thane1200
Medicated Member
guitar junkie said:i sure wish this was a sticky
Ditto!
Ditto!
Fieva
facebook.com/fieva
Hey frederic, do you have any pics of the flip-floor vocal booth (maybe even with dimensions). I'd love to see how you did that.
homestudioguy
Well-known member
Microphone stand weights
So my mics are too heavy for my mic stands with the AKG KM-211 booms.
What's a home recordist supposed ta do? I can't afford a heavy-duty $250 studio mic stand let alone try to get it in my basement. So on a recent trip to "Stuff Mart", I spy these brightly decorated 10 pound microphone stand weights obviously misplaced in the Sporting Goods department instead of their Guitar Department. Not sure how they got there but for $6 bucks a pop, I plop 2 of them in the cart and blow my months studio budget with a smile on my face. And what's even better, when I walk out the "Stuff Mart" doors carrying these things, everybody is checkin' the old man out! (probably thinkin "hope that old man doesn't keel over and die!")
BG
SEE PHOTO AT:http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/id11.html
PS-I have updated the site with some new photos and information.
http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/
So my mics are too heavy for my mic stands with the AKG KM-211 booms.
What's a home recordist supposed ta do? I can't afford a heavy-duty $250 studio mic stand let alone try to get it in my basement. So on a recent trip to "Stuff Mart", I spy these brightly decorated 10 pound microphone stand weights obviously misplaced in the Sporting Goods department instead of their Guitar Department. Not sure how they got there but for $6 bucks a pop, I plop 2 of them in the cart and blow my months studio budget with a smile on my face. And what's even better, when I walk out the "Stuff Mart" doors carrying these things, everybody is checkin' the old man out! (probably thinkin "hope that old man doesn't keel over and die!")
BG
SEE PHOTO AT:http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/id11.html
PS-I have updated the site with some new photos and information.
http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/
johnsuitcase
New member
I'm gonna go get a couple myself! I always end up hanging t-shirts and jackets on the boom end as counter weights!
Does anybody make a super heavy, biggish mic stand base, with the standard threads? I like the triangle ones, and one I saw at TapeOpCon had a 30lb base (for $800!). But I'd be interested in just a big heavy base, if there's one out there.
I saw your review of the se2200a, sounds like a pretty decent mic?
Does anybody make a super heavy, biggish mic stand base, with the standard threads? I like the triangle ones, and one I saw at TapeOpCon had a 30lb base (for $800!). But I'd be interested in just a big heavy base, if there's one out there.
I saw your review of the se2200a, sounds like a pretty decent mic?
M
Mikey likes it!
New member
I once built a broken 4-track out of one that worked... 
...and did it all myself!
...and did it all myself!
CoolCat
Well-known member
DIY- PVC speaker stands
make that 2.... one for the road...
PVC Speaker stands $30..and even less if you have some scrap stuff around.
plan to add some upside down spikes on the speaker platform, nothing that would harm the speaker mind you!
the best thing about these, using the flange, is that a gearhead can easily change the wood plates out when they upgrade in their monitors.
Thane....... i got the idea off you, so thanks!!!
make that 2.... one for the road...
PVC Speaker stands $30..and even less if you have some scrap stuff around.
plan to add some upside down spikes on the speaker platform, nothing that would harm the speaker mind you!
the best thing about these, using the flange, is that a gearhead can easily change the wood plates out when they upgrade in their monitors.
Thane....... i got the idea off you, so thanks!!!
Attachments
thane1200
Medicated Member
I've noticed a few new people around here lately so; just for them: BUMP!
CoolCat
Well-known member
just another addition to these $30 stands.
2) add a hole thru the plates, or a backside cable-plate
for "hiding the wire" routing.
ok, so its not up there with you guys re-inventing pre-amps...
a work in progress.
2) add a hole thru the plates, or a backside cable-plate
for "hiding the wire" routing.
ok, so its not up there with you guys re-inventing pre-amps...
a work in progress.
thane1200
Medicated Member
Thanks for the addition; I'm hoping that we'll get a dedicated DIY forum soon. *crosses fingers*
frederic
New member
thane1200 said:Thanks for the addition; I'm hoping that we'll get a dedicated DIY forum soon. *crosses fingers*
http://www.midimonkey.com/mailman/listinfo/studio-diy
guitar junkie
Guitar User.
frederic said:
COOOOL see how well it goes over and maybe we can have the next big thing take place....
frederic
New member
guitar junkie said:
It's open to anyone who wants to join.
