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The Wildtronics Parabolic Microphone is engineered to the be the most advanced and best performing parabolic microphone on the market. The microphone was developed by Bruce Rutkoski, who has professionally recorded nature sounds for over a dozen years, originated new recording techniques, and has designed many specialized recording devices. This microphone offers the professional a vastly improved parabolic microphone, with multiple connectivity without special cables, an integral tripod mount, accessory mounting provisions, and costs a fraction of competing microphones. The new, original design combines multiple techniques to increase audio gain, broaden the frequency response, reduce mic self-noise, improve isolation of the subject, and minimize handling noise. Use this parabolic microphone for sound reinforcement on football and baseball fields, recording birds and nature sounds, wildlife research, law enforcement, paranormal investigation, or anytime sounds need to amplified and isolated beyond the performance of other microphones.
The large, 22-inch, parabolic dish is optimally sized to balance portability and low frequency response. The dish is clear so you may accurately sight your target. Parabolic curves can be calculated to select the depth and focal point. The Wildtronics' parabolic shape was optimized for a focal point to match the microphone's polar response, shield undesired sound pickup, and offer a compact package. The paraboloid was then accurately CNC machined to create a master mold. This accuracy is necessary for precision focus at higher frequencies. The microphone assembly is easily removed and reinstalled without altering it's precisely located, factory set focal point. The molded plastic dish is 0.080-inch thick for best all around durability, critical shape retention, and some bending to fit into larger airline luggage.
Integral booster discs are designed into the microphone assembly to increase the audio gain, boost low frequency response to that of a 30-inch parabolic dish, and help isolate the sound pickup to only the focused target and avoid other stray sounds. This amazing booster disc technology further sets the Wildtronics Parabolic Microphone apart from all others.
Not just one, but an array of low noise microphone elements are used at the focal point of the parabola. Array technology not only increases the audio gain, but reduces self noise to that of the lowest noise microphones on the market. Combined with the parabolic dish and booster discs, the signal to noise ratio is far higher than any other microphone. A military grade foam windscreen is built-in.
There are no special or custom cables needed to connect the Wildtronics Parabolic Microphone to your amplifiers or recorders. Both standard, balanced XLR and 3.5mm connectors are conveniently located on the back panel. You can use 11-53 volt phantom power or the internal 9-volt battery. 9-volt battery life is about 150 hours, so you can save battery life in your other equipment by turning off it's phantom power.
The entire microphone assembly is engineered to reduce the effects of handling noise and inadvertent bumps. A special foam suspension system helps isolate the microphone assembly from handling noise. In addition, the comfortable, foam handle grip was carefully selected with a texture that minimizes noise from hand movements.
The lightweight aluminum alloy parts are powder coated for durability. A black, low reflectivity finish is used throughout to increase stealth. A 1/4-20 thread, in the bottom of the solid high strength handle, allows easy attachment to a tripod. An optional Accessory Bar Kit is available that allows versatile mounting of additional equipment. With the Accessory Bar Kit, you can mount cameras, tripods, recorders, preamps, wireless transmitters, and install the included dual handles that give improved comfort and superb balance.
$790
Wildtronics Parabolic Microphone Technical:
The following Frequency Responce chart was cobbled together with Wildtronics Sensitivity values overlain on the Dish Gain Equation. The three sensitivity values allowed me to calculate a relationship of gain vs frequency defined thus: Wildtronics Dish Gain = 7.7986ln(frequency Hz) - 57.379. This relation most closely matches the Gain Equation for a 22 inch dish with 11% efficiency.
Gain dB = 20LOG(3.25DE/W) Where: D = diameter inches
W = wavelength inches
E = efficiency (0 to 1)
Does this actually mean the 22” dish has only 11% efficiency? NOT necessarily so. The Pro Mono Sensitivity is the Sensitivity of the Array microphone boosted by the 22” dish with a 6" boundary booster disk. The three components we need to know for the system sensitivity are: 1) dish gain, 2) booster gain, and 3) array microphone sensitivity.
We know the system sensitivity is -4 dB. Wildtronics publishes the microphone plus booster sensitivity as 10 dB!! This is incredible as the best condenser mike "out there" (Sennheiser MKH 8070) has -19 dB. I cannot get everything to ADD UP using 10 dB so I must go out on a limb here and ASSUME the actual value is -10 dB. Since the mic plus booster = -10 dB, take away the 6 dB boost and the microphone must have a fantastic but still credible -16 dB sensitivity.
The dish gain equation allows calculating the dish gain but you now need another parameter, dish efficiency. Referring to published literature: "Practically, the dish efficiency η is in the range of 45% to 70% depending on the material, shape and construction. Here, we have calculated the gain by assuming efficiency as 50%." Sawant, O. and Bhowmick, IEEE, Jan 2022. Sounds good to me, lets assume 50% efficiency and start guessing!
A) Total Sensitivity (-4 dB) = Dish 50% gain (8.46 dB) plus booster gain (6 dB) plus Microphone sensitivity (-16 dB) = -1.5 dB. does NOT add up.
B) Total Sensitivity (-4 dB) = Dish 40% gain (6.52 dB) plus booster gain (6 dB) plus Microphone sensitivity (-16 dB) = -3.5 dB. Close enough, so 40% dish efficiency is needed for things to add up. This seems at the low end of published suggestions. Here I must assume that the 6 inch booster plate is blocking a portion of the dish thus lowering the efficiency.
I feel that the system Mr. Rutkoski has designed with integrated dish, booster, and array microphone is as good as any on the market, likely better than most.
KJS 04/2025