SOUND ON SOUND

[dfira]

Sorry for asking. Perhaps the real question is how do i access forum search!

[Murray B]

Here's an article from the magazine about pop shields which pictures the infamous coat hanger and tights combo - found via google rather than the site search

https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/pop-shields-why-you-need-them

Hope I've got the link right I'm new to using the forum tools.

[dfira]

Perfect thank you! I actuallyI remember this article from back in the day, now you mention!

[Chet Leeway]

Not worth the bother. A factory-made one with a proper clamp and a gooseneck costs only £10-15. Plus it looks like a proper product with a purpose and a value, not like a failed craft project which the missus is liable to throw away (speaking from experience).

[Murray B]

It is indeed true that you can get a new shiny pop shield for less than £10.

[blinddrew]

Having heard (or rather, not heard) a Hakan foam filter in a friend's studio right back in January, i have added one to my want list. More expensive for sure, but acoustically transparent in a way my normal one isn't.

[Matt Houghton]

Having heard (or rather, not heard) a Hakan foam filter in a friend's studio right back in January, i have added one to my want list. More expensive for sure, but acoustically transparent in a way my normal one isn't.

Rycote do a hydrophic foam one too. Slightly different -- it has a plastic surround which the Håkan doesn't. But still very transparent and more affordable. More affordable and better still was the Pop Audio one... again it has a frame but it's larger, and the gorilla-stand-style arm is so much better than most. Sadly, on checking just now, they seem to have ceased production.

[blinddrew]

Thanks Matt! :thumbup:

[Mike Stranks]

I had a Rycote one paired with one of the Invision LDC shockmounts.

As with all Rycote, very well made and very easy to clean as and when necessary; the foam easily comes out of the surround - and goes back again! :)

Recommended!

[Hugh Robjohns]

The Haken one is available with a lot of different mounting variations now and costs around £40 (ex VAT) in the UK.

The Rycote one is around £30 in the UK but the mounting bracket is far from 'universal' and it really only works well in conjunction with Rycote's own Studio Invision shockmount which pushes the price up to around £65 -- although the combination is really excellent and effective in a way most LDC shockmounts aren't!

Both use open cell foam sheets and are completely transparent acoustically, and very easy to clean and (if necessary) to replace. The Haken one is smaller, round and thicker than the Rycote version which is larger, elliptical and thinner... but they are both superbly effective and better than any other pop-shield I've used.

The popular dual layer fabric shields impact on the high-end of the sound and often aren't actually very effective at catching the plosive blasts. The perforated metal shields can be better but I've come across far too many recently where the 'laser-cut' holes are too large and don't catch plosives at all...

[Matt Houghton]

The Haken one is available with a lot of different mounting variations now and costs around £40 (ex VAT) in the UK.

I'm out of date, and that's a hell of a lot more like a sensible price than they were at launch.

I still love my Pop Audio one (or rather ones... there is a foam, a mesh and a metal one in the pack); the mounting arrangement is so much better than anything else I've tried, and the metal one was rather more robust when taking it out of the studio. Such a shame if they are no more; they deserved to do better.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Yes, the Haken is far more sensibly priced -- although I've updated my post above as I was quoting the ex-VAT price. For mere mortals they are closer to £50... but still a lot better than at launch, as you say.

... But for £15 more you can get the Rycote one with a free universal shock-mount too! ;-)