Before every New York Mets home baseball game at Citi Field, the Mets’ official television network SportsNet New York (SNY) airs a pre-game broadcast. Seeking the most appropriate microphone for the job quality, SNY Senior Studio Director Luis Pantoja settled on DPA Microphones’ d:fine 4288 Directional In-Ear Broadcast Headset.

‘We’ve had our d:fine 4288s for close to three years now,’ Pantoja says. ‘We like their form-factor and the inclusion of built-in ear buds. The mics experience the normal amount of wear-and-tear, and we’ve found that they are durable and hold up very nicely, even in wind and light rain. Also, these mics are much better looking than traditional broadcast headsets, and easier to set up than other manufacturers’ microphones. Sound quality has proven to be superior to the previous brands we’ve used, and the mics also mix in the right amount of ambient sound.’

Part of DPA’s in-ear broadcast microphone series (which includes the d:fine 4188 directional and 4266 omnidirectional mics), the 4288 features a lightweight and flexible headset mic system and in-ear driver. The design of the mic and in-ear ensures there is no audio leakage from the ear to the capsule, and the in-ear audio is easily driven due to the high sensitivity. The 4288 is available in either single- or dual-ear versions, with black or beige colour options and wired or wireless configurations. Two sizes of ear pads are included for the in-ear, to fit most ears, and the cable steer – located at the headset mount – controls the cable-run down the neck.

‘I’ve found that any time you put form and design before sound quality, there are compromises,’ Pantoja says. ‘But, with that said, we didn’t have to compromise when it comes to the d:fine 4288 In-Ear. My audio engineers rave about the quality of audio on them.’

In addition to baseline remotes at Citi Field for the Mets’ pregame broadcasts, SNY uses the 4288 mics at the Mets’ spring training in Florida, as well as at Major League Baseball Winter Meetings and New York Jets football training camp broadcasts.

More: www.dpamicrophones.com