Spring for a vox guard?

[dj sym]

Maybe you slutz can help me figure out if I should spring for a vox guard. I'm running an MXL V88<Presonus Studio Channel<Mbox 2 Mini. Ok, the chain may not matter as far as the guard but I'm recording in a bedroom with a closet too small to record in, so its an open room. Currently I have a foam-crated shoebox behind the mic. Would a real vox guard be much more help in trapping the reflected sound? I'm not proofing my room and my basement is even more open. Will the vox guard help?

[Silent Sound]

It's hard to say if it would help any. Every situation is going to be different. Does the shoe box help any? I imagine it would yield similar results to the shoe box. Personally, I'm a little skeptical of those as they sit behind the microphone, and usually are used for vocals. I almost always record vocals with a cardioid microphone, so the mic should be canceling out the room sound from behind it on it's own. I'm more concerned with treating the area behind the singer and in front of the microphone. But that's just my take.

[guitarboy94]

Don't waste your money. If your space is bad, a guard won't do a thing. If your space is good, a guard won't do a thing. Had one for a while. Sold it after a month. It's a scam if you ask me. As someone mentioned above, the area that needs addressed most is in front of the mic, not behind it.

[dkelley]

just one different experience post here... but not from a voxguard (I'm assuming this is a product name).

I've used the se reflexion filter, and one of the knockoffs from a cheaper brand like samson (ironic considering another thread I just posted in about samson.... but I digress).

the se filter in a crappy room was truly excellent in removing a lot of the room from teh recording, yes in cardoid LDC pickup pattern. I also had a huge heavy blanket behind the singer. this was a mobile done at her house. worked OUTSTANDING. without the se filter there was clear room sound being picked up, with it the room sound was reduced significantly. not entirely by any means, but dramatically.

the se filter isn't solid backed... it's kind of like putting a rounded fiberglass panel in front of you. sound goes through and doesn't get reflected back.

the samson (or wahtever the company was) model that looked similar and cost only like $70 had a HARD SOLID backing behidn it's foam. bad. I dind't buy it, she owned it. it was horrid. and the logic makes sense... it's reflecting back most of hte sound and only somewhat filtering the high frequencies.

the se reflexion filter is a good product.

I don't know voxguard from a hole in the wall though... ;-)

oh and by the way I placed vocalist with back near wall (a couple feet away) with heavy blanket behind singer. singer sung into the room. reflexion filter works as intended when used as intended. if you put the singer in the middle of the room I'm not sure how it would work, or if singer faced into wall with filter near wall it seems like it's solving different problems.

[edva]

Ask yourself this: have any of the records you love been recorded with one of those things?

[ChubbyPanda]

Go to youtube and search DIY GOBO (go behind). Dude makes it for like 10 bucks and it looks pretty decent.

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by edva

Ask yourself this: have any of the records you love been recorded with one of those things?

There may be a correlation, but that doesn't make your point valid by any means.

If it sounds good it is good, statistics be damned. Use your ears.

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by edva

Ask yourself this: have any of the records you love been recorded with one of those things?

they're a relatively new device to be marketed this way and mic stand mounted. it's basically a simple, nicely curved, mobile acoustic panel. there is nothing bad about one. it serves a simple purpose and the good one (se) does it quite effectively. it's the same as if you took flexible fiberglass and put it into a curved audibly transparent shell and put a mic stand mount on it.

In a bad room it can be a quick and easy difference between a good vocal sound and a great vocal sound.

and yes, some recordings currently on itunes have I absolutely guarantee been recorded with the se reflexion filter judging simply from the amount of positive discussion I've read on this forum about them and also the number of times I've talked to mobile engineers who bring them along "just in case".

again, I don't know what a vox guard is though. if it's a cheap knockoff of the se then don't get it based on my findings with cheap hard-backed similar products. for all I know it's the exact product I tried and hated.

[edva]

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

There may be a correlation, but that doesn't make your point valid by any means.

If it sounds good it is good, statistics be damned. Use your ears.

My "point" was a simple question. You inferred your own value judgement on it, not I. Yes, if you think it sounds good, then use it. If it does indeed sound good, then others will surely use it also, and it will appear on recordings you may like. If not, then the opposite may be true.

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by edva

My "point" was a simple question...

What was the purpose of your question? If there was no actual advice implied by it then I wonder why you posted it at all.

I will certainly apologize if I jumped the gun in my response, however.

[scottstoked]

I have a VoxGuard, but haven't used in a long time since building my little acoustic panel vocal enclosure.

It worked ok. It does have a hard-back to it, but has slim vents/slits to prevent reflections (in theory). Cheaper and easier to set up than the SE, but not the same quality or ability to adjust the mic.

[edva]

I was indeed offering free advice, as asked for, and probably worth the price. Just trying to help the OP as requested with possibly a perspective he may not have considered. That's all. Admittedly, I am not a fan of such devices. However, if they work for you, great. You obviously are free to offer your advice. It is a forum, after all. We opine about various things. That's all. OK?

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by edva

I was indeed offering free advice, as asked for, and probably worth the price.

haha, that's a classic quotable post edva :-)

I see you offering great advice all the time.... opinions differ on the SE, it's logical :-)

[edva]

Originally Posted by dkelley

haha, that's a classic quotable post edva :-)

I see you offering great advice all the time.... opinions differ on the SE, it's logical :-)

Thank you DK. Honestly, my only goal is to help. I've been down the audio road a long way, made lots of mistakes, many wrong turns. If I can help others avoid that, and perhaps help them make better decisions the first time around, that's all I'm trying to do. Wish something like this forum had been around when I was just starting out. And yes, all free advice is worth what you pay for it, although sometimes it may save you a bundle. That's the hope, anyway. Thanks again for your laugh and kind words, much appreciated.

[FilmNMusicman]

HAPPILY USING THE VOX GUARD!!!!!!!!!!!

It does help, it's NOT a scam, I only use it for vocals though.

The nasal-shrill sound I got from my boxy apartment was really tamed. I mean it's basically a crude curved gobo, and it's not easy to setup; BUT, it DOES WORK if used correctly.

Just know I own one and it's sitting on a straight stand 10 feet from me and I'm impressed and wouldn't go back to recording my vox without it :D

[cargojon]

Originally Posted by ChubbyPanda

Go to youtube and search DIY GOBO (go behind). Dude makes it for like 10 bucks and it looks pretty decent.

That cat is a genius. Of course if one wanted to, one could use slightly upgraded materials for a hopefully better effect.

[cargojon]

UPDATE - I just got finished making a similar GOBO to what the youtube dude made, but I think mine is a little bit better.

Instead of using those paint tray metal things (I tried his method and the paint things fell apart as I was bending the tabs), I used a piece of grille commonly found at Home Depot for things like radiator covers, etc.

I just used adhesive to get the air conditioning foam on it (I bought 2 kits so I had enough to run the seams vertically, it just looks better), drilled two holes to mount a piece of metal band (think, pre-drilled with holes). Bent the assembly to the proper shape, bolted it to the metal band, and used automotive hose clamps to affix to the mic stand.

I'll try to post some pics if/when I can.

[cargojon]

Here's the pic of the final product....

[shanemono4]

I had the primacoustic voxguard for a while, and ended up getting the SE Reflexion filter around christmas. I love it. I enjoyed the Voxguard when I had it, and when I go back and listen to my takes without it, it made me realize how much it helped. For $100 I'd pick one up anyday. If you can afford to step up to the reflexion filter though, its well worth it.