
DPA Microphones Keeps its Cool Under Harsh Filming Conditions for a Variety of Projects Including a Recent Mercedes-Benz Canada Commercial and Upcoming Video Game.
When the critically acclaimed action film, Baby Driver hit the big screen, audiences were treated to a buffet of heart pounding, in-your-face motor vehicle sound effects courtesy of Sound Designer/Composer Watson Wu. In order to capture the pristine vehicle sounds, Wu, long regarded as one of the industry leaders in field recording, relied on his trusted equipment from DPA Microphones. Since 2001, Wu has created award-winning audio content for video games, film, TV and ads.
For Baby Driver, Wu used two DPA d:screet 4061 Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphones to record the cars' engine compartments and on-board sounds. Watson also used one d:dicate 4017B Shotgun Microphone for the external sounds of the cars.
On Baby Driver, I used the d:screet 4061 to capture full frequency and bold sounds, says Wu. The d:screet 4061 captures a lot of bottom ends, which gives that aggressive sound that I want. They can be extended to hundreds of feet long with the extension MicroDot cables. It is a fantastic microphone.
For the on-board sounds, Watson sat in the front passenger seat next to a professional driver with the microphones routed to his Sound Devices 788T-SSD recorder on his lap. The d:screet 4061's were mounted inside a Rycote Mini Windjammer and with the help of gaffers tape, they were strapped to the firewall allowing for the hood to be closed. Wu recorded up to eight sounds simultaneously, including the vehicle's stereo system, outside next to the exhaust pipes and passenger areas.
The tiny d:screet 4061's gave me a lot of bass response and high frequency that I needed, adds Wu. They kept performing despite the hot Atlanta summer weather and the hot engine compartment. My DPA mics were very consistent with the overall sounds throughout the multiple days of the recording sessions. We literally killed three cars with how hard we ran them but despite the heat and abuse, the DPA's kept working with no problems.
Wu was also thrilled with the sound he was able to capture with a DPA d:dicate 4017B mic. The d:dicate 4017B Shotgun mic is a very versatile microphone that is capable of capturing a wide range of levels, from the quietest whispers to the loudest of sounds while still maintaining a pleasantness to the ear, says Wu. A lot of other manufacturers' microphones have a nasty distortion that make you pull your head back, but the d:dicate 4017B delivers nice, bold and ear-pleasing sounds.
In addition to Baby Driver, Wu recently used his DPA mics on a commercial for Mercedes-Benz Canada titled, Hearing is Believing. The commercial, released in movie theaters and mixed in 9.1 Dolby Atmos, provided a 4D experience with sound being in the foreground. I was hired to put mics inside and outside of a very high-end Mercedes-Benz AMG E63S, adds Wu. At over 600 horsepower, we recorded the car doing doughnuts, drifting, gripping and figure 8's. We used the d:screet 4061 in the engine, d:screet 4062 Miniature Omnidirectional Microphone by the wheels to capture skidding and burnouts, and the d:dicate 4017B to capture pass by sounds. The DPA mics really shined for the aggressive sound they wanted the audience to experience.
Wu is also currently working on a video game using DPA's new d:screet CORE 4061 Lavalier Microphone to capture on-board engine sounds. I used the d:screet CORE 4061 and the d:dicate e 4017B to capture tire sounds, says Wu. I rented an electric car and we mounted the mics outside. We drove over gravel, a bridge, grass and wet pavement. In the video game, you are hearing the sounds of the surface that you are driving over along with the engine and the exhaust. The DPA mics worked incredibly well. The d:dicate 4017B is such a light mic, it allowed me to suction cup and mount it onto the car. You can't do that with other mics. It's light enough and captures very focused and sweet sounds.
In addition to the unrivaled sound provided by DPA mics, Wu is also very happy with the customer service he receives. According to Wu, I love the support system from DPA. I know that the company will respond to whatever question or issue I have in a fast and professional manner. I can send the mics off to Colorado for a simple modification and receive them back very quickly. Being a mic junkie, I am always curious about what mics can do and for over a decade I have been very impressed with DPA. I'm a very rare, extreme effects guy. I need DPA for every vehicle-recording job I do. DPA mics are consistent in sound. I can even extend my DPA mics for very long lengths, as was the case with recording an 18-wheel semi for a video game and know that I am going to get the best recordings possible. Since I was a kid, I have loved sound. Sound is music to my ears and I get so excited when I use my DPA microphones.
Photo Credits: AJ Curle & Seth Johnson
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
15/04/2026
Vintage broadcast experts release second plug-in
Telsie T is the second plug-in to be released by SonicWorld, a German audio company who specialise in servi...
