Any here build their own isolation box?

[Rogue]

I'm considering building a box to place my cabinet in and mic it. I have a great place under the stairs for further isolation. I now it's a considerable amount of work and know-how for maximum soundproofing and deadening. Just wanting to get an idea on people's experiences and what the solutions they come up with.

 

[Mudder]

I think Pete Thorn built one in his closet and made vids of the process.

 

[Rogue]

Cool, I found the video. Thanks!

But the reference site requires a user name and password and doesn't give you an option to sign up.

I've found a few places discussing various things. I was hoping someone here had some experience though.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is mine for my 4x12. I didn't build it - gotr it from vocalbooth.com. Clever design - it comes apart with velcro so it is easy to move and assemble in tight spaces. Was $800 shipped to my door - would be pretty easy to build, but I have enough projects going:

Recorded many of the clips in my sig with it, including "Dance Of The Dead" Solo Section I and "Dance Of The Dead" Solo Section II. Fits a 4x12 and not boxy sounding at all... It is kept in a closet under my stairs across from my control room. As I said, the thing comes apart with velcro so I can disassemble it in seconds or remove a wall to move cabs in and out...

Steve

 

[Rogue]

Thanks for that sah5150. I looked at their site trying to find some construction info, but no dice.

It seems fairly simple. What material are the walls made of? Does it dampen the sound considerably? You just recorded the lead section or the rhythm too? I didn't hear anything boxy at all in the lead.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that sah5150. I looked at their site trying to find some construction info, but no dice.

It seems fairly simple. What material are the walls made of? Does it dampen the sound considerably? You just recorded the lead section or the rhythm too? I didn't hear anything boxy at all in the lead.

The walls are made of some kind of heavy pressboard. It reduces the volume considerably, but it would still be annoying if it wasn't in that closet. Inside the closet, with my 100W NMV PeaceMaker cranked through the cab in the iso box, it sounds like moderate TV volume outside the closet door, almost all bass. Of course, with a 100W amp cranked through the cab, even in the iso box, the walls of my house shake... I did both the rhythms and leads on those tunes in the iso box, completely cranked, no attenuation...

Steve

 

[Rogue]

The walls are made of some kind of heavy pressboard. It reduces the volume considerably, but it would still be annoying if it wasn't in that closet. Inside the closet, with my 100W NMV PeaceMaker cranked through the cab in the iso box, it sounds like moderate TV volume outside the closet door, almost all bass. Of course, with a 100W amp cranked through the cab, even in the iso box, the walls of my house shake... I did both the rhythms and leads on those tunes in the iso box, completely cranked, no attenuation...

Steve

Cool. I thought the rhythm might have sounded a little boxy, but it may just be the way you record rhythm. Certainly not bad at all...and damn sure a great deal better than my old amp in a closet with no iso cab. I didn't pick up anything in the lead. Sounded great.

Apparently, Pete Thorn used 3/4 MDF particle board. I going to further look into it and build one. Sooo, a new project! And hopefully won't cost an arm and leg.

 

[mixohoytian]

The walls are made of some kind of heavy pressboard. It reduces the volume considerably, but it would still be annoying if it wasn't in that closet. Inside the closet, with my 100W NMV PeaceMaker cranked through the cab in the iso box, it sounds like moderate TV volume outside the closet door, almost all bass. Of course, with a 100W amp cranked through the cab, even in the iso box, the walls of my house shake... I did both the rhythms and leads on those tunes in the iso box, completely cranked, no attenuation...

Steve

Cool. I thought the rhythm might have sounded a little boxy, but it may just be the way you record rhythm. Certainly not bad at all...and damn sure a great deal better than my old amp in a closet with no iso cab. I didn't pick up anything in the lead. Sounded great.

Apparently, Pete Thorn used 3/4 MDF particle board. I going to further look into it and build one. Sooo, a new project! And hopefully won't cost an arm and leg.

