ME64 windscreen

K

Kandinsky

Active member
Hi everybody, I am having problems with my Lightwave equalizer on my ME64\K6 sennheiser microphone. At first when I bought that tool I thought that it would be totally wind-proof, but as soon as there is a slight wind I can hear it in my headphones and you can be sure it is recording on the tape :)

So, if the equalizer doesn't work at all, there would always be the miniscreen from the same company, but since I had been told before buying the equalizer that it would be a good solution and it doesn't work, I am not really interested in paying another 200$ for a non-working product. Plus, I think there is no windmaster that you can put on the miniscreen for the ME64 microphone.

If I want a totally windproof kit, do I have any other choice than go buy a 1000$ Rycote kit ?

Help me please :D
 
I don't have a Equalizer for my 64 but I do have one for my 66.

You will have to buy or make (see recent post on this board) a 'full' Zeppelin for any wind that is above a light breeze. The Equalizer/Rycote 'half' furies just can't do it. Some have even said that the open K6 unit can let some air enter and make noise. Thus, they taped the switch and the whole back unit. You didn't say whether or not you have that cutoff switch on or off. Turn it on. It will cut some of the bass so IF you're recording James Earl Jones you might not want to use it. Using it will help the wind a great deal.

If you have control over the shooting, put the back of the mic towards the wind, or point directly at it. The wind hitting the side make more noise. Wind rumble can also be removed in post. You really need to listen to the tape to see how much rumble made it through the camera electronics. You'd be supprised. Some headsets boost bass. If you monitoring a mixer, this is really the case. If you're monitoring the camera headset out, it's probably getting through.

If you're going to spend big bucks, the Rycote full Zepp is good and the DPA WindPac is probably better. One is $$ and the other one is $$$.

I know, not want you wanted to hear, but we'ar fighting Mother Nature. Maybe someone else will jump in with some ideas/experience that will help you more. (like shooting in the morning before the wind comes up) You can't win over Mother Nature, but sometimes you can trick her.

HTH, Chris
 
Thank you very much for your post CCraig. The DPA WindPac surely looks awesome, but I have a problem with the "condom" look of it. I just cannot imagine myself running around with this thin layer of rubber wrapped around my microphone.

And how do you think it could be better than the Rycote kit ? I mean, they are about the same price and Rycote probably been used in the industry for years ? I really don't know much about those zeppelins...

Help me fight Mother Nature :)

Any other experiences ?
 
There's something wrong here. I have the ME64/66 with a Lightwave Equalizer and have used it in 25mph+ winds with no wind noise. The Rycote Softie is good to about 20mph and the Lightwave Equalizer works up to about 25-30mph--I've owned them both. I can't understand why you'd be getting wind noise from a light breeze with the Equalizer. I'm usually using the ME66 outside, but I have used the ME64 outside occasionally.
 
Thanks for your post Barry. The problem is that I often use the microphone on vast open plains or near water, so the wind may be sometimes higher than 25mph, and I don't really know how to judge the exact speed of the wind. One thing I'm sure is that I cannot record anything when i'm outside without getting wind in my microphone probably 75% of the times.

When you use your ME64 outside barry, do you tape your microphone or turn the switch on? I didn't try any of these tricks yet. And how deep do you take your mic in the equalizer ? Just enough so its being hold by the rubber in the extremity ?

Also, how good is the Rycote windscreen/windshield ? Since it is what the pro seems to use, I guess it does perform in almost every situation ? Because they do record sounds near water and on vast open plains :D
 
What do you guys think about the Lightwave mini mount ? I often use the microphone "on camera" and it looks very portable with the Mini-screen/Mini-windmaster on. Did anybody ever tried that option ? How well do you think it performs ?
 
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