Home-made booth

montanasan · 8th January 2007, 05:05 PM

Anyone any top tips for turning a cupboard into a vocal/guitar amp booth for recording. I'm hoping the answers will include simple and cost effective solutions.
Thanks in advance, joe.

PhilE · 9th January 2007, 12:23 AM

Dont know if it helps but I'm going to be building a booth at the back of my mix room in a month or two- aparently I can do it using metal stud walls and heavy interior packing.

IU have been using a large cupboard under the stairs with velvey stage curtain hanging up to now - sounds good but looks sh!te.

i've only done vocals in there and even then not too often though.

I'll let you know if my new booth will be good enough to put an amp in when its done! I doubt it will fancy a Mesa in it but maybe an Epiphone Jr

tINY · 9th January 2007, 01:56 AM

Don't do it. That's cheap....

You tend to get boxy sounding results because of the small dimmensions. It's better to put a bunch of absorbtion in a corner and use that.

the space under the stairs is interesting - It doesn't have a lot of parallel walls.

-tINY

montanasan · 9th January 2007, 10:39 AM

The cupboard is big enough to sit and play acoustic guitar in. Would it still be too boxy?

PhilE · 9th January 2007, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tINY

Don't do it. That's cheap....

You tend to get boxy sounding results because of the small dimmensions. It's better to put a bunch of absorbtion in a corner and use that.

the space under the stairs is interesting - It doesn't have a lot of parallel walls.

-tINY

The parallel walls thing is a good point... The booth I'll be building will have a fair angle going on too- if its just a square cupboard try to 'wedge' its shape a bit with whatever you use to line it.
And I believe small booths are fine as long as you deaden the sound as much as posible- I find that dead booths combat the boxiness issue.

montanasan · 9th January 2007, 12:17 PM

What's best to deaden the cupboard and how much of an angle on the wedge? Oh, thanks for the replies so far too.
joe.

XHipHop · 9th January 2007, 12:34 PM

se reflexion filter.

montanasan · 9th January 2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XHipHop

se reflexion filter.

I've got one of those.

PhilE · 9th January 2007, 12:46 PM

The cheapy foam does a pretty good job (see Thomann.de sp?) or if you can get hold of heavy stage curtaining- I have the velvet stuff which works well or the blackout felt type is good too. The important thing is to cover hard surfaces.

As for angle you'd want to ask someone with a better knowledge of acoustics than me ideally but 20-25 degrees works but may well be more than you need... I think your space has to dictate these things a bit as being able to work and perform inside is ultimately the most important thing.

P.S. If you can slope the interior roof you're onto a good thing too... but if not foam it up!

montanasan · 9th January 2007, 01:30 PM

Thanks for that. Does it matter which way the slope runs?

glitch · 11th January 2007, 05:50 AM

Standard studio foam and heavy stage curtains do well for high and upper midrange frequencies, but will still leave the room sounding boomy. Bass traps are in order.

PhilE · 11th January 2007, 01:37 PM

Never come across that as an issue- not in small booth situations... makes sense though.

montanasan · 11th January 2007, 03:11 PM

Is the consensus then that foam is the way forward?
Thanks, joe.

tINY · 11th January 2007, 10:35 PM

semi ridgid insulation (fiberglass or rockwool) that gets used for HVAC and suspended ceilings is a lot better than foam.

-tINY

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8th January 2007, 05:05 PM	#1
montanasan Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Coast of Scotland Posts: 228	Home-made booth Anyone any top tips for turning a cupboard into a vocal/guitar amp booth for recording. I'm hoping the answers will include simple and cost effective solutions. Thanks in advance, joe.

11th January 2007, 05:50 AM	#11
glitch Lives for gear Join Date: May 2003 Location: USA Posts: 1,264	Standard studio foam and heavy stage curtains do well for high and upper midrange frequencies, but will still leave the room sounding boomy. Bass traps are in order. __________________ I can't hear specs.

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9th January 2007, 12:23 AM	#2
PhilE Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,211	Dont know if it helps but I'm going to be building a booth at the back of my mix room in a month or two- aparently I can do it using metal stud walls and heavy interior packing. IU have been using a large cupboard under the stairs with velvey stage curtain hanging up to now - sounds good but looks sh!te. i've only done vocals in there and even then not too often though. I'll let you know if my new booth will be good enough to put an amp in when its done! I doubt it will fancy a Mesa in it but maybe an Epiphone Jr

9th January 2007, 01:56 AM	#3
tINY Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 5,714	Don't do it. That's cheap.... You tend to get boxy sounding results because of the small dimmensions. It's better to put a bunch of absorbtion in a corner and use that. the space under the stairs is interesting - It doesn't have a lot of parallel walls. -tINY

9th January 2007, 10:39 AM	#4
montanasan Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Coast of Scotland Posts: 228	The cupboard is big enough to sit and play acoustic guitar in. Would it still be too boxy?

9th January 2007, 12:17 PM	#6
montanasan Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Coast of Scotland Posts: 228	What's best to deaden the cupboard and how much of an angle on the wedge? Oh, thanks for the replies so far too. joe.

9th January 2007, 12:34 PM	#7
XHipHop Moderator Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,015	se reflexion filter.

9th January 2007, 12:46 PM	#9
PhilE Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,211	The cheapy foam does a pretty good job (see Thomann.de sp?) or if you can get hold of heavy stage curtaining- I have the velvet stuff which works well or the blackout felt type is good too. The important thing is to cover hard surfaces. As for angle you'd want to ask someone with a better knowledge of acoustics than me ideally but 20-25 degrees works but may well be more than you need... I think your space has to dictate these things a bit as being able to work and perform inside is ultimately the most important thing. P.S. If you can slope the interior roof you're onto a good thing too... but if not foam it up!

9th January 2007, 01:30 PM	#10
montanasan Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Coast of Scotland Posts: 228	Thanks for that. Does it matter which way the slope runs?

11th January 2007, 01:37 PM	#12
PhilE Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,211	Never come across that as an issue- not in small booth situations... makes sense though.

11th January 2007, 03:11 PM	#13
montanasan Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Coast of Scotland Posts: 228	Is the consensus then that foam is the way forward? Thanks, joe.

11th January 2007, 10:35 PM	#14
tINY Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 5,714	semi ridgid insulation (fiberglass or rockwool) that gets used for HVAC and suspended ceilings is a lot better than foam. -tINY