Though I've posted this link twice, and spammers went at it within 2-5 minutes after I posted the link...
Nothing gets through however :-D
here are all the spammers I've blocked in 2005 :-D
http://www.midimonkey.com/access.txt
CoolCat
Well-known member
PVC stand makes it to a full magazine article..
was in GC today and Recording Studio Mag had these DIY speaker stands in a full article!
Its been several weeks the stands have been in usage, no issues, great DIY. saves yourself a lot of money for some other gear..or maybe Ethan Winer 703/Bass traps??
they didn't have my hidden cable modification idea in the article tho...hehee.
Stands in general are recommended above desktop...but
in my case with the Tascam 2488, (which doesn't like vibrations);
the Stands removed a large amount of vibrations's.
DIY.... should be a "sticky"....great little project.
COOLCAT said:
was in GC today and Recording Studio Mag had these DIY speaker stands in a full article!
Its been several weeks the stands have been in usage, no issues, great DIY. saves yourself a lot of money for some other gear..or maybe Ethan Winer 703/Bass traps??
they didn't have my hidden cable modification idea in the article tho...hehee.
Stands in general are recommended above desktop...but
in my case with the Tascam 2488, (which doesn't like vibrations);
the Stands removed a large amount of vibrations's.
DIY.... should be a "sticky"....great little project.
A
applejax
New member
Awesome dude, and I agree...this should be sticky!
CoolCat
Well-known member
PoorMan SPL meter test
What do you think of this one??
Poor-mans SPL meter.
1) Take your best (flattest) mic,
plug it into something that has a read out/ VU meter.
Ex: I have an SM-7 mic and a JoeMeek pre-amp (with a db VU meter 0,10,20,30..80,100 db)
2) Place the mic/stand where your head will be when sitting in the mix chair.
your sweet spot....where you sit&mix, this is the most important place right?
**note: make sure your preamp is not coming thru your speakers; you don't want howling feedback**
3) Set everything FLAT/NO EQ. Run your Freq Test tone CD, or your free downloaded freq files.
**then adjust your blankets on the walls, your switches on the back, your panels, your speakers, your gain/volume knobs on the rack gear....whatever it is you would do with SPL info.
Theoretically, perfect is 20-20Khz at 85db, flat line. and the world is round and spinning on axis at ~apprx.865mph.
Disclaimer:
this won't please the perfectionist's, but nothing does, does it? Not even the SPL data with $2,000 gear satisfys them...because they know
there are too many dynamics, such as quantity of people in the room, the guitar sitting on the floor or the wall, the heat and temp of the speaker.. changing everything making the data useless.
the preamps, the mic...hell, don't even waste your time waking up in the morning because your just going to die someday anyway!
but for a DIY Test Tone/SPL meter, give it a shot...i thought it was quite interesting...
and an added test is to see if all your equipment gains are equal too by running the tone through the channels and rack gear IN/OUTS..maybe that effect unit input pegs the red at 2-3K?? hmmm
What do you think of this one??
Poor-mans SPL meter.
1) Take your best (flattest) mic,
plug it into something that has a read out/ VU meter.
Ex: I have an SM-7 mic and a JoeMeek pre-amp (with a db VU meter 0,10,20,30..80,100 db)
2) Place the mic/stand where your head will be when sitting in the mix chair.
your sweet spot....where you sit&mix, this is the most important place right?
**note: make sure your preamp is not coming thru your speakers; you don't want howling feedback**
3) Set everything FLAT/NO EQ. Run your Freq Test tone CD, or your free downloaded freq files.
**then adjust your blankets on the walls, your switches on the back, your panels, your speakers, your gain/volume knobs on the rack gear....whatever it is you would do with SPL info.
Theoretically, perfect is 20-20Khz at 85db, flat line. and the world is round and spinning on axis at ~apprx.865mph.
Disclaimer:
this won't please the perfectionist's, but nothing does, does it? Not even the SPL data with $2,000 gear satisfys them...because they know
there are too many dynamics, such as quantity of people in the room, the guitar sitting on the floor or the wall, the heat and temp of the speaker.. changing everything making the data useless.
the preamps, the mic...hell, don't even waste your time waking up in the morning because your just going to die someday anyway!
but for a DIY Test Tone/SPL meter, give it a shot...i thought it was quite interesting...
and an added test is to see if all your equipment gains are equal too by running the tone through the channels and rack gear IN/OUTS..maybe that effect unit input pegs the red at 2-3K?? hmmm
frederic
New member
since the pre-amp has adjustable controls, you won't know for sure if how you set them really gives you a true db reading.
