What is that round screen in front of studio microphones for?

Answer 1

When you make "p" or "d" sounds (called "plosives") they're accompanied by a little puff of air. That can distort the sound that's recorded. The screens are to let the singing through, but block the puffs.

Answer 2

It's a combination of the above answers. It's a breath filter that eliminates the rumble from the breath of the singer/speaker. It also eliminates the explosive "p" sounds, so it also serves as a pop filter. Finally, it does keep spit off expensive microphones -- it's much easier cleaning a 50-cent piece of nylon than a $700 microphone.

I've used those breath filters and they work well. You can get them for less than $20.

Answer 3

It's called a breath filter or pop filter. It makes it so the sounds involving the front of the lips (b and p) don't interfere with the microphone and get picked up.

Also eliminates all but the heaviest breathing sounds.

Answer 4

It's a pop-filter. Any time you sing a "P" consonant it can make a noise that sounds like the guy thumping the microphone saying "testing, testing, one-two-three-four". That screen diffuses the pop so it doesn't get recorded.

Answer 5

It offers the microphone foam cover protection from the brutality of the singer's halitosis.

Answer 6

Breath filter

Answer 7

It's a pop filter. It diffuses the air so the b and p sounds that a harsh don't pop the mic.

Answer 8

They're called windscreens. Similar to what you can see on a hand-held mic (the silver ball on top) They help filter out background noise.

Answer 9

I believe its used to ricochet the sound back into the mic instead of making an echo which will make the music sound distant

Answer 10

either its a filter for background noises, or so the artist doesn't eat the microphone. im just guessing though.