Cylcone introduces advanced design concepts to the traditional basket windshield, using modern materials to create the successor to the Rycote designs familiar since the late 60's. Consisting of a complete windshield and suspension kit, the durable yet lightweight design gives 'category leading wind and shock isolation performance', with the same overall volume yet lighter in weight than an equivalent Rycote modular windshield. The multiple suspensions provide 'complete isolation against handling noise and cable-borne noises, and windshield basket self-noise'.
The microphone is carried in the patented Rycote soft suspension 'lyres', seen before on some of Rycote's later designs, to isolate it from vibration passed from the pole, stand or handle to which it is attached. The suspension is supplied with a short, ultra-soft microphone cable, to avoid these vibrations by-passing the lyres, ready-fitted to the angled xlr-holder below the suspension.
The two-piece windshield surrounds the microphone and is itself mounted on a suspension system, inhibiting vibration from travelling from the boom to the basket and then to the microphone via the air as well as avoiding vibration, picked up by the windshield, transmitting to the primary suspension.
The windshield can be fitted to the suspension in just a few seconds. It locks together using magnets; sprung catches are also provided to prevent the parts separating under extreme acceleration on a boom. The cone-like shape combats standing waves inside the shield; the overall bulk is shifted to the basket front compared to previous designs. The exterior is covered in Rycote's '3D-Tex', a dual-layer synthetic material which combines 'excellent acoustic transparency with superb attenuation of wind noise'. It is resistant to rain, and if it does get wet, the rain may be gently squeezed out; it is possible to dry the cover using a hair-dryer.
The result of all these advances is a combined suspension and windshield, which, as supplied, without fur cover, exceeds the combined wind-noise reduction performance of a Rycote modular-style windshield and fur windjammer, with a considerable increase in transparency and frequency range. The size and weight are similar.
Wind attenuation: 50dB without Windjammer, better than 60dB with Windjammer, measured total power, 10Hz - 20kHz, no weighting, under real wind conditions.
Handling isolation: Typically better than 10dB, dependent on microphone type and LF band shaping.
Frequency response: Substantially flat, 10Hz-20kHz, +0db, -3dB, measured with differential twin microphone technique.
Kit contents: Cyclone suspension, fitted with 72-shore Universal Lyres. Cyclone cable (fitted). Cyclone windshield, Large (consisting of left and right pods). Pair of Universal Lyres, 62-shore, for lightweight microphones. Hex key driver, for adjustment of Lyres.
Optional accessories: Extension handle with soft-grip, 53-288. Small (029103), medium (029102), and large (029101) Cyclone Windjammers are available for use in absolutely extreme conditions.
Cyclone Windshield Kit Small
Suitable for microphones from 75mm up to 160mm in length, 19-25mm in diameter, and a 3-pin XLR connector (use 089103) or LEMO connector (use 089104).
Cyclone Windshield Kit Medium
Suitable for short shotgun microphones from 174mm up to 255mm in length, 19-25mm in diameter, and 3-pin XLR connector, and is compatible with microphones including DPA 4017B, 4018A, Neumann KMR 81i, Rode NTG-3, NTG-4, Sennheiser MKH 416, and Sanken CS1, CS2.
Cyclone Windshield Kit Large
Suitable for shotgun microphones from 250mm up to 280mm in length, 19-25mm in diameter, and 3-pin XLR connector, and is compatible with microphones including Audio-Technica BP4073; Sanken CS-2, CS-3e; Schoeps CMIT-5u, SuperCMIT 2U; Sennheiser MKH 416, MKH 60, MKE 600; Neumann KMR 81i; Rode NTG-2, NTG-3.
Super-Shield Kits are complete windshield and shock mounting systems for shotgun microphones up to 300mm in length.
An updated version of a well-proven Rycote design, this has a rigid basket windshield that totally encloses the microphone for the best wind-noise reduction. The central chassis supports a range of 'pods', in lengths to fit almost all location-style microphones, and provides for good aerodynamic balance and adjustment of centre-of-mass balance.
The Rycote patented 'Lyre' suspension isolates the microphone, and together with a captive cable, minimises handling noise. The pods have a twist-lock fixing to allow fast and easy access to the microphone. The kits are available in three lengths. Front and rear pods are available separately for replacement purposes or to use with an existing suspension to fit a larger or smaller microphone.
Each Super-Shield kit contains a suspension with cable and pistol grip, a windshield, consisting of front and rear pods which lock onto a ring around the suspension, and a Windjammer cover.
(1) Weight includes suspension, pistol grip, XLR cable, windshield and Windjammer
Super-Shield Suspension provides isolation from shocks and vibrations using the Rycote patented 'Lyre' technology which cuts handling-noise with any axial microphones, without the use of rubbers or elastic. The suspension is suitable for microphones 19mm to 25mm in shaft diameter, using two snap-in, pinch-release' Lyre suspensions, that can be slotted into any of six positions for perfect balance and fit. The suspension is supplied with a highly flexibility, 450mm microphone cable.
The Super-Shield Windshield is made up from two 'pods' which attach to the central chassis. They are lightweight, durable baskets made from flexible grey plastic netting with a screening material attached. The windshield has a twist-lock system onto the suspension chassis ring, and when fitted completely surround the whole microphone, connector and suspension. This system creates a still volume of air around the microphone, which provides excellent wind-noise reduction, with minimal high-frequency loss.
The rear pod, 010420, is the same for all sizes and is listed for use in case of loss or damage. Small, medium and large pods may be substituted for the pods of a different size, to change, say, a small Super-Shield into a medium or large Super-Shield.
The Windjammer is a high-quality, synthetic-fur cover which fits over the windshield and provides 'excellent protection' against extreme wind noise. Hand made in the UK from the 'highest quality materials available', which are specially designed and manufactured for the purpose, it has 'very little detrimental effect' on the high frequencies in the audio being captured. Windjammers, although included in the kits, are also available separately for use in case of loss or damage or when changing the size of a Super-Shield by swapping the front pod for a different size.