DPA Microphones Delivers Unrivaled Clarity and Sound Quality for Both Studio and Live Productions for Romaphonic Studios
BUENOS AIRES – It’s not often you run into a recording studio that also doubles – and triples – as a rental house and live production integrator, but that’s exactly the type of turnkey service that’s being offered at Romaphonic Studios in Buenos Aires. Led by Norberto “El Vasco” Hegoburu – who has worked with some of Argentina and Latin America’s biggest recording artists – Romaphonic is a world-class company that prides itself on providing the best sound and most visually-appealing gear. This principle led Hegoburu to his selection of DPA Microphones, largely supplied by DPA’s Argentine distributor Equaphon, so that he can deliver unrivaled sound to his clients.
“The first link in the audio chain is the microphone, and it is the most important element to delivering a good sound at the end,” says Hegoburu. “With DPA, even if you have a mediocre audio system, you will still produce a high-quality sound. That, for me, is representative of the brand. The results that we achieve with DPA never stop surprising me.”
Hegoburu began using DPA microphones back in 2014, with a collection of six 4099 Instrument Microphones primarily for live productions. Hegoburu quickly grew his inventory, which now includes up to 72 4099s, along with a vast array of d:facto™ 4018VL Vocal Microphones; 2011/4011 Cardioid Mics; and 4006 Omnidirectional Microphones.
This collection has caught the eye of many of the area’s leading artists and, late last year, José Luis Crespo, engineer for Joan Manuel Serrat, reached out through the Romaphonic rental space. “José Luis asked me how many 4099s there are in Latin America,” says Hegoburu. “He told me he needed at least 56 and, when I told him I have close to 80, he had me pack them all and gave me the dates he’d need to rent them.”
“The show they did at the Vatican Square in Buenos Aires was spectacular — never in my life have I heard an amplified orchestra playing at more than 100dB, where you could hear everything so clearly.”
In addition to classical music, Hegoburu trusts the 4099 for rock/pop clients as well. “I am constantly being asked for DPA mics for drums and percussion,” he continues. “I had my first rock-related experience with these mics at the ‘Gran Rex,’ with the great singer Valeria Lynch. The venue operator called me asking for help miking up the accompanying string quartet. I used four 4099s; the mixer’s jaw dropped once they started to play. Thanks in part to DPA, I can say that today, in the live recording scene, we are at the same level as U.S. rock performances.”
Among Hegoburu’s other DPA solutions is the company’s Surround Decca Tree Kit, which consists of a three-point pick-up by omnidirectional microphones (4006As) in an equilateral triangle, with the center microphone (4011A cardioid) pointing at the sound source. This allows him to record an ensemble or orchestra, and capture both a high-quality surround and stereo take. “Orchestras are organic, they mix and self-regulate since they come from a place that is not amplified,” he continues. “Orchestras sound best recorded at a medium distance, which is why I like the DPA Decca. It allows me to capture more of the environment, with a much more well-rounded instrument sound and the filtering that comes from the other instruments, which I feel improves the audio.”
Hegoburu credits DPA making it possible for him to work with many world-class musicians.
“All of the artists who were part of the Únicos Festival – including Joan Manuel Serrat, Hernán Cattaneo, Luis Fonsi, Il Divo, and more – all used DPA,” he says. “In addition, Lito Vitale is using 22 DPA mics for his ‘Ese amigo del alma’ tour. I also made an acoustic record last year, with Ismael Serrano and Charly González, using a 4099 on the guitar and a d:facto Vocal Mic. They loved the d:facto and couldn’t believe how good it sounded. We made the whole album using DPA mics and found the audio to be amazing.”
For Hegoburu, being able to produce this high-quality sound with aesthetically pleasing equipment comes from a place of personal experience. “I worked as an engineer for many years, so, when I buy microphones, I know what I need,” he says. “I bought this equipment because it gave me a superlative quality that no other equipment has. I know the business, and I do it from all sides.”