High-performance studio microphones built in the UK
Swift Shield is a shockmount and pop filter set designed for Aston Microphones. They make the slow and fiddly process of setting up your mic extremely quick and easy, and provide unparalled isolation from vibrations and plosives.
A shockmount isolates the mic from the stand to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the ground, like from tapping feet. A pop filter prevents plosives (the explosive bursts of air from sounds like 'P' and 'D') from overloading the mic capsule.
Mics are normally fitted into shockmounts with one or several screws that require tightening on to the chassis. This is fiddly, takes a long time, and makes many shockmounts only suitable for the mic they are made for. Swift replaces this with two powerfully sprung lever arms. These can be opened to insert the mic, and then released to grip it in place. This takes a few seconds, and any mic with a body between 40-60mm diameter will fit.
The Shield pop filter is made from a single sheet of photo-etched stainless steel, allowing us to minutely control the apertures for perfect performance - total transparency under normal conditions, and total filtering of plosives when they occur.
Traditional shockmounts isolate the mic by lacing an elastic chord between the inner and outer frames, but this has many flaws. The chord can slide back and forth which misaligns the mic, and it often snaps meaning a teadious re-threading is needed.
Our response was the shock star; a single piece of molded medical-grade silicone. Each end point mounts directly into slots in the frame, meaning it can never slip out of position. And the medical-grade silicone is extremely hard to snap or tear, making a much more durable product with improved absorption.
