[Wicked Deeds]

Does anyone use a mic isolation shield/box?  If so, how has your experience been?  Do they work?

My project this weekend is to build one rather than spend buy one.  I've ordered acoustic foam and spray glue to line the inside of a cardboard box that I have strengthened with additional cardboard panels.  I'm thinking of covering the box with a material finish so that it looks more professional but that isn't really necessary.  Once the acoustic foam is in place it should do the job anyway. I'll update this thread with my findings including a photograph of the project once it is completed.  In the meantime, I'd love to hear about your experiences regarding the audio quality and also whether it was a DIY project/shop bout shield.

Paul

[The Holographic Rodeo]

Is your main aim to create something thats quite sound-proof? Or just to get something that's acoustically treated to deaden the room sound and stop any unwanted reverb from the room?

I tend to use one of these kindof things for the latter (I cant find the exact version I use anywhere)..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soundproofing-Reflection-Microphone-Absorption-Professional/dp/B013RD6PEQ/ref=sr_1_17?crid=PNY1W55Y5L2Q&keywords=vocal+booth&qid=1697278445&sprefix=vocal+booth%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-17


..Which does quite a nice job of just cleaning up the room sound a little.

I've seen lots of reviews of bigger soundproofing 'booth' pieces of kit before, but from the reviews Ive tended to come away with the impression they can create a sound thats a bit boomy, owing to the tight space and proximity too the mic that becomes necessary when singing..

Sounds like an interesting project though! I hope it works well - let us know!

[PaulAds]

I had a vocal booth you could put up and take down, but sold it as it took up a lot of room and wasn't much use for keeping sound in. It did a good job of killing reflections around the mic. It was also very hot in what passes for "summer" around here, so t'd be like a sauna near the South Coast, I'd imagine.

I have one of these...

https://www.studiospares.com/studiospares-isocube-vocal-microphone-isolator-465780.htm

They often do them half price at £19.99 and you can get similar products from other places...possibly cheaper, but I've always liked Studiospares. That works pretty well to stop reflections getting back to the mic, I think.

If you want to go into it more heavily, I think Kev @shadowfax builds his own vocal booths? I may be wrong, of course...

[Wicked Deeds]

@The Holographic Rodeo, thanks for your reply.  I almost bought the same shield that is in the link and probably will eventually.  I'm not really sure what to expect from my creation id anything but it didn't cost a fortune.  £ 20 for the acoustic panels, a carboard box and some glue.  I'm hoping that as the mic sits inside the treated box, It will eradicate reverb that is in the room.  If i helps with external noise then great.  I just feel that I'm letting myself down in the vocal recording department and it's time that I tried something.

@paulAds,  I've also considered buying the shield that is in the link that you provided too.  I finished building mine today and am currently waiting for the glue to dry.  It doesn't look too bad.  When it's ready, I'll stand it upright, place the mic inside and take a photograph to show.
It might be a box of junk but we'll see.  Luckily, it didn't break the bank.

Paul

[pompeyjazz]

Interesting thread. I’ve experimented with singing draped under a quilt but it was blooming hot work and also with the mic in a “deadened” cupboard but now I just rely on recording with the natural room acoustics although it’s quite bouncy in my basement room but sort out any discrepancies with a bit of compression and eq. Looking forward to seeing your creation Paul @Wicked Deeds 😀

[Wicked Deeds]

I tried to upload a photograph but the file was too large.  @pompeyjazz, I've sent this to you via watsapp.

I'll give it a go tomorrow.

Paul

[cowparsleyman]

@Wicked Deeds - Hi Paul, hope you are well, I wouldn’t be without one, it adds intimacy for not just vocals but acoustic instruments too, it allows the mic diaphragm to capture all that tone you invested in your acoustic guitars…

The one i use is by nordell audio, wasn’t expensive. Try
Some close mic test recordings to compare…makes such a difference as does a decent valve mic preamp…

I’ll be interested in your results

[Wicked Deeds]

@cowparsleyman,  hello Rich,

It looks great,  I took a photograph but the file was too large to upload. I took it for a test drive on Sunday and I was blown away by the difference in quality. I'll photograph it again tomorrow and try to upload it again and hopefully, I'll give it a serious run out on a new track soon.

Paul

[cowparsleyman]

@Wicked Deeds - I'm sorry Paul, it's just my sense of humour, (i thought the file was too big to upload because the box was so big...I imagine the home made box sort of 10 foot cubed, with some foam in, on top of a mic stand mind you that would work very well for some things.

Looking forward to hearing the early tapes.

Rich

[Wicked Deeds]

Hello Rich @cowparsleyman, sorry for the late reply.

I've tried several times to upload a photograph of my DIY filter but unfortunately wasn't able to do so. 

Anyway, this morning, I recorded a piano vocal and am happy to post it here.  I have a terrible cold but it sounds ok.

I often struggle recording vocals but to me this is at least a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  The song is called "Mozart and Chopin"

https://soundcloud.com/wicked-deeds/mozart-and-chopin-final-1

Paul

[cowparsleyman]

@Wicked Deeds - It sounds fine to my ears, it would have been better for me to hear just the Vox track, (no piano, no verb) compared to the previous (unboothed) version.

How far were you from the mic?

What mic is it?

What difference did you notice? tighter, clearer, more realistic, more focus, easier to mix?...

Do you use a vocal compressor, like a UAD LA2A?

[Wicked Deeds]

Hi Rich @cowparsleyman

I used a Rode NT1000.  I was about 40cm away from the mic as it sat inside the DIY box.  I'm not confident sharing my ujnprocessed vocl.  Everyone would leave the forum.  .

I applied a Compressor from LogicX "Platinum Digital."  I've recently acquired UAD LA2A and think it is excellent but am yet to use it on a finished song  despite testing it out and being very impressed.   I feel that I should move further away as this would help eradicate breathing and pronounced syllables.  Having said that, the clarity has gone up several notches and it is without doubt much easier to mix. 

Paul

[Wicked Deeds]

Rich, @cowparsleyman,

I believe the biggest difference that I have noticed is that the vocal sounds more rounded, fuller. Does that make sense?

Paul

[cowparsleyman]

@Wicked Deeds - Paul, Interesting, that LA2A deal is fantastic, I went for it too. it is the best L2A2 emultation out there, and there some very good ones, a good purchase indeed.

I understand about not sharing...

That's exactly what you should be getting, clarity, as it's not picking anything from behind the mic, it's capturing eveything that you want it to capture, the Rode NT1000 is a good mic, so you should notice the difference in the 2 setups.

I generally do a controlled environment comparison, leave everything the same, position, levels, distance from mic, vocal delivery etc. and do it with and without, and do a honest un-biased assessment, being prepared to admit that without could be better.

Don't get too close as you'll start emphasising the bass frquencies from what's known as the Proximity Effect, mind you there are ways to minmise this if you really want a close mic'd track.

btw I did a rather long comparison of different mic configurations for mic'ing an acoustic guitar, I wanted to squeeze out the very best sound out of that box of wood on my lap, I tried mono, stereo (in a few widths and distances form the guitar) various wierd ones, the best was a tie, between a Stereo pair and a vertical MidSide,  the mid side resuces slightly the risk of phasing issues, that stereo mic'ing may encounter. (Phasing is just when one mic is picking up the signal from the source a bit later/earlier than the other, which is only what a phase shifter does on purpose), there are a couple of good fixes for this one by SSL...it just shifts one signla and brings it in alignment with the other.

Hope this helps

Rich

[Wicked Deeds]

Thank you for the tips Rich, @cowparsleyman.  Vocals are an area that I intend to devote more time to so this is really helpful.

Paul