VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Pam

As I've posted a few times in my frustration, I am living behind a huge grocery store rebuild that is making my recording life h-e-double-hockey-sticks as Bob Souer says. Because the entire building was shaking, I was getting all kinds of vibration garage in my files I just couldn't clean up. After thinking about it and consulting my enginerd brother who is helping to design the new battleship, he suggested rubber underneath the mount to cushion the boom mic arm. It's mounted on a desk. Since my rubber tree didn't make it through last winter he suggested cutting up a bike tire insert and them layering it until it was still sturdy but also absorbing the shocks. I think we may have hit on something! The attached photo shows the first waveform in full construction with no cushioning, the second is at night when all's quiet on the western front and the third is with 2 layers of tire underneath the mount. It's not perfect but at least I can use the big girl mic now and send off a relatively cleaner file. Any suggestions from others on how to drop off the rest would be most welcome.

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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Can you use a nice graphic EQ plugin and remove everything under 80Hz? I would normally recommend not touching anything over 60Hz, but in your case...
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Ed Gambill · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:44 am Post subject:

If heavy equipment is inducing vibration into your building, I would be more concerned with that. Heavy vibration means things are moving that should not move. Bummer!
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bobsouer · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

Pam,

Big improvement there, clearly. Lance's suggestion of using a high pass filter is a good one. We can talk about how to do that if you need.

Be well,
Bob
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todd ellis · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

i concur with the other doctors - if you can isolate the frequency range and apply a light hi-pass filter, that might do you a world of good. cudos on the MUCH improved floor, though!
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Gp · Guest

I just wanted to add that I have nothing further to add to what these fine gentlemen have stated.

Pam · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:34 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys! This isn't the first time rubber has saved the day! My bro now is suggesting inserting a small piece between the screws and the mount, that may help remove a bit more of the rumbles.

My goodness, screws and rubbers, makes the mind go places!

And yes Ed, the plaster keys that fall daily within my walls are most disconcerting. There are times I think my house is going to shake apart.

So what is a high pass filter and what do I need to do to make it happen? I'm already dropping off everything below 100 khz. I think that's what I'm doing.
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:46 pm Post subject:

You are on the right track with the rubber. In this case it would be referred
to as decoupling or isolation. Having your mic stand firmly attached to your
desktop is actually increasing the vibration. It's much like being in a multi
story building during an earthquake. The shaking is amplified in the upper
levels.

My first suggestion would be to put your mic on a standard floor mic stand, and set
the stand on a 2" thick neoprene rubber square. If you can get hold of some
fiberglass batting and placing it under the neoprene, this will further isolate. This,
along with a shock mount for your mic will further complete the isolation.

Anything left over can be cut in the digital domain.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject:

Mike Sommer · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:07 pm Post subject:

If you are getting the kind of vibration that the keys of you lath and plaster walls are falling off it might be time to bring this to the attention to the city and contractor. Wright letters and file complaints, get a paper trail going. Because when the plaster falls off your wall two years down the road, guess who gets to foot that bill. It happened in LA when the put in the subway. Yeeesh!!
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Ed Gambill · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject:

Vibration damping mounts
McMasters-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/1359/=4chd08

They are an old established Chicago firm. Your brother should know of them. If he doesn't, introduce him to them. All kinds of useful items.
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Chris Ratliff · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

I agree with Lance. The rubber mounts help I'm sure! I had a somewhat similar situation last week. DOT decided it was time to cut down trees in my neighborhood. Chain saws and stump grinders don't play together with recording studios very well!
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