Wildtronics All Purpose Parabolic Kit

The All Purpose Parabolic Microphone includes everything you need to securely mount almost any existing microphone, even some stereo microphones, pointing either towards or away from the dish. You may use many of your favorite pencil style, instrument microphones from Sennheiser, Audio Technica, Rode, DPA, Neumann, or AKG. Most microphones will fit into the All Purpose Kit, as long as they are 18-26mm in diameter, and 50-188mm (best if under 155mm) in length. Adapter sleeves are included to fit the above diameter range. If you don't have a high quality microphone, our high value, Performance Series Microphones, the Amplified Omni, Micro Mic XLR, Micro Mic PIP, and Stereo PIP are all low noise and exclusively designed for use in the All Purpose line. Our exclusive Focus Gauge system allows you to quickly obtain exact focus with either microphone configuration. The exact focus is conveniently marked on the Mic Tube for easy, repeatable calibration or any amount of de-focus. Routing passages are also provided for either configuration, using your standard mic cable. The handle is lightweight, comfortable, durable, and has low handling noise. Metal ¼ -20 threads are built right into the handle base for solid tripod mounting. The All Purpose Parabolic Microphone uses the same high quality parabolic dishes as our Professional line, with a choice of the paintable ABS Black Ops dish, or the optional 0.060 or 0.030 inch thick clear polycarbonate dishes. The dish is easily removed or securely installed with a large resilient clamp, like our Professional models. An optional, removable Secondary Windscreen Frame Kit is available, which can also alternatively mount a microphone with the elastic Shock Mount Kit, which is included with the Secondary Windscreen Frame Kit accessory. The Secondary Windscreen, included with the Secondary Windscreen Frame Kit accessory, allows you to record in winds up to 20MPH. All critical components are machined from high strength, high temperature nylon and ABS plastic for a lifetime of use and abuse, not the cheap PVC parts other similar products are using.

For a quick comparison, our Professional Parabolic models have a 5dB lower noise microphone built-in, built-in booster plate technology that further increases gain by several dB, improves bass response, improves off-angle pickup rejection, has better handling noise isolation, is equipped with both 3.5mm and XLR connectors, has the ability to use phantom power or the internal battery, and has optional variable gain, low-noise amplifiers and stereo background mic options as well. The lower noise and other improvements in the Professional models allow them to obtain roughly twice the range, compared to any other parabolic mic system. If you feel you need the features of the Professional models, read more about the Professional Mono Parabolic Microphone or Professional Mono-Stereo Parabolic Microphone models.

The All Purpose line is an improved modular design based on conventional construction. You can use almost any existing microphone, using common cables, and add options and better microphones at any time. The entire microphone assembles and disassembles quickly and easily into a few major parts making it easy to transport.