You do have comparative readings however... with and without blankets, at each frequency you send through your monitors.
One option is to pick up a radio shack SPL meter. They have a built-in mic and are sorta calibrated. There are no adjustable knobs to skew the readings, so if it indicates 85db you're darn cloes to 85db.
All experiments need a baseline, of some kind.
You do have comparative readings however... with and without blankets, at each frequency you send through your monitors.
One option is to pick up a radio shack SPL meter. They have a built-in mic and are sorta calibrated. There are no adjustable knobs to skew the readings, so if it indicates 85db you're darn cloes to 85db.
All experiments need a baseline, of some kind.
CoolCat
Well-known member
DIY SPL .. and DillyDallying.........
In the end I had 3 different VU meters agreeing with the Test Tone CD, so I'd have to say this was good-test data. and the more i thought about it, with the test going so well... a $350 microphone and an $800 pre-amp isn't really a "poormans SPL meter"....the $50 Radio Shack meter is, which i tried last year.
VU READOUTS ALL AGREEING:
Tascam 2488 VU meter
Joe Meek VC1Q VU meter
Test Tone CD
* -10db and 0db was very linear, same dips seen also.
*SM7 set flat, and placed were my head would be for mixing position.
*Per CD, Initial setup was at 1Khz -10 to 1khz 0db.
Did it work as good as the RS $50 unit?
IMO, Many HR members have better tools than the RS meter.
What is the RS SPL meter? a $30 radio shack microphone hooked up to a $20 dbVU meter?
possibly many HR gearheads tools have better sensitivity and accuracy than a $50 radio shack mic+vu db meter? i dunno, but it seems logical.
RESULTS:
either way, the CD said -10db at 1khz and the mic/preamp VU,
showed -10db at 1khz, with out touching a dial...1khz at 0db read 0db, same for 1khz thru 10khz... CD at -10, mic/preamp VU at -10db.
so again, 3qty various VU sources all agreeing on db value, i would have to vote is the data is believeable.
Weak freq's were 250-750?? 350hz worst,crazy sht going on!!
...the Freq drop out was here.
at 350hz+/-100hz it was almost like severe canceling out in my "sweet spot"? Tilt my head and it was like louder...dead center was ..dead no volume,
so i tilted the mic, same results; the VU had a huge change in db with a slight tilt???!!
Is this normal??
My room is supposedly 200-600hz problem area, per calculation?
am i witnessing "freq cancelling"? it seemed very severe? Room Effect?
Moving the speakers and adjusting volumes seemed to help slightly with the 350hz issue, but no cigar, improved to -3 from -7db with 0db being TestTone.
wild stuff.
TEST TOOLS:
I did the BW303 vs JBL Control 5's w/ JBL Sub...then one test ALL speakers ON together...and the plot chart looked best with ALL speakers on.
which makes sense, as the BW supported the 8K to 12Khz better where the JBL Control 5 were weaker,
while the JBL Control 5 supported the 2K-6K where the BW were weak.
So i'll be monitoring with both ON.... per the data together i have a flatter response.
Wound up setting my sub around 100hz. 150watt D110. Volume adjusted to match Testtone db CD at 50hz@ -10 and 100hz at-10. basiclly just turned the volume to hit the -10 marks and it was done. Whats going on in the rest of the room i don't know, i was just testing my sweet spot.
brief data: BW303+JBL Control 5+JBL Sub (all on)
1K@0db= 0 JM/SM7 setup...
1Khz@-10= -10 perfect...result
350hz@0db= -15 wht the fhk??....rearranged stuff, -5db ish
100hz@-10db= -12
250hz@-10 = -20
500hz@-10db= -15db
1khz thru 10K...perfect almost
12-14 -20db! 16-20Khz nothing..nowhere..gone...
SUMMARY:
I'd have to say it's a good little project if you want to dilly-dally in your studio, and possibly find a better spot for your speakers to sit and get to know your HR enviroment alittle better at the least.
and alot more fun than fishing.. imo!!!
