Topic: Windscreens for KM140s

[mattmiller]

I rarely tape outdoors, but yesterday I caught some wind rumble using the windscreens that came with the mics (bought used from Jamos here:  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=128131).  It looks like the photos are no longer up.  But I assume they are fairly garden variety windscreens and not meant for decent-sized wind gusts.  What are people using for these and similar-sized mics?  I'm open to foam or dead rats, but I'm not a DIY kind of person so I need direction on a specific model to purchase.  I sometimes mount the full KM140 bodies and sometimes just the AK40 caps -- so the chosen solution will need to be able to grip on just the capsule.

[Church-Audio]

I rarely tape outdoors, but yesterday I caught some wind rumble using the windscreens that came with the mics (bought used from Jamos here:  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=128131).  It looks like the photos are no longer up.  But I assume they are fairly garden variety windscreens and not meant for decent-sized wind gusts.  What are people using for these and similar-sized mics?  I'm open to foam or dead rats, but I'm not a DIY kind of person so I need direction on a specific model to purchase.  I sometimes mount the full KM140 bodies and sometimes just the AK40 caps -- so the chosen solution will need to be able to grip on just the capsule.

We are going to start making dead rats for the KM series of mics. As I already have a few customers lined up. If your interested they will be $85 a pair.

Chris

[Brian Skalinder]

DPA UA0896 -- smaller, somewhat less effective than A81WS, but more effective than the stock pop-screens
Shure A81WS -- larger, more effective than UA0896

I used to run UA0896 indoors, A81WS outdoors.

[mattmiller]

Shure A81WS -- larger, more effective than UA0896

I can't find any dimensions for those.  Are they shallow enough to use in an active setup?  Heck, even when I mount the full bodies with Busman shocks, not much more than the AK40 capsule extends beyond the mount.

Can you or anyone else speculate on the effectiveness of these relative to Chris's dead rats?  It looks like about $60 for a pair of these and probably $90-$95 (with shipping) for the dead rats.

[dactylus]

http://www.thewindcutter.com/shop/ 

I personally haven't used these folks but they come highly recommended by several folks here at TS.

[dactylus]

I would also go with Brian's recommendation of:

 DPA UA0896 -- smaller, VERY MUCH less effective than A81WS outdoors, but more effective than the stock pop-screens. 

Shure A81WS -- larger, MUCH MORE effective than UA0896!!!


I personally run the DPA UA0896 indoors,  the A81WS outdoors.  The DPA UA0896 are NOT effective outdoors unless you have just a whisper of wind!! 

I have had several outdoor recordings ruined by the ineffectiveness of the DPA UA0896 during windy conditions!!

[jibooer]

Your mounts might pose the problem when trying to use the A81WS's. The middle of the windscreen is about 2 1/4" deep. They are great windscreens though, saved my recordings at Mountain Jam last weekend.

[Brian Skalinder]

Are they shallow enough to use in an active setup?

Neither windscreen will seat fully deep with just the active setup.  But they will slot deep enough to provide effective protection and remain securely in place.

[taperj]

Shure A81WS -- larger, MUCH MORE effective than UA0896!!!

I personally run the DPA UA0896 indoors,  the A81WS outdoors.  The DPA UA0896 are NOT effective outdoors unless you have just a whisper of wind!! 

I'd agree with statement number one but statement number two I'd have to disagree partially, the UA0896 are fine for most moderate wind situations, I actually borrowed a set from you(dactylus) last year at Toyota Park and you remember the wind situation, I got no rumble at all. The Shure's are definitely bombproof, I've run them in 25mph gusts with no noise, I did get rumble at probably 30-35mph swirling winds at a street fest here in Chicago but even that was very minor and it was serious wind while recording low volume spanish guitar. The Shures do come with some sound cost, albeit low for the amount of coverage, the DPA's are fairly transparent for the amount of coverage. I now roll with my stock Neumann pop screens from my 184's(they work on my 140's as well), DPA UA0896, and the Shure A81WS, the DPA UA0896 extend to the middle of the -10dB attenuator on my 140's as full bodies, so for actives it would be a simple matter of taking a scissors and cutting off a couple mm of foam to make them flush up perfectly. The A81WS is about the same but due to it's design you might have more trouble modding it to be perfect with actives if it won't work out of the box. I've run the pop screens or some cheap windtech indoor screens whenever there are ceiling fans or registers kicking out air and it's been fine, I've never had to go with the DPA's indoors.

J

[Brian Skalinder]

the DPA UA0896 extend to the middle of the -10dB attenuator on my 140's as full bodies, so for actives it would be a simple matter of taking a scissors and cutting off a couple mm of foam to make them flush up perfectly. The A81WS is about the same but due to it's design you might have more trouble modding it to be perfect with actives if it won't work out of the box.

FWIW, I never needed to mod either the UA0896 or A81WS to use them effectively with my KM1xx actives.

[Gordon]

DPA UA0896 -- smaller, somewhat less effective than A81WS, but more effective than the stock pop-screens
Shure A81WS -- larger, more effective than UA0896

I used to run UA0896 indoors, A81WS outdoors.

exactly.  I've gotten wind noise with the dpa's when it wasn't that windy.  and yes they fit just fine with the active setup as is.  I'm using kwon an nola bars so I can't speak for the neumann mounts.

[dgale]

I've run a pair of DPA UA0896 outdoors with my KM140s for years and never had a problem with them - they are far superior to the stock screens and I've rarely encountered wind that made a recording unpleasant when using these.  As for the fit - they fit perfectly with the active setup, including using the Neumann ORTF mount.  Not sure about the XY mount, as I never use it, but am guessing it would work if you squeezed the screens together a bit where they'd cross over/under each other.

[John Willett]

I would use the standard Neumann foam windshield with a Rycote mini-Windjammer over it.

[sparkey]

I rarely tape outdoors, but yesterday I caught some wind rumble using the windscreens that came with the mics

Put a piece of speaker fabric over the mic before putting the windscreen on, I bet that solves your problem.

[Gordon]

I've run a pair of DPA UA0896 outdoors with my KM140s for years and never had a problem with them - they are far superior to the stock screens and I've rarely encountered wind that made a recording unpleasant when using these.

consider yourself lucky then.