VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Edo]

1st of all: I'm in no way involved with SE Electronics, this is just a collection of personal findings and experiences from a fellow studio owner.
Some time ago, a couple of members on this board discussed the SE Electronics Reflection Filter (I'll call it SERF from now on), and I mentioned I was impressed with it and ordered one. So here are my thoughts on it. Don't we all want it... perfect sounding, acoustically well-designed rooms? Since that's only the case for some of us...

The Refection Filter by microphone company SE Electronics tries to provide making decent recordings in spaces that are 'acoustically challenged'. The concept is both simple and brilliant: why treat all of the room if you can shield the direct space surrounding your microphone. In practice this is far from simple. If you have tried damping a corner of the room with blankets and soforth, you'll recognize the dull, boomy sound it gives. We don't want that. Especially since we boardmembers here are in the crystal clear business.

SE fixed this by making sure damping takes place in ALL frequencies so they assembled multiple layers of acoustical material in a metal case. The outside is a punched plate of aluminium which allows sound to pass through, only to be caught by the first layer of very heavy acoustic wool (for lack of better word). This is where the diffusion takes place. The remaining sound hits a layer of very thick (6-8 millimeters) aluminium foil, another layer of the wool and again a punched alluminium plate. Apart from that, they attached 4 pieces of acoustic foam on the inside of the SERF.

Mounting the SERF is very easy. All you need is a mike stand and the arm the SERF comes with. This has a adjustable mike mount on it. This is where you put your shockmount to hold your mike.

In theory this type of acoustic filter could never compensate for a terrible sounding room. I need to fill you in on some laws of acoustics here. Key factors are 'early reflections'; the relatively fast reflections of the original sound hitting the mike from nearby surfaces. The reverb of the room are more or less the total of the complex reflections that sound a bit longer within your recording space.

Imagine using a rubber ball and throwing it across the room from the sound source. Only a very small number of places on the wall and floor or walls would make the ball bounce to your mike in one or two bounces. Let's call those the 'early reflections'. The ball would have to bounce endlessly through all corners of the room to get back to the mike from all other places on the room's surface. Let's consider that the 'reverb'.

If we can tune the early reflections, which is what the SERF does, a big reverb in the room will still be there and audible. We would think that the SERF had little or no effect in a great sounding room, but boy were we wrong... it focuses the sound very much. Even when recording in a control room where early reflections are all you hear this thing sounds awesome!

The SERF won't help you in a concrete basement, tiled bathroom or toilet where the acoustics are overwhelmingly reverberant. Rather go outside then, you might be surprised! I can say that it is a pleasure to work with, but it will never replace a good sounding room. It will however add greatly to a room, especially when you record in a non-recording environment such as your bedroom, living room or even garage. In a somewhat treated room it helps you achieving a dryer, more focused sound with (funny enough) a bit aggressiveness on the top end. Presence does get a bit enhanced by the hollow structure of the first punched aluminium layer. It works like a charm with no headphones on!

This is why we tested with some lead singing vocals as well. I can say none other than that it's a great tool (for some of us). If you experience room problems like close miked sources (i.e. lead vocals, VO! or acoustic guitars) i'd definately advice trying this thing for yourself. It might be a bit on the expensive side, but given the professional results (and if I might add the STURDIEST POSSIBLE construction of the SERF), it's well worth it.

By the way... in Europe prices just dropped to € 249 including 19%VAT, the equivalent being some $260 excluding sales tax if I'm correctly informed.

More info and pictures on http://www.seelectronics.com/rf.html

My € 0,02

Regards from The Netherlands

Edo

[VO-Guy]

Edo,

Thanks for posting this, I've been thinking about trying one as well.

Russ

[Bill]

I just saw one at guitar center recently $300 (USD) looks very well built. Unfortuantely i was unable to try it out. I've heard it described (its effect) as simiilar to the payphone booths, (remember thosse?) that were angled, where if you stuck your heard in it would really kill a lot of ambient sound.

[marko]

A few potential flaws that I can see are where to put your script and how to see your monitor?

[VO-Guy]

If you use your monitor for copy I could see the problem their, if you print your scripts out you could use a music stand to set it on. That's what I do now.

Russ

[Bill]

I thought about the copy issue, you could place it above and behind the reflector, it's not all that big, but still an obstacle to see around.

now how about a half pipe of Sonotube (24" diameter) covered with sonex? hosts of a podcast suggested that one.

[Bruce]

As a proponent of using natural materials wherever possible, I plan on taking the undecorated half of my Halloween pumpkin, drying it, filling it with Furalex and putting that behind my mic. I'll report on my findings.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Edo]

In THAT case... this 'tutorial' might be of help to you. I found this on the web and thought it was hilarious

[Don G.]

Jeez, Edo. And you thought that other guy had too much time on his hands!

[Charlie Channel]

[steveanthony]

Yes, I've heard about the new iSquash.