Help improving soundproofing of closet studio?

I do podcasting and voice over work in a converted closet studio in a 2nd floor apartment. Right now the setup is basic, I've got a big fluffy blanket on the side wall, and then a cut up twin size mattress topper on the wall in front and another twin size mattress topper on the closet door.

Overall, it sounds pretty good, except the issue is that I live in the kind of neighborhood where everyone blasts the bass on their music or drives the loudest motorcycles and it keeps messing up my recordings.

What do I do to increase soundproofing and keep the motorcycle and bass noises out? Will switching the mattress topper for 2inch soundproofing panels do the trick, or am I out of luck being so close to a noisy road?

Thanks!
 
You are pretty much out of luck. The only way to make it sound proof to bass frequencies is to build a room inside a room and isolate the inside room from the floor. Also, you would need to make the room air tight. It's a big job. The blankets and mattress toppers are only going to absorb some of the higher and upper middle frequencies.
 
Adding an additional layer (or two) of drywall is pretty effective, but if you're renting, you may come up against a certain level of resistance. Reasonably decent even with lower frequencies - But still, only "some" help.
 
What mic are you using, and how is it mounted? Really low bass can usually be mitigated with a suspension mount for condenser mics, and a high-pass switch on the mic, or in the DAW.

Essentially, since you are treating reflections in your closet, you've done about as much as you can with that space. Competing against external sounds is an exercise in frustration. You either learn to just keep redoing and comp together an acceptable take from parts, or try a little bit of mic placement maybe a bit closer to increase s/n ratio will mask some things.
 
Back
Top