Field recording, wind protection systems

During outdoor field recordings, one of the primary challenges encountered is wind protection, not to mention the ubiquitous noise pollution, particularly in large urban centers. Modern microphones are increasingly sensitive, and wind quickly becomes our main enemy.

There are several options available on the market, ranging from inexpensive solutions to more costly and complete systems. These solutions come in various forms, from simple foam windscreens to more complex protection systems like blimps with suspension systems.

Among the most well-known brands on the market are Rycote, Cinela, and more recently, Radius. One can also find several more affordable brands on the market such as Proaim or Movo, as well as Bubblebee, Gutmann, or brands associated with microphone manufacturers like Rode or Marantz. There are also generic, unbranded versions that can be found on platforms like eBay, Amazon, or AliExpress.

We can distinguish several types of protection, organized into different categories. The basic system is acoustic foam protection, mainly used indoors, often in the studio. Its protection against wind gusts is limited, and it is employed during voice or Foley recordings indoors. Their quality depends on the density and thickness of the acoustic foam, which will attenuate the sound more or less. In some cases, a metal alloy or a combination of the two materials can also be found.

Next, we find synthetic fur windshield models, which already help to reduce the distortion caused by wind gusts during recordings. The fur absorbs and scatters the wind, preventing it from directly hitting the microphone diaphragm. Here again, the market offers different qualities, ranging from generic and inexpensive brands to more expensive, well-known brands that also offer models for specific microphones. Brands such as Rycote, Radius, Rode, Gutmann, and Movo can be mentioned. For this type of model, a wind noise reduction of approximately 25 dB can be achieved.

Next, we move on to more comprehensive protection systems, such as those offered by Rycote, Cinela, Rode, Proaim, or the newest one, Radius. This new company, founded by former Rycote collaborators, offers a wide range of protection systems for microphones. A microphone blimp protects a microphone from wind noise by creating a barrier and isolating it from external disturbances. Furthermore, these systems often include suspensions to attenuate vibrations or microphone movements. Here again, the quality varies considerably on the market. For this type of model, a wind noise reduction of up to 50 dB can be achieved.

There are also more specific products on the market, such as protection systems that reduce the impact noise of rain on windshields. Rycote, Cinela, and Remote Audio offer products that provide more advanced weather protection, particularly against rain.

All these protection systems have different uses. From experience, investing in more comprehensive systems offers greater ease of long-term repair, as spare parts are available and the items are repairable. Lower quality systems may require replacement in the medium or long term. However, it is increasingly easy to equip oneself quickly and at a lower cost to protect our equipment during outdoor recordings, especially for those starting out in field recording.

Companies like Rycote, which has been manufacturing them for a long time, is surely the one that offers different types of combinations for a wide variety of microphones, as well as for stereo pairs in configurations like ORTF. The same goes for Cinela and Radius is following close.

Personally, I have been using Proaim systems and synthetic fur windscreens from various brands for my shotgun and other type of microphones for several years, and I am very satisfied with them for my use. Although I am eyeing a more complete system for ORTF recording in the future. So whatever you choose, happy recording!