Wildtronics offers microphones that can be used with the All Purpose Parabolic Microphone, the Amplified Omni Microphone, Micro Mic XLR, Micro-Mic PIP and Stereo PIP Microphones. The Amplified Omni Microphone is a 14dBA noise floor microphone that includes built-in preamps, so you can have the benefits of being able to connect a headphone directly to the microphone and be able to use almost any recording device, even inexpensive recorders, to produce great, low noise recordings. The Wildtronics Micro-Mic PIP is available for those who need a good, inexpensive, low noise, microphone. You can also use these microphones by themselves, outside of the dish, as general omni-directional microphones. You can use either microphone pointing towards or away from the dish. The Micro-Mic PIP requires a recorder that has a 3.5mm input with 2-5 volt PIP, or Plug-in Power. The Micro-Mic PIP is less than 2 inches long, weighs less than 1oz, has a good 14dBA noise floor, has a built-in windscreen, and is ready to pop into the central Mic Tube. The mic has a machined aluminum construction, is fully shielded, and has a gold plated, Neutrik 3.5mm stereo jack. The left channel is connected to the mic, and the unused right channel is grounded. A 6-foot 3.5mm cable is included that can store right inside the Mic Tube, and be pulled out as needed to connect to a handle or waist mounted recorder. The Micro Mic XLR Microphone is a small XLR based microphone that has high sensitivity and a low noise floor of 14dBA. A Stereo PIP Mic is available for those who also want to utilize the interesting concept of in-dish stereo. This stereo system utilizes two microphone elements to produce a dual beam pickup pattern, with a beam separation of about 10 feet per 100 feet of distance. Since the microphones are separated by a critical fixed distance, two divergent beams are formed by the parabolic reflector. This is analogous to a high/low automotive headlight system, where a small distance between the two filaments forms the high and low beams. When pointed at a distant location, higher frequencies are separated into a left and right stereo image. Note, this is not the wide-angle background stereo system used in the Wildtronics Professional Mono-Stereo model. The Stereo PIP Microphone is also PIP powered, and gives the stereo effect of in-dish stereo. The Stereo PIP Microphone mounts directly into the hub without the Mic Tube, and has a gold plated Neutrik 3.5mm connector on the back, allowing you to use any common 3.5mm cable. The noise floor of the Stereo PIP is 14dBA. The Stereo PIP is also fully shielded from EMI/RF using a machined metal core. Since these are low noise mics, your recorder should have at least a -120dBA EIN for best performance. Some of the best PIP recorders available are: Tascam DR-701D, Sound Devices MixPre series, Tascam DR-05x, and the Roland R07. If your equipment does not have PIP or has greater than -120dBA EIN, like -110dBA as most small PIP powered devices do, the Amplified Omni Microphones would be a better choice for optimum performance. The Amplified Mics are specifically designed to overcome the noisy inputs of video cameras, low cost recorders, and limitations of PIP power.

The Amplified Omni Microphone is a low-noise, 14dBA, mono microphone complete with batteries, and does not require Plug-in Power in your recording device. Battery life is over a hundred hours. The 3.5mm output is idea for use with low cost recorders or video cameras. Included is a low noise amplifier with push button gain that can also directly drive headphones without any external equipment. The low-noise pre-amp boosts and buffers the signals, so low cost but often noisy recorders can work great. The Amplified Omni Mic, with most low cost recorders, provides the equivalent performance of a Sennheiser ME-62 used with a very expensive low-noise recorder. The Amplified Omni Mic was designed to overcome the problems of finding a low cost recorder that has suitable PIP and a low noise floor. The entire module is shielded with a machined aluminum housing, and has Switchcraft 3.5mm stereo jack with both channels driven, or a switch changes it to left output only for stereo applications. A low cut, or high pass, filter is also included that may be switched on or off. You can read more about the Amplified Omni Microphone here.

Why do we use high strength, high temperature nylon, ABS, and polycarbonate plastic and not PVC, polycarbonate blands, and PETG, as found in competing units? Temperatures inside vehicles can reach 185 degrees F, according to SAE specifications. PVC, PETG, and other lower temperature plastics will either permanently deform or soften enough to cause assembly and disassembly problems. You will most likely store your microphone under these conditions once and a while, so it's better to have a product you can rely on. PETG, used in some competing dishes will easily deform at 160 degrees F, meaning they will permanently, severely distort inside a vehicle on a typical Summer day. The higher performing plastics that Wildtronics uses cost more, but result in a product you can depend on for years. There is no better performing plastic for clear parabolic dishes than 100% polycarbonate, that's why we use it.

Wildtronics 2020-2022 Model All Purpose Parabolic Microphone Instruction Manual download.

Click here for instructions for mounting the Micro Mic PIP Microphone.

In the future there will be some audio samples here using the All Purpose Parabolic Kit

Below is a comparison video of multiple types of directional microphones. The All Purpose Parabolic kit provides excellent results.

Approximate Polar Angle Response: 25 degrees.

Approximate dish gain: 0dB @ 200hz then +6dB/octave

Diameter of Parabolic Reflector: 22 inches with a 0.75 inch flange

Weight without microphone - 0.060 Standard Dish: 2lbs 4oz

Weight without microphone - 0.030 Feather Light Dish: 1lb 12oz

Weight without microphone - 0.060 Black Ops Dish: 2lbs 1oz

Dimensions: 22 x 22 x 9 inches

Maximum storage temperature: 200/93 degrees F/C

Made in the USA, RoHS lead free, with CE conformity.

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