Built an iso cab but it don't sound too good...

[ranalli]

Well I built an iso cab out of 1.5" MDF for my 2x12 cab to record guitar in my apartment. It blocks sound coming out real real well....but...it doesnt' sound too good IMO.

There's not alot of extra space in there but I figured if I dampened it some and just put the mic rihgt up to the grill I could get a good dry sound.

Instead it sounds thin....like somebody put a comb-filter to the signal.

I'm not quite finished dampening the whole cab yet but are there any solutions to this??? I wouldnt' even care if the bass was less...just the whole sound is thin though. There's bass but it's like the mids were sucked out or something.

But can't I just get a good dry signal of what's coming out of the speaker?? Is it the reverberating waves that are killing me by canceling each other out and thinning out the sound???

Any advice would be appreciated.

[TexRoadkill]

What are the dimensions of the box and what are you using to dampen the sound?

[ranalli]

Well I forget the exact dimensions but when the cab is sitting against the back wall of the iso cab there is roughly 6-8" in front of it 4 inches on either side and about 5 inches above it of spare space.

Not much extra space I guess.

I'm not done putting the dampening in yet on the back wall and part of the sides and bottom. I'm using 1.5" thick packing foam for dampening. Egg crate design basically although not as thin as the stuff you put on your mattress.

I guess I shouldn't totally judge it until I put in all the dampening but it's way off as of now as far as sound goes.

I know there's not much space in there but I figure what comes out of the speaker I shoudl be able to get on the mic....just a fair EQ'd dry sound.

[grinder]

The iso cab I built was thin and reverby sounding until I got it sound proofed.If there's any exposed mdf on the inside you will have problems with the sound bouncing around.

[mixsit]

Wouldn't a closed box have some very specific resonances and frequency peaks? I've never done this so I don't know.
Wayne

[ranalli]

Well the I ended up lining the whole inside with a thick carpet instead of foam cause the foam just wasn't cutting it as good seemed like.

It still sounds thin with the lid closed though.

The only way I can get it to sound better unfortunately is to leave the lid half open...which kinda defeats the purpose of having an iso cab but it's still not nearly as loud i guess as if I was just cranking the cab outright.

oh well for now I guess....I'll keep experimenting with stuff I guess...

[ranalli]

Well the I ended up lining the whole inside with a thick carpet instead of foam cause the foam just wasn't cutting it as good seemed like.

It still sounds thin with the lid closed though.

The only way I can get it to sound better unfortunately is to leave the lid half open...which kinda defeats the purpose of having an iso cab but it's still not nearly as loud i guess as if I was just cranking the cab outright.

oh well for now I guess....I'll keep experimenting with stuff I guess...

[grinder]

Definately, you have to do some eqing.If it's properly insulated and solidly constructed, cabinet resonance isn't a problem.

[mixsit]

Wondering...
Is the 2-12 cab open-back? What happens to the out-of-phase back sound?
What's adequate absorbtion? 2-4" gets you down to around a few hundred hz typically.
Wayne