New Mobile Recording Truck

[giles117]

Just curious as to some designs for remote trucks.

I am ditching my 1st truck. Was a mechanical nightmare and buying a newer truck.

this will be another 24' Unit like my last one

However, I want it to be more of a studio than just a "remote truck"

Any ideas

Bryan Giles

www.motorcitymobile.com

[Remoteness]

Hey Bryan,

Welcome to the GS forums. It's a pleasure to see another remotester on board.

Let's start by sharing some information. Show us some pictures of your original truck. Tell us a bit about how you have (had) it set up now (then). I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too.

Let us check out your website. I believe it is not accessable at the moment. I hope it's only a temporary problem.

I have many ideas about (different styles of) remote trucks and I'm just one guy. We got some pretty smart folks that can help you around here.

Help us help you, give us some more information about where you're coming from. Looking forward to sharing the love and checking out your stuff!

[giles117]

Sorry, had my server down last night (You know us OS X users. LOL) Was mixing in DP3 and had to restart in OS 9, so it will be up all day today and through the weekend till Monday from 12-8.

Earnestly waiting on them to ship the G5 so I can dedicate this computer to server duties.

Anyway, Only pics I have were the ones from 1998 when I 1st started construction. I never took final pics (Alas)

But here is a description

I took an old 24' Refrigeration Unit, added steps and voila a Truck. (well maybe not Voila)

I floated a 2x4 floor on neoprene. Really isolated it from the vibrations on the street, 'cept when the truck moved. LOL

I did walls 2x4 studs stuffed with 4" foam top to bottom covered in a silken fabric. The ceiling, same way 2x4 with 2" foam.

Had a Body shop install A/C for me, 2-6" Ducts running up and down the side walls. Built a false wall at the rear of the truck leaving 2 feet for storage, snake and electrical. This was a 1' deep falswall stuffed with 12" x12" foam for Bass trapping. It was definitely DEAD silent in that truck when I was done. Never heard the outside world....

I have a 48x8 250' Snake with 30' Monitor Tails. Ground Lifts, Jensen Xfrmrs on Split. I had considered the KT 1248 Active Split, But was warned it may degrade the signal quality. Though I have never heard the degredation and am an avid Midas fan. XL-250/400/Heritage.

The site gives more tech details. It is dated. I have since replaced the tape machines with HD recorders. Added Focusrite Mic Pre's.

Tape is available upon request. Nobody warned me about the maintenance on these things bouncing around in a truck. Can you say "Head Alignment". Nor did I learn until too late that I should have gotten an air-ride suspension.

And Oh Yeah, an easily accessible Patch Bay. LOL Live and Learn.

I have started stripping the unit of what I don't need between now and September. I have a few shows between now and then and will be picking up my newer truck in 2 weeks.

Sorry no photos, just never got around to it. I have new staff so that is helping me expand this thing.

So After all my experimenting with the 1st unit, I am ready for the 2nd unit.

And oh Yeah again, The HD recorders are my back up to tape and I am investing in 2 more to back up the back up.

AND YES a UPS is a MUST these days. Maybe 2 or 3 of them for the different areas of equipment.

I have had the inevitable Power Failure Issue.

Hope that helps.

Bryan Giles

P.S.
Layout wise, think Sams Tape truck.

Time to do my Own thing.

WHat I am picking up, the side door is 8' from the cab end of the box

I am still debating about this 28' or the 24' In michigan they have a limit on the length, Have to find out is that just with a new truck or a used truck being registered.

[giles117]

Oh, And Just being me..

I wanna be like Tim Powell when I Grow Up..

Hey Tim if you are out there,

Mike Brown From Detroit Says Hey....

Me, I am just another prodigy from his training camp...

Hope 2 see yah soon dude.

[Remoteness]

Kewl, you got your own server.

Those G5s look mighty fine!

Hey, let's see the ones from 1998. Work in progress pictures can be very telling. Bring them on bro.

Why don't you take your 24' refrigeration box off the first mobile unit, and swap it with a new chassis with air-ride and nice new cab? If the box is still in good condition, it may be your best bet and an economical one to boot.

Did you build your 2x4 stud walls on the floating floor? I would have stuffed the walls with something more dense then the foam you used. We spray undercoating over all the ribs and sheet metal within the truck body walls for more density. Then we add our inside wall. To maximize the space of the CRM, you can use extruded metal as your inner ribs instead of the 2X4s. I would stay away from such a heavy ceiling.

My mid sized truck has a false wall at the rear of the truck for storage, snake Audio/Video/Power interfacing. But, the wall is not nearly as deep as a foot. How about 3 - 6 foot bass trap in a truck instead of storage space? Without expandable walls, that's truly total dedication to sound.

Passive or active splits, mic pres on stage, digital, optical it's all good. As long as it fits your needs and interfaces your equipment well.

Nobody warned you about the Air-ride suspension or accessible jack field, et ceterea, etc., because the "Remote Possibilities" forum on Gearslutz.com was not around :)

Hey, good luck on your new truck. It's ONLY 2 WEEKS AWAY!


I have designed and built every truck we own. I redesigned and rebuilt my first truck at least 3 times between 1977 and 1984, before we moved to my second truck. My second truck was redone about 2 or 3 times before I swapped the body to the International in '87. On and on...

We're not just a remote recording company. We build, fabricate and stock everything we need for total system integration for ourselves and cliental. We are constantly building new systems and upgrading the old ones. And I love it! I have equal enjoyment in designing and building systems for remote operations, as I do when I work them.

Great to hear "Sam's Tape truck" in a thread here. What a workhorse. It has recorded some of the best Southern Gospel recordings for decades. Joe Neil rules!

