With other kick drum mics, I always found that you’re essentially carving away at them to get usable sound — which becomes more of a compromise than an artistic choice. The 4055 is the first mic I’ve come across where you can actually bring out qualities in the kick drum. The mic is very versatile and acts more like a scalpel than a broad sword, allowing you to carve out little details and be selective in your sound. It’s more of a tool than just a means to an end.”
