It's a very common question, as most conventional windshields made by Rycote & other manufacturers have been spheres or extended spheres for a very long time. The overall objective of the Cyclone project was to create a basket windshield system, that achieved at equal of better wind reduction to that of a Modular windshield + Windjammer, but with the transparency of a Modular without a Windjammer. We achieved this and went beyond our hopes by changing the shape, and developing our new fabric 3D-Tex. The reason for the shape change in the Cyclone comes down to this choice of materials for the structure. Any time you put a mic in a chamber, there's a chance of hearing the room tone that the reflective surfaces create. So the Cyclone moves away from flat or parallel surfaces, to reduce the impact of this room tone affect. The structure of the windshield (underneath the 3D-Tex) is critical to the overall performance too. The openings on the basket are as open as possible to reduce reflective surfaces, and therefore improve transparency. However, this being a Rycote product it's tough enough to withstand years of aggressive use in the field and of course light enough to hold on a pole all day on set.

The microphone needs its own Lyre suspension, of course. Suspended basket are about removing ~acoustically~ linked handling noise - something that the mechanical microphone suspension cannot help with. Rycote wanted to make the basket very quick and easy to remove, and that required a small suspension unit. However a single one at the bottom would produce a very unstable basket - it would wobble. Adding a second unit at the top overcomes this problem.

There is just one variant of Cyclone, Large: Cyclone Kit, Large (XLR)
Order Code: 089102 Røde NTG-2, NTG 4+ Sanken CS-3e Schoeps Super-CMIT Sennheiser MKH 60 More info can be found here ++++++++ Optional Accessories Cyclone Windjammer, Large (029101) Extension handle (037301) Cyclone Tac!T XLR Cable, 260mm (017034) General Specifications Mic Lengths: 250 mm – 280 mm Mic Diameters: 19 mm – 25 mm Max. Weight of Mic: 180 grams Mic Connector: XLR 3-pin Female Output Connector: XLR 3-pin Male Overall Length: 470 mm (18.5 inch) Body Length: 330 mm (13 inch) Max. Diameter: 157 mm (6.2 inch)  Height: 220 mm ( 8.7 inch) Weight: 640 g (22.6 oz)

There is just one variant of Cyclone, Medium: Cyclone Kit, Medium (XLR)
Order Code: 089102 DPA 4017B, 4018A Neumann KMR 81i, KMR 81D Røde NTG-3, NTG-4 Sanken CS-1, CS-2 Schoeps CMC w/Cut 1, CMIT 5U CMC series w/Cut 60 Sennheiser MKH 416, MKH 8060 w/MZF More info can be found here ++++++++ Optional Accessories Cyclone Windjammer, Medium (029102) Extension handle (037301) Cyclone Tac!T XLR Cable, 260mm (017034) General Specifications Mic Lengths: 174 mm - 255 mm Mic Diameters: 19 mm - 25 mm  Max. Weight of Mic: 180 grams  Mic Connector: XLR 3-pin Female  Output Connector: XLR 3-pin Male Overall Length: 385 mm (15.2 inch) Body Length: 260 mm (10.2 inch) Max. Diameter: 157 mm (6.2 inch) Height: 220 mm (8.7 inch)  Weight: 590 g (20.8 oz)

There are three (3) variants of Cyclone, Small: Cyclone Kit, Small (XLR)
Order Code: 089103 DPA 4017C, 4018C Neumann KM100 series Schoeps CMC series Sennheiser MKH 50, MKH 8020, MKH 8040, MKH 8050 Cyclone Kit, Small (Lemo)
Order Code: 089104 Schoeps CCM series Cyclone Kit, Small (MZL)
Order Code: 089105 Sennheiser MKH 8060 More info can be found here ++++++++ Optional Accessories Cyclone Windjammer, Small (029103) Extension handle (037301) Cyclone Tac!T XLR Cable, 260mm (017034) General Specifications Mic Lengths: 75 mm - 160 mm Mic Diameters: 19 mm – 25 mm Max. Weight of Mic: 110 grams Overall Length: 297 mm (11.7 inch) Body Length: 142 mm (5.6 inch) Max. Diameter: 157 mm (6.2 inch)  Height: 230 mm ( 9 inch) Weight: 568 g (20 oz)

The Sennheiser MKH 8020, 8040 & 8050 models are all recommend for the Cyclone Kit, Small (XLR), rather than the MZL version. The reason for this recommendation is purely to save the customer the additional cost of buying the MZL version. Because the Cyclone, Small (XLR) comes fitted with a short XLR connector with an exposed length of 23mm, the models above can all use their MZX XLR module supplied with the mic, and it'll comfortable fit inside the Cyclone. The MZL Cyclone will work with these mics, and save some weight. However the primary reason for the Cyclone, Small (MZL) is for use with the MKH 8060. Any questions, please drop us a line via our support line

Size is everything in a windshield. The efficiency is dependent on roughly the cube of the distance between capsule and perimeter of the windshield (which is where the noise is generated). Thus increasing size makes a massive difference to wind noise reduction. The Cyclone is no bigger than the equivalent tubular windshield plus its fur jammer.

Cyclone & Windjammer Wind Test from Rycote on Vimeo.  

You can download the brochure from here... Cyclone brochure - https://rycote.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202908251-Cyclone-brochure     Rycote Cyclone Demo from Rycote on Vimeo. www.rycote.com/cyclone
Global launch - September 12, 2014

No. Magnets can only induce a current if they are moving in relation to a conductor. On a Cyclone they are static. In any case the field falls off dramatically with distance, and by a few centimetres away the influence of the magnets is no more than that of the Earth's inherent field. Cyclone & Windjammer Wind Test from Rycote on Vimeo.

The weights for the suspension, pods and complete Cyclone (with Windjammer also) are as follows: - Cyclone, suspension only, inc. cable fitted - 322.8g
- Cyclone, windshield pod (left side) - 149.7g
- Cyclone, windshield pod (right side) - 164.5g
- Cyclone, windshield pods (both sides) - 314.4g
- Cyclone, suspension & windshield pods - 640g
- Cyclone Windjammer only - 195g Total weight (including windjammer) - 835g   Modular Windshield WS 4 - - WS4 with Pistol Grip Handle & Windjammer - 660g

The Cyclone (Large) is the largest size we plan to make. We’ve got two more sizes coming for the Spring, but they’re both smaller in length. The reason we are not planning on a longer version, comes down the body tool to make it for the MKH 816 would be huge.   With that said, if the demand is there for the longer mics – we’d happily consider tooling it.

We have a shoe adaptor that will fit screw into the 3/8" boss of the Cyclone (details below). Description:Hot Shoe 3/8"Adaptor
Order Code:037302
Web link: http://www.rycote.com/products/037302 UK List: £ 15.00 exc. VAT   Our only warning would be moving the camera around too much (with that sort of weight attached to the flash shoe). The flash shoe is notorious for being the weakest part of most cameras - so just a word of warning