Dedicated to the art of music engineering, Simphiwe Smooth Mhlanga spent years training and honing his skills as a freelance sound engineer for both broadcast and live music, and his hard work has paid off. With a growing reputation, Smooth has become the top choice for some of South Africa's most promising talents, including the likes of Jabulani Sjava Hadebe, a singer, rapper and actor, as well as Kiernan Forbes, the late rapper and producer known as AKA. Additionally, as Sub-Saharan African music has recently seen an impressive surge in music sales and an increase in streams on all popular music platforms, Smooth's experience is needed now more than ever.
This global recognition for the musical style has opened the door for artists, producers and engineers from the region to showcase their talents and compete on an equal footing to their colleagues in more established markets. That's why, when Smooth gets tasked with miking live shows, the engineer knows he needs a high-quality solution that highlights both his and the performers' skills. Whether performing for 2,000 people or 10,000, the artists require a mic that offers pristine sound replication and the versatility to problem-solve on the spot. Working with DPA Specialist Keith Karimi from ApexPro in South Africa, Smooth selected the DPA Microphones 2028 Vocal Microphone to benefit all of Smooth's production work.
The DPA 2028 is a handheld vocal condenser mic that can be used wired or wirelessly and is perfect for capturing the energy of high-intensity performances. It is specifically designed for the live stage, and offers exceptional sound quality, transparency and versatility, explains Karimi.
This investment in DPA was a bold step for Smooth, who recognized the benefits of the solution for artists of all genres. Many performers may not initially be aware of the difference a top-quality microphone can make, he explains. However, once they've experienced DPA mics firsthand, they come to appreciate them greatly. The tonal quality that the 2028 achieves for vocal performances and spoken word is unmatched. It also has a dynamic range that is ideal for many artistic styles. Whether a singer is whispering the quietest lyrics or performing a louder, more intense song, DPA provides a consistent and desirable tone.
The benefits of the 2028 go beyond the artist's performance on the engineering side, Smooth has found that the response and EQ issues he previously experienced were solved once introducing DPA into his workflow. With the 2028, there are so few EQ changes needed; it is outstanding, he says. This is true for any of my clients who use the 2028. The mic is sensitive enough to allow more gain before feedback, but rugged enough to hold up on the road and during live shows. The 2028 has been more than worth the investment.
Having high-quality gear like the DPA 2028 is something that Smooth prides himself on being able to offer his clients. In turn, he has gained the respect of many of Africa's upcoming artists. He made the decision early on in his career to invest in top-tier microphones to ensure that the local artists with which he works receive the same level of professionalism in their equipment.
Being a freelance sound engineer is an incredible learning experience, Smooth shares. You are only as good as your last job and there are no second chances. This has taught me the value of having professional quality, well-maintained equipment that meets the highest industry standards on every single gig. DPA Microphones has provided that for me every time.
Smooth began his sound engineering career while still in high school, when he joined the production crew at Hope Restoration Ministries in Gauteng, South Africa. This experience led him to a passion for the art and the subsequent pursuit of formal training, specializing in film, television, radio and broadcast. Now, as a freelance sound engineer, he often collaborates with other like-minded young professionals to provide live production, outside broadcast and post-production services to creative and corporate clients in the region. He also credits his homeland for helping him grow his dedication, talent and vision, and hopes to increase visibility for South African music throughout the world.
As the beats of African music continue to captivate the world, the sound engineered by Smooth with the use of DPA will transform the way everyone experiences the style, adds Karimi.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
20/11/2025
15 March 2012
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Cinegy and Vericom are pleased to announce the recent deployment of Cinegy Archive for production and as...
20/11/2025
6 September 2012
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
FIC Turkey supplies media content to Pay TV under Fox TV Channel brands in Turkey.
At the start of s...
20/11/2025
25 June 2014
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Last month VIVA finalized its Cinegy installation in order to produce and broadcast the World Cup Brazil ...
20/11/2025
1 October 2014
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
With 5 locations spread out around Baden-W rttemberg, Schw bisch Media required a scalable end to end s...
20/11/2025
27 April 2015
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Cinegy, which develops and produces media asset management products that are used in flagship production...
20/11/2025
12 August 2015
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 26 October 2015 - Cinegy, which develops and produces software technology for digital ...
20/11/2025
5 November 2015
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany 3 November 2015 - Cinegy, which develops and produces software technology for digital ...
20/11/2025
12 February 2016
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany 9 February 2016 - Cinegy, which develops and produces software technology for digital...
20/11/2025
22 June 2016
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany 21 June 2016 - Cinegy today announced that ABS BROADCAST, one of the largest independentl...
20/11/2025
10 January 2017
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Find us on page 12 of the Program Guide 2016
Tags
NewBay Media Awards , Program Guide 2016 , broadc...
20/11/2025
15 March 2017
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany 15 March 2017 - Cinegy today announced that Thailand's Next Step direct-to-home Free...
20/11/2025
12 December 2017
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany 13 December 2017 - Cinegy today announced that it is making its Cinegy Air Cloud Pack...
20/11/2025
25 June 2018
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich 25th June 2018 - Cinegy today announced that Canada-based Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has implemen...
