Path of Miracles - DECCA

Decca Tree (DPA 4006)

Designed for large ensemble recordings, the Decca Tree (named for the eponymous record company) comprises widely spaced A and B microphones with a center fill (C). The system's wide stance allows for the maximum amount of decorrelation between a left side (A) and a right side (B) stereo signal, while still coherent enough for the listener to identify them as part of the same image. The Decca C position anchors the image's central position while providing greater compatibility with multichannel playback systems that have a standalone center speaker (rather than relying on the phantom center image of two-channel stereo).  The DPA 4006 microphone is a small-diaphragm condensor with an exceptionally flat frequency response. Originally developed by B&K as an measurement microphone, the 4006's omnidirectional pickup pattern stems from its fixed pressure capsule. Omnidirectional microphones are more sensitive to low frequencies than directional microphones, making them the most complete single-point capsule. Not only is the DPA 4006 favoured by classical engineers on Earth, NASA's Perseverance rover was equipped with a 4006 on its 2020 mission, making it the favourite microphone on Mars.

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