Rycote S-Series Windshield Demo and Shootout against the Rode Blimp

[Chad Johnson]

I recently picked up the Rycote S-Series windshield, for it's size and simplicity and price (270.00 US) and I really like it. Here's a video I made taking a look at it, and there's a shootout against the Rode Blimp - both going up against an industrial fan. For the amount of wind coming at these blimps, they both did really well IMO. I'm glad I have both, as I can choose one or the other (or both!) depending on my needs for the day.

Do you ave either of these windshields? What are your thoughts?

Rycote S-Series Windshield - Chad Johnson Demo on Vimeo

[Matthew Capowski]

Just happened to have an industrial fan lying around Chad? Thank you for the interesting video. Good to see another low-price alternative.

[Tom Morrow]

Chad your shootout videos are incredibly valuable. Thanks for this.

I'd suspect that lyre suspension in the rycote would transmit more handling noise than the softer suspension of the Rode. It looks like the Rycote might be easier to use than the Rode, although I'd be worried about longer microphones slapping the cage depending on how stiff those narrowly-spaced lyres are... I wouldn't think they can make it both stiffer and transmitting less handling noise, so something has to give.

[Chad Johnson]

Those fans are very useful to many Humboldt residents! Though that one is not mine....

Tom, the Rycote lyres are great things that reduce rumble more than anything else I've seen (heard). Better than rubber bands.

Their effectiveness is demonstrated in another video I made:

Rycote Portable Recorder Audio Kit TEST on Vimeo

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Tom Morrow

Chad your shootout videos are incredibly valuable. Thanks for this.

Agreed

Originally Posted by Tom Morrow

I'd suspect that lyre suspension in the rycote would transmit more handling noise than the softer suspension of the Rode.

Wrong - the Rycote Lyre suspension is a lot better than the O-ring suspension.

The Røde suspension is a copy of an old Rycote design that they stopped using when they developed the Lyre.

The Lyre design is the best there is at preventing vibration getting to the mic. and the S-series cable is also of a special design that prevents vibration coming up the cable to the mic. (I use S-series cables on all my mics. now, even when they are not in a windscreen).

And isn't the Røde pistol grip and suspension bit rather heavy when compared to the Rycote?

Originally Posted by Tom Morrow

It looks like the Rycote might be easier to use than the Rode, although I'd be worried about longer microphones slapping the cage depending on how stiff those narrowly-spaced lyres are... I wouldn't think they can make it both stiffer and transmitting less handling noise, so something has to give.

The Lyres can be clipped at various places inside the S-series windshield - you choose the spacing to suit your mic..

Lyres work in a different way from rubber O-rings - there is a long transmission path that the vibration has to get through before it reaches the mic. and are very effective without having to be so soft as an O-ring. Also, they dont bounce or droop like O-rings and do not deteriorate with age like O-rings - they are also extremely tough and can be tied in knots and still revert to their normal shape.

The only other mount that comes close to the Rycote Lyre is the Cilela OSIX - and that is a lot more expensive.

I didn't change all my suspensions over to Rycote Lyres for nothing - I have Windshield Lyres, InVision mounts and USMs - in fact, every version of the Lyre I have in some form or the other for my microphones. I use them on everything now, from Neumann LDCs, several SDCs, gun microphones and a Soundfield mic..

Have a look at this pdf article - Keeping Microphones Quiet - which will explain things a lot.

[Tom Morrow]

I think I'm sold... literally. I'm buying a blimp today and about to pull the trigger on this S-series.. it seems better in usability and if the isolation is better why not. And looks less expensive than the $300 rode blimp [Edit: which includes a deadwombat furry]. No downside I can see except being less proven than the Rode.

[Tom Morrow]

I'm thinking of getting the s-series 375 model designed to fit mics 11-13" long so that it will fit my 12.4" ME66. But I'm considering eventually upgrading to a Rode NTG3 which is 10" long. I can't see any reason why a 10" mic wouldn't fit in a blimp designed for 11-13" but am I missing anything?

[Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Chad Johnson

Those fans are very useful to many Humboldt residents! Though that one is not mine...
Rycote Portable Recorder Audio Kit TEST on Vimeo

Those fans may be the key to being able to afford good video gear :-)

[Chad Johnson]

Tom I would think that the larger size would help the wind reduction, but you may want to ask if the mic clip would fit both mics. I bought mine for the NTH-3, but it worked fine on the NTG-2, which is a bit thicker.

PS> the dead wombat comes with the Rode blimp.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Tom Morrow

I'm thinking of getting the s-series 375 model designed to fit mics 11-13" long so that it will fit my 12.4" ME66. But I'm considering eventually upgrading to a Rode NTG3 which is 10" long. I can't see any reason why a 10" mic wouldn't fit in a blimp designed for 11-13" but am I missing anything?

If you change mics. you can get the S-series end bits on their own - so you can get different lengths to change the S-series for the mic. you want.

The clips on the Lyres in the S-series will take any mic. from 19mm up to 25mm in diameter, including the flat-sided Sennheiser MKH series.

[Tom Morrow]

I emailed Rycote and they said there's no problem with going to a bigger size except the slightly increased weight and length. I ordered the s-375.

[Chad Johnson]

That makes sense. And the extra air space will only help cut the wind.

[Toenis Liivamaegi]

For low cost alternatives the Soft-Zep II Basic is quite OK. Much better than all those Chinese and India made knockoffs and almost as good as the S-series from Rycote. I tend to use this all the time as it's light and durable. This is an open cell foam based Zeppelin.

But a full blown Rycote and the lyre system is the king.

T

[Chad Johnson]

That looks OK, but really I'm all for going the extra mile with wind protection. The S-series does a good job, but anything less is going to present problems if any gusts pop up.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I use the Full windshield kit 4 and am very happy with the performance. The only problem is while travelling in flight, the security guys often insist on removing and showing the microphone. It has happened a number of times. So I reach a bit early to compensate for this. The s-series kit is easier to dismantle.

I am not sure about effectiveness between the s-series and the full kit. May be John Willet can confirm. Any idea John?

Cheers,
Sabyasachi