I had one built for me
cost was around $700
way less then buying one from vocalbooth.com

mdf wood
rigid fiberglass or rock wool inside the walls
more mdf
2 layers of Mass loaded vinyl
but I would recommend drywall + greenglue at least 2 layers instead

Inside the box, to get the best sound, all lined with rigid fiberglass panels ( I did this myself cause it sounded weird)

sounds great now
not a lot of bass leaking out
all on top of wheels, that helps!


cranked peacemaker = sounds like a little practice amp now

 

[Rogue]

I had one built for me
cost was around $700
way less then buying one from vocalbooth.com

mdf wood
rigid fiberglass or rock wool inside the walls
more mdf
2 layers of Mass loaded vinyl
but I would recommend drywall + greenglue at least 2 layers instead

Inside the box, to get the best sound, all lined with rigid fiberglass panels ( I did this myself cause it sounded weird)

sounds great now
not a lot of bass leaking out
all on top of wheels, that helps!


cranked peacemaker = sounds like a little practice amp now

Thanks man. It seems the MGF is recommended by everyone. Rock wool seems popular to. I hadn't heard of the mass loaded vinyl, but from looking around it is very effective...and expensive. Now, are you saying you'd use drywall with greenglue as opposed to the mass loaded vinyl? If so, why? Expense?

Also, if I am reading correctly, you are saying (construction order), mdf, rigid fiberglass, another layer of mdf, then a couple layers of drywall, correct?

As for the rigid fiberglass panels, how thick did you make them for effective deadening of low end frequencies?

 

[mixohoytian]

go to the
tape op message board

I learned everything there
i spent a year researching and getting it built cause I'm no handyman
and I refused to go to vocalbooth.com cause I'm poor


on the construction: you may not need 2 layers of mdf
mainly you need a frame like a house
use mdf for that
line the inside with rigid fiberglass
then on the inside people recommend dry wall instead of mlv

MLV works for me, I have not tried green glue/drywall sandwhich
but it is supposed to be cheaper and superior
everyone seems to question whether MLV works at all since there is no scientific proof
also MLV is HEAVY

there is proof that green glue works

so 2 or more layers of drywall with green glue in between
then on the inside, foam is a no no in the studio building circles
use rigid fiberglass and make panels

4" is normal for bass traps
but 2" works for wall hangings and in my case the inside of the 4ft all around box
plus I only had room for 2 inch panels
I bought them here
:
http://www.atsacoustics.com/item--Roxul ... -RB60.html

1 of those cases is enough to line the inside
I got burlap cloth from walmart an ocovered them myself
brown wrapping ups paper on the back and spray on adhesive
then just stuck them inside

min is ridiculously thick
wood, mlv, fiverglass, wood,mlv, carpet then my panels
and completely airtight, caucking

I think with green glue and drywall, you could go thinner and lighter, allowing yourself to put in more fiberglass which is the best for frequency absorption

I'll find my pics in a sec

 

[petethorn]

The walls are made of some kind of heavy pressboard. It reduces the volume considerably, but it would still be annoying if it wasn't in that closet. Inside the closet, with my 100W NMV PeaceMaker cranked through the cab in the iso box, it sounds like moderate TV volume outside the closet door, almost all bass. Of course, with a 100W amp cranked through the cab, even in the iso box, the walls of my house shake... I did both the rhythms and leads on those tunes in the iso box, completely cranked, no attenuation...

Steve

Cool. I thought the rhythm might have sounded a little boxy, but it may just be the way you record rhythm. Certainly not bad at all...and damn sure a great deal better than my old amp in a closet with no iso cab. I didn't pick up anything in the lead. Sounded great.

Apparently, Pete Thorn used 3/4 MDF particle board. I going to further look into it and build one. Sooo, a new project! And hopefully won't cost an arm and leg.

I had one built for me
cost was around $700
way less then buying one from vocalbooth.com

mdf wood
rigid fiberglass or rock wool inside the walls
more mdf
2 layers of Mass loaded vinyl
but I would recommend drywall + greenglue at least 2 layers instead

Inside the box, to get the best sound, all lined with rigid fiberglass panels ( I did this myself cause it sounded weird)

sounds great now
not a lot of bass leaking out
all on top of wheels, that helps!


cranked peacemaker = sounds like a little practice amp now

that sounds cool, more deluxe than mine. i like the idea of 2 layers of MDF separated by some drywall- Did you line yours with 703, is that what you mean by rigid fiberglass?

i'd love to see pics

 

