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CCM 41, need to buy a ballgag


LC21

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Good question. I see Cinela has a new product called "Leonard" that seems to be their own version of the Schoeps or Rycote ball gag. If anyone has tried all the different versions I would be interested in hearing about them. I'm looking for a ball gag for my CMC541.

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I have not tried the Cinela version, however I can attest that with the Rycote BBG, I do notice a definitive difference in sound when using it vs. only a foam windscreen. That is to say, it definitively alters the sound, but in a way that at best is subjective. I use it only when doing extremely fast movements indoors, and never outside as of yet.

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There is NO question - splurge on the Schoeps Fuzzy Basket. The Rycote will bring you heartache and pain. (I have not tried the Cinela, but I am a big fan so maybe that one's good.) The Schoeps Fuzzy Basket is light and super small, sounds perfect, and works likes mutha in all wind!

As a strange side note, when I ordered a second Schoeps Fuzzy Basket, instead I received the Rycote Ball Gag. Then I got a cock & bull story that the Rycote WAS the Schoeps. I had to insist that they were two different products and sent the Rycote back. I got the real one and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Dan Izen

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It's in the Schoeps catalog as Fuzzy Basket, some cryptic product name like "WS-T3000FB" or something. Sorry I have no idea! Working a nights this week so I can't dig up the invoice right now. But it's about $150 and TOTALLY worth every penny.

Dan Izen

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IMHO, the Rycote Baby Ball Gag has so much plastic in it's construction that the sound is dulled and and with the Rycote Fluffy the sound is muddy. If you need a hard wearing product the Rycote is probably the toughest. My Rycote Baby Ball Gag sits unloved in a cupboard.

The Schoeps B 20 S is a lightweight ball basket with inside and outside layers of fabric over the plastic frame. Sound is transparent compared to the Rycote and provides for excellent air movement protection with rapid boom moves. The Schoeps web site lists a single fabric layer W 20 variant and I believe the "Fuzzy Basket" is the W 20 R, a single layer fabric basket and a slip-on "fluffy.

I obtained a Cinela Leo for an MKH50 last March. It's one fabric layer over a minimal lightweight plastic frame. There's a fluffy for it is well but we haven't used that yet. The Leo is a significant wind performance and sound quality advance over the Rycote Baby Ball Gag. Check with Cinela first for use on a CCM as their web site notes the Leo-20 is for use with a CMC. The yoke of the Leo ball that fits over the mic body is quite long compared to the Schoeps and Rycote Balls and may cover the mic capsule slots when pushed up against the suspension supporting the CCM.

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I originally had a Rycote baby ball gag for my MKH50 and didnt like how heavy it was and also felt like all the plastic and the big fat rubber donut on the back influenced the sound and probably the directional pattern of the mic. The weight with the Windjammer on seemed to be too much for the lyre suspension. I then switched to a rycote softie which is certainly lighter and more transparent but again has the big rubber section at the back which I think influences the pattern somewhat. However if we're talking wind protection alone, the BBG with windjammer wins by a mile.. imho.

I followed someones advice and got some softies and cut the rubber backs off and sowed the fur closed at the rear. This is what I am using for now on the MKH50 and Schoeps CMCs.. I think I might try a Cinela or Schoeps fuzzy ball next for more protection

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However if we're talking wind protection alone, the BBG with windjammer wins by a mile.. imho.

Not my experience. I have never heard wind using the Schoeps fuzzy basket, I cannot say the same for the heavier, crappier-sounding, much bigger and overall clunkier Rycote product.

I'm not a Rycote hater, I just think they need to pay attention to the competition more. They ain't the only game in town anymore y'know?

Dan Izen

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Hey Dan I just meant that the Rycote BBG with windjammer was more effective than the Rycote softie, which I'm pretty sure is true. I wasnt a fan of the the BBG and did end up selling it on however..

As for the Schoeps baskets there are definitely 2 sizes see here http://schoeps.de/en...small_bascet_sc

The B20 basket is the really small one and is meant as a "close speech guard" The W20R1 is bigger, comes with fur and is probably what Dan is using (?)

Go to this link and click on the image which shows W20, W20R1 and B20S

http://www.used-film-equipment.com/Products/details/7000/en

I head a look at a friends Leonard yesterday and it looks very good and apparently performance with fur in wind is excellent.

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It's possible to get a full Rycote basket for a CCM41 that's 7" (front to back) 4" diameter and a suspension and conbox slide in to it.

I've tried the B20 and Schoeps don't recommend it for CCMs and I found that it colored the sound to a very noticeable degree in a side by side comparison.

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Thank you! It's the W20R1 that I love. Not tiny, but smaller than the BBG. By the way that does look like a Rycote product up there on the Schoeps site! Sup wit dat?

Mr. Pin Dropper or whatever your name is, that is really good information! I did wonder if the fuzzy basket would work for a CCM series.

Dan Izen

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