As we have already mentioned in a previous post in our sound section , “pop” sounds are produced by small blows of the wind at the articulation of consonants such as P, B, D and T. They are the oral or “explosive” consonant consonants.
They are called like this because they are heard as a small explosion, when the wind blow directly impacts the microphone membrane. To combat this effect, it will be necessary to use a series of specific accessories.
When we talk about antipop, we are referring mainly to the foam rubber cap of the vocal or reporter microphones. Many microphones come from the factory protected by the construction of their grille against the aforementioned pop sounds. In these situations, extra foam rubber protection does not provide much improvement.
Different case is the one of the microphones destined to record instruments, singing or locution . In these cases, foam rubber screens will be of great help.
Remember that, for most microphones, there is a custom windshield. The foam protector, popularly called “antipop”, manufacturers usually call it “windproof”. It is because wind noises on outdoor recordings or live events are much better avoided if we use a foam rubber screen instead of pop joints.
A foam rubber screen can also be used indoors. In case you do not keep enough distance from the microphone, you can use a windshield to muffle the sounds of breathing somewhat and protect the singer or announcer from the roughness of the microphone grille on the lips.
In the market, the anti-pop screen receives several names: Popkiller, Popstopper or anti-pop filter, anti-pop mesh, etc.
A recent tool
The truth is that the antipop screen is a relatively modern invention. In the 70s, there were two options: either work without a protector against pop joints, separating a lot from the microphone, or use a foam rubber windshield.
Then, in the early 1980s, the intention was to obtain a more transparent and rich sound at high frequencies. Considering that the foam protectors stole treble and shorter microphone distances were required, new solutions were investigated until reaching the anti-pop screen.
Anti-pop screens are manufactured today in different finishes . There are two layers of fabric, with only one, with a folding mechanism to regulate the “level of filtering”, etc.
There are also models of metal antipop screens that do not block the air flow but divert it so that it does not reach the microphone membrane. These metal pop screens offer us a particularly transparent sound. For their part, the fabric mesh screens protect better from splashes of saliva on the microphone membrane.
In the field of cinema, TV and radio, special hair protection is frequently used for special recordings . Colloquially it is called “dead cat”. This type of protection is even more effective than foam rubber. The reason is that the wind is trapped in the fine hairs before it can reach the microphone membrane.
