Recording booth? Treated room? What should I do?

Condawg

New member
I'm a voice-over artist, but I'm not incredibly educated on audio itself. I don't know how to make things sound better, for the most part. I'm looking to step my game up, take my recordings to the next level, but I'm not sure what my next step should be.

I'm interested in getting a recording booth (looking at Whisper Room and a few others), but I'm worried it might be overkill. I just ordered this isolation shield yesterday, which should help a bit, but I want to do whatever I can to get the best out of my recordings.

Here's a sample recording with my current set-up. Not exactly sure what that low hiss is, I'm thinking it might be my computer, and hoping the iso shield should help with that. I also got a new XLR cable, in case that's the issue.

But yeah, just looking for advice on where to go next. Is a recording booth too much? Treating my room might be an issue, it's pretty large and had a lot of stuff for noise to bounce off of.

Also, since it probably matters, my mic is an Audio Technica AT2020 (XLR, not USB), and my mixer is an Alesis Multimix 8 USB. (This one.)

Any help appreciated. Just looking to get better sound. Thanks!
 
Can't listen right now, but 'hiss' is most likley your mic preamps with the gain up too loud. What dB level are you recording at? Many beginners try to record too loud, so shoot for -18 to -12. The Alesis is fine as a MIXER, what you want for recording is a dedicated audio interface - read the sticky about mixers in the newbies section of this forum.
 
Adding to Mike's comments. Check your gain, make sure your signal isn't too hot. You can make up the gain later, if you need to hear yourself better, turn up the headphones. If you have your gain knob above 75%, you are going to hear it and a lot of other stuff. For simple voice overs, you are probably pretty close to the mic, so you really shouldn't need that much gain.

If you are picking up your room, which you would if your gain is super high, you may want to treat the room. You could also try to get something like this: SE-Electronics-Reflexion-Filter, not an endorsement of this product, this is just for example.

Voice over room, you could go that route, but I think there are alternatives.
 
Can't listen right now, but 'hiss' is most likley your mic preamps with the gain up too loud. What dB level are you recording at? Many beginners try to record too loud, so shoot for -18 to -12. The Alesis is fine as a MIXER, what you want for recording is a dedicated audio interface - read the sticky about mixers in the newbies section of this forum.

I'm at around -14dB. My gain was up a good bit, but even after turning it down, the hiss is still there.

Do you have a dedicated audio interface that you swear by? Looks like there are tons of options, and I feel better asking someone who knows this stuff rather than just making a decision on it myself.

If you are picking up your room, which you would if your gain is super high, you may want to treat the room. You could also try to get something like this: SE-Electronics-Reflexion-Filter, not an endorsement of this product, this is just for example.

Voice over room, you could go that route, but I think there are alternatives.

As I said in the OP, I have this thing on the way, which looks to be the same type of deal with a different name. Hopefully that'll help.

There are definitely alternatives, but I'm trying to determine if a recording booth might be the best option, or if a cheaper alternative could accomplish the same thing. The benefits of the recording booth, as far as I can tell, are that it's professionally-made, so I don't have to worry about messing up the placement of anything, and there are close to zero environmental variables. I don't have to worry about my computer making noise, or a loud truck outside, stuff like that.

It seems like an amazing option to have, but it's so goddamned pricey.
 
I hear a small amount of "room" on that sample. And I hear how it affects your voice over. The Monoprice isolation shield may help your results but it looks like it's just some Auralex foam stuck to something. That is much differently made than the SE Electronics Filter, which isolates more sound (and thus the higher price I guess).................but in saying that I'm not at all saying either one is better or would even solve your issue. I know you're not looking to upgrade your mic but as a reminder........a mic with a better noise floor spec would help you. You can record at a lower db level with the same overall perceived volume. Since you've already ordered the Monoprice filter........go ahead and see if that helps the room reflections enough for your results. Don't think you need a "booth" really. I think you can work this problem out. As for any hiss........welcome to the reason why most of us have a decent audio interface. Check this site out. You'll find TONS of great information for your search for a good AI. Just my 2 cents.
 
Steniberg UR22, Scarlett 2i2 are two of the more-popular $150 audio interfaces. There are others and you can often find good used deals on others as people upgrade their systems for more inputs.
 
The Monoprice isolation shield may help your results but it looks like it's just some Auralex foam stuck to something. That is much differently made than the SE Electronics Filter, which isolates more sound (and thus the higher price I guess)

Yeah, that's really all it is. I'm hoping it helps. I've got tons of experience with recording, but only more recent experience with caring about quality, so I don't know what's effective and what's not.


I know you're not looking to upgrade your mic but as a reminder........a mic with a better noise floor spec would help you.

I'm definitely looking to upgrade at some point, just not sure how soon. I've got an AT2020 now, looking to probably go to a Shure SM7b (not totally sure on that yet though, any suggestions would be appreciated.)


As for any hiss........welcome to the reason why most of us have a decent audio interface.

Yeah, that seems to be my next move. Thanks!

Steniberg UR22, Scarlett 2i2 are two of the more-popular $150 audio interfaces. There are others and you can often find good used deals on others as people upgrade their systems for more inputs.

Thanks for the recommendations. What kind of input is that on those interfaces? Doesn't look like any XLR input I've seen. (EDIT: That said, I haven't seen many XLR inputs. It looks like that's probably what it is, just wanna make sure so I know if I need to buy any other cables.)
 
