What’s the Best Microphone Shockmount for Me? |
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The shockmount is a microphone accessory that’s used for almost any kind of recording. Even for beginners, this studio essential is needed to ensure clean recordings. Here, we answer all of your most frequently asked questions about shockmounts to help you find exactly what you need. If you have a question and can’t find the answer here, feel free to contact us! 1. What is a Shockmount?A shockmount is a microphone accessory that’s used to help recording. When secured in a shockmount, the microphone is suspended in a kind of web of elasticated bands to prevent any contact noise from making it onto the recording. Since shockmounts are normally screwed onto a microphone stand (see Quesion 5), this ‘web of elastic’ also prevents vibrations from transferring from the floor, through the stand, and into the microphone. If you don’t use a shockmount, you run the risk of any vibrations being translated as noise on your recordings, especially in the lower frequencies.
2. Do I Need a Shockmount?Just to be sure, it’s always best to use a shockmount. If you use a condenser microphone, this is definitely recommended. Condenser microphones are extremely sensitive, and if you’re using a large-diaphragm condenser microphone, then it will easily pick up vibrational noises, the noise of being knocked or even just touched. If you plan to cut all of the lower frequencies out of your recordings later, then you can get away without using a shockmount. For more information, see Questions 3 and 4. Tips: A pop filter is another essential accessory when it comes to vocal recording since they soften the hard ‘P’ and ‘B’ sounds of human speech. It’s also wise to use a good balanced cable, like an XLR or 6.3mm TRS jack so you can limit interference, especially when using longer cables. Setting up a reflection filter around the microphone makes sure that any echoes bouncing off the walls of the recording space aren’t picked up so clearly by the microphone. Also, laying down a soft rug or blanket for the performer to stand on is a good idea, so you don’t get the sound of shifting feet on the recording. Finally, you could also install acoustic panels on the walls of your recording space to prevent echoes. Shockmounts
3. When Should I Use a Shockmount?If, for example, you have a vocalist standing very still in a good recording space, then the chance of the microphone being knocked or shocked is quite limited. But, if you have a vocalist who actually performs while recording, then the chance of footsteps and contact noise making it onto the recording increases. In these situations, it’s also worth noting that a wooden floor is more likely to cause problems than a concrete floor. And, if you record voice-overs using a desktop stand, then using a shockmount will prevent the sound of the performer tapping the desktop or brushing against the desk making it to the microphone. A more extreme example is recording a drum kit. Since the drummer uses a lot of force to hit the kick pedal, this can send a lot of vibrations through the floor, and if the vocalist is set up in the same room, these vibrations will be sent through their microphone stand.
4. Do You Need to Use a Shockmount for Recording Outside?Definitely. Say that you’re venturing outside with a recorder, microphone and tripod to record some traffic noise. This setup will probably be fine until a heavy truck passes by, making the ground beneath your tripod rumble. Using a shockmount, the vibrations will be absorbed, giving you a cleaner recording. It’s also worth using a shockmount when using camera microphones, or shotgun microphones (long directional microphones). This way, you can move around freely without fear of motion noises messing up the sound. External directional microphones are usually mounted inside a ‘blimp’ which is fitted with an internal shockmount.
5. Which Shockmount is Compatible with My Microphone?Our range of shockmounts includes many different models. Most of the time, it’s clear which kind of microphone or model the shockmount is made for, which makes sense, since while studio microphones can look similar, they don’t always have the same shape. Most of the time, you’ll be able to find a shockmount that’s been specifically designed for your microphone. If you know that there’s a shockmount available that’s made for your microphone but you can’t find it on our site, then you can use our product request form and we’ll get hold of it for you. We also have a number of universal shockmounts available. Check the dimensions included in the product description or specifications to be certain that your microphone will fit. Also, always check what kind of screw thread you’ll need to mount the shockmount onto your microphone stand. Normal microphone stands have two possible screw thread sizes: ⅜ inch, or ⅝ inch. Many shockmounts will have a ⅜ inch screw thread that can be unscrewed so that it can be adapted to fit a stand with a ⅝ inch screw thread. Otherwise, you can just use a screw thread adapter to make it bigger or smaller as needed. Camera mounts tend to use a ¼ inch screw thread. All Shockmounts
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