Homemade Booth
- Thread starter Octava219
- Start date
One more
I made the door. The walls are pretty basic....2x4s and 3/4in drywall. Stuffed with insulation. Of course the back 2 walls are existing basement walls. I Tapconned (is that a word?) 1x4s to the brick for framing. I then put in a layer of plastic sheeting and moistire proof drywall. Covered the thing with carpet on the outside and mattress foam and egg crates for diffusing on the inside. Double paned window. Nothing on inside ceiling.
Ok all you perfectionists and sound engineers...pick away!!
Not sound proof, but isolates my condenser mics from computer fans and most peripheral noise. Actually, considering the mony I got in it (Couple hundred or so) it works pretty damned good.
I made the door. The walls are pretty basic....2x4s and 3/4in drywall. Stuffed with insulation. Of course the back 2 walls are existing basement walls. I Tapconned (is that a word?) 1x4s to the brick for framing. I then put in a layer of plastic sheeting and moistire proof drywall. Covered the thing with carpet on the outside and mattress foam and egg crates for diffusing on the inside. Double paned window. Nothing on inside ceiling.
Ok all you perfectionists and sound engineers...pick away!!
Not sound proof, but isolates my condenser mics from computer fans and most peripheral noise. Actually, considering the mony I got in it (Couple hundred or so) it works pretty damned good.
Attachments
Weasel9992
New member
Of course you know what I'm going to say, so I won't say it. It's not the way I would build it, but if it's working for you, who cares what I think? 
Frank
Frank
R
RAMI
Guest
Is that carpet and foam on the walls?????
LOL... pretty tech bro
Would you say the foam or egg cartons is a better sound barrier?
For real!!! absolutely no smoking or open flames near your booth but I'm sure your aware of this fact.
R
RAMI
Guest
Nah, if he was aware of that fact, he'd also be aware of the fact that egg crates are completely useless when it comes to ANYTHING that has to do with sound.
jhbrandt
Acoustic Design
A day late and a dollar short...
Why do you need a booth? Is it for vocals? or voice-over work? Voice-over work can be done in a small booth that is trapped properly. Vocals (singing) are usually done in the 'big room' surrounded by absorption panels.
If you would have asked for recommendations here before you started, you could have built a killer booth for $200 -- well, maybe a little more.
One that would be safe and sound-proof too. Your recordings in that booth will sound 'boxy' because you do not have any trapping but only mid/hi frequency absorption.
Sorry,
We are here to help. Please ask. In this forum and many others like it there are many pro studio designers and builders like myself who are happy to give suggestions and help you with your project studio. The problem is that we are only on here for a few minutes to an hour a day.
Cheers,
John
Why do you need a booth? Is it for vocals? or voice-over work? Voice-over work can be done in a small booth that is trapped properly. Vocals (singing) are usually done in the 'big room' surrounded by absorption panels.
If you would have asked for recommendations here before you started, you could have built a killer booth for $200 -- well, maybe a little more.
One that would be safe and sound-proof too. Your recordings in that booth will sound 'boxy' because you do not have any trapping but only mid/hi frequency absorption.
Sorry,
We are here to help. Please ask. In this forum and many others like it there are many pro studio designers and builders like myself who are happy to give suggestions and help you with your project studio. The problem is that we are only on here for a few minutes to an hour a day.
Cheers,
John
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I've got recording books from the late 80s {for example, "Home recording - how I record my own music" by Peter Bursch & Klaus-Dieter Keusgen} that talk about using egg crates for 'balanced reverberation'. But long before then, around '82-ish I remember friends of mine talking about 'studios' that used egg crates to proof sound. It seems to be one of these urban myths, but my question is, does anyone know when it started ?
Jason Chinchen
Made of rubber...
Dude, I think its killer. Nice work.
D
dintymoore
Guest
It's an extension of the age old question of which came first, the chicken or the...
Octava219, if it works for you, power to you. And extra points for not caring (since you know most here are dead against foam and eggcrates) what anybody else thinks because that will do you well in life!
In the end the song is really all it's about, you can do a zillion different things, many of which many people would say are wrong, but if the song is happening, it's all ok.
MrBlackthorne
Funkmaster
It's true that a lot of people are against the whole eggcrate foam thing, but I'll be honest - I've used it in a pinch with surprisingly good results. Look, any type of surface with absorptive properties is going to be better than 4 parallel, untreated, hard surfaces.
That being said, I wouldn't invest in bed foam from your local Walmart for a project like this... If you've got it lying around and you need some quick treatment, the eggcrates are probably going to be better than nothing.
The reason why some people are dead-set against the idea of eggcrates is because of the inconsistent noise reduction coefficients across the frequency spectrum. Because of this, your recordings could potentially end up with problem frequencies (too much of some, not enough of others). But ultimately, if sounds good to you, awesome!
You can get actual acoustic treatment foam for a room that size for very little money, so it might be worth it to do a little Googling. It doesn't have to be Auralex. If you look at the NRC's on the cheap stuff, some compare favorably to the expensive stuff.
To test if you have some problem frequencies in the room, use a good studio monitor and a fairly flat mic. Put the monitor in front of the mic, and pump in some white and/or pink noise. Use a spectrum analyzer and compare the original noise signal to the one that is coming back from your mic. If they're pretty close, looks like your room is set. If not, figure out what the problem frequencies are and Google how to fix them. More than likely, the problems are going to be in the low-end, and adding a bass trap might help.
Sometimes it is also helpful to play some music through the monitor and compare the analyzer results as a "real world" test.
Sorry, I didn't want this post to be this long, but with lessons learned when I built my studio, I figured I'd share.
