Pop Filters: Metal Grating or Sheer Fabric?

Chris Long

Chris Long

New member
Hi All
I have no experience with the pop filters that are made with metallic gratings (much like a mic grill). How do they compare to the types covered with sheer fabric?

Do they seem to suppress pops, etc more/less? Do they color the sound differently? Any real difference at all?

Thanks-
 
There probably isn't one overall answer as there are different fabric filters just as there are different metal filters and each will have it's own characteristics.

I do know that amongst some gear I lent out recently was a Studio Projects metal filter, the feedback I received from the engineer was that for the particular vocalist, it worked noticably better than the fabric filters that were in the studio..............obviously, others may have different experiences.

:cool:
 
I lean towards the metal grated ones, but there is one drawback. You'll need to listen for wind noise whistling across the holes. If you notice anything, all you have to do is reposition the mic, singer, or windscreen. For instance, "OOOOOOOO's" in a project caught a lot of wind noise and we had to redo it.

Good luck
 
....

Stedman metal...the filter is made so that the air from plosives goes down after it goes through the filter, so it doesn't impead the sound. They're about $50 or less.
 
I've always had good results from fabric ones, never used the metal ones... something tells me there won't be a huge difference... the metal onces might wear longer tho, as they are less fragile.
 
Metal filter redirect the air. I never get any plosives (pops) in my recording with them. They sound alot better as well.
 
Yep! I also use fabric instead of the metal ones. In fact, I have been using it for years and it's really cool to have fabric around. Thanks for sharing the information. I will share pictures in the future.
 
I've got both rigged up right now. No pops, no wind noise. I got the metal one because it has the fancier stand clamp. Which I can then put a headphone clamp on it's knob to rig up the non-metal pop filter in front of it.

According to the propaganda the metal one only redirects the air, and therefor does not attenuate the high frequencies and stuff like that. If it's to be believed.

Using both allows me to get super close to the mic. And do my usual exhale / breath stuff without it translating. But pretty much anything between the sound source and mic element will affect the sound. Just look at all the mic mods to remove the factory mesh. Fortunately for voice, a lot of folks don't care if they don't sound like them. Some even prefer to sound different.
 
There are new ones now with open-cell foam which seem to be excellent (and washable).

See HERE.

M930_P110_225x375.jpg
 
That foam one looks intersting...though I'm wondering, if you are going to use that, why not just pull one of the foam sock wind filters right over the mic???

I prefer the dual membrane cloth pop filters...they don't add anything to the sound...the metal ones can.

If the singer is really popping..they need to learn how not to. The pop screen is really there just to keep the spit off my mics! :D
 
miroslav said:
That foam one looks intersting...though I'm wondering, if you are going to use that, why not just pull one of the foam sock wind filters right over the mic???

I prefer the dual membrane cloth pop filters...they don't add anything to the sound...the metal ones can.

If the singer is really popping..they need to learn how not to. The pop screen is really there just to keep the spit off my mics! :D
Click to expand...

WHAT? You mean your not suppose to spit on the mic?
I do it all the time to cut down on the glare .... I got the idea from the movie Sargent York when he would wet the front sight of his rifle to cut the glare. :laughings:







:cool:
 
moresound said:
NICE John how much in US $ and It looks like you have to jerry rig on some microphone clips is there a universal attachment?
Click to expand...

I don't know the US$ price as I'm not in the US. But it was developed by the Swedish agent for Gefell microphones - so if you talk the the US distributor for Gefell, they should probably be able to tell you the $ price.

There are several different versions with different attachment options - so there is bound to be one for you.

I spoke to the designer at the European AES earlier this year and he told me how much testing he had to do to find the best foam so as not to affect the frequency response of the mic. (get it wrong and you lose the top end).



miroslav said:
That foam one looks intersting...though I'm wondering, if you are going to use that, why not just pull one of the foam sock wind filters right over the mic???
Click to expand...

Wind protection comes with distance - a pop fitter like this at a measurable distance from the mic. is much more effective that a foam or fabric shield on the mic. itself.
 
Cool! Those open cell foam windscreens look great - and it's great that they're machine washable!
 
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