Help with lyre

V

vger

Active member
Ok, so a few months ago I got a Rycote zeplin with the lyre mounts. I was really happy, and it significantly improved wind noise reduction. Only, any movement on the boom pole seems to create a lot of handling noise that wouldn't happen with either my Rode or PSC shockmounts. It is better sometimes and worse at others, and I don't understand why. It didn't come with any instructions, so the only thing I can think is that I'm setting it up wrong. Could someone please tell me how I should be setting it up, I'm using an NTG-2.



PS - I've used the old version of the zeplin with the band mounts, and didn't have this problem.
 
vger said:
Ok, so a few months ago I got a Rycote zeplin with the lyre mounts. I was really happy, and it significantly improved wind noise reduction. Only, any movement on the boom pole seems to create a lot of handling noise that wouldn't happen with either my Rode or PSC shockmounts. It is better sometimes and worse at others, and I don't understand why. It didn't come with any instructions, so the only thing I can think is that I'm setting it up wrong. Could someone please tell me how I should be setting it up, I'm using an NTG-2.



PS - I've used the old version of the zeplin with the band mounts, and didn't have this problem.
Click to expand...

Which Rycote is it?

Is it the full basket windshield kit? Or is it the S-series?

Lyres don't transmit noise - so it must be something else.

How are you attaching the cable?

If it's a full basket kit - are you using the ConnBox?

If it's an S-series - are you using the supplied XLR tail and are you using it correctly?

How the mic. is connected to the cable is very important - in fact this is almost more important than the suspension itself.

I would thing that the problem is either in the addressing of the cable, or, that you have not done it up properly and bits are moving.

I have never had any problems like this with my owm Rycote.
 
It is the full basket kit #4 and I am using the connbox. The female connector with the tiny cable is plugged into the NTG-2. I don't know how I could screw that up, it only works one way. But the mounts do allow the mic to move quite a bit, could that be the problem? And how would I fix that?
 
I just changed the mounts to the other pair that the kit came with, and it doesn't allow the mic to move as much. I'll try that out today, and see how that works. And after further inspection I am convinced that I have the cable set up properly, the right one is pluged in and the cable (thin one) does not touch the cage around the mic.
 
The trick with the lyre mounts is to slide the holding points on the microphone towards each other so they are slightly off set from parallel to the rest of the suspension. This will tighten up the supension so the mic doesn't move so much. Its hard to explain and I don't have a photo so I hope you understand what I mean. If its a longer mic and you need more support you could move the holding points outward away from each other. Give it try, it worked for me.
Best,
Berni
vger said:
I just changed the mounts to the other pair that the kit came with, and it doesn't allow the mic to move as much. I'll try that out today, and see how that works. And after further inspection I am convinced that I have the cable set up properly, the right one is pluged in and the cable (thin one) does not touch the cage around the mic.
Click to expand...
 
While I love my lyre suspension, it is not a miracle worker. Proper booming technique is still required, and if moved agressively, I can still manage to wack my shotgun against the inside of the blimp. Smooth and committed wins the race.
 
gpforet said:
While I love my lyre suspension, it is not a miracle worker. Proper booming technique is still required, and if moved agressively, I can still manage to wack my shotgun against the inside of the blimp. Smooth and committed wins the race.
Click to expand...
That indicates that your mounts might be too soft for the weight and length of your mic, and you might not have it set up optimally. Of course you wouldn't ordinarily be that aggresive with your moves but I would think you shouldn't be able to slam the mic againt the inside of the blimp.
Best,
Bernie
 
Rycote also makes more rigid lyres, they are light grey in color (as opposed to the black that bounce a bit if moved quickly). I use the grey lyres to account for the extra weight of a baby ball gag on an MKH50 and a softie for the CS3e, much more supportive, very little "wiggle". Maybe worth a try?

gpforet said:
While I love my lyre suspension, it is not a miracle worker. Proper booming technique is still required, and if moved agressively, I can still manage to wack my shotgun against the inside of the blimp. Smooth and committed wins the race.
Click to expand...
 
dano said:
Rycote also makes more rigid lyres, they are light grey in color (as opposed to the black that bounce a bit if moved quickly). I use the grey lyres to account for the extra weight of a baby ball gag on an MKH50 and a softie for the CS3e, much more supportive, very little "wiggle". Maybe worth a try?
Click to expand...

Actually Rycote make lyres in lots of different graded of flexibility - the colour itself doesn't tell you everything.

Give Rycote a shout and talk to them - they are very helpful.
 
I had heard they'll make Lyres with varying flexibility. The store I tend to shop at carries the standard and the light grey ones in stock all the time, don't think they have any other varieties.

John Willett said:
Actually Rycote make lyres in lots of different graded of flexibility - the colour itself doesn't tell you everything.

Give Rycote a shout and talk to them - they are very helpful.
Click to expand...
 
dano said:
I had heard they'll make Lyres with varying flexibility. The store I tend to shop at carries the standard and the light grey ones in stock all the time, don't think they have any other varieties.
Click to expand...

