What's the Big Deal With "Portable" Vocal Booths?

[rackdude]

I mean, the realtraps one, the Se Reflexon, why do they cost so much?

Would you recommend me just getting some 703/705 in a pack of 6 for $100 and creating a few *because I need all my stuff portable*?

Or is there a big benefit to buying them?

[guitarwes]

You help Ethan keep the lights on and information flowing?

Also, they make a great product if you don't feel like or have the time to build yourself.

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by guitarwes

You help Ethan keep the lights on and information flowing?

Also, they make a great product if you don't feel like or have the time to build yourself.

Ethan's traps are killer. You won't get that kind of finished look from your average DIY panel (thought I have seen some great looking DIY panels on this forum). The other thing is that you know exactly how it will perform because it's been tested and Ethan has documentation.

Every detail about how you design and construct a panel plays into how it will perform...Ethan's already done all the work for you

Frank

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by rackdude

I mean, the realtraps one, the Se Reflexon, why do they cost so much?

Would you recommend me just getting some 703/705 in a pack of 6 for $100 and creating a few *because I need all my stuff portable*?

Or is there a big benefit to buying them?

As you go through Gearslutz it is pretty easy to see that some people have built some REALLY nice things. Not just acoustic treatment but preamps, boards and so on. But it is also pretty easy to see that some people are not born with that knack of "USING A HAMMER" (if you know what I mean). Also some people are not into (I am one of these guys) or don't have the time to mess with building stuff. I would rather just buy the product, get advice/support from the manufacture and have fun using it.

Glenn

[Ethan Winer]

Thanks Glenn and Frank. Your checks are in the mail.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

Thanks Glenn and Frank. Your checks are in the mail.

Send to Frank. He has been working his little butt off.

Glenn

[Jax]

Yes, just buy a few panels of 703 and make your own.

I built the simplest vocal booth imaginable by hanging 3 panels of 703 on mic stands. One on either side of the singer and one at the back edges of the other two, in a \_/ pattern. Two more hanging overhead from the ceiling. It works very well for far less money than the reflexion filter and others.

[jwl]

Absolutely, you can make your own PVB.

But the nice thing about the Realtraps PVB is convenience, and stability. The metal bracket is heavy duty and attaches very well to the mic stand, giving you a solid platform to place each 2x2 half of the panel. The panels are also metal framed, and sit in place nicely, either within the metal bracket or on the ground in front of a combo amp.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Jax

Yes, just buy a few panels of 703 and make your own.

I built the simplest vocal booth imaginable by hanging 3 panels of 703 on mic stands. One on either side of the singer and one at the back edges of the other two, in a \_/ pattern. Two more hanging overhead from the ceiling. It works very well for far less money than the reflexion filter and others.

Agreed, but even if you did go with something like a PVB I still would treat the ceiling if possible. You would be amazed how much CRAP (very tech term ) comes off the ceiling.


Glenn

[rackdude]

Anyone got a good way to hang 2 panels to a micstand behind the mic?

[Jax]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

Agreed, but even if you did go with something like a PVB I still would treat the ceiling if possible. You would be amazed how much CRAP (very tech term ) comes off the ceiling.


Glenn

Have a little more coffee, Glenn.

I did mention "two more hanging overhead from the ceiling." Maybe I should have said "parallel to the ceiling"?

[rackdude]

What about getting some cheap mineral wool and making them into pannel-ish things and taping those behind a mic?

[Weasel9992]

Hmmm...I don't know that I'd leave it uncovered. I'm not worried about breating in fibers, but you wouldn't want to handle that stuff much with your bare hands.

Frank

[rackdude]

I don't mean uncovered. I mean, put a piece of burlap over it, and then just kind of bending it into placeish. I'll see. $40 for 6 pannels at ats for the cheap rockwool is a deal, even if they don't work for this, I could just put them in my room.

[jwl]

That's the trick, isn't it?

The PVB uses a heavy-duty powdercoated steel bracket, and the panels themselves have a metal frame. The panels sit inside the metal bracket, held in place by gravity.

For DIY, I usually go for wood, but it'd be tricky to fabricate something like this. I think it'd be simpler to just build panels on stands.

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by rackdude

I don't mean uncovered. I mean, put a piece of burlap over it, and then just kind of bending it into placeish. I'll see. $40 for 6 pannels at ats for the cheap rockwool is a deal, even if they don't work for this, I could just put them in my room.

Exactly. And, worse come to worse you could fabricate a stand like we have to get the panel up high enough to be useful to tame vocal reflections. Very simple, tons of ways to do it and very inexpensive.

Frank

[rackdude]

Thanks guys a ton! You will have just saved me a lot of money.