You would find a pop filter and foam in every podcaster's recording ensemble. But if you are a newbie, you might not know a great deal about recording gears and how to use them. I was like you once upon a time, so I understand the confusion.
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Many podcasters are confused between the functions of a pop filter and a foam.
A pop filter is used to remove plosives, the harsh sound of consonants, from a microphone recording. While foam is a kind of windscreen, which shields the mic from wind and removes airblast sounds from the recorded sound.
A pop-filter and a wind screen improve the. audio quality of your recording
What is a Pop Filter and What Does it Do?A pop filter is a circular mesh screen placed in front of the microphone prior to a recording. As the name suggests, the pop filter's job is to filter out popping sounds from a voice recording.
Now what are these popping sounds and how does a pop-filter control them?
The popping sounds, also called plossives, occur when you speak consonants like Ps, Ts, and Bs directly into the mic. When you make these sounds, a blast of air hits the mic which causes your voice to 'pop-out' in the recording. It's harsh to hear, and you wouldn't want it in your recording.
When you place a pop filter before a microphone, your voice hits the screen first. And the screen material, which is nylon or a wire mesh, disperses the sound before it reaches the microphone. The sound doesn't hit the mic like a blast of air. So the plosives won't make their way in your recording.
Plosives are a natural part of human speech. It's just that they get magnified in a voice recording, hence you need to filter them out. The effect is more pronounced on a condenser mic; the plosives sound very harsh due to the proximity effect. Always use a pop filter while recording indoors to get a clean recording. Nylon pop-filters don't cost much and they are easy to set up.
Here is an additional description on how to set up a pop filter correctly.
What is a Foam Windscreen and What Does it Do?Outside mic use always a foam windscreen that precisely encompasses the entire microphone. But because this technique is so successful many mics right now, come equipped with a foam windscreen right out of the box. In the picture above you have the powerful Shure SM7B (check current price). Because it is covered with a foam screen it works great even in a slightly noisy environment.
Microphones are pretty sensitive to wind. If you record your podcast on a bare microphone, you might get a recording where your voice is inaudible due to windblast. Since the issue is fairly common, all microphones come with a foam windscreen.
A foam windscreen, also called foam (because it's a piece of foam!) that you can simply put on the microphone. It fits the mic snugly and protects the mic capsule from windblast. If you are new to podcasting, and wondering what windblast sounds like, you can try taking your naked mic outdoors and recording a clip. You could hear a thumping sound in the clip.
Please do this only once, as it's not good for your microphone. Prolonged exposure could also cause damage to the mic capsule. Using the foam protects this sensitive part of the equipment. Since foam comes with the mic, I don't see a reason why you should skip this important step'.(unless you misplace it!).
Manufacturers usually use open cell foam to make foam windscreen. The incoming wind moves in and around the foam structure, while the sound waves reach the mic capsule. This helps to achieve noise reduction without impacting the quality of sound. You should never skip using the foam, especially when you record outside. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to remove these noises from the podcast recording.
Foam filters are easy to set up ' just slide them onto your mic. But you can additionally improve the audio quality of your recording by setting your mic correctly, e.g. properly placing it and setting your recording project the right way. Here are more mic setup tips.
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Many new recorders often question if they need to use a pop-filter, or a foam, or both of them. Let's compare both the equipment pieces to get a better idea.
A pop filter gives the desired results only when you set it up correctly. Never stack your pop filter against your mic. It should be 2 to 6 inches away from the microphone. This is necessary to eliminate the plosives.
As a thumb rule, you should maintain a distance of the size of your closed fist between the mic and the filter, and the filter and yourself. You also need to maintain the correct angle. Position the pop filter so that you speak into it; it should be at the same level as your mouth.
Before you do the actual recording, do a trial recording to ensure that you have positioned the pop filter correctly. Here is a detailed info on how to set up a pop filter.
ConclusionIf you ask which one is indispensable for a podcaster, I would vote for the pop filter. That's because most podcasts are recorded indoors, where plosives would be a major issue. You can easily order one online if you don't have one.
The foam cover is essential for protecting the mic capsule from elements. But it does little for the plosives. Also, it achieves less noise reduction than a blip or capsule windscreen. If you like to take your gears outdoors, I would recommend you to look into the other types of windscreens for better results.
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These dressings are composed of either polyurethane or silicone material. They generally have two layers: an inner hydrophilic layer that lies against the wound, and a hydrophobic outer layer that prevents leakage. Foam dressings can either be adhesive or non-adhesive. Non-adhesive foam dressings require the use of an additional secondary dressing to be secured in position. In general, thin foam dressings have an adhesive wound contact layer. Thick foam dressings, on the other hand, may or may not have an adhesive layer.
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Foam dressings are available in various shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. Some of the available forms include wafers, rolls, and shapes that conform to different anatomical locations. They can also be used as cavity dressings. Foam dressings are permeable to water, and their hydrophilic nature makes them highly absorbent. Therefore, foam dressings are suitable for wounds with moderate to heavy exudate. Due to their excellent absorptive capacity, they can also be used as secondary dressings with alginate and collagen primary dressings.
Foam dressings are non-occlusive, and allow the loss of water vapors through the outer layer of the dressing. The rate of moisture vapor transmission varies according to the type of foam dressing. The rate of moisture transmission can be altered by covering the dressing with hosiery or support.
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Foam dressings were initially introduced as an alternative to hydrocolloid wound dressings. They are widely used by wound care specialists and podiatrists due to their numerous benefits for wound healing. Even though a single wound dressing does not contain all the characteristics of an ideal wound dressing, foam dressings closely comply with the ideal. Some of the benefits of foam dressings include:
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Foam dressings are generally indicated to be used in wounds with moderate to heavy exudate. Some of the common applications of foam dressings include:
Foam dressings should be avoided in wounds with dry eschar as they can cause the desiccation of the wound. Some other important considerations to be kept in mind while using foam dressings include: