Do shock mounts improve low end response from a microphone?

[Shadow_7]

I've been in redneck mode most of the past week. I've created a mini rack out of plastic coated metal plate racks meant for the kitchen. They were just the right size. And just to be even more redneck, I took two plastic coat hangers (very springy) and put my stereo pair on the flat side and affixed the hook / hanger part to the mic stand.

For some reason it seems that my mics now have a better low end. Where before they always seemed a bit muffled down low. Or am I just kidding myself? Lots of other things that it could be I suppose as it's not the only factor that has changed.

 

[mixsit]

To what ever extent unwanted sound (or more importantly perhaps unrelated to what you are trying to capture) is reduced- I'd presume would make for a cleaner recording.
Just winging it here... dryer', tighter', more accurate'. But more low end? Hmm..

 

[bassbrad]

I dunno if it made a difference but it certainly got a laugh outta me. FWIW I have a similar contraption that holds my redneck pop screens.

 

[mixsit]

...early redkneck shockmount attempt comes to mind
http://www.sightssounds.net/images25/OBDVD072.jpg


(I like Pabst btw

 

[moresound]

Those are very nice looking oven mitts you got there shadow.
And if I need a plumber. I won't be callin' you!.!

 

[miroslav]

It looks like two gerbils ready for the BBQ!

What's the point of all that "fur" around the mics...?
Are there strong winds blowing indoors?

PS
What you have there, while amusing from a DIY perspective ...has NO shock-mount value since there is a hard connection from the mics to the "mounts" to the stand to the floor...

Shock-mounts "float" the mics and their main purpose is to remove low-end rumble transmissions from the floor/stand into the mics. They don't really improve the low-end response of the mics.

 

[Shadow_7]

Funny you should mention that. I did some plumbing this morning. The neighbor lost her ear ring in her pea trap. And then there's that Trombone thing.

The oven mits are mostly necessary in this region. Although it's been a bit gentle this year. In other years, cheap tripods make good kites. And 10lbs cameras on the tail of actual cheap kites get airborne.

More accurate might be more accurate. Looking at Analyze -> Plot Spectrum in audacity, the EQ graph seems smoother.

Speaking of Trombone... The rig in action.

 

[miroslav]

The oven mits are mostly necessary in this region. Although it's been a bit gentle this year. In other years, cheap tripods make good kites. And 10lbs cameras on the tail of actual cheap kites get airborne.[/URL]

???

Looks to me like those mics are inside...so I still don't get what the fur/windscreen is for on a stereo pair of room mics....?
There's just no purpose to using it inside that I'm aware of.
The fur may only muffle/dull the mics...if that's what you want?

What kind of mics are in there?

 

[samth3mancgp]

Pop filters made out of bent up metal coat hangers with pantie hose streched over them is probably the most redneck thing I have made. Umbrellas lashed to a mic stand with studio foam covering the tops of them are probably in second (for recording a thunderstorm! )

I think this is the coolest DIY shock mount I've ever seen

 

[Shadow_7]

???

Looks to me like those mics are inside...so I still don't get what the fur/windscreen is for on a stereo pair of room mics....?
There's just no purpose to using it inside that I'm aware of.
The fur may only muffle/dull the mics...if that's what you want?

What kind of mics are in there?

Avenson STO-2's.

The fake fur socks are DIY and a real pain to remove / re-install. 3x layers. Which is why they're on inside in said picture. Most of my recordings are done outdoors. And I've found that for the STO-2's having excessive windscreens on, even indoors seems to lower their noise floor by 10dB. No real way for me to measure that of course. It's just that once I got a windscreen setup that actually worked, things started really looking up. I eventually want a zeppelin setup. But I also want a lot of things.

This setup would probably work better with 3x stereo bars, I only have 2x at the moment. It really needs a wider stance as the weight tends to favor a lean in a given direction. Countered by twisting but that only does so much. Plus it'll probably be of little use outdoors if I can't stiffen it up a bit.

 

[mshilarious]

Indoors with no wind, a windscreen can only degrade SNR, because it will acoustically attenuate HF but electrical noise will remain unchanged. Of course if you have wind, then you ought to use a windscreen.

