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Re: Shotgun microphone

Subject: Re: Shotgun microphone
From: "gernothuber2" <>
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 22:11:13 -0000
Dear Pratap,

Another line of thought, starting with Walt's comments: How big is
your dish? Getting a bigger dish could increase the low end boost
enough to make a difference. The current Telinga dish is about 22
inches in diameter, if memory serves, and can be had for under $100.
If your old dish is significantly smaller (I don't know if Telinga
used to make smaller ones), then this might help a lot. I am sure
even bigger dishes can be had from other sources.

Cheers,

Gernot Huber

--- In  Walter Knapp <>
wrote:
> Let's note something. The mic will be just as good with the dish.
In
> fact, it will be better. There will be some gain even at that low
level.
>
> This is certainly the case with the current Telinga Pro V. It picks
up
> low frequencies, With Gain. Removing the mic from the dish lowers
the
> gain at low frequencies. I verified this today on random low
frequency
> stuff outside (including doves). I know the Telinga Pro V picks up
owls
> very well as I record distant owls incidental to my frog recordings.
>
> Let us look at the shotgun mic. A shotgun mic gives you no gain
> advantage over a omni. It has a interference tube which attenuates
the
> off axis sound, but on axis it's a regular mic in a tube, no extra
gain
> compared to a regular mic of the same sensitivity.  You use a
shotgun
> mic to narrow the pickup field, not for increased reach. You then
get
> some gain by amplifying the mic output (including amplifying it's
self
> noise)
>
> Combine those two, and what you get is that even at low frequencies
if
> the mic capsules have the same sensitivity you will do better with
the
> parabolic than with a shotgun for reach.
>
> My question is have you tried the parabolic on the bird calls you
are
> worrying about? If not, try it. You might save yourself some money.
>
> If you are still set on getting a shotgun, your price range could
> probably buy a Sennheiser ME67 off Ebay or used elsewhere. I'd be
really
> surprised at getting a MKH 416 or 816 in good shape for that
little.
> Certainly Ebay prices are higher than that.
>
> Walt
> 



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