Foam "boxes" around mics

[TBman]

In keeping with the "happy wife, happy life" philosophy I was wondering if making a maybe 1foot wide foam padded open box around each of my microphones would be a workable replacement of sorts for full size foam panels?

[rick-slo]

Usually close up barriers have issues, however give it a try. Set up mikes and record with and without the boxes. Post the results.

[ChuckS]

Your first step might be to make sure you have 'optimal' mics for your space. Are you using super/hyper cardioids, or cardioids? Are you using a high pass filter to remove the bulk of your low frequency noise?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Your first step might be to make sure you have 'optimal' mics for your space. Are you using super/hyper cardioids, or cardioids? Are you using a high pass filter to remove the bulk of your low frequency noise?

I have no idea. I as dumb as a rock in this area. I use two condenser spaced mics, an AKG Perception 150 and a Rodes 5.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by TBman

I have no idea. I as dumb as a rock in this area. I use two condenser spaced mics, an AKG Perception 150 and a Rodes 5.

Assuming I looked up the right mics, it seems they are cadioid polar patterns; they give the best rejection of sound coming from behind the mics. Super/hyper cardioids give better rejection of sounds from the sides but not as good of sounds from the rear. Best choice probably depends on mic placement and your room.
If you are going to try a lined box you might want to use material intended for broad band absorption such as Owens Corning 703 or Roxul rockboard 60/80.

You never said what the problem is that you are trying to solve, or how bad it is.

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by TBman

In keeping with the "happy wife, happy life" philosophy I was wondering if making a maybe 1foot wide foam padded open box around each of my microphones would be a workable replacement of sorts for full size foam panels?

Probably not. On second thought, not at all. The close reflections will cause all sorts of weirdness.

[TBman]

Sorry I should have said why. We have a computer desk that is triangular and fits in the corner of our music/media room. I have a full wall on my left and on the right is a partial wall (behind the desk) and then french doors. I want to see if placing foam "boxes" around the mics would cut down on the reflection of the sound off the walls and computer for a more mellow sound without any post recording tweaking.

[Ty Ford]

Once you excite foam with sound, you will hear the sound of excited foam....spongy and unflattering. As long as the volume of your sound does not excite the foam, you're OK.

How much sound does it take to do that? Dunno until you try. The large foam ball I heard at AES in NYC did reduce background noise on a crowded convention floor, but I could hear the foam.

[Bob Womack]

Well, let's see. Basic recording 101 includes the facts that walls cause reflections and bass follows walls so you don't want to record near a wall. That is reinforced by the fact that even too closed a microphone head shell can cause reflections. What happens when you have very near reflections? Comb filtering, as the reflection and the direct sound arrive at the microphone. Comb filtering is many minute cancellations and reinforcements of the sound at different frequencies that distort the frequency spectrum of the subject. What would a cube of foam around the mic be? Small walls, very close to the mic.

Here at the studio we experimented with one of those semi-circular reflection filters, in fact, a really expensive one. When we put up the comparison files between with and without the reflection filter every engineer preferred the without sound because the filter caused audible resonances that were worse than the room reflections that existed without the screen. The reflection filter now takes up mic closet space and no-one uses it.

Bob

[TBman]

What about mic capsules? Our member Glennwillow uses Rodes NT5 with them.

[MikeBmusic]

If you are facing that corner when recording, what is happening is reflections off the walls and desk are hitting the walls behind you as well as the guitar's front, and then back towards the mic. How much room do you have behind you in this position?
I'd suggest making a couple of gobo-style bass traps - 4" thick rockwool in frames, covered with nice (but acoustically-transparent) cloth with 'feet' on them so you can stand them up in front of you in a V shape when recording. When not recording, you can stash them away in the basement or a closet.
You can find plenty of youtube videos on how to make these traps.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by TBman

What about mic capsules? Our member Glennwillow uses Rodes NT5 with them.

What about them?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

What about them?

I'm going to find out what Glenn uses. I've been reading and found that I may have my mics too close to the guitar.

[Ty Ford]

a lot depends on which mic and which guitar.

I regularly have mine as close as 6 inches form the neck joint to maybe a foot or so back depending on playing style. For my baritone guitar I have to pull the mics back farther.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Once you excite foam with sound, you will hear the sound of excited foam....spongy and unflattering. As long as the volume of your sound does not excite the foam, you're OK.

How much sound does it take to do that? Dunno until you try. The large foam ball I heard at AES in NYC did reduce background noise on a crowded convention floor, but I could hear the foam.

The "Eyeball"?

http://www.soundonsound.com/news/aes...aotica-eyeball