Norwegian company Lindberg Lyd AS has embarked on a groundbreaking audio production venture, recording live performances in the new Digital eXtreme Definition (DXD) format. DXD is a high sampling rate and multibit-processing format that preserves the audio quality of DSD in terms of pulse response and bandwidth compared to conventional PCM, and is available to consumers in SACD format. The firm chose microphones from Danish manufacture DPA to capture the music.
Lindberg is one of the first companies in Europe to use DXD and SACD technology in commercial audio production.
The recording of Mozart's violin concertos took place in Selbu Church in Norway with violinist Marianne Thorsen and the Trondheim Soloists. Working with recording engineer Hans Peter L’Orange, recording producer and balance engineer Morten Lindberg set a goal of optimizing the recording for the multichannel layer of the SACD format, with the stereo mix being a second priority.
The orchestra formed a circle around the microphone setup, similar to the loudspeakers in a Dolby 5.1 rated for music only, but scaled down to around a quarter in terms of distances. DPA 4003 omni microphones were used for left and right, with the 50mm acoustic pressure equalizers lending a slight focus and direction. For the center channel, Lindberg found that a large-diaphragm DPA 4041 gave the soloist a nice presence, while the left and right rear surround mics were arranged with DPA 4016 cardioids for their wider pattern. For low frequencies, a DPA 4012 was employed on the double bass.
For more information, visit www.dpamicrophones.com.