Testig suspect shotgun

[Michael Threadgold]

Help please.
I've just bought a second hand AkG C568EB shotgun. It appears to have been dropped some time back. It is working but does not have any directional ability. I am using it on a Canon A1 and it doesn't sound any different to the onboard mic. Side sounds are being picked up as loudly as front ones. Is there a more positive test I can do? Michael

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Michael Threadgold

Help please.
I've just bought a second hand AkG C568EB shotgun. It appears to have been dropped some time back. It is working but does not have any directional ability. I am using it on a Canon A1 and it doesn't sound any different to the onboard mic. Side sounds are being picked up as loudly as front ones. Is there a more positive test I can do? Michael

More positive than what and what are you trying to learn??? You didn't say how you've tested it so far.

To get an idea of its directionality, try a point source like a ticking clock. Feeding it into a mixer or headphone amp and wearing phones, point the mic at the clock, then slowly rotate it 180 degrees until it's pointed completely away from the clock and listen for the changes in the volume of the ticking as the angle of rotation changes. Note that shotguns don't completely ignore off axis sounds, they just drop off in level as you point them away from the source. Also, contrary to myth, shotguns do not magnify sound the way a telephoto lens magnifys an image so if you're comparing it to the on-board camera mic by pointing them both at the same source from the same distance it's not surprising that they don't sound any different.

[Michael Threadgold]

Hi Steve, thanks for the advice and sorry for the delay- it was faulty so I sent it back. Michael