I've been using a Stedman screen with great results.

_____________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
[url=(deadlink)[/url]

Record some white noise with and without a pop sheild and look at the results in a spectrum analyser. That should answer your question.

I know this puts me at risk of looking like an idiot, but:
If screens tamper with the sound, they why do I always see them in studio pics, documentary stuff (!!!VH1 behind the Music!!!)and ....wherever else? Is it a large scale conspiracy by those whove "made it" to trick us into ruining our tracks?
In seriousness- will it matter much tracking male voices- some rapping, some yelling, some actual singing (or so we try)?

I don't "automatically" set up a pop filter. If the singer's popping and we can't make it work with placement I'll pull out a nylon or stedman screen. Often, the nylon only reduces the problem. As a result I've gotten pretty good at removing the pops by editing them to a new track with a 150hz rolloff (putting crossfades on the overlapping regions). It works most of the time. I can hear the filter on my Brauner Valvet so I try not to use it, but the resulting coloration is less annoying than an intrusive pop. I've read that there are techniques like waving your hand past your face to interupt the plosive (John Lennon is said to have done this) and that the BBC used to recommend substituting a "b" sound for "p" to elimiate the plosive. I've never had any success with these though.

If I need the close proximity "hot" vocal effect I will almost always use a pop filter, if the singer is not exceptionally good at not popping (some are you know). Otherwise I try a little more distance, or make the artist sing to the side of the mic, or put the mic over the singers face, pointing downwards. I really dont like to loose that extra top freq.

Aside from stopping pops, the value of a pop filter is as additional protection against food/saliva deposits on the mic capsule, thereby prolonging the life of the capsule.

Check out the screen after a long client session...most mic owners I know prefer to have all that gunk & crap land on the screen rather than on the capsule. On some rap sessions, I've often seen two anti-pop screens used to protect the mic, as more spit tends to fly from rapping than singing. It's also not a bad idea to have the screen washed regularly with hot, soapy water...gets rid of the food and saliva smell for the next client.

Oh, and they also do help against pops.

Jon

If you've ever opened up and checked out the diaphragm of a mic that's regularly used without a popscreen, you'll understand why it's a good idea to use a screen with any valuable mic.

Or you could just make the singer pull a pair of pantyhose over their head - ala bankrobber style. That would stop the pops I bet.

_____________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
[url=(deadlink)[/url]

Finally! A justifiable reason to wear pantyhose on my head! :D Now my wife will stop asking all those "Why are you wearing my Panyhose on your head?" questions. LOL Good idea.

In my experience, the mesh screens are good only for keeping gunk out of the mic.
The best screen and easy to clean, is the Royer metal mesh baby.
It's also very effective on vocal poppers, being designed for a ribbon mic.
I also put those foam things over my mics but only when they're NOT being used, to keep out dust and other gunk.
If you have a bad popper, have him or her work the mic at a 45 degree angle or simply back off.

I find corner of the mouth to offer better consonant sounds and negligible plosives and silibance.
Maybe someone can invent a sonically transparent mic condom.
Don't ask why.
Ted

Another benefit of the pop screen is that it keeps singers with poor mic technique away from the mic. Many singers think that they need to be as close to the mic as they do for live performances. Many are just plain unaware of where they are at because they are so into the song :roll: .

sometimes it helps to tie a pencil in front of the microphone, right against the cage. The pencil splits air bursts beeing directed at the microphone without altering the sound too much.