The ATR6550x shotgun microphone offers crisp, intelligible pickup from close or far away. A switch on the microphone’s body allows you to shift easily between “Wide” and “Far” settings. In the “Wide” setting, which is appropriate for close and medium-range miking, the ATR6550x functions as a standard cardioid condenser, focusing pickup on your desired sound source, while blocking noise from the rear and sides. Switching to the “Far” setting causes the polar pattern to narrow to supercardioid, giving you even greater directionality to pick up sound from a distance, while bypassing ambient noise such as traffic, air-handling systems, room reverberation and mechanically coupled vibrations.