DPA
4099 CORE
Small-diaphragm condenser · Supercardioid · 20–20,000 Hz · a rider regular
- 18 grams on a gooseneck clip: the mic that let violins, saxes and brass sections go wireless without a stand in the shot.
- Supercardioid at a few centimetres from the source gives gain before feedback that no stand-mounted condenser can match on a loud stage.
- Sold as a family of clips — one capsule, a different mount per instrument — so a stock of four covers a whole horn section.
Frequency response
Redrawn from DPA’s published response graph (approximate, ±2 dB) on the fixed MicSense scale — 20 Hz–20 kHz, −20 to +15 dB — so two microphones can be compared at a glance. No image is copied; it is a guide to the shape, not a measurement. Drawn for: on-axis at 20 cm. The maker’s graph (Frequency response graph in the 4099 specifications (image https://dpa.cloud14.structpim.com/media/roqhku3k/4099_frequency-curb_20cm-distance_white-web.jpg), top (on-axis) curve; dotted below 80 Hz / above ~17 kHz).
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for supercardioid. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | DPA |
|---|---|
| Model | 4099 CORE |
| Type | Small-diaphragm condenser |
| Form factor | Clip-on |
| Polar pattern | Supercardioid |
| Frequency range | 20–20,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 6 mV/Pa · -44.0 dBV/Pa |
| Max SPL | 138 dB SPL (1 % THD; RMS; 141 dB peak; 145 dB peak at 10 % THD) |
| Self-noise | 23 dB(A) |
| Impedance | 30–40 Ω from the MicroLock; 100 Ω through a DAD9001/DAD9099 XLR adapter |
| Connector | MicroLock (adapters to XLR or wireless bodypacks) |
| Powering | Bias voltage from the bodypack (bias via bodypack (5–10 V through a DPA adapter); phantom 48 V via the DAD9001/DAD9099 XLR adapter) |
| Weight | 18 g |
Specifications: DPA specifications page · last checked 2 Oct 2026. These are the maker’s published figures for this model. A dash never means zero: “not published by the maker” means the maker’s documents give no figure; “not yet checked” means MicSense has not confirmed one yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.
MicSense notes
| Price tier | Premium |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2010 |
Price tier and “a rider regular” are MicSense’s own judgement, not the maker’s.
What it gets used for
- Acoustic instrument
- Horn / brass
- Toms
- Choir / ensemble
- Wireless bodypack capsule
MicSense tags microphones by the job on a live stage, not by studio category — so you can filter for “kick in” or “monitor vocal” instead of working backwards from “large-diaphragm condenser”.
4099 CORE alternatives: closest in published specs
Based on published specifications only — always listen at soundcheck. These are the microphones in the MicSense library whose datasheet figures sit closest to the DPA 4099 CORE’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
-
Sennheiser
e 908
- Same job: acoustic instrument, horn / brass
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Same form: clip-on
- Max SPL as high or higher (147 vs 138 dB SPL)
- Cardioid instead of supercardioid — deepest rejection at 180°, not ±126°: check where the wedge sits
- A wired XLR microphone with phantom power, not a bodypack mic
- ≈ 4 dB less output — add about 4 dB gain
Not comparable: response curve not redrawn yet
-
Shure
SM81
- Same job: acoustic instrument, choir / ensemble
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Similar published response shape (≈ 0.8 dB apart on average, 100 Hz–10 kHz)
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Cardioid instead of supercardioid — deepest rejection at 180°, not ±126°: check where the wedge sits
- Needs a stand or a clamp — the original clips on
- A wired XLR microphone with phantom power, not a bodypack mic
-
Neumann
KM 184
- Same job: acoustic instrument, choir / ensemble
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Similar published response shape (≈ 0.3 dB apart on average, 100 Hz–10 kHz)
- Max SPL as high or higher (138 vs 138 dB SPL)
- Cardioid instead of supercardioid — deepest rejection at 180°, not ±126°: check where the wedge sits
- Needs a stand or a clamp — the original clips on
- A wired XLR microphone with phantom power, not a bodypack mic
- ≈ 8 dB more output — about 8 dB less gain
Compare it against the alternatives.
MicSense lets you put up to four microphones side by side — spec table, overlaid response curves and polar diagrams on one screen. Free with a free Squaresmile account.