VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[CC Heim]

Howdy!

So I'm reeeeeeally struggling with a decision on a booth. I need one. Right now I have a "sound treated" space, but birds, cars, leaf blowers and so on are a big problem.

I'm considering the 4x6 (interior) StudioBricks (check it out here: http://studiobricks.com/index_en.php), but the cost is around $7.5K shipped. How hard is it to have someone build a stand-alone booth that can be torn down when I move in a year to 18 months? I guess my real question is -- would any "decent" carpenter be able to construct a booth that meets the requirements for sound isolation?

What sayeth the VOBB?

[Scott Lyle]

i'd say i'm a decent carpenter and could build a booth like you're wanting, but i don't know beans about sound. i believe good building can take place when you have a good plan and can carry it out. good luck finding someone who can do both-sigh.
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[todd ellis]

Ok ... On my phone the title to this thread cut off so it read:

Struggling with the decision about new boo

"Booth" is not where my mind took me.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
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[bobbinbeamo]

CC- My husband helped me build my 4'x4'x7' booth some years back. It's not soundproof---little is unless you're in a bunker. But just the materials were under $1200. I love it and it's where I live most of the time.

I got the plans from http://www.dawbox.com/
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Bobbin Beam
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[Mandy Nelson]

Todd is all about stripping...paint.

Like Bobbin said. Hubby and I are audio engineers and my booth is beautiful and around $1,200. We just moved it to our new location and have to move it yet again (HOPEFULLY) soon. Dawbox plans were the building block but they aren't perfect so have to be tweaked to your specks. That said, they are worth purchasing and perusing and finding someone who can understand them. It's doable.
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[Jason Huggins]

The joy of building a booth (rather than paying $7500) is that you can just throw it away if you move. I built an 8x8 studio in my basement for around $3k. I wanted to do everything inside, so I needed the room. When I move, I'll take all the deadening and lights, and build a new one. That price was me building the booth though, a decent carpenter would probably be a bit more.

[Frank F]

CC,

There are a LOT of options for a LOT less than the price quoted. Before you invest in a booth look around or give me a call. I would be happy to offer some advice and suggest some vendors.

Frank F
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[Philip Banks]

Pay someone to draw up some palns for you based on space you have available and then call your local carpenter. Mine charged me about $1,600 plus materials.

[Monk]

designing for your space is the best plan. The pre-fab booths are cool, but you can do a lot more with less $$ if you get creative.

The design principals are straight forward enough, it just depends on levels of need. If you're next to a concrete plant, that requires a certain level of design and construction. If your nearest neighbor is a Llama farm down the dirt road, then the design can lighten up.

The door is an exterior grade door with gaskets, and you go from there. I had a spare room, so I converted the whole darn thing.. (almost done, darn acting jobs getting in the way...)

If you're building something in an apartment, and want to move it later, design it with wingnuts to attache the wall pieces, so you can later dis-assemble and hoof it to the next location. Theater set builders are creative that way.

size matters, you want room to move and not sound boxy. Treatment on the wall helps with that as well. And some sort of quiet air exchange is easy to construct with new computer fans and some ducting. Humans need to breathe for some reason...

all possible!

John Sayer's site has a great forum for ideas and guidance.
http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=744
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[graemespicer]

I would suggest that a consult with George Whittam might well be worth the investment. He both designs custom studios (like the SAG Foundation Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab) and consults on the purchase of prefab isolation booths.

As I understand it, it is totally possible to build a recording studio less expensively than buying a prefab booth, and it probably would sound better. Two issues: first, you actually have to build a studio. It's a labor of love: ask Monk (and be sure to check out his thread on how he built his home studio - it is BEAUTIFUL).

Second, you can't move it when you move. Others have made the valid point that there are elements (acoustic treatments, air circulation equipment) that could travel with you, but the structure (which is a substantial portion of the expense) is a write off.

Also suggest you look at the book "Home Recording Studio: Build it Like The Pros" by Rod Gervais. A little heavy going, but excellent.

Those StudioBricks booths are sexy
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Graeme Spicer
Voice Actor

Member of the World-Voices Executive Board

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[CC Heim]

Thanks everyone for your input.

We are looking at building a custom home in the next year or so, and when we do I'll build an ultra-sexy studio. Since that's in the plans, the thought of spending over 7Large for something that -- in the end -- won't be *exactly* what I want is daunting.

The big issue I'm facing IMMEDIATELY is having to forego a bunch of opportunities because of not having ISDN. And I'm hesitant to *install* ISDN because I am uncomfortable with the constant interruptions of environmental sounds outside my windows, without having a booth. I just think it comes across as amateurish to have a session scheduled, then have to cancel it because my neighbor is mowing his lawn.

So I find myself at a crossroads of what-to-do, what-to-do.

In reality, the house-building process will almost undoubtedly take longer than expected. So I could be looking at a couple of years before my dream home/booth is a reality. (now I'm just thinkin' out loud.....)

I guess figuring how to build a stand-alone booth is the best option. Here in TX there are no basements, so it must be placed in one of the bedrooms in the house, which to the house-hunter will look rather odd. But I guess you gotta do whatcha gotta do....

[graemespicer]

One thing I forgot to mention - a prefab booth has a reasonable resale value, especially in a larger market. A built in will have no residual value, and as you describe it might actually lessen the resale value of your existing house.

So the net real cost for using it for 18 months might be more like $3000 ($7500 investment less maybe $4500 resale value?)
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Graeme Spicer
Voice Actor

Member of the World-Voices Executive Board

tel • (416) 716-2246
email • graeme@graemespicer.com
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[CC Heim]

Graeme,

That's a valid point and one I didn't consider! Yet another thing to consider.... geez....

[Bruce]

[Rob Ellis]

I know there's a lot of booth-ers here (people who don't like booths)

But I can tell you getting one pretty much eliminated my concerns about outside noise. Having confidence that you are well -isolated from outside noise is a real plus during a session for sure.

But remember, you will also have to treat the inside of the booth properly---added $$$$.