Topic: Movo WST50 Ballistic Nylon Windscreens - back in stock!

[ol' dirty taper]

I have the WS-G30 and the WS-50 and I have to say the WS-G30 kept more wind out of my recording recently than the white fur version WS-50. Thought I was safe using them on omnis in high wind and was wrong, are the ballistic WST80 the most wind resistant?

[voltronic]

I can only speak to the WST (nylon cover; no fur) being very wind-resistant. The WS and WS-G each have a different type of fur over foam construction, and it's not clear from Movo's website which is supposed to be the best. The WS-G is much more expensive, for whatever reason.

[ol' dirty taper]

According to their website, the WS-G is marketed as having a "rigid" foam, while the WS in the description says it's an "acoustic foam technology" they've implored. Probably time I get a couple pairs of the WST screens.

[ero3030]

According to their website, the WS-G is marketed as having a "rigid" foam, while the WS in the description says it's an "acoustic foam technology" they've implored. Probably time I get a couple pairs of the WST screens.

The foam on the inside is like a BRILLO pad!! Not on my caps.  15 bucks each, that's y.  Look great though

[BonoBeats]

So it was reported here: https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=200320.msg2381552#msg2381552

That these things pretty much suck. Anyone else have any experience in high winds? I hate carrying BAS to. I thought these were the perfect solution. Haven't had a chance to use mine yet.

I use them reguarly at Red Rocks, Dick's etc. No issues at all.

[cd2go]

Another very positive vote for the WST50 screens! I have the 3cm version and used them outside several occasions with Rode TF-5 and also my CCM4 and not an issue. Haven't measured the gap in front of the caps yet, but I insert them enough to just cover the rear vents. Certainly worth the purchase.

[phil_er_up]

So it was reported here: https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=200320.msg2381552#msg2381552

That these things pretty much suck. Anyone else have any experience in high winds? I hate carrying BAS to. I thought these were the perfect solution. Haven't had a chance to use mine yet.

I use them reguarly at Red Rocks, Dick's etc. No issues at all.

Use these instead of the black DPA ones that come with the set and they are so much better. Taken up to 40MPH and no wind on mics...simply amazing! You need to make sure the inner side of the windscreen is pulled out toward the outside to make sure no wind gets through the area between mic and wind screen toughing each other.

[ts]

Another very positive vote for the WST50 screens! I have the 3cm version and used them outside several occasions with Rode TF-5 and also my CCM4 and not an issue. Haven't measured the gap in front of the caps yet, but I insert them enough to just cover the rear vents. Certainly worth the purchase.

This is the way I understood the proper use of this screen, or any screen that has a rubber base to grip the cap or coupler or mic body. Make sure the sure all vents are covered and you have a tight seal around the bottom, meaning do not push the cap or coupler or whatever all the way in. That can allow airflow thru the bottom. Interesting point about the gap inside. I'm using mine with nBobs, naiants or LC3's and I know there is a small gap between the tip of the cap and the inside of the screen. Not as much of one with the Naiant couplers and AKG CK caps.

[Gutbucket]

Confirming what ts posted above, insert the microphone far enough that any vents are fully inside the windscreen and are neither sticking out the back making them partly exposed, nor blocked internally by the rubber cuff itself.  The cuff seal needs to be air-tight around the microphone in a position behind any vents.

At the front end of the windscreen, there should be some airspace left at the front end.  Wind protection will be reduced if the mic is shoved all the way in until it stops, leaving no internal air gap.  This needs to be done by feel.  With the big ass Shure you can only insert the mic so far, with the Movos you can over-insert too far.

Here is an example of internal depth on a couple larger Movos in comparison to BAS:

[Gutbucket]

The foam on the inside is like a BRILLO pad!! Not on my caps.  15 bucks each, that's y.  Look great though

It uses the same expanded large-pore flexible plastic foam inside as the Shure, and will not scratch the finish on the mics.  It's a material used for filters and is actually more like a sponge, with pores too large and open to retain water.  It only resembles a scouring pad due to the large pore size.

Although soft and compliant, the rubber cuff is more likely to cause a scratch due to it's grabbing tightly, but probably only if the surface is dirty or a bit of grit gets stuck in there.

[Gutbucket]

Movo sizing: The number after WST indicates the approximate internal depth in millimeters, but the mic should be inserted somewhat less far to provide some dead air space at the end.