In the end I had 3 different VU meters agreeing with the Test Tone CD, so I'd have to say this was good-test data. and the more i thought about it, with the test going so well... a $350 microphone and an $800 pre-amp isn't really a "poormans SPL meter"....the $50 Radio Shack meter is, which i tried last year.
VU READOUTS ALL AGREEING:
Tascam 2488 VU meter
Joe Meek VC1Q VU meter
Test Tone CD
* -10db and 0db was very linear, same dips seen also.
*SM7 set flat, and placed were my head would be for mixing position.
*Per CD, Initial setup was at 1Khz -10 to 1khz 0db.
Did it work as good as the RS $50 unit?
IMO, Many HR members have better tools than the RS meter.
What is the RS SPL meter? a $30 radio shack microphone hooked up to a $20 dbVU meter?
possibly many HR gearheads tools have better sensitivity and accuracy than a $50 radio shack mic+vu db meter? i dunno, but it seems logical.
RESULTS:
either way, the CD said -10db at 1khz and the mic/preamp VU,
showed -10db at 1khz, with out touching a dial...1khz at 0db read 0db, same for 1khz thru 10khz... CD at -10, mic/preamp VU at -10db.
so again, 3qty various VU sources all agreeing on db value, i would have to vote is the data is believeable.
Weak freq's were 250-750?? 350hz worst,crazy sht going on!!
...the Freq drop out was here.at 350hz+/-100hz it was almost like severe canceling out in my "sweet spot"? Tilt my head and it was like louder...dead center was ..dead no volume,
so i tilted the mic, same results; the VU had a huge change in db with a slight tilt???!!
Is this normal??
My room is supposedly 200-600hz problem area, per calculation?
am i witnessing "freq cancelling"? it seemed very severe? Room Effect?
Moving the speakers and adjusting volumes seemed to help slightly with the 350hz issue, but no cigar, improved to -3 from -7db with 0db being TestTone.
wild stuff.
TEST TOOLS:
I did the BW303 vs JBL Control 5's w/ JBL Sub...then one test ALL speakers ON together...and the plot chart looked best with ALL speakers on.
which makes sense, as the BW supported the 8K to 12Khz better where the JBL Control 5 were weaker,
while the JBL Control 5 supported the 2K-6K where the BW were weak.
So i'll be monitoring with both ON.... per the data together i have a flatter response.
Wound up setting my sub around 100hz. 150watt D110. Volume adjusted to match Testtone db CD at 50hz@ -10 and 100hz at-10. basiclly just turned the volume to hit the -10 marks and it was done. Whats going on in the rest of the room i don't know, i was just testing my sweet spot.
brief data: BW303+JBL Control 5+JBL Sub (all on)
1K@0db= 0 JM/SM7 setup...
1Khz@-10= -10 perfect...result
350hz@0db= -15 wht the fhk??....rearranged stuff, -5db ish
100hz@-10db= -12
250hz@-10 = -20
500hz@-10db= -15db
1khz thru 10K...perfect almost
12-14 -20db! 16-20Khz nothing..nowhere..gone...
SUMMARY:
I'd have to say it's a good little project if you want to dilly-dally in your studio, and possibly find a better spot for your speakers to sit and get to know your HR enviroment alittle better at the least.
and alot more fun than fishing.. imo!!!
CoolCat
Well-known member
DIY SPL sound check...
per suggestion... i used a couple other mic's and re-plotted for comparisons.
SM7, MXL603, Shure 48.
this shows the mic plays too "big" a part
to determine anything 100%...i'll concede.
it was fun hearing the freqs and listening as some freqs were exaggerated and some attenuated...and some "warbling" nodes.
What cause the Non-Flat response?
is it the microphones, the pre-amp, or is it the speakers, no wait it's the fhkng room!!no its the player, no..er...its how fat your head is! are you bald..oh no thats an increase of 4-8Khz! geez.
Correct answer is ALL the Above.
basically there are so many variables, i'm convinced not to even trust a $10,000 SPL meter now..because...well, there's too many changing variables.
heat of your speakers change the sound too... whooa.
So this DIY test data shows...er, um... hell I don't know anymore!!
last year i was convinced not to trust the RShack SPL. next time i'll just use a magnet and a glass of water.
