DPA’s latest release, the 2017 Shotgun Microphone, aims to deliver the clean and detailed sound that the company are renowned for whilst standing up to harsh conditions such as cold weather and humid environments. The mic boasts a tight directional pattern, and also promises a much more linear off-axis response than is typical of rival designs.
The 2017's compact design makes it suitable for a wide range of applications.Being a shotgun design, the 2017 exhibits an extremely directional pickup pattern, ensuring that off-axis sounds are attenuated as heavily as possible — it offers 10dB of attenuation at 90 degrees, and more than a 20dB reduction at 125 degrees.
However, it has also been designed to ensure that those off-axis sounds are captured with least colouration possible, allowing the overall sound to remain clear and natural. Although a long interference tube has been employed in the design, the mic itself is contained in a short, light housing that make the 2017 a practical choice for many applications.
As you’d expect from DPA, the 2017’s technical specifications are impressive. The company specify a self-noise figure of 13dB (A-weighted), and a dynamic range measurement of 130dB. As well as excelling on quiet sources, the mic can also handle high levels, too, and will happily withstand peak SPLs of up to 143dB.
The mic has also been subjected to a range of tests to ensure that it will stand up to use out in the field, evaluating how well it stands up to humidity, how resistant it is to condensation, and making sure that its overall construction is physically robust. It will allegedly survive direct rain showers, drying and returning to perfect operation faster than many other shotgun mics on the market, and is capable of withstanding, and quickly recovering from, the effects of condensation. A test model also survived being repeatedly rolled off of shelves, and purposely tipped head-first onto a hardwood floor from a mic stand!
The 2017 Shotgun Microphone comes equipped with a mic holder and a foam windshield.
Pricing & Availability
The 2017 Shotgun Microphone is available now, priced at €840.
