Windcutter covers at DVinfo.net

Vincent Oliver · September 1st, 2011, 04:05 AM

A few weeks ago I purchased a standard Windcutter windsheild for my Sennheiser lavalier mike. This was delivered promptly to me in the UK. However, I wasn't very happy with the results, it didn't make a lot of difference on a windy day. thewindcutter.com emailed me and asked me my opinion on their windshield, I told them that I was not too happy with the product, they offered me a full refund,

I was impressed with their customer care and considering the modest price of the accessory I didn't take them up on the offer. A couple of weeks later they sent me another version called the StormChaser, this has denser and longer hairs to cut down the wind noise. Yesterday, we filmed the sound chapter to our next DVD production using the StormChaser together with the Sennheiser kit. The location was Seven Sisters coastline, on a moderately windy day. I am totally impressed with the way that this Wincutter performed, about 98% off all wind noise was removed.All the audio is usable and free of wind rumble,

I would unreservedly recommend the StormChaser windcutter to anyone who needs to record clean audio on location.

I will post a short clip as soon as I have edited the material.

Brett Delmage · September 1st, 2011, 02:30 PM

It's nice to see a report about a company that improves its products and truly believes in great customer service. Thanks for sharing this.

Phil Murray · September 1st, 2011, 07:08 PM

Count me as another VERY satisfied customer of The Windcutter. I've bought about 6-8 of their products over the years with varying densities depending on the microphone that they'll be used with and anticipated conditions.

Besides the great customer service, all products have worked great including the custom sized windscreen they made to fit an older mic.

I prefer the denser, longer-haired windscreens, but I'm in Texas and that often means very windy conditions. They offer a variety of densities for a multitude of mic sizes with the long-haired screens costing a little more.

Jace Ross · September 2nd, 2011, 09:43 PM

I just got a StormChaser solely based off the evaluation you gave of the company and product. Hopefully all goes well. Can't be worse than the stock foam cover.

Vincent Oliver · September 3rd, 2011, 01:32 AM

Jace,

There are few things that impress me enough to write about, but the Windcutter StormChaser cover worked much better than I had hoped for. In the past I have lost so many good location takes due to wind noise/rumble. Working on location on a windy Seven Sisters I could use all the takes (other than the ones where I fluffed my lines)

For those readers who are not familiar with the StormChaser, it's the furry creature that is sitting on my chest in the picture below..

Jace Ross · September 3rd, 2011, 01:36 AM

That's great to hear. Makes me feel more confident in my purchase. Going out for a shoot the other day reminded me how much wind protection is needed outdoors even if the day isn't especially windy.

Geoffrey Cox · September 3rd, 2011, 07:20 AM

Thanks Vincent - I've had email conversation with this firm who were very helpful (though I didn't buy in the end) and your practical experience and advice is invaluable. How much does the StormChaser cut HF sound compared to less heavy duty shields?

Vincent Oliver · September 3rd, 2011, 09:25 AM

I din't notice any loss in HF, but then again we were using the StormChaser on a windy location, all I wanted was to cut down the wind rumble. The sound track was superb, I will publish something a bit later on so you can hear the with and without versions. We recorded the sound track with radio mikes that had the StormChaser on and with a shotgun mike without the cover - this was for an audio section on our next DVD production.,

Bruce Foreman · September 3rd, 2011, 10:48 AM

If you have wind to deal with, the StormChaser, with it's longer and denser fur, is the model to order. It really makes no sense to try and get by with spending just a few bucks less on the lower priced options.

I was one of their field testers in their development of their WindJacket for the ZoomH1 and ZoomH2 recorders. It started when I got the ZoomH1 shortly after it's release, the windcutter.com had no model for that recorder out yet and made one up for me. The mics on the ZoomH1 are so incredibly sensitive to even the slightest flow of air (even inside) coming up with something that really worked was tough. But they kept sending me prototypes with improvements to test in our West Texas winds.

The final design that worked well totally enclosed the H1 and is about as good as it gets unless you rig up a "blimp". Based on what they learned in developing the H1 model they made one for the H2 and I now have both. And I was told they could do the same for other brand audio recorders.

Again, if you're looking at their products go for the StormChaser. The products are excellent and this is a business with an exceptionally strong set of ethics.

John Willett · September 6th, 2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

A few weeks ago I purchased a standard Windcutter windsheild for my Sennheiser lavalier mike. This was delivered promptly to me in the UK. However, I wasn't very happy with the results, it didn't make a lot of difference on a windy day. thewindcutter.com emailed me and asked me my opinion on their windshield, I told them that I was not too happy with the product, they offered me a full refund,

I was impressed with their customer care and considering the modest price of the accessory I didn't take them up on the offer. A couple of weeks later they sent me another version called the StormChaser, this has denser and longer hairs to cut down the wind noise. Yesterday, we filmed the sound chapter to our next DVD production using the StormChaser together with the Sennheiser kit. The location was Seven Sisters coastline, on a moderately windy day. I am totally impressed with the way that this Wincutter performed, about 98% off all wind noise was removed.All the audio is usable and free of wind rumble,

I would unreservedly recommend the StormChaser windcutter to anyone who needs to record clean audio on location.