Moral of story? Don't trust anything but your ears!!! fhk specs...
article:
The Ear
The human ear is a marvel of natural engineering. Its structure is too complex to discuss in detail here, but its most essential properties are the following. Sound enters the ear canal of the outer ear and causes the eardrum to vibrate in response. These vibrations are coupled through three tiny bones in the middle ear to the main sensory organ in the inner ear, or cochlea. Hair cells in the cochlea transmit nerve impulses along the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound. Although there are several types of hearing loss, it is damage to the hair cells of the cochlea that is usually associated with prolonged exposure to loud noises (see, for instance Kryer, 1985).
The human ear does not respond to the pressure and frequency of a sound wave in the same way that an electronic measuring instrument does. A sound level meter might indicate the sound pressure level of a 60Hz tone to be 50 dB and the level of a 1000Hz tone to be 25 dB, yet to a listener the tones would be perceived as equally loud. This is because the sensitivity of the ear is not uniform. It varies with frequency, as well as with level. At low sound pressure levels, we tend to hear midfrequencies somewhat better than higher frequencies, and much better than lower frequencies. At high sound pressure levels, the variation is not as pronounced and we tend to hear low, mid, and high frequencies about the same. (This is why, when listening to a musical recording, we "lose the bass" when the volume is turned down low.) Figure 58 illustrates the relative response of the ear at
the two loudness extremes, the threshold of discomfort and the threshold of audibility (see, for instance, Fletcher & Munson, 1933; Stevens, 1951, and Robinson & Dadson, 1956).
per suggestion... i used a couple other mic's and re-plotted for comparisons.
SM7, MXL603, Shure 48.
this shows the mic plays too "big" a part
to determine anything 100%...i'll concede.
it was fun hearing the freqs and listening as some freqs were exaggerated and some attenuated...and some "warbling" nodes.
What cause the Non-Flat response?
is it the microphones, the pre-amp, or is it the speakers, no wait it's the fhkng room!!no its the player, no..er...its how fat your head is! are you bald..oh no thats an increase of 4-8Khz! geez.
Correct answer is ALL the Above.
basically there are so many variables, i'm convinced not to even trust a $10,000 SPL meter now..because...well, there's too many changing variables.
heat of your speakers change the sound too... whooa.
So this DIY test data shows...er, um... hell I don't know anymore!!
last year i was convinced not to trust the RShack SPL. next time i'll just use a magnet and a glass of water.
Moral of story? Don't trust anything but your ears!!! fhk specs...
article:
The Ear
The human ear is a marvel of natural engineering. Its structure is too complex to discuss in detail here, but its most essential properties are the following. Sound enters the ear canal of the outer ear and causes the eardrum to vibrate in response. These vibrations are coupled through three tiny bones in the middle ear to the main sensory organ in the inner ear, or cochlea. Hair cells in the cochlea transmit nerve impulses along the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound. Although there are several types of hearing loss, it is damage to the hair cells of the cochlea that is usually associated with prolonged exposure to loud noises (see, for instance Kryer, 1985).
The human ear does not respond to the pressure and frequency of a sound wave in the same way that an electronic measuring instrument does. A sound level meter might indicate the sound pressure level of a 60Hz tone to be 50 dB and the level of a 1000Hz tone to be 25 dB, yet to a listener the tones would be perceived as equally loud. This is because the sensitivity of the ear is not uniform. It varies with frequency, as well as with level. At low sound pressure levels, we tend to hear midfrequencies somewhat better than higher frequencies, and much better than lower frequencies. At high sound pressure levels, the variation is not as pronounced and we tend to hear low, mid, and high frequencies about the same. (This is why, when listening to a musical recording, we "lose the bass" when the volume is turned down low.) Figure 58 illustrates the relative response of the ear at
the two loudness extremes, the threshold of discomfort and the threshold of audibility (see, for instance, Fletcher & Munson, 1933; Stevens, 1951, and Robinson & Dadson, 1956).
Last edited:
CoolCat
Well-known member
frederic said:since the pre-amp has adjustable controls, you won't know for sure if how you set them really gives you a true db reading.
You do have comparative readings however... with and without blankets, at each frequency you send through your monitors.
QUOTE]
Frederic....yeah, you were right on both counts... thanks.
"comparative" mention, that held true.
i'm an old,newbie..
IMO, i encourage doing any kind of test or listening, anything in the HR studio is time well spent, especially DIY stuff....even if it don't work out 100% you'll probably learn something along the way, if thats your bag.