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Parabole For Mic [aimed Recordings]

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pethunia

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Dear forum-contributors,

biggrin.gif I am a happy user of the Sony ECM-MS907 microphone for recording 'soundbites' on my MZ-NH700 HiMD-player.

But for nature-recordings (birds, toads, you name it) getting close to the sound source is not always possible. An aimed mic would come in handy there!

wacko.gif My question is: could any of you suggest a parabole-attachment to my mic to get more aimed recordings? Who makes those things? How to do it myself?

greetings

A rolleyes.gif H

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It looks like they're pretty expensive: just put "parabolic microphone" into Google or Froogle.

You could try the Bionic Ear--either the whole system or (since you already have a mic) the Booster reflector, which is sold separately. The system's mic is probably mono.

http://www.spymall.com/catalog/surveillance-sound.htm

But look at this do-it-yourself link--they used the top of a wok!

http://www.solorb.com/elect/misc/bige/

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The parabolic mic reminds me of the 1974 movie "The Conversation" by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Gene Hackman and featuring a very young Harrison Ford. Has anybody else ever seen that film? It's one of my favorites.

-Jeff DLB

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Try:

Telinga for a complete kit,

or look here for a reflector you can use you own mics with:

www.wildlife-sound.org (Amberwood reflector).

Both work and can give very clean recordings from a distance, But you get funny looks from passers by. Hey mister why are you waving a satellite dish in the air?

Good luck

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"www.wildlife-sound.org (Amberwood reflector" Mmmmm...?

blink.gif They don't even show an email adress "For further enquiries please contact", it all looks a bit old fashioned (look at the dates of the demo recordings on their site!).

Nevertheless, I might contact them, so thank you very much for the tip!

rolleyes.gif An aluminium wok might do the trick just fine, I'm beginning to suspect..

Albin

Edited by pethunia
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aluminum resonates like a bell, though it does work in a pinch. Hard plastic or other acoustically reflective but largely nonresonant materials [like hardwood, heh] work better.

If you're looking for a parabolic mic, make sure the element is unidirectional / cardioid. Paraboles made with omnis are basically asking for trouble with leakage.

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aluminum resonates like a bell, though it does work in a pinch.  Hard plastic or other acoustically reflective but largely nonresonant materials [like hardwood, heh] work better.

Y'know, while you're in the kitchenware zone, there might well be a more or less parabolic salad bowl out there, made of wood or plastic.

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