Can a preamp's pad work as a pop filter

A question from an Audio Masterclass YouTube channel viewer...

I have a pad built into my interface. I tried it and it seems to be useful as a pop filter. Is that a valid example of what they can be for?

David Mellor replies...

Popping occurs in the microphone's capsule so there's nothing downstream of that that can properly fix it.

Having said that, popping can sometimes be mild and only in the low frequencies, so if your interface has a high-pass filter, that can help, but it's best for the mic not to pop at all.

I'm having trouble though imagining how a pad could possibly help at all. It's probably just making the popping quieter, along with everything else.

As I said, it's best for the mic not to pop at all. A fabric pop filter is one answer. Angling the mic so that it points towards the mouth but is not in the direct line of fire of the breath is another. For best results, do both.

One more thing... I've seen in BBC radio studios both a foam windscreen and a pop filter used at the same time. That's also worth a try.

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