A good windscreen can make the difference between a great audio track, or a bad one with excessive wind noise. Rycote are perhaps the world’s best known makers of windshields for microphones. They are regularly used for news, documentary and feature film work. Their most recent Cyclone model has excellent performance through the use of new materials and clever design.
It uses the Rycote lyre suspension system that keeps the mic well isolated from bumps and vibrations. The Newsshooter team was so impressed by it that we gave it our Best New Audio Product award at IBC 2014.
This year, at the Excellence in Sound event in Bristol, Rycote’s Simon Davies was showing an even more refined version of the Cyclone in three different sizes. In the exterior there is an improved version of the 3D-Tex material with improved wind noise rejection characteristics. They have listened to users’ requests for tweaks to the design, including the colour of the windshield and the size of the grip. In addition, they’ve resigned the cable and mount system, making the XLR connection even smaller than the previous one. The connector has a RF screen and uses Neutrik components.
This, in turn, means that for many microphones, you can now use a windshield one size smaller than before. In documentary and news situations this could be an advantage. Additionally, if using the microphone in the suspension without the shield it can get closer to ceilings, giving you extra clearance in tight spaces.
All three sizes of the improved Cyclone are available immediately, for more information, visit the Rycote website.
