Portable VO booths

[Ty Ford]

Hello Tom,

Putting a sound deadener behind the mic, on the side of the mic that’s already dead, and expecting it to eliminate reflections that occur from all over the room is unrealistic.

And, it’s not just about acoustics, it’s also about whatever sounds are happening (lawnmowers next door, dogs, parrots, toilets flushing from the upstairs apartment, helicopters, trains, emergency vehicles, etc.)

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Tom Prigge]

Ty,
Thanks for the reply. Do you understand that what I’m talking about is a cube that the mic is in, not just something propped up behind it? The only side open is where the announcer would be. For a side address, cardioid mic, wouldn’t this arrangement be helpful. With something behind the announcer to asorb sound too, of course.

[Ty Ford]

Tom,

Yes, thanks. Again, it’s “protecting” the deaf side of the mic and arguable the sides to some extent.

In certain specific situations, it might reduce some pickup of ambience, but don’t expect too much. You’re up against the laws of physics. 🙂 If it was the be all and end all, everyone would be using one and studios would no longer need to be designed. 🙂

Tell you what; get one and post some sound files for us – before and after.

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Tom Prigge]

Well, now I’m having second thoughts. Thanks for the input, Ty.

[Ty Ford]

Tom,

What’s your specific situation?

Regards,

Ty
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Peter Groom]

Everyone has their own opinion, but for me Im not a fan of portable solutions.
To me the 1 thing that good old bricks and mortar (with kiln dried sand in the cavity) brings to the equation is solidity. Thats what makes a good mic space for me, lack of portability.
Peter

Post Production Dubbing Mixer

[Tom Prigge]

In response to Ty’s question about my situation, I’m considering dabbling in a little VO work on the side. I was a DJ back in the day of turntables and 45s, and have done VO work while working in video and at a TV station. I keep hearing that a closet with lots of clothes can work. Certainly not ideal, I know. I’m not interested in taking a portable booth tucked under my arm wherever I go. I would set it up in a closet. Everything I have read about these cube booths says they are fantastic–of course, that’s coming from folks selling them. That’s why I posed the question here, to get unbiased opinions. Has anyone here actually have experience with one?

[Ty Ford]

Tom,

A nice walk-in closet can work very well. Can you get in it and turn around so the back side of the mic is aimed at the door opening?

I have seen people try to setup at the door looking into the closet. That doesn’t work as well because the live side of the mic hears the room they’re in.

Also check the ceiling. Ceiling bounce can be pretty destructive. Adding a blanket above will tame that.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Bill Davis]

Tom,

Perhaps this will help.

Sound and light are both “wave” phenomena.

So instead of thinking about sound, think about light.

You’re in a well lit room. And you wish to keep all light from the front of your microphone.

So you take a cardboard box and you cut out only ONE side. And you put a hole in it and stick your mic through the hole. If you’re standing in front of the box can you see the mic? Of course you can. Because the ambient light of the room is bouncing off all the walls and filling the room, so it’s going to bounce right into the open side and light up the mic. The mic will certainly be dimer. But if there’s an open side, it won’t be surrounded by pitch black.

The ONLY way to make the mic totally disappear is to totally control ALL the light coming into the room. So the “closet” approach is effective since standing in a closet STARTS with all outside light eliminated from the environment.

See how this works?

I’ll add that in sound, low frequencies are a bit like sunlight. It’s pervasive and gets around curtains and blinds all too well. To eliminate it, you really have to treat every possible entry point. And even then, low frequency with enough energy can create sympathetic vibrations that will cause problems even in well treated spaces. I have a fully treated VO booth, but hailstorms will still shut me down, since hail on the roof will still be heard when my mic is open.

High frequency sounds are actually somewhat easier to control. Think more along the lines of a flashlight, where you can more easily effectively stop nearly all light leaks by blocking the light by putting something solid over the lens to blackout the limited light source.

This is kinda why you can hear the thump of the big car stereo driving by long after the highs are gone.

These aren’t perfect analogies, but they help you develop your thinking about how to control waves.

Good luck.

“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor

[Ty Ford]

Bill,

Thanks so much for your continued and excellent contributions to the Cow Audio Forum. This is a great example of thinking outside the box for the benefit of others.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford’s Blog