Topic: Rycote Super Softie compared to their Classic Softie

[DigiGal]

John do you know exactly what went wrong during manufacturing to cause the problem?  It can only help to understand the situation if you could share it. My intent was to purchase the Super Softie for this application until I watched that video.

I'd like to pick up a couple of the Windjammers to go over the big ass shure's as they are called here but I don't know what size is needed for these common screens. I have a Windjammer over my VP88 screen and it is definitely superior to other fur solutions I've used on other mics.

Great to know that Rycote is now patenting designs to help protect against the copiers. It's sad that scrupulous companies will copy an idea to create a duplicate looking product for slightly less dollars to steal a sale and stick the unsuspecting buyer with an under performing copy. MAP pricing only encourages folks to seek out a bit of savings effectively making the purchase of a similar looking copy more attractive. I really wish manufactures would abandon the practice of MAP pricing altogether.

[John Willett]

John do you know exactly what went wrong during manufacturing to cause the problem?  It can only help to understand the situation if you could share it. My intent was to purchase the Super Softie for this application until I watched that video.

I am not absolutely sure - I think part of it was a sewing problem that affected the retention of water and also affected the wind properties.

I know this was investigated and sorted at a very early stage, as soon as it was spotted.

I'm not sure if there was anything else involved, there may have been.

Rycote are very good at sorting out any problems that may occur - thankfully few and far between.

[Gutbucket]

For my needs, wind reduction is the prime function of a screen since I can adjust for any frequency attenuation in post.

You can't really put back what isn't there and adjusting the frequency in post will add other problems.

Sorry, but I don't follow this.  The signal is not truncated, it is attenuated by the wind-protection device, typically in a very linear and predictable fashion.  Correcting for the high frequency attenuation of the wind protection is everyday practice and the correct thing to do.  Some microphones intended for use in Windjammers include a dedicated switched filter in the microphone body with a response specifically tailored to correct for it.  Better quality wind-protection should attenuate less, do so in a more linear way, with less distortion of a directional microphone's pickup pattern, while offering the same degree of wind-noise reduction.  The resulting recording will then require less correction, with better preservation of dynamic range through the effected frequency range, but all wind-protection will produce some degree of HF attenuation. 

The main problem I have here is advocating against correcting for the high-frequency attenuation. 

[F.O.Bean]

I wasn't aware of how "expensive" the classic softies are until I saw this thread and looked around for the cheapest place. I don't really have $400 to buy [4] of them, since I need them for [4] capsules Guess I'll just get another pair of Rode Dead Kittens to use over my DPA screens. I have been using the Dead Kittens on my mk41s and Tim Browns dead rats, and I must say, I didn't hear ANY wind noise during the music this past summer. Trust me, I would LOVE to have the classic softies for all of my capsules, but just cant afford that route

The best cheap route is to use a Rycote Mini Windjammer over your standard foam windshields.

Didnt realize there were SOOOO many versions of the mini windjammer Do you know which ones would work the best over a large DPA screen? The DPA 8096 I think its called?

Thanks in advance John Hell, I just found which classic softie would work best with my mk4x/KCY collette on an active bar, and now I have to do the same with the mini windjammer

EDIT: I just did some measuring, and the Special 90 MWJ seems to be the best fit for the Large DPA screens that we all use. MUCH better pricing at $40/each! Especially for us tapers that already have the large DPA screens

[DigiGal]

Bean I haven't found the large DPA screens to be all that effective even with a fur covering although I haven't tried them with Rycote Windjammers.  The Big Ass Shure's do a better job so that's what I use outdoors and save the DPA for indoor use.

[Gutbucket]

I'm curious, how common it is for users here to encounter wind noise using the bi-density foam Shure A81WS aka "Big-Ass" screens without a fur covering over them?  Fur-less is how I've used them and haven't experienced wind problems, but also haven't recorded that way in ultra-gusty conditions.  Steve's post about using hippie-muppets on 'em makes me wonder about when the addition of some fuzz may be warranted.

I've been considering some classic softies for use over the foam screens of miniature directional microphones, for a couple applications where the Shure's would be more than capable, but are simply too big and I'm looking for something less visually imposing.  My hope is that softies over the smaller foam screens will offer similar wind-noise reduction to the 'nude' Shures.

