T.Bone Mic Screen?
- Thread starter rubbertrampray
- Start date
CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
Any kind of mic screen are pretty much scams. They don’t do anything significant to the sound, and they definitely don’t soundproof anything. You said you had kids right? This won’t block out any of the sound they make. Neither would a tent. The only way you could really block them out is by building a proper vocal booth. Is there any time you’re free to record and they’re not around?
rob aylestone
Moderator
Er..... you have read the specs on the popular ones? The main claims are nothing to do with soundproofing,. and nobody mention kids or blocking anything out.
We have loads of posts from people looking for the removal of those nasty reflections and noise from a local noise source - the computer fan, or the whoosh from and fan or aircon.
The very similar one we used over the past few weeks in a theatre when we needed to record voice overs at the sound position made me seriously consider buying one - they tamed the live acoustic of the auditorium, plus reduced the noise coming from the stage - simply acting as a barrier to the noise travelling. I'd not seen that Thomann one but it's very similar to what we used.The one I was going to buy was quite a bit more expensive - so thanks for the Thomann version.
The studiospares link here
We have loads of posts from people looking for the removal of those nasty reflections and noise from a local noise source - the computer fan, or the whoosh from and fan or aircon.
- Reduces the transmission of unwanted room reflections, echoes and ambient noise
The very similar one we used over the past few weeks in a theatre when we needed to record voice overs at the sound position made me seriously consider buying one - they tamed the live acoustic of the auditorium, plus reduced the noise coming from the stage - simply acting as a barrier to the noise travelling. I'd not seen that Thomann one but it's very similar to what we used.The one I was going to buy was quite a bit more expensive - so thanks for the Thomann version.
The studiospares link here
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CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
In another thread OP mentions he has kids and that they make noise. And no, these are scams.
rob aylestone
Moderator
No. They are not. He didn't mention kids here. I'm going to buy one. No qualms at all - 10 weeks of voiceovers for covid name replacements in a show. Grab the actor, get them to do the new name, edit it in. These things did the job. You can call it a scam if you wish - but without using one, I'll go with my own experience - and it was good enough for me to spend my own money.
CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
He mentioned it in another thread and said that was a reason to bring up a new one. So I mentioned that.
Here’s a link showing small absorption and actually amplified reflection from mic shields.
www.soundonsound.com
Here’s a video from ADAM Audio showing blankets do a lot better than off the shelf mic shields.
They’re a waste of money that can be better spent elsewhere with better solutions.
Here’s a link showing small absorption and actually amplified reflection from mic shields.
How Effective Are Portable Vocal Booths?
Portable acoustic screens are designed to make it possible to record good–sounding vocals almost anywhere. We put this claim to the test!
Here’s a video from ADAM Audio showing blankets do a lot better than off the shelf mic shields.
They’re a waste of money that can be better spent elsewhere with better solutions.
rob aylestone
Moderator
I respect your opinion, but just cannot compare your opinion with my one where it clearly did its job. I can hear in the audio files what I discovered. There is colouration but it worked for me. I liked the comment in that piece on the cheapest one [quote[Another design that uses a hard plastic outer shell lined with acoustic foam, the Mudguard provided probably the best price/performance ratio in our room reflection test, offering useful attenuation of reverberation without excessive coloration of the wanted signal.[/quote]
We are clearly not talking about vocal booth performance, just more isolation from the room than we can get easily. We could drape a pile of duvets on mic stands - that works too - and does a similar job, but they too colour the sound. If somebody has a troublesome room that maybe has to be used for other things so hang on the wall treatment is out - these are worthy of a try.
We are clearly not talking about vocal booth performance, just more isolation from the room than we can get easily. We could drape a pile of duvets on mic stands - that works too - and does a similar job, but they too colour the sound. If somebody has a troublesome room that maybe has to be used for other things so hang on the wall treatment is out - these are worthy of a try.
rubbertrampray
Member
So, my blanket idea wasn't bad. Cool!
rob aylestone
Moderator
Sound on Sound love duvets!
