A question of wind and softies at DVinfo.net

James Lilly · September 13th, 2004, 10:56 AM

I am using an AT 897, an AT 4073A and a Sennheiser ME66 and am having trouble with wind noise when I'm shooting out doors in the high dessert. Can anyone remoned a LOW, and unfortunately I really mean low, cost solution for this? I was looking at buying someting like a Rycote mini windjammer (BH has it for 55.00), does anyone have any experience with this? Does it do a decent job?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Also, does anyone toher than me have an issue with the Sennheiser G2 wireless cameramount causing interfeience with an 897 shotgun mic?

Douglas Spotted Eagle · September 13th, 2004, 12:26 PM

You can always sew your own. I did, for a training project showing cheap ways to accomplish great sound.
Just go to Walmart, buy cheap fur in the longest length. Their "wolf fur" is about 10.00 a yard. You'll need about 6" but I bought a foot just so to not irritate the sales clerk.
Sew a tube that will fit over your 897 foam windscreen. Make sure the fur is fluffed before using it, it will make a huge difference.

James Lilly · September 13th, 2004, 01:24 PM

Thank you very much, that sounds like a great idea. Do I need to sew it over a hard tube first, or will it be ok to lay it directly on the stock foam?

Douglas Spotted Eagle · September 13th, 2004, 01:26 PM

my 'cheapie' just slides snugly over the foam.
Is it quite as good as the Rycote? No. You'll lose a little extra high end. The point isn't to be equal to the Rycote, but to do this cheaply and still get usable sound.
If it was easy to duplicate the Rycote cheaply, everyone would be doing it.

Bryan Beasleigh · September 13th, 2004, 01:37 PM

If you really look hard at any rycote product, they are extremely wqell made. I would say they are almost worth what you pay for them :-)

Michael Wisniewski · September 13th, 2004, 01:58 PM

Yeah try the Rycote Mini Windjammer. I have one for an NT3 and I like the job it does in the canyons of New York City.

I spent a little more for the AT897 and got the Lightwave Miniscreen (softie) but I haven't been able to test it in high winds yet. Looks like it works for both the AT897 and the AT4073.

Douglas Spotted Eagle · September 13th, 2004, 02:12 PM

The miniscreen works great out to about 45 mph winds. We've got a ball park here that also has the standard issue gov't weather station, and we are fortunate enough to be able to read the wind ratings on it. So...works really well for us to test stuff not very far from our studio.
And the mini fits both AT897 and 4073.
on the other hand, for the guy that can only afford the 5.00 and about 15 minutes of cutting and stitching time....the homemade option isn't all that bad. Not sexy, but cheap usually isn't.

James Lilly · September 13th, 2004, 02:31 PM

Excellent, thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I'm going to mess with fasioning my own, but out of curiosity, does the mini wind jammer fit the 897 and the 4073?

Michael Wisniewski · September 13th, 2004, 02:45 PM

Yes the mini windjammer should fit both. They have the same diameter.

James Lilly · September 13th, 2004, 03:10 PM

Thanks guys. I am overcome with grattitude. I thought Id be out 150 each.

Well, I am a guy that can afford 60 dollars, so what I'm going to do is by the mini and make one, that way both of my mics are covered. Ill let clients and such pay more attention to the camera with the mini on, so it will look for sure good and I'll see what I can do with making my own. I'm a 6'6" ex cop and finer arts like sewing and such have never been one of my strong points, but I shall give it a shot. I sure do like the price.

Once again thank you. You have no idea how much help reading your posts, past and present, have been over the last few months.

Bryan Beasleigh · September 13th, 2004, 03:42 PM

I'm also a bigger than average bear and i've always been good at sewing and such (the rough sh!t as well). My running joke was i could do anything that pleased me and was big enough to kick my detractors squarely in the left gonad ;-)

James Lilly · September 13th, 2004, 03:45 PM

Now that is a motto I can appreciate and like.

Bryan Beasleigh · September 13th, 2004, 03:54 PM

Here's an interesting graph showing the characteristics of fifferent wind shielding devices.

James Lilly · September 24th, 2004, 10:16 AM

Well, I have made the softie from the Walmart fake fur and it works surprisingly well. I also have a the Rycote mini softie and have a question, do I put that over the stock foam or straight onto the mic without the foam on?

Jeremy Krakowski · October 3rd, 2004, 05:40 PM

the mini windjammer you put over the foam..the mini softie you put over the mic.