If measuring actual internal depth, the size closest to the Shure A81WS (AKA big ass Shure) would be the WST60 or WST70.  But in regards to external dimension, and for most effective wind protection, the closest comparison would be WST80 as pictured above, with the mic inserted to same depth as if using the Shure.

[edited to correct, had it backwards on initial posting]

[voltronic]

The foam on the inside is like a BRILLO pad!! Not on my caps.  15 bucks each, that's y.  Look great though

It uses the same expanded large-pore flexible plastic foam inside as the Shure, and will not scratch the finish on the mics.  It's a material used for filters and is actually more like a sponge, with pores too large and open to retain water.  It only resembles a scouring pad due to the large pore size.

Although soft and compliant, the rubber cuff is more likely to cause a scratch due to it's grabbing tightly, but probably only if the surface is dirty or a bit of grit gets stuck in there.

The other thing about that kind of plastic foam found inside the Movo's (and the BAS, apparently) is that it is far less likely to degrade over time, and have tiny crumbled pieces attach to your mic diaphragm. That is a real concern with the type of foam found in most windscreens (and what's on the outside of the BAS).

[TSNéa]

The foam on the inside is like a BRILLO pad!! Not on my caps.  15 bucks each, that's y.  Look great though

It uses the same expanded large-pore flexible plastic foam inside as the Shure, and will not scratch the finish on the mics.  It's a material used for filters and is actually more like a sponge, with pores too large and open to retain water.  It only resembles a scouring pad due to the large pore size.

Although soft and compliant, the rubber cuff is more likely to cause a scratch due to it's grabbing tightly, but probably only if the surface is dirty or a bit of grit gets stuck in there.

The other thing about that kind of plastic foam found inside the Movo's (and the BAS, apparently) is that it is far less likely to degrade over time, and have tiny crumbled pieces attach to your mic diaphragm. That is a real concern with the type of foam found in most windscreens (and what's on the outside of the BAS).

I hope this is not too off topic.

I recently found, in a moving box forgotten far from home since the early 90's, three samples of "microphone" foam in two mic boxes... In one box was an AKG D12 on top of a grey foam pad that appeared to be intact, in the other was a Beyerdynamic M201 N in a pile of disintegrated black foam, with a black foam windscreen, in apparent good condition.

The protective foam of the M201 was of course unusable, sticky, in fine particles adhering everywhere including on the body of the microphone. But, for the M201's windscreen and the D12's protective foam, after a passage in soapy water, a rinse and a drying outside, in the shade, they were in perfect condition, some thirty years later...
All foams are not born equal!
I can't formally identify the foam windscreen of the M201. It is not the specific Beyerdynamic model, the WS101, longer, to cover the vents on the body of the mic (it is a hypercardioid). Maybe a Schoeps (or a DPA?) but the back of this windscreen is cut at right angles and not "rounded".

Both microphones work well.

N.B.: The M201 still had its individual frequency response curve in the box, i.e. the paper strip directly from the B&K meter, as was the custom at the time... Matching number, of course! 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[goodcooker]

I can't sing the praises of these windscreens enough. I taped John Moreland yesterday at an arboretum that has an outdoor concert series. We had high wind warnings (which in south central Kansas is pretty severe) and these little guys did a spectacular job. No wind noise whatsoever in the recording and we had gusts of over 40+ mph.

John was singing into an SM58 and there was considerable wind rumble in his vocal mic. After the intermission he suggested to the house sound guy that they put a wind sock on the vocal mic. Helped a lot but still strong enough gusts to hear it in the PA - but none in my mic source.

[Gutbucket]

Movo support told me this morning their current stock of WST50 is currently just about depleted.  I ordered five a couple weeks back and they sent WST100 by mistake.  Just returned those today and they tell me they currently do not show WST50 in stock on their website, but have pulled five of them for me.  They did not say how many actually remain currently available or when a stock replenishment will occur.  Contact them directly if 50's are needed.

I asked about WST60 or WST70, both of which are likely to be a better fit for my application, but they said they have none of those in stock and have not made them for a number of years.

[snip]..gusts of over 40+ mph.

John was singing into an SM58 and there was considerable wind rumble in his vocal mic. After the intermission he suggested to the house sound guy that they put a wind sock on the vocal mic.

https://youtu.be/zv97c3W6lw8?t=8
https://youtu.be/qFfnlYbFEiE