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Re: parabolic mics

Subject: Re: parabolic mics
From: "hartogj" hartogj
Date: Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:31 am ((PDT))
Hi Dani,
Hope this helps.

"Question 1: Will you advice buying myself a prepared parabola / mount / ha=
ndle like the Telinga one, as I suspect? Or are there other choices / brand=
s? cheaper? I know the umbrella/wok thing :) but is it worth it?"

A1: I have not heard of aftermarket brands of parabola mounts, so either bu=
y the one that is designed for the particular dish, or DIY make your own. Y=
ou will get much improved performance from a hard surface with a precise pa=
rabolic curve than a fabric surface with an uncertain curve.

"Question 2: Is the parabola approach designed to be used with JUST omni mi=
cs? Are other caption patterns allowed, or is it senseless to use direction=
al mics here?"

A2: No, yes, perhaps. Try it with what ever mics you have on hand. But if y=
ou need to buy mics for your dish, start with omnis.

"Question 3: Aware of how a smaller mic will be attached to a parabola in m=
uch an easier way than a shotgun mic... Is it possible to use the parabola =
approach with shotgun mics like mine (sennh mkh 416) pointing towards the c=
enter of dish?'

A3: The capsule membrane needs to be positioned in the focus of the parabol=
a, so your mic is probably too long to fit. The tube might need to extend o=
ut through the mounting hole, and that does not seem very practical to me.

Q3b: "Does this enhance directivity for a shotgun?"

A3b:  That depends on your definition of "enhance":) Once you put it in the=
 dish, I think it is no longer a shotgun mic.

"Question 4: Has anyone ever tried to use a shotgun like mine with a parabo=
la behind it, both pointing in same direction? (opposite way, unlike small/=
lavalier mics pointing to center of dish) > Will this improve results of a =
shotgun? What do you believe this experiment will cause? -if it has any sen=
se-"

A4: Yes they have tried it, but no I have not.  The mic will no longer be a=
 shotgun mic, but an altered parabolic mic.  Remember, the capsule membrane=
, not any other section of the tube, needs to be positioned in the focus of=
 the parabola. Your experiment will reveal to you the truth.

What recorder will you be using? There are inexpensive options for omni mic=
rophones that might work better than your mkh-416 in this application. This=
 would keep your shotgun mic free for the close up work it is designed for.

John Hartog
www.rockscallop.org



--- In  "diesel33dsl" <> wrot=
e:
>
> Hello all;
> It's been good to see all your thoughts about parabolas and specially rec=
order noises.
> But, apart from some advice about not starting with a parabola (thanks, a=
nd I must say here I am not that newbie), no one has answered the rest of m=
y questions... which were more important.
>
> I am not persuading you to answer, but one can know there are experts her=
e because of their answers, and I am sure they would easily reply with a fe=
w words to my original questions, which had nothing to do with recorder noi=
se... :)
>
> Thanks !
>
> DSL
>
> --- In  "diesel33dsl" <dieselmil@> wrote=
:
> >
> > Hi again;
> > Now comes my first question to experts;
> >

> > I said I consider myself to be quite newbie on this...
> > So far my best mic is a sennheiser mkh-416 (shotgun condenser).
> >
> > I use it outdoor and it gives me good results of ambience, (it is mostl=
y used for tv and movies). I have good wind protection gear like foams and =
zeppelin...
> >
> > ...but, though very directional, it captures aaall the ambience around =
without focusing so much on distant sources.
> >
> > Here's when I decide to try a parabola.
> >
> > Question 1:
> > Will you advice buying myself a prepared parabola / mount / handle like=
 the Telinga one, as I suspect? :)
> > Or are there other choices / brands? cheaper? :)
> > (i just found Telinga, professionally)
> > I know the umbrella/wok thing :) but is it worth it?
> >
> > Question 2:
> > Is the parabola approach designed to be used with JUST omni mics?
> > Are other caption patterns allowed, or is it senseless to use direction=
al mics here?
> >
> > Question 3:
> > Aware of how a smaller mic will be attached to a parabola in much an ea=
sier way than a shotgun mic...
> > Is it possible to use the parabola approach with shotgun mics like mine=
 (sennh mkh 416) pointing towards the center of dish?
> >
> > (<-   ((((source)
> >
> > Does this enhance directivity for a shotgun?
> >
> > Question 4:
> > Has anyone ever tried to use a shotgun like mine with a parabola behind=
 it, both pointing in same direction?
> > (opposite way, unlike small/lavalier mics pointing to center of dish)
> >
> > (->  (((((source)
> >
> > Will this improve results of a shotgun? What do you believe this experi=
ment will cause? -if it has any sense-
> >
> > Sorry for so many questions at first ...
> >
> > I can't wait for reading experts points of view about this...
> >
> > Thanks!!!
> >
> > Dani Satu=E9
> > www.dsldiesel.es
> >
>








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