I got an AT897 with Rycote miniwindjammer. I like it. :D

September 13th, 2004, 10:56 AM	#1
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	A question of wind and softies I am using an AT 897, an AT 4073A and a Sennheiser ME66 and am having trouble with wind noise when I'm shooting out doors in the high dessert. Can anyone remoned a LOW, and unfortunately I really mean low, cost solution for this? I was looking at buying someting like a Rycote mini windjammer (BH has it for 55.00), does anyone have any experience with this? Does it do a decent job? Any help is greatly appreciated. Also, does anyone toher than me have an issue with the Sennheiser G2 wireless cameramount causing interfeience with an 897 shotgun mic?

September 13th, 2004, 12:26 PM	#2
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	You can always sew your own. I did, for a training project showing cheap ways to accomplish great sound. Just go to Walmart, buy cheap fur in the longest length. Their "wolf fur" is about 10.00 a yard. You'll need about 6" but I bought a foot just so to not irritate the sales clerk. Sew a tube that will fit over your 897 foam windscreen. Make sure the fur is fluffed before using it, it will make a huge difference. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

September 13th, 2004, 01:26 PM	#4
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	my 'cheapie' just slides snugly over the foam. Is it quite as good as the Rycote? No. You'll lose a little extra high end. The point isn't to be equal to the Rycote, but to do this cheaply and still get usable sound. If it was easy to duplicate the Rycote cheaply, everyone would be doing it. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

September 13th, 2004, 01:37 PM	#5
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	If you really look hard at any rycote product, they are extremely wqell made. I would say they are almost worth what you pay for them :-) __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

September 13th, 2004, 02:12 PM	#7
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	The miniscreen works great out to about 45 mph winds. We've got a ball park here that also has the standard issue gov't weather station, and we are fortunate enough to be able to read the wind ratings on it. So...works really well for us to test stuff not very far from our studio. And the mini fits both AT897 and 4073. on the other hand, for the guy that can only afford the 5.00 and about 15 minutes of cutting and stitching time....the homemade option isn't all that bad. Not sexy, but cheap usually isn't. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

September 13th, 2004, 01:24 PM	#3
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	Thank you very much, that sounds like a great idea. Do I need to sew it over a hard tube first, or will it be ok to lay it directly on the stock foam?

September 13th, 2004, 01:58 PM	#6
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Yeah try the Rycote Mini Windjammer. I have one for an NT3 and I like the job it does in the canyons of New York City. I spent a little more for the AT897 and got the Lightwave Miniscreen (softie) but I haven't been able to test it in high winds yet. Looks like it works for both the AT897 and the AT4073.

September 13th, 2004, 02:31 PM	#8
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	Excellent, thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I'm going to mess with fasioning my own, but out of curiosity, does the mini wind jammer fit the 897 and the 4073?

September 13th, 2004, 02:45 PM	#9
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Yes the mini windjammer should fit both. They have the same diameter.

September 13th, 2004, 03:10 PM	#10
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	Thanks guys. I am overcome with grattitude. I thought Id be out 150 each. Well, I am a guy that can afford 60 dollars, so what I'm going to do is by the mini and make one, that way both of my mics are covered. Ill let clients and such pay more attention to the camera with the mini on, so it will look for sure good and I'll see what I can do with making my own. I'm a 6'6" ex cop and finer arts like sewing and such have never been one of my strong points, but I shall give it a shot. I sure do like the price. Once again thank you. You have no idea how much help reading your posts, past and present, have been over the last few months.

September 13th, 2004, 03:42 PM	#11
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	I'm also a bigger than average bear and i've always been good at sewing and such (the rough sh!t as well). My running joke was i could do anything that pleased me and was big enough to kick my detractors squarely in the left gonad ;-) __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

September 13th, 2004, 03:45 PM	#12
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	Now that is a motto I can appreciate and like.

September 13th, 2004, 03:54 PM	#13
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Here's an interesting graph showing the characteristics of fifferent wind shielding devices. __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

September 24th, 2004, 10:16 AM	#14
James Lilly Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 66	Well, I have made the softie from the Walmart fake fur and it works surprisingly well. I also have a the Rycote mini softie and have a question, do I put that over the stock foam or straight onto the mic without the foam on?

October 3rd, 2004, 05:40 PM	#15
Jeremy Krakowski New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Traverse City, Michigan Posts: 16	the mini windjammer you put over the foam..the mini softie you put over the mic. I got an AT897 with Rycote miniwindjammer. I like it. :D __________________ Jeremy Krakowski - CCFilms Watch Armed Conflict, the winner of BEST YOUNG VIDEOMAKER 2004 in VIDEOMAKER MAGAZINE!