Talk to Rycote in the UK and they will tell you the ones you need - then just order them from your local dealer who will get them from the Rycote Main Agent in the US.
 
gpforet said:
While I love my lyre suspension, it is not a miracle worker. Proper booming technique is still required,
Click to expand...

I don't expect it to work miracles, I just want it to preform equally to my other shock mounts.

The other set of mounts helped a little but it's still not where it should be IMO (any movement can still be heard, it's just very faint). I'll try widening the mounts to see if that helps, and contact Rycote if it doesn't.

Thanks for all the help!
 
vger said:
I don't expect it to work miracles, I just want it to preform equally to my other shock mounts.
Click to expand...

The lyre works better than any other shockmount I have used.

The lyre itself cannot make a noise - but check that it is screwed to the base properly (a hex screwdriver is included in the kit) and make sure the ConnBox is properly fitted as well and is not slightly loose.

I have never heard of the problem you are talking about before and am just trying to think of every possibility.
 
Sounds to me like you have the mic sitting too far forward. I believe the mic should be sitting just past the point where the front cap of the zep is attached, so that if you have the front cap off, looking from the side, you'll just see the tip of your mic poking out. Any further forward might cause the mic to whack into the front cap.


gpforet said:
While I love my lyre suspension, it is not a miracle worker. Proper booming technique is still required, and if moved agressively, I can still manage to wack my shotgun against the inside of the blimp. Smooth and committed wins the race.
Click to expand...
 
dano said:
Sounds to me like you have the mic sitting too far forward. I believe the mic should be sitting just past the point where the front cap of the zep is attached, so that if you have the front cap off, looking from the side, you'll just see the tip of your mic poking out. Any further forward might cause the mic to whack into the front cap.
Click to expand...

This is correct, as I understand it - the front of the mic. should be by the front ring and the back of the XLR by the rear ring.
 
Well, I did two things that seems to have solved the problem. The first (and probably the one that did more), is widen the mounts. And the second is switch from the handle to the other base. This allowed me to keep the buffer between the pole and zeppelin, because with the handle the XLR cable got in the way.

It's still not where I thought it would be after the rave reviews it got, but it's now at least equal to other shock mounts. Thanks for all the help everybody!
 
vger said:
Well, I did two things that seems to have solved the problem. The first (and probably the one that did more), is widen the mounts. And the second is switch from the handle to the other base. This allowed me to keep the buffer between the pole and zeppelin, because with the handle the XLR cable got in the way.

It's still not where I thought it would be after the rave reviews it got, but it's now at least equal to other shock mounts. Thanks for all the help everybody!
Click to expand...


It really sounds like you do not have it set up properly - firstly, this set-up is better than any other I have used and, secondly, the XLR never gets in the way when using the handle.

The XLR-3M clips into the handle and the XLR-3F plugs into it - this does not interfere at all when hand-held or plugged onto a pole.

There is a rubber grip for the cable in the handle and this goes back to the ConnBox. Just be careful to leave enough slack so the handle can rotate.

Did you position the mic. in the basket properly? The front should be by the front ring and the back of the XLR that's plugged into the mic. should be by the rear ring.

Spreading the lyres out will limit the forwards/backwards movement of the mic., but will slightly reduce the effectiveness of them.
 
vger said:
Well, I did two things that seems to have solved the problem. The first (and probably the one that did more), is widen the mounts. And the second is switch from the handle to the other base. This allowed me to keep the buffer between the pole and zeppelin, because with the handle the XLR cable got in the way.

It's still not where I thought it would be after the rave reviews it got, but it's now at least equal to other shock mounts. Thanks for all the help everybody!
Click to expand...

Did you widen the mounts by repositioning the lyres on the base or by sliding the point where they hold the mic further out? If you repositioned on the base now try my suggestion of pushing where they clip onto the mic inward or outward slightly. I had disappointing results with the lyre until I did that. I went inward because my mic was so short. Check this thread out to illustrate what I'm talking about. http://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/..._p__41373__hl__lyre__fromsearch__1#entry41373
Best,
Bernie
 
John Willett said:
The XLR-3M clips into the handle and the XLR-3F plugs into it - this does not interfere at all when hand-held or plugged onto a pole.
Click to expand...

It does interfere when gitzo puts a giant star thing on the end of their poles.

John Willett said:
There is a rubber grip for the cable in the handle and this goes back to the ConnBox. Just be careful to leave enough slack so the handle can rotate.

Did you position the mic. in the basket properly? The front should be by the front ring and the back of the XLR that's plugged into the mic. should be by the rear ring.

Spreading the lyres out will limit the forwards/backwards movement of the mic., but will slightly reduce the effectiveness of them.
Click to expand...

The cable was properly in the handle and the mic was mounted as you described it, yet that was all true in the beginning.


Bernie

I have both repositioned the lyres on the base and slid them to the point where they hold the mic further out, and I'm getting good results now (not going to get rid of my psc mount any time soon though). It sounds like our problems were the same, and had the same solution. Glad I'm not the only one who had problems.
 
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