VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Kasbah]

We just purchased Nuemann BCM 104's for our radio studios. Really nice mics...but now I can totally hear the computers that run everything. The engineers can't move the computers. I'm looking for a cheap and practical way to dampen the noise in real time and in post. We voice-track radio shows and produce spots too. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Kasbah
http://kasbahradio.blogspot.com/
http://afnbroadcaster.blogspot.com/
http://youdothis.blogspot.com/
http://itastethis.blogspot.com/

[Bruce]

Your solutions are probably going to be in these three categories:

- Modify the computers with quieter fans and/or drives

- Put some sound dampening and/or distance between your computers and your mics

- Modify what's coming through your mics. Presuming you're using some kind of mic processing with compression you probably have a "gating" feature which basically allows you to cut off the outgoing mic signal when it's below a certain threshold. If your background noise is light you should be able to eliminate it when no one is talking and the announcer's voice will cover it up the rest of the time. If the noise is really loud and still comes through when you're speaking then you'll have to look into the first two solution. Also, excessive gating can cut off the quieter parts of speech and be unpleasant to listen to.

You'll get some good responses here soon, and you can also go through the Gear archives for past advice. Also try the Search function. Type in the following in the Search box: computer AND noise

The "AND" makes the system look for both words together in a post. Also tell the Search function you want to look just in the GEAR Forum. Then click the Search button at the bottom of the page. That will narrow down your search.

Best of luck!

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Ed Gambill]

Cool & Quiet... If your computer is running with an AMD chip you might have "Cool & Quiet" in the BIOS. I have just finished building a Quad Core AMD for Video and Audio Work. It was rather loud before I dialed down the fans using the C&Q function in the bios. Maybe you engineer is familiar with IT and can open the bios and dial the fans down.

You can find fan speed controllers that wil help reduce the fan speed, be carful to watch the temp after any modification to fan speed.

The computer case is a resonate diaphragm for sound. Putting Vinyl sound damping inside of the computer attached to the case metal surfaces http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=268-030 . Be careful not to block any air vents.

The ventilation holes are another source of high frequency noise. Putting a layer of open cell foam over the vents will help reduce that noise and will also act as a filter. Make double sure the foam is open cell for good air flow.

What ever path you take find a way to monitor the temp of the CPU to insure you didn’t do any thing to fry it. PCWizard will give stats on the temp of the CPU. It a free program and is available here http://download.cnet.com/PC-Wizard-2009/3000-2094_4-10793737.html . Launch it and click on the last icon in the lower right. It looks like a gas gage. It will show current temps on the CPU and hard drives. When you click on the “ – “ to minimize the program it will cause the data for CPU temp to be superimpose on the monitor screen.

If you haven’t done so yet see if you can orient the microphone so the offensive sound is on the back side of the pickup pattern.

An Iso Box will do the trick if they will spring for the money. http://www.custom-consoles.com/isobox.php

As I am writing this, next to me is a single core AMD Athlon 64 that is so quite I have to focus on it to hear it.

BTW I am ex Navy ET, Broadcast Engineer in TV and Radio.

Good luck

Ed
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[Monk]

I use an iso cabinet for my computers.

http://www.norenproducts.com/products/acoustilock/acl_gcab.html

now the loudest thing you hear is the monitors and their high frequency noise, but the mic doesn't seem to notice.
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Company, villainous company, hath been the spoil of me...

www.monksvoice.com

[roger]

Chris,
Have you tried THIS?

Sorry, couldn't resist, dude.
Good to be hearing from you again.
Happy Vets-Day a little early.
-roger
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Roger Tremaine
www.MyFavoriteVoice.com
http://rogertremaine.voices.com/
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. AESOP (The Lion and the Mouse)

[Mike Sommer]

Iso box units are your best way to dampen computer and gear noise.

These products are not cheap, which is why I'm a firm believer in getting the
gear out of the room and into an isolation/machine-rooms. The cost of running
a longer cable runs is cheaper than some of these computer Iso boxes.

As soon as you get the computer noise knocked down you'll start hearing the
rooms echos and other problems. Get ready for treatment too.

Good luck.
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The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[Ed Gambill]

I tried to give you applications that would not cost much as you requested. Iso box are $1,000.

This is a better idea. Box up the condenser and put the SM7 or RE 20 back up.
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[Mike Sommer]

I would agree Ed, but that's treating the symptoms not the problem. Which would be fine for a short term fix.

Call me silly, but by doing it the right way (eliminating the problem) he'll end up with better audio in the long run for it, which I guess would be the reason for upgrading to a condenser mic anyway.
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The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[Ed Gambill]

The problem is a simple one. We have a request from a fellow VO-BB'er for help but we really don't know the true condition of the problem.

We know that a more sensitive microphone is picking up more noise than otherwise was acceptable.

He has asked how to mitigate the problem with out spending a lot of money. Let’s call his problem a case of heart burn. Some are suggesting open heart surgery.

Years ago when our Astronauts needed a writing instrument for use in space, a very expensive pen was developed. When the Russian Cosmonauts needed a writing instrument for use in space, they were given a pencil

We don't know the acoustic environment, we don't know how the room is treated if at all.

Bruce gave good advice in my estimation with the limited information available.

I will let others solve this problem. With out the information that is needed, in my not so humble opinion, it’s a total job of speculation. But try the pencil it just might work.
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[Dayo]

[Ed Gambill]

Dayo, I was going to give up on this thread until your post and quote of what Monk posted.

I looked at the Iso Box link and notice in their benefited /clams the following noise reduction; Reduces noise by 99% - from 67 dBA down to 35 dBA.

This reduction in sound energy peaked my interest so I did some testing on my locations. I have two location in my home where I do audio edit and post.

Before I get to my findings let me tell you what instrument I used;
Model CM 140 (Check Mate SPL Meter) Resolution 0.1 dB, Accuracy +/- 1.5 dB, Range 32 – 80 dB, ANSI S1.4 Type II ) I use this meter when I am doing an evuation and equalization of Churches.

Regarding Type I and II Meters (Sound level meters are divided into two types. The two classes have the same design centre goals but the tolerances differ. Type1 instruments have a wider frequency range and a tighter tolerance than a Type 2 unit. This applies to both the sound level meter itself as well as the associated calibrator. Most national standards permit the use of "at least a Class 2 instrument" and for many measurements, there is little practical point in using a Class 1 unit; these are best employed for research and law enforcement.)

What I found, by simply using a processor that has fan speed management in the bios, I was able to get below 32dB ambient noise. The reading was 30.2 dB in the downstairs location and 31.0 in the upstairs location. BTW in the downstairs location I had an ambient reading of 29.5 dB before starting the computer.

The downstairs computer is a new build with AMD quad core running at 3.2 Ghz with 8 meg of DDR3 memory. By recycling an old case/powersupply and buying the need parts I got it together for $600 in cluding the XP64 OS

The savings of over $1,000 was much apprecated. Pencile vs Fisher Space Pen

For the cost of the Iso Box a new dual core AMD can be had and with Cool & Quite software engaged a low noise floor.

(The forgoing is my experence with AMD and fan speed reduction. Your experence my vary. Please consult with your IT guy/gal before attempting the above)
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES