Shock Mounts - Rycote Invision for outdoor use?

A

analog_addict

Well-known member
Hi, looking for a shock mount for my NTG1 and thinking of either the Rode SM3 or a Rycote Invision.

The Invision looks better but I keep reading that it is not suitable for outdoor use and that you need the universal video mount (3 times the price).

Does anyone use the Invision line for outdoor use or should I just get a Rode SM3?

Thanks!
 
You need wind protection on both.

The Invision is the better mount though.
I see no reason why you should not use it outdoor - I do it all the time.

Frank
 
Hi. It is for primarily mounting to a boom pole. I just kept reading that the Invision is for indoor use only, not sure why.

I'll buy one of those then and see if it does the trick.
 
There are many different Invision models and configurations for different mics and setups. If you're not sure, contact Rycote directly about the configuration that fits your specific mic & windscreen.
 
For the NTG-1

If on-camera you need the Rycote Universal Camera Kit

Otherwise use the Softie Mount

The MiniScreen with its Windjammer,supplied with the Universal Camera Kit, is actually better and cheaper than the Softie.

So, if you get a Universal Camera Kit and a Softie mount you can use the mic. both on and off camera.

If off camera only use an S-series windshield or a Softie mount with MiniScreen and Windjammer.

The USM is not the right mount for the gun mic. NTG-1
 
Both the universal camera kit and softie mount are well over £100 which we cannot afford due to other equipment purchases, bills etc.

We need a shock mount to be getting on with for a few months and the Invision 7 I can get for under £40. It's just a question of do I get that or the Rode SM3 for boom use indoor and outdoor? In the future we will be getting a blimp but there just really isn't the money for it right now.

I need a shock mount for a shoot on Thursday so any help is much welcomed!

Thanks.
 
Just bought a Rycote Invision 7. Should be OK to hold a NTG1 with a deadcat right? The Lyres can be moved pretty close together (25mm).
 
analog_addict said:
Just bought a Rycote Invision 7. Should be OK to hold a NTG1 with a deadcat right? The Lyres can be moved pretty close together (25mm).
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I wouldn't have thought so.

The INV-7 is very flexible in use and will take any mic. from 19mm to 25mm in diameter.

If it's a gun mic., the Lyres should be spread apart and not close together. The INV-7 is OK for a mic. with foam windshield, but a dead cat goes over a basket windshield doesn't it? - in which case the INV-7 is unsuitable.

The mount based on the Video Mount Lyres may be the better option.

I would discuss it with Rycote.
 
I'm using a cheap universal shock mount from Ebay, and it's been giving great results so far. 15$:
IMG_5141.JPG


That, on a cheap DIY boompole. Not bat for roughly 50$.
 
Just been on a 2 day shoot with my INV-7 and NTG1 on a boom outside.

Worked great! I have the lyres at the medium distance apart which is the perfect fit for the end of the mic after the deadcat. The mic and deadcat are very light and there is absolubtly zero droop in the lyres. Not sure why it is advertised as not being able to be used outdoors or with a deadcat? Seems perfect to me.

If I ever use a heavier mic with it I can always buy a set of HG lyres for it.
 
Old thread, but I'll post it here as it's related:
I was wondering, as I'm a fan of DIY stuff, if it would be a good idea to use this upgrade kit for a DIY Blimp?
595011.jpg

I've already done a DIY Blimp that works pretty well for outdoor use:
...but I'd like to "polish" a bit the whole system in a way. And to be honest, while I'm sure it worth every cent, I don't have the money for such a Blimp kit for the use I would make out of it.
 
While I never say any suspension on the market is the best because it really depends on the operator (I've heard people say that they hate a given shock mount and then another person will say they love that same mount)..AND it would take using all the mounts that exist for a given microphone to even make a claim like that..PLUS it is a tad disingenuous for a re-seller who only has Rycote as their only mic suspension to tell people it is the best, as that opinion is very biased since they would look bad in the eyes of Rycote if they didn't say Rycote is the best. I'm not going to say a Rycote mount is the best or isn't, and same with any other mount or suspension on the market because it isn't a fair and accurate statement for anyone to make.

Now that I have that out of the way...

If you are thinking of using that upgrade kit, then you should take a good look at the new Rycote Super Shield they just showed at NAB. It's an upgrade to their S-Series windshield system and it is backwards compatible. Simon from Rycote gave me a nice demo at NAB and I have to say I was impressed. It is very simple, clean, versatile and affordable.
 
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davefisk said:
If you are thinking of using that upgrade kit, then you should take a good look at the new Rycote Super Shield they just showed at NAB. [..] It is very simple, clean, versatile and affordable.
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I've checked it out on B&H, it's affordable (compared to many other systems) but it's still 100$ more than the older S-Series.
I was thinking about the "upgrade" kit because I've made my own blimp:
_MG_1928.jpg_MG_2083.JPG
And I would like a more "convenient" way to secure the mic in it. Also, doing it only as a hobby, the money to invest in it is limited...
 
You might want to find a way to frankenstein the PSC universal shock mount into there. This is probably the most widely used inexpensive mount on the market, and has been for YEARS. I have several that I really like. It provides very good isolation at an affordable price, and it's pretty universal for short shotgun mics. One mount and you are going to be covered for most of your needs, so no need to worry about purchasing different bits and things for different microphones should you get another mic in the future. When I used to work in rentals in Coffey Sound we put these inside of a Rycote or Sennheiser zeppelin. We had to "frankenstein" it to get it to work, but it was great.
 
drapeama said:
I'll check to make a DIY version of that shock mount, if it's simpler and works just as well!
Thanks for the tips!
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The time, energy, and money for materials equals much more than what it would cost just to purchase that mount, but I understand people like to DIY stuff for the fun and experience of it. I've never been a good "DIY" person, so I've always stayed away from it.

What you've done with your DIY zepp is pretty good, actually. Basic premise of yours is the same as the K-Tek zeppelin.
 
davefisk said:
While I never say any suspension on the market is the best because it really depends on the operator (I've heard people say that they hate a given shock mount and then another person will say they love that same mount).
Click to expand...

Actually it depends on science and measurement - although some people may prefer one type over another, the effectiveness of a suspension can be measured as to its effectiveness. You may find this article interesting reading.


davefisk said:
PLUS it is a tad disingenuous for a re-seller who only has Rycote as their only mic suspension to tell people it is the best, as that opinion is very biased since they would look bad in the eyes of Rycote if they didn't say Rycote is the best.
Click to expand...

If you are referring to me, I am not really a reseller of Rycote, I am the distributor of Gefell microphones and offer the Rycote as an option. I can offer almost any mount on the market if a customer wanted it, but as I sell mainly to dealers and not direct, I only sell one or two Rycotes a year, as a dealer will gat any mount direct. My comments are based on experience and an understanding of the science.

Technically, the best mounts are the Rycote Lyres and the Cinela Osix (now Cinela have changed the sprung mount to Hytrel). These are followed closely by the rubber "doughnut" suspensions made by Shure and a few other companies. Elastic suspensions and O-ring suspensions come behind these.

To be effective a suspension needs to prevent handling noise getting to the body of the microphone without bouncing or resonating.

A big source of handling noise is the cable, which is why I use a thin and flexible XLR tail between the microphone and the main cable to decouple the mic. from the main cable.
 
John Willett said:
Technically, the best mounts are the Rycote Lyres and the Cinela Osix (now Cinela have changed the sprung mount to Hytrel). These are followed closely by the rubber "doughnut" suspensions made by Shure and a few other companies. Elastic suspensions and O-ring suspensions come behind these.
Click to expand...

Again...you keep using that word "best". I've done tons of recordings with tons of different microphones in tons of different situations. Even on film and television production it isn't accurate to say a given mount is "the best". It depends on the real world situation. Go to the Paramount lot or Warner Bros. lot and go to every stage and ask the boom ops which mount they think is the best, and you'll get many different answers based on their real world experience. I know because I have done this exact thing.
 
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