Pop Filter

 ​A pop filter, also known as a pop screen or pop shield, is a piece of equipment that reduces popping sounds that occur when you record vocals. Pop filters can improve sound quality during singing, podcasting, and voiceover work. Pop filters are typically made with porous materials wrapped around a circular frame.

Pop filters improve recordings by reducing or eliminating plosive sounds made from harsher consonants like P, B, T, D, K, and G. A speaker creates plosive sounds with an explosion of air from their mouth that bounces against their microphone capsule. The air pressure from plosive sounds results in an unpleasant noise that peaks above other vocal sounds. Pop filters can also reduce the effect of sibilance, a hissing sound made from air passing through teeth during consonants like S and Z.

Types of Pop Filters:

There are two primary sound filters used on microphones in recording studios worth mentioning in this post. The ones pulled over the microphone are called pocket filters or microphone covers and are usually made from foam materials.

Microphone cover pop filters are available in various sizes, so you will easily find one that fits over your microphone.

The other ones are called dragon pad pop filters. This is a piece of gear attached to the microphone stand arm with a clip. On the other side of the flexible arm, you have the filter positioned between the mouth and microphone that looks like a small dish.