20/11/2025
27 May 2019
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
The best quality live video from the worst networks - Haivision
Although DVB and the World Wide Web are...
20/11/2025
24 November 2020
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
ATV Expand and Increase their Playout and Editing Capabilities using Cinegy Software
Munich, Germany...
20/11/2025
1 September 2021
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st September 2021:
Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for di...
20/11/2025
20 September 2021
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
ElectronicVerve continues a strong history of supporting Cinegy customers in India
Munich, Germany,...
20/11/2025
1 November 2022
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 01 November 2022: Cinegy, a premier provider of software technology for digital video...
20/11/2025
31 October 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Britt Broadcast at TBC...
20/11/2025
CINCINNATI Oklahoma Community Television (OCT) has selected GatesAir and Triveni Digital as key technology partners in an ATSC 3.0 deployment that establishes a...
20/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has opened a wide-ranging inquiry into the relations between broadcast networks and their affiliates that could...
20/11/2025
NEW YORK Ad spend in the creator economy has more than doubled since 2021 from $13.9B to $29.5B in 2024 and that amount is projected to reach $37 billion in 202...
20/11/2025
Graduate Spotlight: Krysta Mirsik DePuy The educator from Hackettstown, New Jersey, shares how it took her 11 years to find the right graduate program for her...
20/11/2025
LONDON The winners of the Rise Awards 2025, which recognize women and companies whose achievements have stood out in the media technology industry, have been an...
20/11/2025
SANTA MONICA & NEW YORK Lionsgate's Worldwide Television Distribution Group and Debmar-Mercury have launched MovieSphere Gold in more than 30 million homes....
20/11/2025
ALAMEDA, Calif. Clear-Com has introduced its four-channel HelixNet beltpack, a next-generation advancement of its widely used two-channel model, and anticipates...
20/11/2025
NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J. Streaming technology and services provider Kiswe has launched Kiswe Core, a next-generation cloud-based platform designed to simplify the s...
20/11/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. Dolby Laboratories has signed on as an official signature partner of the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) for the 2026 Super Bowl and the we...
20/11/2025
STUTTGART, Germany 3 Screen Solutions (3SS) has announced that the Canadian multiservice operator Telus has launched its Telus TV+ entertainment platform on Sam...
20/11/2025
Major League Baseball has announced deals with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix covering 2026-2028 that make ESPN the exclusive distributor for MLB.TV, put regula...
20/11/2025
Berklee Presents Holiday Extravaganza: Duke Ellingtons The Nutcracker Suite and ...
20/11/2025
It's the Late Late Toy Show BIG BIG Ticket Giveaway day!
It's the Late ...
20/11/2025
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on how developers, 3D practitioners and enterprises can transform their workflows u...
20/11/2025
The How To Gael pocast gals, comedian Chris Kent and quizzer Darragh Ennis drop by for the fifth episode of The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In
In the penultimat...
20/11/2025
Tonight on RT Prime Time, Marie Crowe on how a Reading School changed her son&#...
20/11/2025
The NVIDIA Blackwell RTX upgrade is nearing the finish line, letting GeForce NOW Ultimate members across the globe experience true next-generation cloud gaming ...
20/11/2025
Tanya Berger-Wolf's first computational biology project started as a bet wit...
19/11/2025
Sphere Sound Kicks Up Its Heels at Radio City Music HallUltra-immersive system from the singular Las Vegas venue is also ready for sportsBy Dan Daley, Audio Edi...
19/11/2025
The Future of Stadium and Arena Video Control Rooms: Tech Leaders Talk 4K, IP, a...
19/11/2025
One Year at Intuit Dome: Walking Through the Stunning Arena's Advanced Video...
19/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: IMG's Francois Westcombe Goes Inside IMG's Annual Digital ...
19/11/2025
Inside Brighton & Hove Albion's fan-first media machine By George Bevir
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 10:10
Print This Story
Brighton & Hove Albion'...
19/11/2025
Rock Chalk Rebuild, Part 1: Kansas Athletics Brings New Production Power to Rebu...
19/11/2025
Rock Chalk Rebuild, Part 2: A Pro's Guide to Kansas Athletics' New Video...
19/11/2025
MLB Media Rights Shakeup: NBC Inks Three-Year Deal for Sunday Night Baseball, Pe...
19/11/2025
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade attends the premiere of Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival at Egyptian Theatre on January 26, 2025, in Pa...
19/11/2025
Awards season is heating up, and the International Documentary Association just ...
19/11/2025
Aerojet Rocketdyne President Ken Bedingfield and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders were joined by state and local officials to celebrate the groundbreaking o...
Dedicated to the art of music engineering, Simphiwe Smooth Mhlanga spent years training and honing his skills as a freelance sound engineer for both broadcast and live music, and his hard work has paid off. With a growing reputation, Smooth has become the top choice for some of South Africa's most promising talents, including the likes of Jabulani Sjava Hadebe, a singer, rapper and actor, as well as Kiernan Forbes, the late rapper and producer known as AKA. Additionally, as Sub-Saharan African music has recently seen an impressive surge in music sales and an increase in streams on all popular music platforms, Smooth's experience is needed now more than ever. 
