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Author Topic: Pop Filter shootout (ANSWERS ADDED TO ORIGINAL POST)  (Read 28535 times)

J.J. Blair

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Pop Filter shootout (ANSWERS ADDED TO ORIGINAL POST)
« on: March 04, 2009, 11:53:24 PM »

This is a listening test.  I used 4 commercial pop filters, and Terry's foam method.  This is a blind listening test for the first number of days.  All you need to know is that the first sample of my terrible singing is me, a Manley Gold, a Vac Rac pre, and no filter.  The file is 44.1/16 aiff.

The filters used were the Pauly, the Pete's Place, the Steadman (round one) and the Popper Stopper.

Filter Test

edit: The answers are posted below.  Some of you who have used numbers to indicate which filter you preferred might want to clarify, as #2 could mean the second one, or the second of the filtered samples.




















































#1) no filter
#2) Steadman
#3) Popper Stopper
#4) Pete's Place
#5) The Pauly
#6) foam cover
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They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

rankus

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2009, 02:28:45 PM »



Number two is my favorite for sure.

PS:  JJ You have a great voice.

PPS:  Thanks for doing this!  Can't wait to hear the results.

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Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios http://www.myspace.com/clarkdrivestudios

Ive done stuff I'm not proud of.. and the stuff I am proud of is disgusting ~ Moe Sizlack

"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller

Nizzle

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2009, 02:32:06 PM »

You BEAST.

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Very interesting.

#1 - Sounds the best MINUS the low end "air" bursts. Go figure.

I think I prefer #6 of the "filtered" examples(even though this was clearly the least, best performance) Smile

My second choice would be #4

Pete would be proud of you.

-t
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Nizzle

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2009, 02:34:23 PM »

For the record: the term, "Terry's Foam Method" sounds filthy.



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J.J. Blair

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2009, 03:59:09 PM »

A quick note: I found it very useful to a/b each sample directly against the first sample, as well as listening in succession.
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studio info

They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

rankus

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2009, 05:38:36 PM »


I kind of like #5 as well.  I'm listening for the best plosive reduction without too much other stuff.  Although there is a touch of esss on #2 it seems to fit the singer/part imo.  

Crappy listening environment at home here tho


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Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios http://www.myspace.com/clarkdrivestudios

Ive done stuff I'm not proud of.. and the stuff I am proud of is disgusting ~ Moe Sizlack

"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller

tom eaton

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2009, 08:28:03 PM »

Nizzle wrote on Thu, 05 March 2009 14:34

For the record: the term, "Terry's Foam Method" sounds filthy.




True, but it's a great band name.

pan60

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2009, 10:28:07 PM »

cool shootout Mr. J. Blair!

Cool

PookyNMR

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2009, 03:31:30 PM »

Of the filtered samples, I prefer the second and third, with an edge to the third (I guess that would make it phrases #3 and #4 on your audio file).
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Nathan Rousu

JGauthier

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2009, 01:59:10 AM »

PookyNMR wrote on Fri, 06 March 2009 12:31

Of the filtered samples, I prefer the second and third, with an edge to the third (I guess that would make it phrases #3 and #4 on your audio file).


I 100% agree. Exactly how I felt about it too.

Thanks JJ, Im really curious to know which ones 2 and 3 are... And Im PRAYING one of them is the steadman or popper stopper, not both the new breed of wallet sucking filters... I don't want to want one...
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Kris

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2009, 10:44:11 AM »

And the answer is...?

I think I liked (filtered) 3 the best.  In fact they all seemed pretty useable to me.  Was 2 a touch more sibilant?  
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J.J. Blair

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2009, 11:56:22 AM »

I'll post later today.  I have to open the session back up to remember the order!
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studio info

They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

Electric Warrior

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2009, 06:54:44 PM »

I like #5.
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J.J. Blair

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2009, 02:34:39 AM »

My thoughts are that there's no free lunch.  Everything has a sonic signature.  The Pete's place had the most unbelievable plosive protection.  I will be using this on my Leslie for sure, where the wind is a definite problem.  I might even be able to not have to mic outside the louvers.  It definitely has a sound, though.  They all do.  Maybe the Popper Stopper or the Pauly were the most transparent, but their plosive protection was the least efficacious.  The Steadman does a good job with the plosives, but has a sound to it, as well.  The foam I liked the least, and it's because it changed the environment of the capsule.  I felt like it's sitting in a different housing now, as the space around the capsule has a different sound to it.  It had less to do with the fact that I was losing the most highs, and more to do with the difference in overall sound.

I've personally been using the Steadman for a while, but I am really going to change that for now.  On certain mics, I'm going to see if I can get away with not using any filter.  Some mics , I will have to, just to protect the capsule.  But for now, my days of defaulting to using a filter might be over.
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studio info

They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

rankus

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Re: Pop Filter shootout
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2009, 01:59:39 PM »



Hmm.  Seems I like the Steadman  Shocked   It does add a bit to the top, but in the example I thought it suited.  I had a suspicion it was the Steadman when I chose it as well... what do I win?

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Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios http://www.myspace.com/clarkdrivestudios

Ive done stuff I'm not proud of.. and the stuff I am proud of is disgusting ~ Moe Sizlack

"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller
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