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8.5 - ANTIPLOSIVE PROTECTION

Air-flow generated by the mouth can be likened to wind generated noise but with one major restriction in that the source of ‘wind’ is usually only in front of the microphone. Protection against this type of ‘wind’ noise or ‘popping’, generated by the shock wave associated with explosive consonants like ‘b’ and ‘p’, is called anti-plosive protection. As the source of the plosives is usually in front of the microphone, the most efficient anti-plosive protection is a fine mesh screen placed between the microphone and the mouth, as shown in Figure 87. This is the ideal solution for use in recording studios or any other inside recording situation where the size of the screen is not of major importance. This approach does not produce any of the standing wave resonances which are associated with the basket-and-mesh windshield, but a very small amount of high-frequency roll-off correction may be necessary. The directivity characteristics of the microphone are not affected.


Figure 87 - Studio Popscreen for Speech and Vocals
© photo by courtesy of Schoeps

In theatre or television, the screen would be too much of a visual obstacle. The standard windshield, based either on the small synthetic foam or basket-and–mesh technique, must be used. However most hand-held or vocal microphones already use the proximity effect, as described in the previous section, to reduce acoustic feedback and surrounding noise, by introducing considerable roll-off of the low frequency response. This technique will also improve the sensitivity of the microphone to ‘popping’. The combination of windshield protection (either foam or mesh) built into the microphone grill, and the proximity effect compensation, will produce a good overall rejection of these ‘popping’ sounds without too much visual impediment.