DPA
4088 CORE+
Electret / lavalier · Cardioid · 20–20,000 Hz · a rider regular
- DPA now sells the 4088 with CORE+ electronics and the locking MicroLock connector, which DPA states is backwards compatible with MicroDot adapters.
- DPA measures the on-axis response at 2–3 cm, the distance a headset boom sits from the mouth; the off-axis curves are far-field.
- With CORE+ DPA added a 0.5 % THD point to its data: 137 dB SPL RMS for the 4088, next to the 1 % and 10 % figures.
Frequency response
No response curve yet.
MicSense only draws a curve redrawn from a graph the manufacturer publishes — it never estimates one from the microphone’s class. No published graph has been redrawn for the 4088 CORE+ yet, so the numbers are in the spec table below.
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for cardioid. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | DPA |
|---|---|
| Model | 4088 CORE+ |
| Type | Electret / lavalier |
| Form factor | Headset |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency range | 20–20,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 6 mV/Pa · -44.0 dBV/Pa |
| Max SPL | 139 dB SPL (1 % THD; 139 dB SPL RMS / 142 dB SPL peak at 1 % THD; 0.5 % THD: 137 RMS / 140 peak; 10 % THD: 146 dB SPL peak. CORE+ figures.) |
| Self-noise | 26 dB(A) |
| Impedance | rated output 30–40 Ω |
| Connector | MicroLock (MicroDot-compatible); also TA4F, 3-pin LEMO or mini-jack termination |
| Powering | Bias voltage from the bodypack (bias via bodypack (5–10 V through DPA adapter), or phantom 48 V via DAD9001 XLR adapter (works from 12 V)) |
| Weight | 14 g |
Specifications: DPA specifications page · last checked 2 Oct 2026. These are the maker’s published figures for this model. A dash never means zero: “not published by the maker” means the maker’s documents give no figure; “not yet checked” means MicSense has not confirmed one yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.
MicSense notes
| Price tier | Pro |
|---|---|
| Introduced | — not recorded |
Price tier and “a rider regular” are MicSense’s own judgement, not the maker’s.
What it gets used for
- Theatre lav
- FOH vocal
- Lectern / podium
- Wireless bodypack capsule
MicSense tags microphones by the job on a live stage, not by studio category — so you can filter for “kick in” or “monitor vocal” instead of working backwards from “large-diaphragm condenser”.
4088 CORE+ alternatives: closest in published specs
Based on published specifications only — always listen at soundcheck. These are the microphones in the MicSense library whose datasheet figures sit closest to the DPA 4088 CORE+’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
Not compared for the DPA 4088 CORE+: response curve not redrawn yet.
-
Sennheiser
ME 3
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: headset
- Max SPL as high or higher (150 vs 139 dB SPL)
- ≈ 12 dB less output — add about 12 dB gain
-
Shure
SM35
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: headset
- Max SPL as high or higher (153 vs 139 dB SPL)
- ≈ 15 dB less output — add about 15 dB gain
-
Sennheiser
SL Headmic 1
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same form: headset
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (143 vs 139 dB SPL)
- Omnidirectional instead of cardioid — no rear rejection: more spill and feedback risk near wedges
Compare it against the alternatives.
MicSense lets you put up to four microphones side by side — spec table, overlaid response curves and polar diagrams on one screen. Free with a free Squaresmile account.