GEAR
AUDIO ESSENTIALS
ACCESSORIES
RYCOTE PCS BOOM GRIP £86/$120 rycote.com
Holding a boompole can get tiresome, so it’s best to invest in a carbon-fibre version. Rode makes one of the finest carbon poles, the Boompole Pro, which weighs just 535g/1.18lb, extends to 3m/10ft and collapses to 810mm/2.7ft. Each of the five pole sections is made from carbon fibre, so it’s light but strong. The sections are easily extendable with one hand thanks to an intuitive twist-lock mechanism. It’s designed for use with professional shotgun microphones as well as the Blimp windshield system to cut out wind noise. RODE BOOMPOLE PRO £198/$299 rode.com
Mounting audio kit to booms and stands has been simplified by Rycote with its PCS system of quick-release connectors. The range is designed to allow the mounting of microphones and accessories safely and quickly without the need for adapters. It has simple click-in connections, which are noise- free to avoid any unwanted disturbance in recordings. The heart of the system is the boom connector, the first and flagship quick-release to attach mics to boom poles. This is joined by a variety of quick- release fittings including one to fasten a mic to a light stand. This clever system also includes articulating arms, multi-purpose clamps and audio stands in many sizes.
RYCOTE SUPER-SOFTIE £129/$140 rycote.com
Rycote produces a range of windshields, including furry-style, but a more modern option is the Super-Softie. This is a more aerodynamic shape so the wind glides over rather than buffeting it. And it is made of high-tech material called 3D-Tex stretched over a larger open-cell foam covering compared to standard windshields. If it gets wet, the Super-Softie can be squeezed out and shaken dry or wiped clean when dusty. Our tests show it makes a difference compared to furry covers. The Super-Softie comes in different lengths and internal bore sizes so you need to make sure you buy the right one for your mic. Rycote also makes a whole range of foam windshields, furries and stick-on wind muffs for lavalier mics. And if you don’t want a lav mic to be seen, there are adhesive tape squares so it can be fastened to the inside of clothing or even to skin.
Rycote’s Overcovers are a better solution for reducing wind noise affecting your lav mic – and are a stronger way to fix the mic to your talent. They have been specifically designed to mount over a massive range of lapel microphones in windy outdoor conditions, as well as reducing irritable RYCOTE OVERCOVERS £12/$16 rycote.com
rustling between the mic and clothing. The kit comes with six black or grey furry- disc windshields to use on most standard lavalier microphones and 30 black sticky pads to fix them. They even stick to skin, so could be hidden under clothing too. Replacement sticky pads are available.
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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