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[Weogo Reed]

Hi Folks,

    I have an outdoor gig coming up with a total of four mics, but
about 40 people speaking on one of them.

    The speaking mic will be either a KSM8, E935 or PR35.
E935  47mm     1.85" overall diameter
KSM8 48.3mm 1.9"
PR35  50mm    1.97"
(For reference, an SM58 is 51mm  2".)

    The customer asked me to provide 40 windscreens, with a new one
on the speaking mic every time a different person steps up to speak.
One assistant will be the designated windscreen changer.
I have about 20 various 'vocal-ball' windscreens but am going to buy
a whole bunch of the 'optimal' windscreen.

    The Shure A58WS is the old ball-mic standard, but
it won't completely cover the ports on the KSM8.

    I ordered a Shure A85WS to try.
   
    The Senny MZW-1 is good and snug, no wobbling, but slow off/on.
   
    I like the one supplied with the Heil PR35, as
it has a little larger outside diameter and seems to be
particularly effective at stopping wind noise, but is a snug fit.

    What windscreen would be your first choice?

Thanks and good health,  Weogo

[Milt Hathaway]

About a month ago when I had a client request something similar (for about 28 windscreens) I looked at all the usual outlets and could find none with anywhere near that number of windscreens available for sale. What we settled on (and what did the job well) was saran wrap over a windscreen with rubber bands to hold the saran wrap on. Speech travels through the lightweight saran wrap just fine, and the wrap is easy to change between speakers.

To make the changeover even faster we used wireless handhelds as lectern mics, and had three designated for each position. This allowed us to have at least one (if not two) ready to be be quickly swapped at the lectern, and then we could take the used mic back to our table to clean and prep for the next swap.

As far as covering the KSM8 ports goes, the Windtech 900 series 1 5/8" I.D. windscreen does, but just by barely 1/8". It does fit securely.

[Dave Pluke]

... I looked at all the usual outlets and could find none with anywhere near that number of windscreens available for sale.

One of the ingredients used to make foam is in short supply and producers have put their customers on rations. If you stumble across stock, buy it now.

@Weogo, what is the turn around time between speaker changes? There are UVC/Ozone purifiers (marketed for baby stuff) that can sterilize in 11 minutes. If acceptable, that would cut down on the total number needed.

Dave

[Rick Earl]

Hi Folks,

    I have an outdoor gig coming up with a total of four mics, but
about 40 people speaking on one of them.

    The speaking mic will be either a KSM8, E935 or PR35.
E935  47mm     1.85" overall diameter
KSM8 48.3mm 1.9"
PR35  50mm    1.97"
(For reference, an SM58 is 51mm  2".)

    The customer asked me to provide 40 windscreens, with a new one
on the speaking mic every time a different person steps up to speak.
One assistant will be the designated windscreen changer.
I have about 20 various 'vocal-ball' windscreens but am going to buy
a whole bunch of the 'optimal' windscreen.

    The Shure A58WS is the old ball-mic standard, but
it won't completely cover the ports on the KSM8.

    I ordered a Shure A85WS to try.
   
    The Senny MZW-1 is good and snug, no wobbling, but slow off/on.
   
    I like the one supplied with the Heil PR35, as
it has a little larger outside diameter and seems to be
particularly effective at stopping wind noise, but is a snug fit.

    What windscreen would be your first choice?

Thanks and good health,  Weogo

I bought these for a similar use: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1277355-REG/hygenx_x19mmpbkg_sanitary_disposable_microphone_covers.html

[Corey Scogin]

I bought these for a similar use: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1277355-REG/hygenx_x19mmpbkg_sanitary_disposable_microphone_covers.html

What's your experience with how those affect the sound?
Do they provide some wind/breath diffusion as well? If so, how does it compare with a typical foam windscreen?

They seem like something that might be a good alternative for festivals & other multi-performer events.

[Weogo Reed]

Hi Milt,

    The saran wrap sounds useful.  Does the wrap look good enough for a video shoot?
The multi-mic option makes so much sense!

    Dave, the note about short-supply foam ingredients makes sense  -  my
last windscreen purchase was from three suppliers to get everything needed.
    For speaking time, there will be at least one ten minute speech and
several fifteen second introductions followed by one ~ five minute talks.
    The UVC/Ozone purifier might be helpful.
This one says it only takes two minutes:
 https://wellbefore.com/products/portable-uvc-led-sterilizing-bag-24-leds?variant=32925246455937&currency=USD&msclkid=7748049de4a715a7cef764fa7dd491d1&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Smart-Shopping-UV-Box&utm_term=4576511007409429&utm_content=UV%20Box
Do you know of anything better?

    Rick, am I correct in guessing the disposable covers don't really work as windscreens?
As I think Corey hints at, they look most useful for indoors.
Or can the covers easily fit OVER the bigger windscreens, like
the 3.25" long one on the PR35?

Thanks and good health,  Weogo

[Rick Earl]

What's your experience with how those affect the sound?
Do they provide some wind/breath diffusion as well? If so, how does it compare with a typical foam windscreen?

They seem like something that might be a good alternative for festivals & other multi-performer events.

They are a non-woven material and do offer some protection, but not as much as foam. I did use them outside on their own for a sports broadcast and they worked fine.

    Rick, am I correct in guessing the disposable covers don't really work as windscreens?
As I think Corey hints at, they look most useful for indoors.
Or can the covers easily fit OVER the bigger windscreens, like
the 3.25" long one on the PR35?

 

I have put them over standard 58 windscreens.  I cannot tell you if they would fit the PR-35.   

It usually has to be pretty windy for me to pull out windscreens outside, especially with a dynamic mic so I've never had a need to use foam screens on my PR-35s or KSM-8s before.  I won't be back into work until Tuesday, otherwise I would try for you.

[Milt Hathaway]

Hi Milt,

    The saran wrap sounds useful.  Does the wrap look good enough for a video shoot?
The multi-mic option makes so much sense!

Oh, a video shoot? No, the saran wrap looks terrible.

For another less-concerned client I simply did the multi-mic arrangement, but I was inside where windscreens weren't needed and I had plenty of time to wipe down the mics between swaps. Having a couple of desk stands helps here, as you can point the mic being cleaned downward and let excess cleaner drip off of the ball instead of into the element, and then let it stay there to dry. I use the mic's position pointing downward as a sign that the mic has been cleaned.

[Dave Garoutte]

I bought these for a similar use: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1277355-REG/hygenx_x19mmpbkg_sanitary_disposable_microphone_covers.html

I've had good luck with these also.  I hand them out at my outdoor jam.

[Tim McCulloch]

Well.  Is the foam windscreen for wind or for pseudo virii prevention?

If you don't need them for wind/breath noise, a Clorox Disinfecting Wipe will sanitize the microphone with a 30 second wet time.  70% isopropyl alcohol will do the same with a 30 second stay-wet time.

The virus does not jump from the microphone to the nose.  If the presenters do not lick the mic, if they do not stick it up there noses, if they do not rub the ball of the mic on their eyeballs... most of this is frankly sanitation theater.

Don't touch the mic.  Don't lick the mic.  Don't worry.

[ProSoundWeb Community]