VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[asnively]

I've been so inspired by what y'all are doing in your workspaces, I've decided to get my act a little bit better together. I could use some input! First, promise not to laugh at my loving-hands-at-home studio. It's pretty humble compared to most of yours!

I'm having audio problems over here. Suddenly everything sounds either fuzzy or like I'm speaking into a toilet paper roll.

Trouble is, my hearing never really came completely back after I got sick a couple of years ago, and now I'm plagued with a constant ringing. I used to be able to make up for my simple booth arrangement in post, but now I hear things that aren't there and miss things that are.

I think my little preamp is tired, for one thing. And I could never really get any gain anyway, so good riddance. I have a MicPort Pro on the way, and I'm hoping that will help. At least until I scrape together some additonal dough (we've had some major expenses lately, so I'm pinching pennies.)

In the meantime, my dad, who is the one who assembled my little studio for me entirely out of Masonite interior doors, will be here tomorrow to help me try to isolate things a little better.

I have quite a lot of 703 panels up on the "walls," but not packed tightly. I should prolly get some more. I have some 703 panels on my ceiling (also made of doors) but I want to try to kill more of the air traffic noise, so I'm thinking of beefing that up somehow.

Here's a little diagram of my room-within-a-room, pretty much to scale. Does anyone have any input? I'd be sooooo grateful!


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[Mike Sommer]

Luckily you're in LA so I can give you one on one hands on help.

To eliminate "outside noise" or to Isolate your booth, you need mass, distance, and your room must be air tight. This comes at a price and is very labor intensive.

Since you have a drop ceiling, I'll guess you don't have a hard caped or drywalled ceiling. This is a big no no when trying to get isolation.

If noise is coming through your window, the "703" is not going to stop it. The window needs to be plugged or sealed.

Are you sure it's 703 you are using? 703 is a rare commodity here in LA.

Well there ya go, I can't give you much more without pictures or being there.

Feel free to PM me if you need a one on one.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[Gp]

It looks pretty good really.
However, the auralex isn't doing much for you. At best it will knock down some high frequencies but you really need more than that and it all depends on how far you want to go. Getting a small room to sound good is hard.

Are the 703 panels directly on the wall or are they mounted just off the wall? How thick are they? The traps you have in the corners don't look like they are really doing much.
I would either make some wider traps or butt the 703 panels in the corner so they make a 90 degree angel.
Take down the auralex and put another panel there. Make it fairly wide but don't cover the whole wall...especially if you put larger corner traps in. You want a little bit of space on the walls to give your sound a little life. Too much an it will sound dead.
Have you thought about maybe making the desk on the short end of the booth?
There is a lot of surface on that desk area to catch reflections, especially if you are somewhat facing it. It looks like you are according to your drawing.
Ideally I would move the desk but it isn't a deal breaker. Once you fix your corner traps and put an absorber up on the wall with the auralex you will probably find that you sound better facing that wall. The one that had the auralex on it.

Other than that looks ok...for a start. There is a whole bunch more you could do...depends on what the room sounds like. In my little studio which is 12' X 10' I have 23 traps and or absorbers and probably will add a couple more before I am done.

Hope that helps. Let me know if I can help you out any further.

[asnively]

Mike--

I don't have a traditional drop ceiling...I have a standard drywalled ceiling, some air space, and a Masonite door above my recording space.

The insulation in my window makes a huge difference, but you're right that it's not enough. The reason why my booth is built the way it is is because I want to be able to knock it down when we sell the house (if the economy ever recovers). Can a window be sealed withouth structurally changing/damaging the house?

And you're right, it's only faux 703. I used "703" as shorthand. It's the 703 equivalent of competing brand. A stage carpenter acquaintance pointed me to this place where, apparently, a lot of it get sold to sound stages.

Greg--

I suspected as much about the Auralex. I'll confess that I stuck it up there mostly as wallpaper in a lame attempt to make the studio look more like a studio! Ugh. I am such a girl.

I'll take it down and stick the insulaton panels up. Is there any specific configuration I'm aiming for? What percentage of the wall should I leave bare?

The "703" panels are, indeed, directly on the "walls," but I thought that might be OK since the walls are hollow. (I feel so naked exposing my ignorance in this area!)

I made those sad traps before I knew what a trap was...I was mostly trying to unsquare the space. Butting the panels at a 90 degree angle would be OK? I'm afraid I'd lose too much space if I made the traps wider. It's such a small room.

The desk was here before the studio was, and the studio was built around it. I don't think it's load bearing, so maybe Dad can cut it down for me. I never thought of facing that wall! Such a great idea!

You guys are so awesome! Thank you for your advice!
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the Amy Snively family of brands for all your branded thing needs.
Amy Snively
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TalkerTees

[asnively]

Mike Sommer came to visit my little world! He is amazing. I recommend bringing him into your booth for a consult, even if it means sticking him on a plane to do it!

He patiently explained a whole bunch of scientific sound stuff to me in a way that helped me finally get it. He fingered out where the plane noise was getting in, and suggested a fix that I would never have come up with one my own in a million years.

And, like a mystic, he stood and listened in different spots in my room and devined where my mic should go, which was a very different place from where it was. I recorded a bunch of auditions after he left, and even before all the suggested fixes were impemented, I got the best sound out of my room and equipment that I've ever had!

Thanks Mike!

I'd also like to thank the lovely GP who not only offered 'sound advice' here, but was kind enough to make some really smart suggestions via email, which Magical Mike agreed with.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
_________________
the Amy Snively family of brands for all your branded thing needs.
Amy Snively
Faff Camp
FaffCon
TalkerTees

[Mike Sommer]

Thanks you for the kind words. It was a pleasure to meet you and to help you out with your booth.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[bobsouer]

I love reading these kinds of stories! It's what makes this place so wonderful. I suppose I'm feeling a bit sappy after getting to spend the weekend in Chicago with several VO-BB friends, but I really love this place.
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[georgethetech]

Glad you got the help you needed, Amy! Mike really knows his acoustics and isolation stuff. He gave me some valuable advice when I began designing the Don LaFontaine Voice-over lab. I apply tactics he's suggested to others all the time now.
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