Posted by: "Tim Nielsen"
>
> I have seen the Sennheiser ones as well. A friend has one, and his is
> as broken and cracked as any old Rycote, for my eyes, didn't look
> 'that' much more durable. But I don't know how long he's had his, or
> how well he takes care of it. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but
> isn't the 'mesh' fabric on the outside on a Sennheiser zep? My
> friend's had lots of tears in that fabric, it seems like it would
> tend to get snagged much easier than the Rycote, where its' on the
> inside.
The Sennheiser zep does have the mesh filler on the outside, so they are
smooth on the outside where the rycote has the main heavy structure on
the outside where it can catch on things if going through brush. This
can poke holes into the inside fabric as well. The rycote filler is a
flannel like fabric, the sennheiser is a fine synthetic screen that's
quite strong. The sennheiser is less likely to catch. I've bought both
types off ebay used, and the rycote's average more cracks by far, I've
yet to find a crack in the sennheiser zeps. Rycote's not only crack the
plastic mesh, but the supporting plastic frame of the zep. Or the tabs
used to lock the endcap on.
To a large degree the damage is dependent on how careful the user is.
Beyond the zep, the sennheiser has a simpler and easier to use
attachment of the zep to the suspension. The rycote rubber strip never
seems to want to behave. Always a hassle to take apart.
The other advantage of the sennheiser is the supports are open on top,
more room if setting up a M/S or such like. I tried setting up mono
rycote supports for M/S before going to senn. Could never get them
trustworthy on the rycote.
> There used to be a fourth, but I don't think they're in business
> anymore. Whatever happened to Lightwave? They made nice looking black
> suspensions with black windjammers, although not sure they ever made
> anything for a stereo rig. Also there's K-Tek, which makes a very
> nice suspension, that is compatible I believe with the Rycote zep.
> Not sure if they're making their own zep, but their stuff is well
> engineered (from what I can tell) and reasonably priced.
I have one black zep and it's suspension that fits my MKH-816s. It's
smaller diameter than the Sennheiser or Rycote, so might be another
brand. And definitely won't fit two mics for stereo. It's just as
delicate as the Rycote, though this one is in good shape.
> But agree, no zep can take much weight, they're designed to be
> lightweight and sonically transparent. I'm told by the Rycote folks
> that within the last couple years, they've starting using a new
> forumla of plastic, that they claim should be much less susceptible
> to cracking. And they're now using some high tech fiberglass type
> stuff for the hoops, instead of metal, so it's a bit lighter than the
> old ones too. I can say that all the recent ones I've bought, they
> seem more 'flexible' and not quite as rigid as my old ones. So maybe
> there's hope.
The flexing of the Rycotes was part of the problem, the plastic used
would develop cracks just from that flexing. It will take time to see if
their new plastic is any better.
> I keep all my mics in their Rycotes with fur on too, and have pelican
> cases to move them around. I've also wired in XLR connectors into the
> handle (which is one thing I think Rycote did better than the Senn
> kit, the handle), so that I can quickly disconnect the mics. Then I
> wrap a tennis grip around the handle, which keeps the XLR in place,
> and makes a nice comfortable grip.
I like the shape of the Senn handle better than the Rycote, fits my
hands better. And the screw mount on the bottom makes tripod use easy
without any rearranging of parts. I build in the Y cable and with the
senn handles just dangle the 5 pin out the bottom of the handle. The
rycote is really not that much better to my mind, the waterproof Neutric
XLR's I use don't stay comfortably in the slot they designed so they
usually dangle too. Some day I may work out a design and machine my own
handles.
> The one problem with leaving the fur on, it will tend to get matted
> down. My first one, I never brushed it, and by the time I realized
> how matted it had become, it was no good trying to untangle it, I had
> to buy a new windjammer. I now brush them quite frequently to keep
> the pile loose. So whichever you buy, brush the thing if you want it
> to last.
There is a reason they include a brush. I've not had much of a problem
with matting, but I'm careful to keep them covered when not in use.
Any way you work it, the fur is going to have to be replaced once in a
while.
I've both Sennheiser and Rycote fur, the senn fur is longer and tangles
less.
> So whatever you buy, treat it well (cause you're also going to pay
> through the nose for any of them).
That's the big problem, these things are way overpriced for what they
are. Even if you do as I do and haunt ebay for them.
Walt
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