All d:fineTM Headset Microphones provide a uniquely natural and open
sound. Ultra-lightweight and adjustable, these mics ensure a secure and
comfortable fit in live performance environments. To ensure optimal performance
of your d:fine Headset Microphone, please follow the simple instructions below.
Placement of microphone
For discreet placement, you can bend the microphone boom slightly so that the capsule
is placed in the desired position. Do not hold the capsule while bending; bend the wire
boom, making a smooth curve
with your thumb to best fit the
profile of the face.
Mount a directional mic 2-3 cm
(1 in) from the corner of the
mouth to ensure optimal sound
quality compared to an omnidi
rectional mic that can be placed
further away from the mouth.
Omnidirectional characteristics
• The mic is sensitive to sound from all directions
• The sound remains more or less the same regardless of the distance
between the sound source and the mic
• The positioning of mic with omni characteristics is less critical than with
directional
• An omnidirectional microphone is generally not very sensitive to wind,
breathing, pop and handling noises
Directional characteristics
• Rejects background noise and creates higher separation
• The mic is most sensitive to sound on one side (marked on some variants)
• The positioning of mics with directional characteristics is essential as the low
frequency level will change according to the distance to the mouth, known
as proximity eect
• Choose a distance that yields the desired amount of bass
• Care should be taken to protect against wind and pop noise e.g. by using
a windsceen
Page 3
How to tell the dierence between d:fine
TM
Headset Microphone capsules
d:fineTM CORE 4166
d:fineTM CORE 4188
TM
CORE 4066,
d:fine
CORE 4266
TM
CORE 4088,
d:fine
CORE 4288
See the mark on the capsule
See the mark on the capsule
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Adjusting the d:fineTM 4066 & 4088
The size of the headset mount can easily be adjusted. Change the standard bend by carefully expanding the distance between the earhooks.
To change sides, simply click the boom out of the clips and switch it over to the other side.
The remaining two clips are not used. The soft cable must not be attached into the clips.
Page 5
Adjusting the d:fineTM 4266 & 4288
For the single-ear, just open the spring hook lightly, first place the slide behind your earlobe (Pic. 1) and let go of the spring over your ear (Pic. 2). For the dual-ear, place the
headset behind your ears and place the springs like for the single-ear. Adjust the headset
mount by pulling or pushing the wires until it fits tightly (Pic. 3).
A directional headset should be mounted 2-3 cm (1 in) from the corner of the mouth to ensure
optimal sound quality.
Pic. 1Pic. 2Pic. 3
Correct placement behind the earlobe
1. When using the dual-ear headset mount,
the supplied cable relief should be applied.
2. Slide the cable into the relief cut.
See instruction video at
dpamicrophones.com/dfine
3. The relief is pre-mounted with dual-ear headsets
and supplied with single-ear earsets.
Page 6
Position the microphone properly by pulling or pushing the boom along the slide.
Switch between left and right ear wearing style simply by rotating the microphone boom. Hold on to the earhook while gently
turning the boom.
For the dual-ear versions, also rotate the two earhooks.
Adjust the microphone boom to follow the shape of your face by gently bending the soft steel on the cable hanger.
Adjust the angle of the cable run, also by gently bending the soft steel (see arrows). Position the cable as shown on the picture for
securing the position of the microphone.
The cable relief on the dual-ear version should be fixed in the clip that also holds the two wires on the mount.
Always leave the protection grid on the d:fineTM 4166 Omnidirectional & 4166 Directional capsules, as it protects the inner grid and
oers protection against wind and breathing noise. The protection grid is replaceable.
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Service connector to exchange cables or booms on d:fine
TM
4166, 4266, 4188 and 4288 Headsets
These d:fineTM Flex Headset Microphones oer exchange of cables or microphone booms. Simply locate the service
access point, pull back the small locking cap and gently pull the boom away from the cable hanger.
Windscreens
The enclosed windscreens oer additional protection against wind and pop noise. Gently draw the windscreen over
the microphone head. For even better protection, bigger windscreens are available.
Sweat stop
The microphone is equipped with a transparent sweat stop around the microphone boom to prevent sweat running
along the microphone boom to the microphone head.
Accessories (see more at dpamicrophones.com/accessories)
Grids and windscreens, cables, adapters, booms and earhooks.
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Protection cap
The d:fineTM 4166 Omnidirectional & 4188 Directional Microphones come with a red plastic
cap which serves to protect the microphone
head when putting on makeup, hairspray and
more. Remove the cap before use.
Color codes & cable steer
TM
d:fine
4166 Omnidirectional & 4188 Directional Microphone types come with a number
of cable steer clips in dierent colors. Mounted
on the cable relief, this clip allows for quick recognition of a specific headset microphone.
Clothing clip for d:fineTM 4266 & 4288 Headset types
The supplied clothing clip allows you to attach the cable to your clothes, thus relieving the
cable draw to the headset mic. This is essential on
especially the single-ear headset mic.
Cleaning d:fineTM 4066 & 4266 mic grids
Remove the mic grid from the mic element and clean the grid using a soft cloth and demineralized
water only. Make sure the grid is dry before remounting it on the mic element. This is not possible
on the d:fineTM 4088 and 4288 types as the diaphragm is protected inside the mic housing and the
protection grids are not removable. Therefore, for these two mics, no attempt should be made
to clean the grid surface and extreme care should be taken not to clog the grids with makeup e.g.
Page 9
Cable maintenance
The cable is usually longer than required. Make sure that superfluous cable is wound
up in soft figure-of-eight loops (preferably 6-8 cm (2.5-3 in) diameter) and avoid kinks
in the cable.
Use Ecotech2 Multi Degreaser from Finish Line to remove residue from tape,
glue, or makeup on the cable. Do not bend the cable or rub it harshly, it may stress
the inner cores of the cable and cause them to break over time.
General maintenance
The d:fineTM Headset Microphones are resistant to high levels of humidity. However, care must be taken to keep the mic away from exposure to water and
cleaning fluids and to keep the mic head dry at all times. Do not use spray or use
fluid containing chemicals that could remove static electricity on or close to the
microphone. This could cause permanent damage.
MicroDot connectors and adapters
To provide users with safe and compact mounting of connectors, all headsets from DPA are fitted with the MicroDot connector as standard. A broad range of connection adapters is
oered as optional accessories for most wireless systems for
professional use. See dpamicrophones.com/adapters.
Please also note that standard hardwired solutions are available
for popular wireless systems;
03 : 3 pin LEMO
10 : TA-4F Switchcraft
34 : Mini-Jack
Page 10
Frequency Response of d:fineTM 4166 Omnidirectional types
dB
04
dB
04
Green line is far field (more than 30 cm/12 in).
10
0
-10
-20
-30
20 Hz50100 200 500 1 kHz2 5102
Frequency Response of d:fine
10
0
-10
-20
-30
20 Hz50100 200 500 1 kHz2 5102
Black line is near field (2 – 3 cm/0.8 – 1.2 in).
TM
4188 Directional types
Polar Pattern of d:fineTM 4166 Omnidirectional types
5 dB
0
0
1 kHz
2 kHz
Polar Pattern d:fine
5 dB
250 Hz
500 Hz
4 kHz
8 kHz
16 kHz
20 kHz
TM
4188 Directional types
1 kHz
2 kHz
4 kHz
8 kHz
16 kHz
Page 11
Frequency Response (d:fineTM 4066 & 4266 Omni Headset types)
Frequency Response (d:fine
TM
4088 & 4088 Directional Headset types)
Polar Pattern (d:fineTM 4066 & 4266 Omni Headset types)