The Astérix Parc, owned by European leisure group Grévin & Cie, placed an initial order for 44 DPA 4088 miniature cardioid headband mics for its live shows, with six 4061 miniature omnidirectionals which are being concealed inside performers' costumes. Technical staff from the Parc will also undergo training at DPA's premises in Copenhagen later in the year.
A combination of the DPA minatures' size, range of mounting accessories, sound quality and reliability were all factors when it came to selecting them for the rigorous programme of events - in most cases, up to three live performances of each show per day, mainly outdoors, some of which involve being submerged in water.
"We needed microphones which would guarantee the highest audio quality and provide clear speech reproduction," says the Parc's head sound engineer Christophe Girres. "The DPA 4088s have excellent cardioid rejection which allows us to get more gain before feedback. The discreteness and comfort of the headsets were also important factors, as was the option of choosing different sized headbands."
Other invaluable features which Girres cites are the robust microphone mount and the special rubber "drop stopper" which protects the 4088 capsule from perspiration and moisture - both of which are put through their paces during the action packed outdoor performances.
The mics have been deployed through all six areas of the Parc to host live shows: The Stars of the Empire, a Roman arena hosting flying gladiators, acrobatics, magic, water ballet and elastic trapeze; The Musketeers, where D'Artagnan leaps into a heated street battle against Rochefort and his guards; The Dolphinarium featuring stunning acquatic displays; The Gallic Village, a faithful reproduction from the comic book with all the regular characters, as approved by Astérix creator Albert Uderzo himself; plus two venues, Theatre of the Bard and the Panoramix Theatre.
"We feel extremely optimistic about our ongoing relationship with Astérix Parc and the Grévin Group, and look forward to supporting them," says Didier Rupin from DPA's exclusive French dealer.
DPA Microphones A/S is a leading manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments.
(Chris Henry)
