Danish Pro Audio, or DPA for short, are a highly respected maker of capacitor microphones. Though the brand has only existed since 1992, they have a lineage going back to Brüel & Kjaer, who have been making audio measurement equipment since the 1940s!

When DPA were first founded, they had only two full-time staff members, though today they employ well over 100 people. All of their mics and components are built in DPA's own factory in Denmark.

For this month's Sound On Sound competition, DPA are kindly presenting the winner with a ST2006A stereo mic kit, which is worth over £1400! The kit comprises two DPA 2006A small-diaphragm condenser microphones, with omnidirectional polar patterns. These mics employ DPA's twin-diaphragm capsule technology — a way of incorporating two diaphragms into one capsule. This approach apparently offers all the benefits of a small-diaphragm mic (including reduced off-axis coloration and a fast impulse response), while offering the low self-noise more commonly associated with large-diaphragm microphones.

The mics boast an impressive set of technical specifications. They can cope with up to 141dB SPL before clipping, and yield only one percent THD at 130dB SPL. Their sensitivity is rated at a generous 40mV/Pa, and their frequency response is 50Hz to 20kHz (±2dB).

Also included with the 2006A stereo mic kit are two mic clips and two windshields, and the whole lot ships in a sturdy Peli case.

The deadline for entries is 11th May 2012.

the small print

1. Only one entry per person is permitted.
2. Employees of SOS Publications Group, DPA, and their immediate families are ineligible for entry.
3. No cash alternative is available in lieu of the stated prize.
4. The competition organisers reserve the right to change the specification of the prize offered.
5. The judges' decision is final and legally binding, and no correspondence will be entered into.
6. No other correspondence is to be included with competition entries.
7. Please ensure that you give your DAYTIME telephone number on your entry form.
8. Prize winners must be prepared to make themselves available in the event that the competition organisers wish to make a personal presentation.