Bird recording equipment setup
| My complete bird recording gear setup. |
Equipment summary
This is the current equipment setup I am using with my shotgun microphone. The basic idea of components remains the same regardless of specific equipment.
|
Component |
Equipment |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Sennheiser ME67, ME66 | No longer available. Consider MKE600 or look on eBay |
|
Recorder |
MixPre-3 II, Zoom H4N Pro | |
| Peripherals | K6 Power Module | Optional but saves battery draw on the recorder |
| Rycote Shock Mount Grip | ||
| Rycote Softie Windscreen | The fuzzier the better | |
| Over-the-ear headphones | Optional with this kind of microphone | |
| Angled XLR cable |
Microphone
I originally selected this shotgun microphone after reading a guide from Audubon on recording bird songs. They have a fleet of these microphones in use. I like it for its directional sensitivity. It does a good job of filtering out ambient noise but not so much that a pair of headphones are required. The microphone can be powered by phantom draw (taking power from the recorder) or by using a K6 Power Module.
Shotgun microphone
|
|
| Type | Shotgun |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sennheiser |
| Model | ME67 |
| Accessory | K6 Power Module |
Recorder
Dedicated recorder
Sound Devices MixPre-3 II (a 32-bit float recorder)
This MixPre-3 II recorder by Sound Devices is an amazing piece of technology. Its ability to record in a format called 32-bit float allows you to not have to set gain levels while recording and prevents bird song audio files from clipping if they are unexpectedly loud.
| Type | Dedicated recorder |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sound Devices |
| Model | MixPre-3 II |
Handheld recorder
Zoom H4N Pro
|
|
| Type | Omnidirectional handheld |
|---|---|
| Brand | Zoom |
| Model | H4N Pro |
Peripherals
Windscreen
This windscreen does a great job of reducing wind noise during recordings. It has a foam core with a faux fur exterior and slips over the shotgun microphone.
| Brand | Auray |
|---|---|
| Model | WSS-2014 Professional Windshield - (14cm) |
| Wind noise reduction | up to 25dB |
Shock mount grip
This shock mount has a pistol grip handle and holds the microphone in a way that eliminates handling noise.
| Brand | Rycote |
|---|---|
| Model | Rycote Lyre Pistol Grip Shock Mount |
Cables
This angled cable enables the cable to flow a logical direction from the microphone into the shock mount.
| Type | XLR M to Angled XLR |
|---|---|
| Length | 1.5’ |
Headphones
Headphones are used in my setup, but any over-the-ear ones should do. It will help you hear the bird better and ensure you are aiming decently enough.
Links
Below are links to find the products used in this recording setup. These are Amazon affiliate links that help support my birding hobby at no cost to you.
|
Component |
Equipment |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Sennheiser ME67, Sennheiser ME66 (now MKE600) |
| Recorder | MixPre-3 II, Zoom H4N Pro |
| Peripherals | K6 Power Module |
| Rycote Shock Mount Grip | |
| Auray Windscreen | |
| Over-the-ear headphones | |
| Angled XLR cable |