Thanks for the recommendations. What kind of input is that on those interfaces? Doesn't look like any XLR input I've seen. (EDIT: That said, I haven't seen many XLR inputs. It looks like that's probably what it is, just wanna make sure so I know if I need to buy any other cables.)

They're combo jacks that can accept either XLR or 1/4" inputs. I didn't know what to think when I saw one of those for the first time either!
 
One simple thing you can try is pointing the back of the mic at your computer, or in that general vicinity, because that is the "null" of the capsule design. It may not solve all of your problems but it may help reduce ambient noise coming from the computer.

After listening to that clip with headphones I think the Whisper Room would be overkill. I'm not really hearing any hiss but I'm 55 and have tinnitus so hiss has to be pretty loud for me to hear it.

The frequency response graph shows the AT-2020 to have a pretty flat response curve with a slight bump at about 10kHz. You might try putting a lowpass filter EQ setting and just roll off some of the high-end. There is a bit of "room" in the take and one of those mic isolators might help with that, but probably not as much as doing some proper room treatment with some broadband absorbers. Just rolling off the high-end might do the trick because I don't hear a whole lot flutter echo, but you might get more flutter echo if you are belting out a vocal and not using a speaking voice.
 
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One simple thing you can try is pointing the back of the mic at your computer, or in that general vicinity, because that is the "null" of the capsule design. It may not solve all of your problems but it may help reduce ambient noise coming from the computer.

Thanks for the tip, but I've already been doing this. I actually did something I should have done a long time ago just now, I unplugged my mic and recorded just my mixer. Still got the hiss/hum or whatever. The computer might add a bit, and the room definitely doesn't help, but it looks like my next step is definitely to get an audio interface and ditch this mixer.


You might try putting a lowpass filter EQ setting and just roll off some of the high-end.

I just tried that and it seemed to have no affect, unfortunately.

There is a bit of "room" in the take and one of those mic isolators might help with that, but probably not as much as doing some proper room treatment with some broadband absorbers.

Yeah, the mic isolator is more of a temporary solution. I have no idea how to go about treating a room properly. Especially a room like mine, which is pretty cluttered and has some weird angles. It's definitely something I'll have to do a lot of research on before moving forward with anything. For now, I hope the isolator at least helps. I'll figure that out tomorrow.

I wish I would have been more concerned about this stuff earlier, so I'd know what my options are and what's the best way to go. Now that I'm getting paid for it, I want to make my environment as good for recording as possible, but don't know where to start.
 
If you record a mixer or preamp with no input you will get weird results because of open circuit with no load.
 
I don't know. I guess I'm not hearing the same noise you are hearing. The sample you put up sounded okay to me, maybe a touch bright, but I really didn't hear a lot of hiss or hum.
 
You know.........is it possible that he's hearing a hiss from the headphone output........that's not on the actual track? He may think it is on the track if he plays it back each time on the phones. I know my DP24 has a small amount of audible hiss as I raise the phones level and listen on the cans. Just a thought.
 
You know.........is it possible that he's hearing a hiss from the headphone output........that's not on the actual track? He may think it is on the track if he plays it back each time on the phones. I know my DP24 has a small amount of audible hiss as I raise the phones level and listen on the cans. Just a thought.

After reading c7's comments, I was thinking the same thing.
 
You know.........is it possible that he's hearing a hiss from the headphone output........that's not on the actual track? He may think it is on the track if he plays it back each time on the phones. I know my DP24 has a small amount of audible hiss as I raise the phones level and listen on the cans. Just a thought.

Here's a recording I just did that's about a second of recorded dead air, then silence for a second (no recording), then more recorded dead air. The hiss is very minor, but it's there. Easy to hear with headphones.
 
Wow..........I really had to crank it up to hear that. At normal levels I don't think I'd really hear that. That being said............it does sound like a low level hum with an added low level hiss. I couldn't begin to say what frequencies they might be. The hiss is very likely from one of the unit's pre-amps. The hum sounds like it could be very low level ground loop. But those are only guesses.
 
Wow..........I really had to crank it up to hear that. At normal levels I don't think I'd really hear that. That being said............it does sound like a low level hum with an added low level hiss. I couldn't begin to say what frequencies they might be. The hiss is very likely from one of the unit's pre-amps. The hum sounds like it could be very low level ground loop. But those are only guesses.

Yeah, it's not nearly a major problem, but it's a little annoying, and I've had a client point it out. Just one, but he's a long-term client, so I don't mind spending a bit of money to make him happier.

If it's a problem with a pre-amp, would there be any way to fix that, or am I better off just getting an audio interface? What other benefits would an audio interface give me over a mixer?

Thanks for your help so far, everyone. I'd be lost right now without this forum.
 
Depending on how much this is critical, you will probably want to go with a high end setup, something like pre-amps to ADAT setup.

There are about 10-15 guys on here that can really guide you through this, but I suspect for near pro range, you are looking at 500-700 range for a really good setup. But I really don't know as I stay at a lower level as hiss this low is just not a factor for me.

Be a little patient and a few of the really knowledgeable guys will show up and assist you.

But be forewarned, they will throw in room treatment as a total part of getting the sound. The higher the quality of your inputs, the more critical everything plays, to include the room.
 
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