15/04/2026
Includes eight free UAD plug-ins
Universal Audio's latest bundle brings together a selection of their renowned plug-ins and virtual instruments, and is ...
15/04/2026
Maximum uptime for broadcasters: Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S BroadcastShield at...
15/04/2026
Image courtesy of MD Helicopters...
15/04/2026
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, L3Harris VP Mark Farley, and state and local l...
15/04/2026
U.S. Space Forces Ground-Based Optical Sensor System upgrade at the Maui Space S...
15/04/2026
NBCU-Versant notches 13.1% of TV viewing in February, its best since August 2024...
15/04/2026
New data reveals older Kiwis are financially resilient, loyal to local products,...
15/04/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, announces the market launch of the ACCE...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Evergent introduces its Agentic Revenue Orchestration Platform, transforming how subscription businesses across direct-to-consumer streaming, pay-TV, telecommun...
15/04/2026
Harmonic's XOS Media Processor Delivers Exceptional Video Quality to More than Half of U.S. Public Media Viewership
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announce...
15/04/2026
LONGMONT, COLORADO, APRIL 15, 2026 DPA Microphones N Series Digital Wireless System users in North America can now take full advantage of the system's exc...
15/04/2026
Cobalt Iron, a leading provider of SaaS-based enterprise data protection, today announced the launch of Compass Tape Gateway (CTG), a transformative enhancemen...
15/04/2026
Disguise to Showcase Cutting-Edge Experience Tech for Sports, Broadcast and More...
15/04/2026
Arooj Aftab Makes the Music She Wants to Hear The singular artist explores the juxtaposition of grief and joy, dark and light, in her distinctive sound.
Apri...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Interra Systems, a provider of end-to-end quality assurance solutions for the digital media industry, is proud to announce its central role in the digital trans...
15/04/2026
VO Integrates Client-Side and Server-Side Ad Technologies with its Secure Video Player and Segmentation Tools, Leveraging Broadpeak's SSAI and BPK SmartLib ...
15/04/2026
TMT Insights, a leader in professional services and software development for the media and entertainment (M&E) industry, today announced the launch of TMT AI at...
15/04/2026
Encompass Digital Media, a global leader in managed broadcast and cloud-based media services, today announced an expanded partnership with Oracle Cloud Infrastr...
15/04/2026
Middleman Software, a leading provider of signaling and synchronization solutions for broadcast and streaming workflows, today announced it will unveil PhaseLoc...
15/04/2026
Deity Microphones today announced the PR-4, a compact six-track field recorder featuring four inputs, 32-bit float recording, advanced routing, and a workflow-f...
15/04/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Fairlight Live
Brie Clayton April 15, 2026
0 Comments
Powerful software-based live audio mixer with support for SMPTE-2110...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/04/2026
Strategic Alignment With the Riedel Group for Innovation and Growth
Thomas Riedel, founder and owner of Riedel Communications and the Riedel Group, has acqui...
15/04/2026
SDVI, the leading platform provider for cloud-native media supply chains, today announced that the company's Rally platform has been deployed by Iyuno Media...
15/04/2026
Frequency, the engine behind many of the worlds leading streaming television channels, has become the platform of choice for leading U.S. broadcasters bringing ...
15/04/2026
New Service Simplifies Integration of AI Applications with Exceptional Reliability and Security
SAN JOSE, Calif. April 14, 2026 Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) t...
15/04/2026
During the 2025 off-season, VIDI completed a major upgrade of the broadcast infrastructure across all 36 stadiums in Germany's 1st and 2nd Bundesliga. The p...
15/04/2026
Clear-Com announced significant updates to its award-winning Arcadia Central Station as well as enhancements to the Eclipse HX Digital Matrix System now runn...
15/04/2026
Shotoku Introduces the World to Aura P2 PTZ Prompter Panner at NAB SHOW 2026
Brie Clayton April 15, 2026
0 Comments
New system removes PTZ pan restric...
15/04/2026
LiveU Announces Expanded Collaboration with Sony at NAB Show, Adding Direct File...
15/04/2026
This 24-Hour Performance Art Piece Needs Your Participation Keefer Glenshaws latest project is about collaborating with the Berklee community and beyond.
Apr...
15/04/2026
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Introducing Smart Home from Sky, a simple way to stay c...
15/04/2026
Wednesday 15 April 2026
The Burbs confirmed to return to Sky and NOW for a second season
Mystery-comedy series, The Burbs, will continue its exclusive resid...
15/04/2026
Back to All News
The Countdown Has Begun! Netflix Drops Trailer and Release Dat...