The miniatures are AT 853 cardioids and DPA 4098H hypercardioids.  I've encountered some rumble with simple single-layer foam screens a little more than an inch in diameter over the approximately 2" long miniature interference tubes of the 4098s, where similar conditions with the ATs using DIY faux-fur covers over similar sized foams had no wind issues, but I'm not entirely pleased with additional high-frequency attenuation of those DIY furs, and the softies look a lot nicer as well.

[stevetoney]

I've been using the BA Shures for several festival seasons now...and an overage of 4 or 5 festies each year.  I can't remember really extreme wind, but I know I've recorded in windy conditions and never once heard any wind noise with the Shures. 

For clarification, I was considering fur for a pair of Rycote smoothies I recently picked up...I've never felt the need to cover my BA Shures.  The smoothies have a stated 25db of wind attenuation, so I was giving some thought to getting some furs to fit those. 

I also recently picked up a pair of Rycote Softies which I believe have a rating of 40db of attenuation.  I expect these to replace my BA Shures as my number one screen.

The Rycote product that's only an outer fur that slips over a pre-purchased screen, like say the DPAs are called Windjammers. 

I've also still own and have successfully used a fur product from Windtech called Mic Muffs, which I have slipped over my smaller DPAs in high wind conditions and those work fine as well.

[Gutbucket]

Thanks for the clarification.

Looks like I'd need to see if Rycote has Lavaliere Windjammers which fit the DPA 4098 (they list special models for the 4080 and 4099).  The shorter hair Ristretto Windjammer version would probably work for the 4060 or 4061 omnis used in the same rig, which as omnis are more wind-resistant than the directional mics and usually but not always fine with just small foams.

[Gutbucket]

One think I like about the fur on the Rycote softies and windjammers is that it seems finer, more evenly distributed and 'uniformely poofy'. In other words, less clumpy than many 'dead critter' alternatives and DIY craftstore fur which tends to almost go dreadlock.

[TSNéa]

... and they come with a comb!

[DigiGal]

... and they come with a comb!

I carry a Clinique folding brush like one of these in my gear bag    Short video LINK of Rycote Brush

[stevetoney]

... and they come with a comb!

It's true that the fur on the Rycote's is a fine synthetic that I believe is prone to not clump. 

To elaborate a little bit on TSNéa's comment for anyone that may not know, the Rycote Softie's come packaged with a brush that folds up nicely for compactness into your gear bag.  The brush is something of a design feat in itself in that it's got a sliding button on the handle.  As you press the button and slide it towards the far end, the tynes of the brush rotate upward and outward so that they're extended at right angles from the body of the brush.  The button then has a click to lock it in place.  Rycote recommends giving the Softie a brushing before deploying and particularly after it's gotten wet.  After brushing, the brush can be folded back up nicely and put back into the bottom of your bag and since the tynes are folded back up, it's very compact and unobtrusive.

I'm not sure if the Windjammer also comes with this brush.

[John Willett]

One think I like about the fur on the Rycote softies and windjammers is that it seems finer, more evenly distributed and 'uniformely poofy'. In other words, less clumpy than many 'dead critter' alternatives and DIY craftstore fur which tends to almost go dreadlock.

Rycote put a lot of R&D into the Windjammer fur - lengths of the fibres, type of fibre, the backing and how it's fitted to the backing to give the maximum amount of wind attenuation with the minimum HF attenuation.

[TSNéa]

... and they come with a comb!

It's true that the fur on the Rycote's is a fine synthetic that I believe is prone to not clump. 

To elaborate a little bit on TSNéa's comment for anyone that may not know, the Rycote Softie's come packaged with a brush that folds up nicely for compactness into your gear bag.  The brush is something of a design feat in itself in that it's got a sliding button on the handle.  As you press the button and slide it towards the far end, the tynes of the brush rotate upward and outward so that they're extended at right angles from the body of the brush.  The button then has a click to lock it in place.  Rycote recommends giving the Softie a brushing before deploying and particularly after it's gotten wet.  After brushing, the brush can be folded back up nicely and put back into the bottom of your bag and since the tynes are folded back up, it's very compact and unobtrusive.

I'm not sure if the Windjammer also comes with this brush.

The BBG WJ does.
Sorry for the confusion between a comb and a brush: my hair hardly needs them 

[John Willett]

I'm not sure if the Windjammer also comes with this brush.

Yes it does