Sam's Tape Truck

IMO, go with the Michigan DOT limit. I built my third truck with something like that in mind. It's only 11'6" tall, 8' wide and 30' bumper to bumper. My criteria was to make it over and through most bridges and tunnels, etc., across the USA. Nowadays it's also about weight.

Come up with some ideas and we can hash them out online. Who knows, maybe others will contribute. You never know when you'll get some (top flight) lurker coming forward to set things straight. :)

Hey, remember one thing ... you don't need as much stuff when you're building more of a studio then a "remote truck." Think about it. Makes some notes. Tell us about it. We're all ears.

You're lucky to have been trained by Tim. He's one of the best and does some impressive work. His mic collection is equally as impressive.

[giles117]

Had not thought of a spray coating. This truck I am considering has a dry box. I lined mine with Neoprene sheets.

This time I figured I stuff rockwool and 703 into the truck, just like the studio I just built Aal John Sayers. He is the man. I am happy to be mixing again....Best room ever. And Best room in Detroit (Ok I am biased.)

I plan to take his designs and modify them for this truck, so I can mix mix mix my but off in this thing. Time to do it right.

One main reason for not porting the box over is RUST RUST and more RUST. Then the Roof leaks even after I took it to the body shop and paid $1000 to get it fixed. Just don't want the headache any longer.

Why Not the ceiling? Just curious.

I might get silly with this truck though. Hey why not.....It's MINE. LOL

I have to get the 1998 pics scanned (so that might be whenever...)

I will start laying out what I have in mind. Keeping in consideration access to gear, etc..... I learned a lot from this 1st truck..... Like LCD Monitors instead of CRT's. They last longer on the bumpy roads of life.

Thanks for that candid response. I will go with the KT's. They sounded great to my ears just wnated another opinion. Makes splitting a lot easier with 1 electronic and 4 ISO's All phantom at the Split, etc... (maybe I am just toooo lazy!!!)

Been doing to many recordings with just me and my brother.

Will post my ideas ASAP

Bryan

[Remoteness]

Yeah, you would not believe the difference in the density...

We did a non scientific demonstration for the crew. During the application process, we banged on the treated and untreated wall (before we built the inner walls of the CRM). You heard a thud when you hit the outside of an undercoated wall. An untreated wall sounded more like a "ping."

I also used "rockwool" on the expando truck. It was placed in the inner wall cavity between the truck body's sheet metal / ribs and the MDF board. 703 was used for acoustic treatments in the CRM.

I hear you, If you have RUST, RUST, RUST and more RUST and the roof leaks, etc., it's definitely time to say good bye.

The ceiling suggestion was based on "the center of gravity" issues.

I cannot wait until you get your 1998 pictures scanned. So make it sooner then "whenever."

I like LCD monitors because of their weight and heat radiation levels. Much, much less then CRTs. When properly mounted, CRTs are just fine on the bumpy roads of remote recording.

The KT splits are all electronic and you have options on how many isolated (transformers) you want. I believe you can also isolate the input stage.

Looking forward to your future ideas. Go for it.

[giles117]

Thanks for the heads up. In considering the ceiling, I am playing around with the steel studs Idea and plastic diffussers above mix position. With Rockwool in the ceiling. That should help do what I want to do soundwise and keep the center of gravity happy. The old refrigeration unit had a much heavier ceiling installed for insulating as opposed to what I am proposing.

I am fiddling with the desing for this truck, working out dimensions and stuff. As soon as I finalize, I will let yah know.

Bryan

Man I have to find those old pics. Hope my wife hid them well. :)

[wildplum]

"I floated a 2x4 floor on neoprene. Really isolated it from the vibrations on the street, 'cept when the truck moved. LOL"

I can see how this could lead to problems. what is the best way to isolate a floor in a remote truck?

[giles117]

What kind of problems???

I Never had any. When I spoke of 'cept when the truck moved, I was jesting about being under a heavy winded condition and it rocking the entire box. Otherwise I had no issues with the floated floor and actually enjoyed the deadening it gave me.

Bryan Giles

[joeneil]

Thanks for the kind words about Sam's Tape Truck! 2 years ago we bought a new cab & chassis and moved the box to it. It was the most nervous 2 days since the birth of my child! We opted for no air ride, since we were told it added about 400 lbs to the weight, and our driver said he didn't like the mushy feel, but what we did was to tune the suspension to the weight. That has worked well for us, with almost no equipment problems.
Joe Neil

[giles117]

Thanks for the heads up Joe.

The 1st time I met you was here in Detroit at Marvin Winan's Perfecting Church. Not sure what year that was.

I Loved your layout and you Guys were really cool, letting me hangout on the truck during the recording.

Bryan Giles

[Remoteness]

Hey Bryan,

How's your new mobile recording truck project coming along?

Please give us an update.

[DDev]

I'm mostly just a lurker here (you all are way beyond me and my meager remote recording trials; I schlepp a Mackie MDR in a rackbag and tap into whatever the FOH console can feed me; mostly church related groups at this point), but I thought I'd post a link to where Bryan has been posting on his new truck.

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1181

Darryl.....

[giles117]

Thanks Darryl

Ny Spam filter has been grabbing all the gearslutz forum notices so I never knew anyone had responded 2 this thread.

NE Wayz, I start construction in 3 weeks from Monday. it will be quick and dirty but nice and neat. :)

I am gonna do her just like a normal ole studio :)

Best way to get consistently great mixes when going live to 2 track. :)

I will photograph the eniter process and set up a link on my server in case any one is interested. :)

Bryan
www.mcmrecording.com