Singer/songwriter Leo Sayer began using d:facto Vocal Microphones during his last UK and European tour after introducing them to his long term sound engineer and production manager Damien Young.
He then asked Young to source wireless d:facto mics for his forthcoming Australia and New Zealand tour dates. Sayer purchased two 4018V capsules because of the extra presence this capsule gives him.
“My introduction to the d:facto Vocal Microphone certainly came through Leo and it is now a microphone I would really like to have in my personal microphone kit because it is amazing,” Young said. “I usually struggle with the ‘extra’ top end Leo loves but this mic doesn’t give me any issues and I use significantly less processing to get a great vocal. On the last show I only used an HPF and compression, no severe EQ or DE-Essing was needed. It also takes FX well.
The reverbs and other processing just works better with less noticeable artefacts.”Damien Young adds that Leo Sayer is a big fan of the extended useable top end that he gets with d:facto because he likes his sound to be bright and loud.
“With most other mics you can have one or the other,” Young explained. “By the time Leo gets the level he wants it’s either feedback city or lose the clarity. With the d:facto 4018V he can have both. Leo has a great voice and with the d:facto I can hear his performance, tone and clarity. The low notes are clear, the mids are not hard and the top end is clear without me wanting to ‘fix’ anything. I love the sound of this microphone -or rather I can finally NOT hear the mic because what I’m hearing is the source without any other rubbish in the way.”
Young’s own audio experience is vast and eclectic and includes the roles of sound engineer, tour manager, production manager, FOH and monitor engineer and head of production company Ultrasonics Audio Engineering.
During his years in the business, he has worked with artists such as BB King, Alice Cooper, and James Brown.
From February through to April 2019, the pair will be embarking on at least 20 live dates covering Australia and New Zealand before Leo Sayer heads back to the UK and Europe for a series of shows.
In each case, DPA d:facto will be his microphone of choice as the two 4018V capsules he now owns travel everywhere with him.“I’m looking forward to Leo’s upcoming tour so that I can hear how the d:facto performs with a variety of sound systems, monitor systems and rooms,” Damien Young added.
“I already have a DPA d:dictate 4090 Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone in my studio, which is another great mic but I’ve not had the opportunity to use a DPA vocal mic before so this is very exciting.”
