From: Klas Strandberg <>
>
> Again:
>
> You have to use omnis, folks, there is no other good way to avoid wind
> noise. I have said this so many times before, but it doesn't seem to get=
> through.
>
> Saying this, I realize of course that there are situations when you don't=
> want to use omnis, because they don't give the sound quality that you wan=
t.
> But then you have to know your directional's (MS, whatever) very well and=
> have the proper windshields, like a "zeppelin" with a synthetic fur aroun=
d it.
There is a slight improvement in resistance to wind noise with omni's,
but it's very slight. Maybe a 1mph difference in the wind that you can
record in without protection. And in either case we are talking a wind
you can barely feel. Anything above that, omnis, directional, whatever,
you will have to wind protect. Using omnis will not avoid wind noise.
This is what I find in using the various MKH. If one notices, the Omni
of the series, the MKH-20 is much lower sensitivity than, say, the short
shotgun, the MKH-60. It's unclear but what the difference in wind
sensitivity could be just the difference in overall sensitivity. That
probably contributes somewhat to the idea the omni is picking up the
wind less. I've not done technical tests to sort this out, but I do know
I have to wind protect everything at about the same level of wind or above.
If anything, the most wind resistant mic setup I have is the Telinga.
But that's for different reasons.
In theory, the omni, since it only has one side of the diaphragm exposed
should damp out puffs of wind better than the directional patterns where
both sides of the diaphragm are more or less exposed. But, theory and
day to day practice don't agree all that well on this. At least not
outdoors in nature recording in my experience.
I suspect theory does not work all that well because the design of the
directional mic gets sound to the back side of the diaphragm via vents,
not a direct path, whereas the front side in either a omni or
directional is exposed to the wind puff directly. Wind is not sound, and
does not move around a mic like sound does.
Anyway, I'm reporting it as I find it. Don't think a omni can cure your
outdoor wind problems, it can't. Choose your polar patterns according to
what you are trying to do, don't try and force a omni to do it when it's
not the best choice.
Wind protection is a serious part of nature recording. Do it as
carefully and as well designed as the rest of your mic system. And don't
be afraid to use it. That's the biggest error most folks make. They make
something homemade that kind of looks like the good wind protection, but
does not work near as well, or they talk themselves into using too
little wind protection with worries about shifts in frequency
distribution or such like.
Walt
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