VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Bailey]

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I'm talking filters with this design
I've read a few discussions about them in the archives. Now contemplating making one, on a slightly larger scale. Do most people think they are not as effective as advertised?... or are moving blankets just as good?
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"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
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AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[Jack Daniel]

In my opinion, Jim, it's all about expectations. These filters--which are by no mean a commodity, as their effectiveness varies significantly with their materials and heft--can accomplish their mission, assuming your room is not unusually live and you aren't looking for something approaching "deadness." Some time ago, I tried them and ended up selling, as they did not accomplish the mission I had, which was taming a room that was itself ill-made for VO. So it wasn't a fair trial, I'd say.

Requiring as I do a space that greatly reduces external noise as well as deadens to the point that any qualified coroner would say "Yep, that's a goner," I went the booth route--along with significant treatment in terms of bass traps and ATS paneling. This is what matters to me, and I'm not sure it matters as much to my clients; but much of treatment, in my book, is making you, the talent, feel comfortable so that you can deliver your best.

No doubt many others can make do (and do better) using much less, but this is my take on the matter. Which is to say, I've probably gotten much more philosophical--and less on point--than you are looking for. I can only hope it helps somewhat.
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Jack Daniel
Narrator / Man About Town

[Bailey]

Thanks Jack. I can see now that a reflex filter is still at the mercy of the entire room for success or failure. It appears that moving pads/blankets would still be necessary "behind" the voiceoverist.
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"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 .gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[JohnV]

I have the ASTON HALO, which is one of the better ones.
it does what is designed to do... provide a massive neutral and mostly dead acoustic shadow around the sides and rear of the mic.

Remember that the live side of the mic, facing talent, is also looking at whatever is BEHIND the talent, and if that is a bouncy hollow hard wall space, you will of course HEAR that.

As a quick-fix, i would say this sort of device works in an average room (bedroom, den, etc) IF you also hang a multi-layer set of soft heavy curtains/blankets directly behind the talent.

Most important from my short experience here is that it is most useful as a singer's (or other performer with memorised lines) tool since the geometry of getting a script in site-lines is something that I haven;t really worked out.
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[Kookster]

I had that one a few years ago, before I got my booth. I was still at the mercy of the room itself so ended up using moving blankets and a quilt behind me. Not the best solution but it gave a better sound than I had before. The biggest problem I had was being able to read my script!
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(otherwise known as Cari, if you squint it looks like Carl)

[DenaliDave]

I have one. It's better than the Kaotica Eyeball. That thing looks good on paper, but it's really just a hollowed out Nerf ball for $200. It makes everything sound muddy and muffled.

Remember: placement of the mic inside the filter also can greatly detract or impact the sound. Adjusting the filter is important, simply slapping on up and going, "yeah this thing sucks" is a pretty lame thing to do.

As other's have said, it does create a nice dead zone to the sides and rear of a mic, but it does nothing for the sound behind you.

Having a room that's to dead is also a problem. I've heard some funky sounding recordings because a room is to dead. There's balance that needs to be achieved, and this is why in a recording studio you'll see various material like rugs and wood panels along with acoustic foam. All of these materials combine to create a natural, life-like recording.
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"The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve." - Buddha
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