Rycote Invision Video - Mini Review

[Andy Wilkinson]

Hi John, I had really hoped to go but I've now got a client meeting scheduled for tomorrow afternoon to review a corporate Rough Cut. I'm sure will be a great day though!

[John Willett]

Hi Andy,

The Rycote open day was great (as usual). Great for networking as the Editor and Technical Editor of Sound On Sound were there as well. Someone certainly drove all the way from East Anglia to be there, so it's well worth the trip.

I saw (and held) the new cable grip for the video mount which will be in production next week, I think. It's very well designed and I was told it was done because you broke your one as well.

I also saw lots of nice new stuff which is being planned.

I think they are planning another Open Day for May or June.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Thanks for the update John!

Actually, my cable clip did not break (because I never use it as it seemed way too tight for the thick cables I had when I got the Invision Video) but I will certainly look forward to trying the new clip once it's available.

May or June sounds great for a trip to the Cotswolds if that's when the next Rycote Open day is planned.

P.S. My client meeting in Cambridge went very well - and so I get paid the next installment on that project...should pay a few bills and allow me to buy a few more video/audio "toys" :-)

[Chad Johnson]

Could someone post or PM me the appropriate Email to get the parts for the new cable clip? I definitely need one, and I don't know who to contact.

Thanks!

[Andy Wilkinson]

This should get you through - just fill out the details.

Contact » Rycote

If you have any problems, just contact Tim or Simon (both are "thatname"@rycote.com) and you should be all set.

If you're still having problems, let me know and I'll be happy to hook you up directly as soon as my work schedule allows.

[Chad Johnson]

Thank you Andy!

[Andy Wilkinson]

A small parcel arrived from Rycote this morning with the new cable clip attachment and a little screw (which will need a small allen key to fit). Just fitted it onto the Invision Video Mount - took seconds to do and works a treat with any cable, thick or thin!

[Andy Wilkinson]

Finally found time to take a couple of snaps in the conservatory of the new set-up. Chose the thickest XLR cable I have to demo.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Finally found time to take a couple of snaps in the conservatory of the new set-up. Chose the thickest XLR cable I have to demo.

I hope you don't really use it like that and that the photos were just for demonstrating how good the clip is.

The only way I would use a mic. like that is by using the Rycote S-series XLR tail.

[Chad Johnson]

John, those Rycote S-series XLR tails are $60.00 in the US. Though they may be superior than a cable of regular thickness, I don't think a regular cable us unusable. I wish their price point was more realistic, say, $20.00 - $25.00 US. Even with a non propitiatory cable, the Rycote clip assists in stopping the vibration from traveling up the cable to the mic does it not?

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Chad Johnson

John, those Rycote S-series XLR tails are $60.00 in the US. Though they may be superior than a cable of regular thickness, I don't think a regular cable us unusable. I wish their price point was more realistic, say, $20.00 - $25.00 US. Even with a non propitiatory cable, the Rycote clip assists in stopping the vibration from traveling up the cable to the mic does it not?

You don't have to use an S-series tail if you don't want to.

What you should do, though, is to use a thin and flexible cable.

A normal cable tends to be too stiff and transmits sound along it to the microphone - yes, the cable grip is there to decouple the upper part of the cable from the lower part - so energy coming up the cable goes into the mount base. This is then stopped from going into the mic. by the shockmount itself and the thin and flexible cable.

If the cable is not thin and flexible (or at least flexible), then the energy in the mount base gets re-transmitted up the cable to the mic..

$60 is not expensive when when it prevents noise getting to the mic. But if you want it cheaper, just buy a male and female XLR and a short length of thin and flexible cable (I think Rycote use Mogami) and solder it yourself. Though the S-series tail does have heat-shrink along the lower part to minimise cable damage by the clamp.