Quietest Boom Pole
 

Hi All
Did a job recently where i just wasn't happy with the resuts from my Sennheiser 416 indoors, so after some hesitation and research i bit the bullet and purchased a MKH 50 (now my Families first heirloom!) Using on my current boom I find it incredibly sensitive to handling noise (even with a rycote mount which is quiter than the supplied Senn mount which is almost unusable) Wondering if anyone has any suggestions for the quietest boompole.......
BTW sound (excluding any handling) is absolutely beautiful, clear and rich (but you need to be extremely accurate ) so no regrets

Which Rycote mount? The new lyre mounts are just about the current state of the art in isolation.

I don't know if there's any hard data on which poles might be quieter than others, once you get beyond those that are simply of poor quality with flimsy construction where the pole itself is making noise from loose joints, creaking as it flexes, etc. Most handling noise comes from poor technique rather than the pole. I think carbon fibre transmits noises a little less readily than does aluminum. I have a 12-foot carbon fibre Loon Boom that I really like but they're a bit spendy - it would become the second heirloom you will have acquired. K-Tek booms are also highly regarded and their Avalon line is a little less pricey.

Have you tried lightweight cotton gloves? (of the type that are sold in large photo stores for handling negatives)

You may have to add a low cut filter into your system as many High quality mics pick up handling noise very easily. Try wrapping your cable around the boom pole a couple of times to isolate the mic from the boom more. It is doubtful the pole actually has much to do with the sound issue you are getting but you might be able to make adjustments to the mic in the mount to be less susceptible to the handling noise. A little extra loop in the cable so the mic floats freely in the mount can help. The rycote Softie combo is noiser than the Rycote Blimp mount so keep trying different mounts to see if you find the magic one for you model.

Go over your technique, maybe you're holding the boom too tightly, or maybe you're not locking down the cable and noise is transmitted to the mic through the cable.

OK so the general consensus is its my technique.... thanks for the (brutal) honesty :) Practice practice and practice some more I guess and will give the cotton gloves a try.... At least i got the cheap answer........Once again thanks for the input

What kind of boom are you using John?

I switched from cotton gloves to leather ones. I found my hands slipping ever so imperceptibly on the pole with the cotton gloves - but I could hear the sound in my headphones.

Its a VDB S
Came as a package and Its great with the 416 thats why I never had any issues before I put the MKH 50 on and now I can hear almost every new touch of the pole (its very minor and only really in my headphones , not "take ruining" but hey we strive for perfection and its annoying me )
But then part of the joy of this job is the never ending learning curve

John, That is an excellent pole manufacturer. The key is you don't have a problem with your 416 but do have one with your MKH-50. Try using the low frequency Roll Off switch in the on position if you haven't already.

Dan's right. VDB is well regarded. I haven't used the MKH50, but it is similar to the Schoeps MK41, and that mic pretty much has to be used with low-cut filter when booming. I imagine it would be the same case with the MKH50. Don't worry, the low frequency vibrations that you roll off don't reach the spectrum of the human voice, so you aren't compromising audio quality.

Thanks,

Used the on mic roll off and huge improvement, having roll off on my mixer it never occurred to me to use the on mic switch ... much improved (although still practising my technique much to the amusement/consternation of my neighbours )