 

[John Willett]

It's probably the HF that the muffs are removing that makes you think you have more bass

Actually, properly shock-mounting a mic. won't give more bass, but will prevent structure-born noise muddying it up.

And be aware that loads of noise comes up the cable - I now use the Rycote S-series XLR tails on my mics as this short length of flexible cable stops the nasties coming up the cable.

 

[mixsit]

..And be aware that loads of noise comes up the cable - I now use the Rycote S-series XLR tails on my mics as this short length of flexible cable stops the nasties coming up the cable.

Took a look. Is that their 'Connbox? Would cable transmited noise mainly happen in moving and handling like in a mobile rig?

 

[John Willett]

Took a look. Is that their 'Connbox?

The S-series cable is just a short, flexible XLR cable that Rycote originally did for their S-series windshields.

I use it with all my InVision mounts and USM mounts to decouple the mic. from the main cable.

It does the same job as a ConnBox - but the ConnBox is more expensive and is designed for the full basket windshields.

The S-series cable retails for just £15 (+VAT) in the UK, so it's very affordable.

Would cable transmitted noise mainly happen in moving and handling like in a mobile rig?

No - it depends on how everything is mounted. But if, for example, you use a normal stiff cable that touches the mic. stand, then floor vibrations or vibrations from touching the stand can get to the microphone via the cable, even f it's on a shockmount.

I use these S-series cables all the time whenever I am recording.

 

[Shadow_7]

They're the same fake fur socks I've been using well over a year... The de-muddy-ing is probably what's changing my perceptions. Attenuation is good for my uses, helps to increase the SPL rating of the mics. Which works well for large groups and proximity.

Anyway redneck shockmount debuts.

I use velcro cord ties to keep the slack on the backside of the cables. Mounts it to the top stem of the boom arm, that way I can just pull the top stem out when I pack it away in the trunk.

 

[miroslav]

They're the same fake fur socks I've been using well over a year...

....helps to increase the SPL rating of the mics.

Priceless!

Anyway redneck shockmount debuts.

Can't you hear how dull, muted an lifeless it sounds because of them...?

You might as well put them under a pillow...that will significantly improve your SPL rating!

 

[Shadow_7]

Can't you hear how dull, muted an lifeless it sounds because of them...?

You might as well put them under a pillow...that will significantly improve your SPL rating!

Compared to how they'd sound without them (space shuttle launch anyone). Oh and there's a band too!

Compared to some other "PRO" outfits that charge upwards of $50 a disc, these results are AMAZING. And they exist, even IF it's windy, or rains, or exceeds 110F, or ....... Which is the whole point of doing any of this. Eventually I'll have High End mics. Eventually I'll have a zeppelin setup with 1x layer of fur. Not all of us work in a studio environment (nor desire to do so). Also bear in mind that these mics are < $300 each and are manufactured locally (+/- 50 miles). 28dB noise floor (A weighted) and all.

They're not 3x+ layers because I had left over material.

 

[miroslav]

The mics you have are actually pretty decent Omni mics...and IMHO you are killing them with the fur.
I still don't understand what you think you are *gaining* by muffling them with all that fur when they are used indoors where there is NO wind...???

If they are picking up the sources real hot (is that what you mean by "space shuttle launch"?)....then turn down the gain on the preamp rather than covering up the mics with fur to control level.

But if you think that MP3 you posted sounds "AMAZING"...then I'm wasting my time persuading you.

 

[Shadow_7]

I mean, while OMNI is less sensitive to the wind. We have a LOT of wind here. And indoors is the exception to the rule. By space shuttle launch I mean that recordings there off are recordings of wind noise, not the sound of the engines that launches the shuttle. There's a reason the viewing stands are 5 miles away. And it's not safety concerns. At least not overall physical safety. Without the 3x+ layers, that is all I get (wind noise), regardless of source. The rumble rumble rumble is MORE distracting than the effect of preventing the rumble rumble rumble (i.e. dulling).

 

[PhilGood]

Well, I for one am impressed with the ingenuity! Who cares how it looks! I care how it sounds!!

Being as marching season is over for most schools, I can only presume that's a recording of a drum corps drumline. DCI affiliated?