A Modern, Unique Approach
As people who use custom in ear monitors everyday ourselves, DCA is an in ear monitor consultancy designed to be different and put artists, musicians and industry professionals in control of their hearing health and live sound.
Founded in 2021, we flipped the conventional approach to in ear monitoring on its head, prioritising people and experience above all else.
As a result, DCA has quickly become to the partner of choice for some of the world’s highest profile musicians and custom in ear monitor manufacturers, all driven by a desire to allow any professional the choice over their sound.
As a growing community focussed business with a person-centred approach, you won’t find prescriptive recommendations or certain products being 'pushed' in seasonal, time limited sales, just questions and a genuine interest to learn more about what you do followed by dependable and impartial advice, informed by current industry experience to help you find the solution that is best for you, when you need it.
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Our approach is completely bespoke so whether you are a musician playing stadium shows who has never thought twice about in ear monitors, a sound engineer or a working musician doing 150+ shows a year, we’ve got you.
Miles Dakin
Founder, Consultant, Session Musician & Sound Engineer.
With over 15 years experience in the music industry on both sides of a mixing console, Miles has a unique perspective and appreciation of the complex needs of both a professional performer and engineer. With his first hand experience of the challenges they both face, he has an in depth understanding of how the creative and technical aspects interact.
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As a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, he designed DCA's processes to put people first including becoming the UK's leading 3D ear impression specialist for the music industry. His aim is to authentically understand the challenges each client faces, find solutions that generate the best experience on stage, then educate and empower each individual to ensure they have the tools to achieve it, and therefore give the performance possible.
Our Values
Person-Centred
DCA will always be person-centred, not sales led. Putting your experience at the heart of what we do.
Exclusive Partners
We only work with select accredited companies that are committed to meet the high levels of service we set.
Cutting Edge
Making the best technology and techniques accessible to all musicians, at every level no matter what.
Low Impact
A 21st century business designed to be environmentally conscious, aiming to minimise our impact on the planet.
Our Customs & Impressions are trusted on stages with:
Architects, Alkaline Trio, Artemas, The Compozers, The Darkness, Haken, McFly,
London Symphony Rock Orchestra, Neck Deep, Poppy, Six The Musical​, Sleep Token, Vince Freeman Zara Larsson...
Plus countless incredible session players, professional musicians and touring sound engineers and crew.
DCA has always been designed to be proactive in having as lower impact on the environment as possible, so we're aiming for a cleaner business by getting our hands dirty!
We started the Hear Forever Project, an initiative to plant a native British tree for every pair of custom in ear monitors sold, and using a portion of our profits to support re-wilding projects across the UK.
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This started with Miles planting a nursery of 150 native trees and hedging plants here in Birmingham in 2022, and is due to expand significantly in the UK across multiple sites in early 2025.
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To help with our sustainability while this project grows, DCA is also part of Carbon Neutral Britain and aims to have B Corp status by 2026.