Rick
That being said, I wouldn't invest in bed foam from your local Walmart for a project like this... If you've got it lying around and you need some quick treatment, the eggcrates are probably going to be better than nothing.
The reason why some people are dead-set against the idea of eggcrates is because of the inconsistent noise reduction coefficients across the frequency spectrum. Because of this, your recordings could potentially end up with problem frequencies (too much of some, not enough of others). But ultimately, if sounds good to you, awesome!
You can get actual acoustic treatment foam for a room that size for very little money, so it might be worth it to do a little Googling. It doesn't have to be Auralex. If you look at the NRC's on the cheap stuff, some compare favorably to the expensive stuff.
To test if you have some problem frequencies in the room, use a good studio monitor and a fairly flat mic. Put the monitor in front of the mic, and pump in some white and/or pink noise. Use a spectrum analyzer and compare the original noise signal to the one that is coming back from your mic. If they're pretty close, looks like your room is set. If not, figure out what the problem frequencies are and Google how to fix them. More than likely, the problems are going to be in the low-end, and adding a bass trap might help.
Sometimes it is also helpful to play some music through the monitor and compare the analyzer results as a "real world" test.
Sorry, I didn't want this post to be this long, but with lessons learned when I built my studio, I figured I'd share.
Rick
Weasel9992
New member
The reason why they test "favorably" is because they stole their test results directly off the Auralex page. I'll just go right ahead and call out Foam By Mail. That's exactly what they did. Ethan Winer actually tested their stuff and proved pretty conclusively that not only was it NOT in the same league as Auralex (let alone GIK, Real Traps and the like), but it's complete crap. The absorption coefficients were not even close.
I'm just sayin'.
Frank
acidrock
GO PACKERS!
As long as it works,it doesn't matter what it looks like,no one will ever see it on your recordings.
I record in a space that's also used for day to day life(imagine that
) and I built a crude looking but extremely effective collapsible/portable sound barrier.I would've put more time into it had I known how effective it woud be.
Here's the pics of the frame and the finished product.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=27022&d=1141254608
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=27023&d=1141254650
I put the barrier behind the mic and I put a heavy blanket double up over the top.Before I used it I always got this crappy tin can reverb sound on vocals and acoustics,but now I'm completely set.
I'll have to wait until the kids move out to get a dedicated room.
I record in a space that's also used for day to day life(imagine that
) and I built a crude looking but extremely effective collapsible/portable sound barrier.I would've put more time into it had I known how effective it woud be.Here's the pics of the frame and the finished product.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=27022&d=1141254608
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=27023&d=1141254650
I put the barrier behind the mic and I put a heavy blanket double up over the top.Before I used it I always got this crappy tin can reverb sound on vocals and acoustics,but now I'm completely set.
I'll have to wait until the kids move out to get a dedicated room.
Thanks for everyones input. Except for you, Ramirami...being from Canada I would disregard your opinion anyway!!
This is a voiceover booth. I am not recording Celine Dion here. Basically my intention was to A) Isolate my microphone(s) from the noise of computer fans and kids running around and the heater kicking on, etc. and B) provide an environment where I could control the lower range frequencies that I have in my voice. This little booth does both so it works for what I built it for. Yes the egg crates do work for what they were intended. I am not really concerned with the aethetics or technical aspect of it. And you should NEVER smoke around your equipment period!!
Anhoo, that's my little pictorial contribution.
This is a voiceover booth. I am not recording Celine Dion here. Basically my intention was to A) Isolate my microphone(s) from the noise of computer fans and kids running around and the heater kicking on, etc. and B) provide an environment where I could control the lower range frequencies that I have in my voice. This little booth does both so it works for what I built it for. Yes the egg crates do work for what they were intended. I am not really concerned with the aethetics or technical aspect of it. And you should NEVER smoke around your equipment period!!
Anhoo, that's my little pictorial contribution.
R
RAMI
Guest
Thanks for everyones input. Except for you, Ramirami...being from Canada I would disregard your opinion anyway!!
Meh, some idiots just don't want to hear the truth. Yeah, you keep on using those egg-crates, Bozo. Even most Canadians aren't THAT stupid.
Meh, some idiots just don't want to hear the truth. Yeah, you keep on using those egg-crates, Bozo. Even most Canadians aren't THAT stupid.
Look,man...I was just giving back a little because you made a smart assed remark. If you can't take it then fuck you. Bozo....
I'll be the big guy here. Go ahead and be an asshole and I'll just ignore you. Shame, because everyone else on this board seems to be good folks. I don't really give a shit if you like my booth or not...but there is no reason to get personal. A lot of folks on here have criticized my methods and that is fine...at least they might offer some positive advice. But not you, you gotta be the know it all big shot asshole who implies that I am stupid...so I take a little shot back and you can't take it. Well, have your say dickhead, I got nothing more to say to you..
Jason Chinchen
Made of rubber...
Yea...Rami and his little band of thugs like gregL..they sure are helpful folks eh?
Here is my fast easy and cheap solution:
1/2 inch ply cut in half, BED FOAM covered in fabric and attached so it pooches out and creates a void behind. And jean legs for hinges screwed onto each side of the seam of the ply.
Works for me, fuck em.
Plus egg cartons should disperse sound even if they dont absorb it...
Here is my fast easy and cheap solution:
1/2 inch ply cut in half, BED FOAM covered in fabric and attached so it pooches out and creates a void behind. And jean legs for hinges screwed onto each side of the seam of the ply.
Works for me, fuck em.
Plus egg cartons should disperse sound even if they dont absorb it...