Topic: Windscreens indoor question

[alienbobz]

Before I start of this thread, I just wanted to state that I have read a good amount of info about running windscreens indoors. Most people have said that is it ok. The reason I am asking this after reading those is because I meet a taper last night who was confused as to why I was using my windscreens indoors. He told me that windscreens will lower the high frequencies. Mind you this was a venue were you aren't allowed to smoke on stage side, so there was no need to protect it from that (except for one guy who decided to break the rules). So now I want to know if his comments are true or not. I am using the stock windscreens for the TL's. Let me know.

[Tim]

good windscreens should not alter the sound of the mics.

[alienbobz]

Any clue if the stock TL windscreens are good? They seem good.

[Tim]

I've never heard anyone say anything bad about them...

[Swampy]

Definitely use them inside, AC kicks on, fan ect... you'll have wind just like outside. It also just added protection for the caps. The only screens that I have ever heard of slightly effecting the sound are the big Shures which are like 4 inches of foam

[pfife]

I've never noticed anything with mine, but I've also never run an A/B test or anything.  I'd always run windscreens, if I were you...

[alienbobz]

Thanks for the help everyone. I pretty much have run the windscreens since I bought the TL's. They sound fine to me.

[ChrisV]

Yeah, any windscreens except the Shure "bigass" ones I've used running indoors.   

Usually stick with the small dinky ones that came with my mics, but if I notice any substantial breeze from AC kicking in I'll switch to the DPA ones.

[Wiggler]

Windscreens do indeed affect the sound of microphones.

copied from schoeps site.
In general, when comparing two windscreens which are equally efficient,  the smaller one will always have a greater adverse effect on sound quality.    If two windscreens are the same size, the one which is more efficient   will have the greater adverse influence on sound quality – altering  the microphone’s frequency response and (with directional microphones)  the polar pattern as well.  Thus it is advisable to select a windscreen that is only as efficient as is really necessary, and perhaps to use a larger windscreen rather than a smaller one that has the required degree of efficiency.

[Tim]

I've never done an A/B but in 7+ years I never noticed a difference....

[F.O.Bean]

never noticed anything here either

[Brian Skalinder]

Windscreens do indeed affect the sound of microphones. [snip]

Makes sense to me.  So I guess the question really becomes, then:  is it at all noticable in our application?  For me, the benefits (smoke, ventilation, and [potential] impact protection) are well worth the not-noticable-to-me effect of the changes.

Anyone wanna run a blind comp?   

[Brian]

Anyone wanna run a blind comp?

sure!  The Pageant here in St. Louis is a pretty open room.  Smoke issues would be minimal.  I'll do set one with the screens and set 2 without.  the real question here is.....will i remember to do so?

i run tl's and will be using the windscreens supplied by ADK.

[jdawg]

Here's an article on windscreen use I just googled, fwiw.
http://www.equipmentemporium.com/windscre1.htm

For me it's come down to the venue I'm taping at. Mainly for smoke and impact protection in crowded situations.  I think I'll try the experiment as well. First set with, second set without. These are some big-ass windscreens I've got here, wish I knew what kind/make they are.

[ethan]

Definitely use them inside, AC kicks on, fan ect... you'll have wind just like outside. It also just added protection for the caps. The only screens that I have ever heard of slightly effecting the sound are the big Shures which are like 4 inches of foam

Yep couldn't agree more...you never know when a fan, AC or heat is going to come on.

-e