Part of Walter's posting of Thu, 24 Feb 2005 00:39:23 -0500 reads:
>
> There is a misunderstanding that's common, that the structure is the
> protection. The wind protection is almost entirely due to the layers of
> still air between the layers of structure of the windscreen. It's the
> still air that primarily absorbs the energy of the wind to get it low
> enough by the time it reaches the mic. The primary function of the
> layers of material is to smooth the wind to a more consistent average
> speed. And to allow the formation of the still air. If it actually
> stopped the wind, it would also stop the sound.
This puzzles me somewhat. Some 30+ years ago I got a Sennheiser MKH-815
'shotgun' mic, and I found the wind-shield provided by Sennheiser to be
completely effective: before the wind was strong enough to affect the mic,
the background roar from it was too loud for me to bother recording.
Sennheiser no longer support the 815 and mine has now failed. So I have
used the windshield (cut down in length) for my (relatively) new Rode NT4,
which is extremely sensitive to any air movement at all - as has been
indicated in previous Nature Recordists postings. I haven't had occasion t=
o
test it in more than light air, but so far it has cured that NT4 problem.
The Sennhiser windshield has two layers of metal (brass?) mesh. The
lengthwise metal sections of the mesh are approx. 2 mm wide; the ones
running around the cylinder, a bit over 1 mm wide. The 'holes' in the mesh
are a fraction under 4 x 4 mm. The holes in the inner and outer coincide.
Sandwiched between the two is a very thin layer of cloth-like material,
which when examined with a hand lens is seen also to be a mesh, but with th=
e
very small holes appreciably smaller than the width of the strands.
The three layers are in contact throughout. There are no spaces between
them. So what gives?
I have never used any form of furry cover. The only circumstances where I
have felt that such a cover would be useful is when the forest I'm in is in
the clouds and drops of water are forming on the leaves and falling. A dro=
p
hitting the Sennheiser shield certainly makes a noise, and a furry cover
would no doubt deaden this. But I've not been recording in such situations
often enough to warrant making such a cover.
I'll post a separate note about the Sennheiser shock mount.
Syd Curtis in Australia
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