Treating a room for voiceovers

Roger Gunkel · January 7th, 2016, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Crowley

Of course, none of those acoustic boxes (home-made or store-bought) can do anything about the room acoustics or the ambient noise. Their only function is to decouple near reflections (and perhaps noise) from the back-side microphone sensitivity. IMHO, they are over-hyped and not all that beneficial.

I don't think there is any suggestion that a box in a room is going to match commercial voice over facilities, but the OP wanted something that was simple and inexpensive to use in a domestic room. Assuming that kids aren't running around screaming, dogs barking in the room and Jumbo jets flying overhead, a reasonably acoustically insulated box with a close pop filtered directional or cardioid pattern mic will do the job well enough of damping out reflections and low level ambient noise.

Roger

Jonathan Levin · January 7th, 2016, 09:57 AM

+1 for what Richard and Roger suggest about ambient noise i.e. refrigerators cycling on and off, outside noise like sirens traffic and so on. How close are you to a busy street?

In looking at your photo and assuming you are REALLY doing this on the cheap, what i would do is make soe use out of that mattress/bed, maybe lean that against a wall and right there you have one third of a make shift sound booth. For the other sides, as has been mentioned moving blankets for Home Depot work well in a pinch. I use these a lot. Keep mic close to talent as has also been mentioned. Proper levels on everything, monitor your audio with some decent headphones, and test, test, test. Your ears will help guide you too.

Jon Fairhurst · January 7th, 2016, 01:05 PM

I've read some analysis about the small box-type solutions and they aren't all that effective. The main issue was the uneven frequency response. As is typical, HFs are easy; LFs are hard. On the cheap, blankets/duvets are the better solution, IMO. They also won't have a full frequency coverage, but they'll cover a larger area to help take the room out of it.

The frequency response issue is why I mentioned 703 and 705. Whether it's in-budget is up to the poster. It's generally cheaper than acoustic foam, so there's that.

Greg Allen · February 4th, 2016, 01:47 PM

Here is what I did. I purchased 3" rockwool from Lowes (Safe-n-Sound), made frames from 1x3's, covered them with my fabric of choice and stapled it on. I use this room to record professionally. Since I recently moved the room has gotten smaller similar to yours. It will be plenty "dead".

https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...73279024_o.jpg

https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...21615168_o.jpg

Rick Reineke · February 5th, 2016, 10:49 AM

Very nice Greg.

Renton Maclachlan · February 14th, 2016, 03:00 PM

For what it's worth, here is a photo of a voiceover box I've used for a project I'm working on. There is a Rode NT3 Mic in behind the pop filter. The box is made of 18mm customwood and lined with 'audio batts' and the box sits on the same to isolate it from the table...
The wall behind where the speaker sits is pretty dead...

January 7th, 2016, 09:57 AM	#17
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Re: Treating a room for voiceovers +1 for what Richard and Roger suggest about ambient noise i.e. refrigerators cycling on and off, outside noise like sirens traffic and so on. How close are you to a busy street? In looking at your photo and assuming you are REALLY doing this on the cheap, what i would do is make soe use out of that mattress/bed, maybe lean that against a wall and right there you have one third of a make shift sound booth. For the other sides, as has been mentioned moving blankets for Home Depot work well in a pinch. I use these a lot. Keep mic close to talent as has also been mentioned. Proper levels on everything, monitor your audio with some decent headphones, and test, test, test. Your ears will help guide you too. __________________ "Fearless Fernando Hernandez: A Fighter's Journey"" Jonathan Levin Photography & Video

January 7th, 2016, 01:05 PM	#18
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Re: Treating a room for voiceovers I've read some analysis about the small box-type solutions and they aren't all that effective. The main issue was the uneven frequency response. As is typical, HFs are easy; LFs are hard. On the cheap, blankets/duvets are the better solution, IMO. They also won't have a full frequency coverage, but they'll cover a larger area to help take the room out of it. The frequency response issue is why I mentioned 703 and 705. Whether it's in-budget is up to the poster. It's generally cheaper than acoustic foam, so there's that. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

February 4th, 2016, 01:47 PM	#19
Greg Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Spokane Posts: 40	Re: Treating a room for voiceovers Here is what I did. I purchased 3" rockwool from Lowes (Safe-n-Sound), made frames from 1x3's, covered them with my fabric of choice and stapled it on. I use this room to record professionally. Since I recently moved the room has gotten smaller similar to yours. It will be plenty "dead". https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...73279024_o.jpg https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...21615168_o.jpg

February 5th, 2016, 10:49 AM	#20
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,038	Re: Treating a room for voiceovers Very nice Greg.

February 14th, 2016, 03:00 PM	#21
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: Treating a room for voiceovers For what it's worth, here is a photo of a voiceover box I've used for a project I'm working on. There is a Rode NT3 Mic in behind the pop filter. The box is made of 18mm customwood and lined with 'audio batts' and the box sits on the same to isolate it from the table... The wall behind where the speaker sits is pretty dead... Attached Thumbnails