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Re: Shotgun parabolic, was Re: Seeking advice for a beginner

Subject: Re: Shotgun parabolic, was Re: Seeking advice for a beginner
From: "Tim Nielsen" supernielsen
Date: Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:31 am ((PST))
Interesting, but I can't imagine this would be a very 'good' sounding
arrangement. Since the parabolic is reflecting a rather large surface
area into a focal point, an omni would best pick up all that sound.

Since a shotgun usually is of a long interference tube design, I'm not
sure how you'd get it really into the 'sweet spot' of the parabolic
dish? If you just put the tip in that spot, the rest of the mic is
outside the focal point and would likely give you a fairly interesting
sound.

I know people have experimented with cardiod pattern mics in parabolic
dishes. I'm still not sure if would increase the 'reach' of the dish,
but maybe it would focus the sound on the focal point, and thereby
reduce the 'noise' of the mic, meaning the mic is picking up less
overall 'other' sound besides the focal point sound?

But my guess without having tried it, a shotgun wouldn't increase the
'reach' of the parabolic. Because with a parabolic, no matter what
microphone you're using, if it's pointing into the dish, you're really
micing a sound at nearly 0 inches away, since all you're micing is the
acoustic focal point of the dish. So changing mics at the focal point
shouldn't increase the reach of the mic, but might drastically change
the character of the sound...

I have no idea if any of that makes sense.

Try it and let us know!


On Feb 24, 2008, at 11:42 AM, Lou Judson wrote:

> Thouigh occurred while reading this thread - has anyone ever
> experiemnted with a shotgum ic pointed at the parabolic reflector?
> Would that give longer reach to the combination?
>








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