Small Parabolic vs. Wireless Lapel Mic
When faced with the task of recording an interview, most people will turn to a lapel (lavaliere) microphone for capturing the audio. The small microphones are seen every day on television, and they are often used without our seeing them. They are the perfect solution, right? Well, not always. There are several drawbacks to lapel microphone that most people just learn to live with. Small parabolic microphones provide a new alternative to lapel microphones that may alleviate all of these issues.
TV Reporters and Social Distancing
Reporters are faced with a dilemma in the current environment of social distancing. How can they capture clear audio during an interview while maintaining a safe separation? Parabolic microphones, used primarily for sports, may provide a great alternative. Parabolic microphones provide a mechanical amplification for the sound coming from in front of the dish. This allows a person speaking at a normal level to be recorded from six to ten feet using a parabolic microphone only nine inches in diameter.
Small Parabolic vs. Shotgun Mic
Many believe that all shotgun microphones have very tight pickup patterns similar to the polar pattern on the right. Unfortunately, this polar pattern shown is for a lobar microphone while only very few shotgun microphones have a lobar pattern. Most low-cost shotgun have a cardioid polar pattern while medium cost shotgun microphones have hyper-cardioid, or super-cardioid polar patterns.