TalismanRich
Well-known member
A couple of years ago, I was watching an interview with Nuno Bettencourt. He was at home cutting vocals for an album. I forget which mic he had, but it was inside a box, probably 18 inches per side or so, lined with Auralex type foam. The mic was maybe 6 inches into the box. Nuno has recorded in real studios for years, so he knows a bit about the process. He commented about his homemade "vocal booth". He also commented that it keeps the sound from going out into the room as much.
Properly designed, I'm guessing they would be very effective at deadening reflections, but I think they would be more effective it there was a top and bottom as well.
I wonder if you could test it by turning mic around and then recording with and without the screen. That would tell you how much it's really absorbing. Anybody have a screen that they can test this way?
Properly designed, I'm guessing they would be very effective at deadening reflections, but I think they would be more effective it there was a top and bottom as well.
I wonder if you could test it by turning mic around and then recording with and without the screen. That would tell you how much it's really absorbing. Anybody have a screen that they can test this way?
rob aylestone
Moderator
I've ordered the Thomann one - I'll see what it's like!
rubbertrampray
Member
no but I did post that I had one and looked up all my old posts.
rob aylestone
Moderator
I got the screen this morning from Germany. It comes with a surprisingly decent hardware kit.
To explain the two audio recordings, I set it up in the office = desk, window to the outside world, computer fans, beeping emails etc - I did the recording on the AKG 414 in cardioid, with the screen between the mic and the window, and then without the screen. I noticed when my mouth was where the mic would be that there was a resonance - a sort of boomy sound quite obvious. A bounce from the frame probably, so I repeated the test with the mic set to omni - hoping to catch a bit of this sound, which I think I did.
I then moved to the video studio and repeated the test. On cardioid, there is some change to the timbre, but while speaking in the office area, it sounded quite normal while recording, but in the video studio where it's quieter, you do hear a more 'confined' timbre when you are recording in the bigger space, like I remember in the theatre. There is a reduction in room sound recorded and noise from outside I could hear was captured at a lower level with the screen as a barrier. I think I might be tempted to use it as a barrier in the stereo mode next time I do a recording where the mic position is a little too far from the source, but closer just isn't possible.
To explain the two audio recordings, I set it up in the office = desk, window to the outside world, computer fans, beeping emails etc - I did the recording on the AKG 414 in cardioid, with the screen between the mic and the window, and then without the screen. I noticed when my mouth was where the mic would be that there was a resonance - a sort of boomy sound quite obvious. A bounce from the frame probably, so I repeated the test with the mic set to omni - hoping to catch a bit of this sound, which I think I did.
I then moved to the video studio and repeated the test. On cardioid, there is some change to the timbre, but while speaking in the office area, it sounded quite normal while recording, but in the video studio where it's quieter, you do hear a more 'confined' timbre when you are recording in the bigger space, like I remember in the theatre. There is a reduction in room sound recorded and noise from outside I could hear was captured at a lower level with the screen as a barrier. I think I might be tempted to use it as a barrier in the stereo mode next time I do a recording where the mic position is a little too far from the source, but closer just isn't possible.
rob aylestone
Moderator
rob aylestone
Moderator
To be honest it was a bit random, test wise. A train did go past, but I had the screen up and by the time I swung it out the way, all was silent again. I can hear a very small difference in ambience between cardioid with and without, but the coloration I can hear is there on the omni setting - but I don't suppose there's any point really even trying to use that for anything other than the test. It's going to be useful - but the results are less impressive than I had hoped for. I suppose it just cuts down rear pickup - so with careful placement could just make the cardioid null at the rear deeper?
TalismanRich
Well-known member
I heard a difference in omni mode between the two, but the cardioid was pretty darn close to me. That would make sense to me, since it is supposed to cut room reflections. I imagine it would also help a fig 8 mode although although most people wouldn't use a fig 8 mode as a cardioid substitute unless it was for the tonal difference.
I bet a half sphere would be more effective, but it would probably tend to make anyone using is a little claustrophobic.
I bet a half sphere would be more effective, but it would probably tend to make anyone using is a little claustrophobic.