Best microphone pop screen: A pop screen may sound funny at first, but basically it does exactly what the name suggests.
With its air blast reduction function, it significantly improves the recording quality. Not only professionals use it, but also podcasters and YouTuber swear by this microphone accessory.
In the following I will introduce you to the advantages, give you practical tips and describe my experiences with this microphone accessory, also known as a pop killer.
- Advanced Live Production: easily control your favorite tools and platforms.
- 32 Customizable LCD Keys: instantly trigger unlimited actions with a tap.
- Powerful Integrations: Elgato 4KCU, OBS, Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Discord, Spotify, Philips Hue, vMix, VoiceMod, and more.
- One-Touch Operation: change scenes, launch media, switch cameras, tweak lighting, adjust audio, post tweets anything.
- Visual Feedback: know that your command has been executed.
Last update on 2023-08-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Microphone pop screen – What is that?
There are several names for this. In addition to pop protection, pop filter, pop killer or pop screen is also quite common. However, this always means the same thing, namely a membrane that protects the microphone from strong air blasts. These are usually made of nylon, but other materials can also be used.
The fabric is clamped in a metal ring as a membrane and placed between the mouth and the microphone. This slows down strong air blasts, such as those that occur with so-called pop sounds during pronunciation. These typical pop or plop sounds are produced, for example, by P or T sounds. Such explosive sounds are attenuated and the quality of the sound recording is thus significantly improved. Hence the name and it works very well.
Basically it is a special kind of wind protection, but not the same. More on this at the end of the article.
Another big advantage of the pop screen is that it is quite cheap and can be easily attached to any microphone stand or microphone spider with a so-called gooseneck. Sometimes there are also other mounting options.
Last but not least, a membrane protects the microphone itself from moisture, which can escape in the form of saliva during pronunciation and singing.
Tips for using the pop screen
The use of this accessory is in itself quite simple. Nevertheless, there are a few tips that I would like to give you in the following:
- It is quite simple to use. It is important that the pop screen is placed exactly between the mouth and the microphone and that it stays exactly there during the recording.
- Furthermore, you should not place it too close to the microphone. A distance between 5 and 20 centimeters is usually recommended. This gives a better effect. However, you should try this out and make test recordings, because every microphone is different.
- Furthermore, you can say that bigger is also better here. Larger rings ensure that they don’t reflect the sound and don’t cause additional interference. In addition, it happens less often that you “speak past” them.
- It is best not to place the pop screen exactly at right angles in front of the microphone, but at a slight angle. This prevents any sound from the microphone from being reflected back to the microphone.
- Advanced Live Production: easily control your favorite tools and platforms.
- 32 Customizable LCD Keys: instantly trigger unlimited actions with a tap.
- Powerful Integrations: Elgato 4KCU, OBS, Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Discord, Spotify, Philips Hue, vMix, VoiceMod, and more.
- One-Touch Operation: change scenes, launch media, switch cameras, tweak lighting, adjust audio, post tweets anything.
- Visual Feedback: know that your command has been executed.
- Haptic feedback** - Feel physically responsive feedback to your in-game actions with dual actuators which replace traditional rumble motors. In your hands, these dynamic vibrations can simulate the feeling of everything from environments to the recoil of different weapons.
- Adaptive triggers** - Experience varying levels of force and tension as you interact with your in-game gear and environments. From pulling back an increasingly tight bowstring to hitting the brakes on a speeding car, feel physically connected to your on-screen actions.
- Built-in microphone and headset jack - Chat with friends online*** using the built-in microphone or by connecting a headset to the 3.5mm jack. Easily switch voice capture on and off at a moment's notice with the dedicated mute button. ***Internet and account for PlayStation Network required.
- (Playback Language)
- Total freedom with up to 20 m wireless range and LIGHTSPEED wireless audio transmission. Keep playing for up to 29 hours of battery life. Play in stereo on PlayStation(R) 4..Note : If the size of the earbud tips does not match the size of your ear canals or the headset is not worn properly in your ears, you may not obtain the correct sound qualities or call performance. Change the earbud tips to ones that fit more snugly in your ear
- Personalize your headset lighting across the full spectrum, ~16. 8M colors. Play in colors with front-facing, dual-zone LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting and choose from preset animations or create your own with G HUB software.
- Colorful, reversible suspension headbands are designed for comfort during long play sessions.
- Advanced mic filters that make your voice sound richer, cleaner, and more professional. Customize with G HUB and find your sound.
- Hear every audio cue with breathtaking clarity and get immerse in your game. PRO-G drivers are designed to significantly reduce distortion and reproduce precise, consistent, rich sound quality.
Last update on 2023-08-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Not always just fabric
As already mentioned, a pop screen is not always made of fabric. For example, there are also metal shields which provide for a swirling or directing of the airflow and also work well.
The Rode NT-USB, for example, comes with such a metal pop screen right out of the box.
Nevertheless, experts agree that the fabric version is usually the better option.
Pop screen vs. windscreen
Popscreen and windscreen are often confused, but they are not the same thing. The windbreak, as the name suggests, is designed to protect against wind noise. It consists of a foam cover that is pulled directly over the microphone.
So the windscreen helps a little with pop noises, but it’s not ideal for that. It also dampens the high frequencies a little, which is also not always desirable.
That’s why you should use a proper pop screen for indoor recordings where the wind doesn’t play a role.
Conclusion on the best microphone pop screen
Best microphone pop screen: Such pop protection may not seem so relevant, but it is very important for the recording quality. Also and especially with YouTubers and podcasters, pop noises are annoying and annoying.
If there are problems with such pop sounds during your recordings, then this purchase is worthwhile, especially since you really don’t have to spend a lot of money on it.
By the way, some special microphones have pop protection already integrated. So the Rode Podcaster has internal pop protection, which is not as effective as an external one but still works well.
