VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Don G.]

I'm about to commandeer part of the small (9'x 11') bedroom in our house now that our son is on his own. BUT...this isn’t going to be a renovation/reconstruction. The goal here is to use non-destructive means to achieve a better sound that what I'm getting now. I won’t be tearing down walls. I did manage to procure some 4" thick Roxul acoustic panels (appox. 5' x 2') that I'm hoping will be helpful.

We're fortunate in that we're in a fairly rural area and other than waiting out the occasional Harley, semi or airplane that passes by, it's not too disruptive. So, I'm not fooling myself into thinking of any of this as soundproofing, because it's not. I'm just looking to achieve the deadest sound I can with the means at hand. I'm not adverse to spending a few bucks, but as I said, this isn’t meant to be a full studio build.

Okay, with that preamble out of the way, can you give an educated opinion on which of the two choices below might be a better option? For reference in the pictures, the blue things are the Roxul panels (as you could have guessed), the three section corner desk is about 6' each side and 2' deep. The thing in the middle of the room is a rolling coat rack over which I'm planning on draping a moving blanket and rolling behind me while recording. The smaller one that looks similar is a smaller rolling clothes rack, used for actual clothing. (Oh yeah, part of this room will continue to be used as a "walk-in closet" by my wife.) The brown thing is a bookcase.

The other side of the left wall is an unused bedroom (and its closet).
The other side of the right wall is empty space over the front door stairway and at the front-most portion, a hallway closet.
The other side of the front wall is the hallway.
The other side of the back wall is the great outdoors (street is about 75' away).

I'm fully prepared for an answer of "try them both and see what sounds better", but if you notice anything that would strongly favor one option over the other, I hope you'll chime in

Thanks!

[vkuehn]

Let me mess with your head a bit.

I gave some thought today about trying to come up with photos and a floor-plan sketch of what I have done.... not because it is great or glitzy, but because I think showing it and explaining it would help some people break free from some traditions.

You room is just little be more constricting in size than mine, but I have a truck-load of clothes storage, recipe storage, genealogy storage and all the family's tax and financial records along with a lifetime of family photos, scrap books and yearbooks.

I refused to place my operating position where I ended up facing a wall! Then when I began battling room noise including the computer CPU... I had the computer to my right and a just a bit behind me. And one day on a lark I said: "Self, why don't you turn the mic around!. Start the recording process, get up and walk around to the other side of the desk. The sensitive side of the mic faces you, and it's less sensitive back side now faces the computer.

It's not a real show place but the room is full of little incremental moves like that.

Think outside the box!

[Bish]

At first glance, I'd opt for B as a starting point. There is no great technical reason, but as I'm a basement dweller, I rather like the idea of being able to lean back in the chair and look out of the window!

As far as what works best for you and the mic and your placement... it really is a suck-it-and-see. Nothing is destructive in your plan. The only issue in my mind is reflection from the window (heavy drapes when recording?). I'm assuming you plan to record at your desk... but as has been said (quite rightly) play with different mic and standing positions and don't get locked in to any "conventional wisdom". Also, with plan B, you may have the opportunity to house any noise-makers (computer etc.) in the closet with minimal cabling issues.

It really is a coin-toss to start... I just like the idea of looking out of the window during editing, paperwork, faffing on VO-BB, or whatever... because, to be honest, only a small percentage of the time is spent actually recording
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[todd ellis]

i like "b" as well. same reasons as peter.

1) and this REALLY is #1 - the opportunity to place anything with fans in the adjacent closet

2) a window is nice.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
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[captain54]

What about the ceiling? How high? Any treatment?
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

[Don G.]

Thanks for the comments. I didn’t realize what a pain-in-the-butt this was going to be; largely because of all the crap I've accumulated over the years in my old space...to say nothing of the dust bunnies. I'm hoping the end result will be worth the effort. At the very least, I'm re-assessing whether I should even keep some of the stuff I haven’t used in years.

I'm working with Option B at this point. I, too, like to be able to look out the window when I'm not actually recording.

Oh, the ceiling is about 8' high and as of right now has no treatment. Hadn't thought about that, but I guess I should. I do have one extra 2'x3' Roxul panel and I have six Roxul things I was thinking of using in the corners as bass traps. Each is 4" square and between 2.5' and 3' long. Do you think it would help to use any of those things maybe suspended from the ceiling? Or maybe I'd be better off hanging the moving blanket from the ceiling.

[captain54]

I would take one the 5' Roxul panels off of the walls, hang it lengthwise as a cloud above your desk/recording area, if in fact you are going to record seated at the desk. Space the remaining panels out a bit Bunch 4 of the 4" square panels and make a 8" square trap and jam that in the corner that is behind your recording space
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

[Don G.]

Thanks. I'll see if I can figure out a way to hang the "cloud" without destroying the ceiling. Actually, I have a bunch of Auralex wedge 12" tiles laying around. Would they be usable as a cloud? Any other practical use you can see for the Auralex or should I just put them on Craigslist and try to get a few bucks for them?

[captain54]

If the Roxul is bordered or attached to a frame you can attach hooks or eye bolts in 4 corners and hang with decorative chain used for swag lamps via another 4 hooks or eye bolts attached to ceiling. Minimum damage, 4 small holes in ceiling. so basically you are dropping the ceiling above you, from 1-2ft

The Auralex could be functional as a cheap cloud if you get some 2x4 project board and mount 8 squares of Auralex via spray adhesive to the board, the hang as was previously mentioned
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

[Don G.]

Got it. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Monk]

I know I'm late to the party, but I would avoid the window, it's the largest source of noise and reflections.

A ceiling cloud is a good idea, easy to build if you have the height.

Also, those closet doors, if they're hollow core, I'd replace them.
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