I will post a short clip as soon as I have edited the material.

But have you tried the Rycote Furrie?

Vincent Oliver · September 6th, 2011, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Willett

But have you tried the Rycote Furrie?

No, not tried the Rycote but I am sure it will also be effective. I have a Rode "Dead Cat" for my NTG2 which works OK in a light wind, for stronger wind you might just as well leave it off

September 1st, 2011, 04:05 AM	#1
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Windcutter covers A few weeks ago I purchased a standard Windcutter windsheild for my Sennheiser lavalier mike. This was delivered promptly to me in the UK. However, I wasn't very happy with the results, it didn't make a lot of difference on a windy day. thewindcutter.com emailed me and asked me my opinion on their windshield, I told them that I was not too happy with the product, they offered me a full refund, I was impressed with their customer care and considering the modest price of the accessory I didn't take them up on the offer. A couple of weeks later they sent me another version called the StormChaser, this has denser and longer hairs to cut down the wind noise. Yesterday, we filmed the sound chapter to our next DVD production using the StormChaser together with the Sennheiser kit. The location was Seven Sisters coastline, on a moderately windy day. I am totally impressed with the way that this Wincutter performed, about 98% off all wind noise was removed.All the audio is usable and free of wind rumble, I would unreservedly recommend the StormChaser windcutter to anyone who needs to record clean audio on location. I will post a short clip as soon as I have edited the material. __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

September 1st, 2011, 02:30 PM	#2
Brett Delmage Regular Crew Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Posts: 34	Re: Windcutter covers It's nice to see a report about a company that improves its products and truly believes in great customer service. Thanks for sharing this.

September 1st, 2011, 07:08 PM	#3
Phil Murray Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cusco, Peru Posts: 375	Re: Windcutter covers Count me as another VERY satisfied customer of The Windcutter. I've bought about 6-8 of their products over the years with varying densities depending on the microphone that they'll be used with and anticipated conditions. Besides the great customer service, all products have worked great including the custom sized windscreen they made to fit an older mic. I prefer the denser, longer-haired windscreens, but I'm in Texas and that often means very windy conditions. They offer a variety of densities for a multitude of mic sizes with the long-haired screens costing a little more.

September 2nd, 2011, 09:43 PM	#4
Jace Ross Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 35	Re: Windcutter covers I just got a StormChaser solely based off the evaluation you gave of the company and product. Hopefully all goes well. Can't be worse than the stock foam cover.

September 3rd, 2011, 01:32 AM	#5
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Re: Windcutter covers Jace, There are few things that impress me enough to write about, but the Windcutter StormChaser cover worked much better than I had hoped for. In the past I have lost so many good location takes due to wind noise/rumble. Working on location on a windy Seven Sisters I could use all the takes (other than the ones where I fluffed my lines) For those readers who are not familiar with the StormChaser, it's the furry creature that is sitting on my chest in the picture below.. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

September 3rd, 2011, 01:36 AM	#6
Jace Ross Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 35	Re: Windcutter covers That's great to hear. Makes me feel more confident in my purchase. Going out for a shoot the other day reminded me how much wind protection is needed outdoors even if the day isn't especially windy. __________________ Panasonic GF2 \| BlackMagic Pocket Cinema (waiting): Rode VideoMic \|

September 3rd, 2011, 07:20 AM	#7
Geoffrey Cox Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huddersfield, UK Posts: 469	Re: Windcutter covers Thanks Vincent - I've had email conversation with this firm who were very helpful (though I didn't buy in the end) and your practical experience and advice is invaluable. How much does the StormChaser cut HF sound compared to less heavy duty shields?

September 3rd, 2011, 09:25 AM	#8
Vincent Oliver Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chislehurst, London Posts: 1,724	Re: Windcutter covers I din't notice any loss in HF, but then again we were using the StormChaser on a windy location, all I wanted was to cut down the wind rumble. The sound track was superb, I will publish something a bit later on so you can hear the with and without versions. We recorded the sound track with radio mikes that had the StormChaser on and with a shotgun mike without the cover - this was for an audio section on our next DVD production., __________________ Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes

September 3rd, 2011, 10:48 AM	#9
Bruce Foreman Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Angelo Texas Posts: 1,518	Re: Windcutter covers If you have wind to deal with, the StormChaser, with it's longer and denser fur, is the model to order. It really makes no sense to try and get by with spending just a few bucks less on the lower priced options. I was one of their field testers in their development of their WindJacket for the ZoomH1 and ZoomH2 recorders. It started when I got the ZoomH1 shortly after it's release, the windcutter.com had no model for that recorder out yet and made one up for me. The mics on the ZoomH1 are so incredibly sensitive to even the slightest flow of air (even inside) coming up with something that really worked was tough. But they kept sending me prototypes with improvements to test in our West Texas winds. The final design that worked well totally enclosed the H1 and is about as good as it gets unless you rig up a "blimp". Based on what they learned in developing the H1 model they made one for the H2 and I now have both. And I was told they could do the same for other brand audio recorders. Again, if you're looking at their products go for the StormChaser. The products are excellent and this is a business with an exceptionally strong set of ethics.