Topic: Windscreens for small diameter condenser microphones?

[flipp]

I'm thinking of cutting off the metal zipper pull tab and replacing it with a nylon string loop clipped into a plastic cap.  This would eliminate the tinkle tinkle sound the metal zipper pull makes as the pouch is moved and jiggled during transport.

Or you could plasti dip the pull tab.

Hey thanks for that, lacking plasti dip I'll give heat shrink tubing a try. 

don't forget every tapers' staple - gaffers tape

[Church-Audio]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

[DigiGal]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

I do have windtech foam and mic muff's for my shotgun mics but I like the size and dual densities of foam used on the Big Shure's for sdc's, do you happen to know if these are oem design made by windtech? 

[Church-Audio]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

I do have windtech foam and mic muff's for my shotgun mics but I like the size and dual densities of foam used on the Big Shure's for sdc's, do you happen to know if these are oem design made by windtech?

I would bet they are. They will probably not tell you though And it would be an exclusive item made by them for Shure.

Chris

[DigiGal]

I'm thinking of cutting off the metal zipper pull tab and replacing it with a nylon string loop clipped into a plastic cap.  This would eliminate the tinkle tinkle sound the metal zipper pull makes as the pouch is moved and jiggled during transport.

Or you could plasti dip the pull tab.

Hey thanks for that, lacking plasti dip I'll give heat shrink tubing a try. 

don't forget every tapers' staple - gaffers tape

I did put heat shrink on it which has reduced the sound and may be enough to quiet it down.  Gaffer tape could work but if the sound is still annoying I'll just go with my first thought using the replacement pictured below. Only thing once the old one is cut off then it can't go back on. 



I have used different colors of heat shrink on zipper tabs before for color coding purposes to distinguish contents between my assorted portabrace stuff sacks.  For instance the blue covered tab on this one is reserved for my Blueline Active cables...

[John Willett]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

There is nothing special about carving from a foam block - this is normal.

Foam windshields *have* to be carved from foam blocks - everyone does it this way.

You need open-cell foam for a windshield and if you mould it you seal up the foam and the windshield won't work.

Every good windshield manufacturer I know does it this way.

All the manufacturers do it this way - some of the better ones are dual layer foam with a finer foam on the outside and a courser on on the inside, as the fewer bubbles the less colouration occurs (the Sennheiser MZW 8000 is a dual-layer one like this).

[Church-Audio]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

There is nothing special about carving from a foam block - this is normal.

Foam windshields *have* to be carved from foam blocks - everyone does it this way.

You need open-cell foam for a windshield and if you mould it you seal up the foam and the windshield won't work.

Every good windshield manufacturer I know does it this way.

All the manufacturers do it this way - some of the better ones are dual layer foam with a finer foam on the outside and a courser on on the inside, as the fewer bubbles the less colouration occurs (the Sennheiser MZW 8000 is a dual-layer one like this).

I beg to differ most windscreens are injection molded and not carved on Lethe. That's an expensive and material wasting process. it's much cheaper to injection mold except the cells are not as open. All of the windscreens from china are injection molded. I don't know how they do it but they are.

[audBall]

What's the effective porosity of injection-molded vs. lathe cut? 

[Church-Audio]

What's the effective porosity of injection-molded vs. lathe cut? 

I have no idea all I know is from my conversations with the owner of windtech. He tells me he uses a no heat process that eliminates any fusing of the foam cells so that there is no unnecessary sound blockage. One thing is for sure not all foam is the same and it pays to spend a few more bucks for quality windscreens.

[John Willett]

The best windscreens are made by windtech they are carved from foam blocks not injection molded. there is a huge difference in the way they work. Windtech also does the oem design and builds for companies like shure.

There is nothing special about carving from a foam block - this is normal.

Foam windshields *have* to be carved from foam blocks - everyone does it this way.

You need open-cell foam for a windshield and if you mould it you seal up the foam and the windshield won't work.

Every good windshield manufacturer I know does it this way.

All the manufacturers do it this way - some of the better ones are dual layer foam with a finer foam on the outside and a courser on on the inside, as the fewer bubbles the less colouration occurs (the Sennheiser MZW 8000 is a dual-layer one like this).

I beg to differ most windscreens are injection molded and not carved on Lethe. That's an expensive and material wasting process. it's much cheaper to injection mold except the cells are not as open. All of the windscreens from china are injection molded. I don't know how they do it but they are.

OK - I take your word for it - I only have experience of quality windshields all of which are cut and not moulded (these would be manufacturer originals from quality manufacturers, and companies like Rycote and Schulze-Brakel).

[Gutbucket]

Anyone have leads on windscreens for miniature 'shotgun' style mics?

Looking for outdoor capable screens for DPA 4098H miniaure directionals.  The portion of the mic which needs screen protection is ~1-1/2" long X 7/32" in diameter (or just under 1/4").  I called DPA but they have nothing appropriate and had no sugestions.

I need to find something pretty quickly for use in about a week.

[flipp]

Pink foam curlers from the 50s/60s are the only thing that springs to mind quickly.

Have you checked out teh Rycote softies to see if they have something with that size hole? The opening is extremely flexible, and also quite grippy, so if they list a softie with a 1/4"  or so hole I would think it would probably work. Looks like they don't have anything that small. Would something for one of the Audix mini-mics fit?

[Gutbucket]

Hair curlers! That gives me an alternate idea.  Plastic mesh-basket type curlers could be pressed into service as DIY basket screens supporting a fur cover.   I have fur material on hand already.  Time for a dollar store trip for curlers and resulting odd looks as I hold the foam ones up to my ears if they have those.  I know they have the plastic basket type.

Rycote lists a 4cm mini softie #033003 specifically for the DPA 4098, yet searching a few vendor sites no one has them in stock, and many of their softies I can find for slighly larger mics all seem to list around $120 and have a ~2week lead time.  I don't have that long and don't want to drop $240 for a pair.

[DigiGal]

Speaking of mesh-basket type, how do Rycote Baby Ball windscreens with Rycote Windjammers compare with the BIG Shure's for small diaphragm condensers???  Like all things Rycote they are expensive but surely they're built to last a lifetime, at least they wouldn't deteriorate like foam does with age.  There's a set of baskets in the yard sale for 21mm diameter mics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cq30e2UUJo#t=368

   

[Massive Dynamic]

Anyone have leads on windscreens for miniature 'shotgun' style mics?

Looking for outdoor capable screens for DPA 4098H miniaure directionals.  The portion of the mic which needs screen protection is ~1-1/2" long X 7/32" in diameter (or just under 1/4").  I called DPA but they have nothing appropriate and had no sugestions.

I need to find something pretty quickly for use in about a week.

Have you considered the AT8117? Perhaps a hair large for the 4098? Here's an old post of mine when I had them.

Just got my AT8117 windscreens and thought I'd post some more info.  They are serious in size, though I have still to do some tests to determine how well they work.  Here's the size comparison AT8102 vs AT8117.
AT8102: 2" long, 1" diameter, mic opening, 3/8", mic insertion depth over 1"
AT8117: 3" long, 2" diameter, mic opening 5/16", mic insertion depth 2 1/2"
The foam material of the AT8102 is softer than the stiffer AT8117.  The AT8117 is oval in shape vs the cylindrical shape of the DPA 0896.

The Audix 1290 fits nicely in either of the AT windscreens, but I won't know how well they attenuate wind rumble until after I do some field testing.  Thought I would pass along some of my legwork to other micros owners.
Price from Full Compass is @ $7.74 (special order), B&H and SP are both higher.