[mixohoytian]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=59615

plus
here are the panels I made

and yes, owens corning 703
or rock wool
I got the rock board rigid rock wool from the link I posted
exact same scientific absorption as the brand name owens corning stuff just cheaper

on the inside of the walls is rock wool, cause it doesn't need to have a rigid shape

If I was rich I would have just bought the one Steve has then modify it


the think that sucks about mine is that I can't "take it apart" like Steve's
but I think mine works better cause it is airtight
something to think about

Mine is in the garage...too big to ever fit through a normal door
not a problem yet....
as I would always want the largest space for a studio (garage will always be bigger than a room)

 

[petethorn]

https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=59615

plus
here are the panels I made

really similar to mine, you even used the same color burlap to cover the 703, haha!

I find mine sounds the best with the lid off and a bunch of heavy packing blankets on top instead of the lid- something about solidly sealing it makes it sound a bit funny, even with all that fiberglass in there. I'm just using a 1-12" in mine, and I still attenuate it a bit (I have a Faustine which sounds great, or sounds like nothing depending on how you see it, so I'm not worried about the attenuation affecting tone)

 

[mixohoytian]

I prefer mine in an open room...no box
but just impossible right now

as for the lid off, that might make it better too..
I can't do that with the peacemaker...d'oh

I think it sounds good, but not the same as in an open room
in other words I think you can mess with it and get used to it
but it is a tool for those who can afford a bigger box ie a sound proof room

 

[Anonymous]

[cost was around $700
way less then buying one from vocalbooth.com

Huh... I paid $800 to vocalbooth.com shipped to my door. Certainly not WAY more than $700 factoring in shipping something so heavy and bulky...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

I prefer mine in an open room...no box
but just impossible right now

as for the lid off, that might make it better too..
I can't do that with the peacemaker...d'oh

I think it sounds good, but not the same as in an open room
in other words I think you can mess with it and get used to it
but it is a tool for those who can afford a bigger box ie a sound proof room

Can you tell me which of my PeaceMaker clips were recorded in the box and which weren't? Excluding the ones I already said were recorded in it? I can't tell any difference between recording my 4x12 close-mic'd in the box or out in a room...

Steve

 

[mixohoytian]

I couldn't find, on their website, anything for less the $1200 or so....
that was a year ago

if it was 800 I might have gone for that

 

[Anonymous]

I couldn't find, on their website, anything for less the $1200 or so....
that was a year ago

if it was 800 I might have gone for that

Holy crap, you're right! They really jacked their prices! Like I said, I paid $800 for a large size box shipped...

Steve

 

[mixohoytian]

AMP-4040 Large Speaker Box - 49"H x 48"W x 48"D $1495.00

fucking rip off

 

[Rogue]

go to the
tape op message board

I learned everything there
i spent a year researching and getting it built cause I'm no handyman
and I refused to go to vocalbooth.com cause I'm poor


on the construction: you may not need 2 layers of mdf
mainly you need a frame like a house
use mdf for that
line the inside with rigid fiberglass
then on the inside people recommend dry wall instead of mlv

MLV works for me, I have not tried green glue/drywall sandwhich
but it is supposed to be cheaper and superior
everyone seems to question whether MLV works at all since there is no scientific proof
also MLV is HEAVY

there is proof that green glue works

so 2 or more layers of drywall with green glue in between
then on the inside, foam is a no no in the studio building circles
use rigid fiberglass and make panels

4" is normal for bass traps
but 2" works for wall hangings and in my case the inside of the 4ft all around box
plus I only had room for 2 inch panels
I bought them here
:
http://www.atsacoustics.com/item--Roxul ... -RB60.html

1 of those cases is enough to line the inside
I got burlap cloth from walmart an ocovered them myself
brown wrapping ups paper on the back and spray on adhesive
then just stuck them inside

min is ridiculously thick
wood, mlv, fiverglass, wood,mlv, carpet then my panels
and completely airtight, caucking

I think with green glue and drywall, you could go thinner and lighter, allowing yourself to put in more fiberglass which is the best for frequency absorption

Thanks man! This is some great info. That cleared up some misunderstandings I had.

Your box looks like a monster and I suppose that is what it would take to get a 100W tube head down to practice amp levels.