Birding Despite Disability

Obsessions Don't Care About Limitations


Making a More Convenient Shotgun Microphone Recording Rig

(Update: I changed microphones.)

During the winter I made the jump to 32-bit audio recording with the Zoom F3 field recorder. I couple this with a Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun microphone. I’d originally purchased the Rode NTG5, but it was horribly noisy. I soon learned that I wasn’t the only person that had trouble with it, either. The company was not at all responsive about finding the root cause and fixing it, so I sent it back and went with Sennheiser instead.

I mount the mic inside a Micolive blimp windscreen and “wombat” which comes with a pistol grip. It is very comfortable to use. The only question was how to carry the F3. What I settled on was a “magic arm” with double ball head and two 1/4″ male adapters. Another adapter was needed to screw this into the pistol grip 3/8″ screw hole. A tie wrap keeps the short XLR cable out of the way.



One response to “Making a More Convenient Shotgun Microphone Recording Rig”

  1. jerry.berrier@gmail.com Avatar
    jerry.berrier@gmail.com

    Hello,

    I have been using a Zoom F3 recorder, which I carry in a small fanny pack that has a shoulder strap and a waist strap.

    I mostly use an AudioTechnica 8022 stereo mic, but I also have a Sennheiser ME66 shotgun mic.

    I’m very interested in learning more about the Micolive blimp and other apparatus you mentioned. I will research those. As of now, I only have basic wind screens, which are not so great.

    Most recently, I purchased a Zoom M2 32-bit float recorder. It is shaped like a typical wireless mic, but it has a recorder built into it.

    While it’s not totally accessible by any means, it is usable without sight, once a sighted person assists with the initial setup. It’s an X/Y microphone, good for general recordings, but it is not great for focusing in on one specific sound.

    I’m totally blind, so if anyone needs assistance learning to use the models I Have, I’m happy to help.

    I also have a Zoom F6 recorder, and a Wildtronics parabolic system, although I don’t have very many opportunities to use the parabola; it’s certainly not compact.

    Jerry Berrier

    508-735-4420

    http://www.birdblind.org/ http://www.birdblind.org

    (he/him)

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