Reddit mentions: The best recording studio environment equipment

Sooo I just finished the entire rest of this post after an hour or so and looked back at your video and noticed something.. uuuhh you likely can fix your problem by placing your mic differently. If so, you can disregard all the other info below, and I wasted time, but hey, maybe you'll find it interesting regardless. (fml.. I actually enjoyed refreshing my memory on the subject though.)

So your mic is a cardioid mic, meaning it picks up sound from the front and sides. You want to have it facing towards you (your new arm will help with this) so you're speaking directly into the 'top', for the best effect. It could be that your mic is picking up more of the room because you have it facing the wrong direction. Also, it has an internal pop filter so you might get slightly clearer/crisper sound if you remove the foam filter you have on top, but maybe you've tried both already and liked this better which is fair!

Anyway, I hope this or the rest of the info here helps you out! Good luck.

here's an example of the proper placement - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=95&v=S35OcGu2ULY
____
Hey man,

Just listened to some of your VODs, and while I don't think it's disturbing I can hear what you mean. The effect you have is reverberation. By the way, very good quality stream otherwise, even the sound quality is great otherwise because your mic is awesome! Threw you a follow (TingaTV here). :)

Anyway you for sure don't have to worry about your monitors, as your microphone doesn't pick up sound from that direction (it's frontal/side), and I highly doubt it would reflect noticeable sound anyway. The green screen could be doing something to the sound depending on placement and what material it is but it probably wouldn't make it worse, but I can't hear it for myself so hard to tell.



I found some good sources to look at:

https://www.gikacoustics.com/product-category/diffusion-products/

https://www.gikacoustics.com/basics-room-setup-acoustic-panels-bass-traps/

• The first has great examples of diffusers and other acoustic treatments, which is one of the ways to reduce echo. Also has a ton of products but I can't recommend them as I don't know the company (and it seems very expensive). The second link is more information on acoustics, but keep in mind it's mostly for music and not streaming, the difference being that with music you need to hear the sound in the room clearly yourself without headphones (throwing thick foam all over the walls for example would make the room sound dead as it absorbs everything.. there's actually rooms made to have perfect silence and it's freaky as fuck haha).
  
  https://www.acousticsciences.com/solutions/reverberation - This site has a ton of information and a sidebar with more.
  
  If I were you the way I would tackle it would be getting more furniture for the room to fill it in. That way you could make the room nicer to be in and at the same time basically 'treat' the acoustics organically. Doesn't even matter where you put things but essentially the more you have in a room, the less echo/reverb you experience. Then I'd hang a cheap thick(ish) cloth curtain about 2m wide on a wall, which would do a far better job of absorbing sound than foam panels and is simpler too. You can see that in that first link I shared too, and I've seen it in professional studios myself. The safest bet for where to place that would be the wall behind you. Also, a curtain like that alone might be enough to fix your issue.
  
  If you hate the curtain idea you could try foam panels, but avoid these kinds https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B010GPFRUQ - these are the ones that I'd call scams, and referred to in my first reply, because they don't do what they say. To be clear the idea of them is based on good foundations, but you need far thicker foam to have any desirable effect unless your goal is to deaden very high frequencies, a very niche situation even in music studios.
  
  To conclude I'd likely recommend for you to return the panels you got, although I don't know which you got. You could try them out and see if it does anything for you but obviously I don't have a very high opinion of them.
  
  

Good monitors are huge. Headphone sound is fine, but you want to mix using unbiased reference monitors so you know what things are going to sound like. Then you make sure it sounds good through headphones, in the car, etc. Even something like these will make a huge difference. If you've got some extra coin, go for something better. I found a pair of Mackie HR842 monitors on eBay for $250 (the old ones, not the new mk2 model). They're amazing.

You don't need more inputs than what you're actually using. If you're trying for a cheap home studio, your Apogee will work just fine. Just switch cables/inputs when you're recording something new.

But anyway. Here we go. What I would buy (of note, these are all Amazon affiliate links):

Mics:

• Shure SM58 - $100 (for vocals)
  
  
• Shure SM57 - $100 (for guitars/vocals)
  
  
• Sennheiser e609 - $100 (for guitars, so you can double-mic)
  
  
• 20' mic cable - $7.50 (2 for $15)
  
  Monitors:
  
  
• M-Audio Studiophile AV 30 - $85
  
  
• Auralex MoPAD monitor pads - $44
  
  
• OnStage SMS6000 monitor stands - $100 (if your desk isn't large enough)
  
  Bass:
  
  
• Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI - $200
  
  I've been out of the "assorted percussion" game for a while, so you'll have to use your best judgement for that.
  
  All that I've listed is $744 off of Amazon. You can DEFINITELY find cheap used mics and the Bass DI. Look for Gear Talk: Classifieds on Facebook, for example. This is all stuff that you can use today to get your home studio off the ground and functional. You also have $256 to spend on other stuff that you might need (percussion, surdo, etc.)
  
  Logic and Pro Tools are built from the ground up to be recording suites. Ableton, while certainly being a live-sound-first option, works just fine. Nothing wrong with getting your feet wet using Ableton, and switching over to a bigger/better suite later. I recorded my first EP using GarageBand before making the transition myself.
  
  Start with the basics. Start with what you NEED to record, not what you want. While what you already have is basic and not feature packed, it works and will get you in the game. (Related: stay away from plugins until you know how to really mix well with the basic compressor and EQ your recording suite comes with.)
  
  Hope that helps!

Ideally you need to purchase a musician's Audio Interface and a Microphone. A tested, tried and good enough quality for beginners is the Focusrite 2i2. A brand new, but unknown how good it will be since it is brand new budget interface is the Behringer UMC204

This will have XLR interfaces and provide phantom power.

Then you also need a microphone. You need to choose a condenser or dynamic. A condenser mic is fragiale and very sensative. You can't hold them while singing. They need a stand. They are better for quiet locations. They do a better job of capturing dynamics (both soft, quiet sounds and loud sounds). Condensers are more often used in studios to get the best quality. A good beginner condensor is the MXL 990, another good choice that is a little more flexable is the AT2020.

If you use a condenser (recommended) I also recommend a mic shield. Condensers will pick up all the noise of the room as well as any reflections (Dynamic will too but to a lesser degree). The mic shield will block a lot of the reflections at least on one side.

A dynamic microphone is one you can hold, this is what is usually used in a live situation. They can take more abuse such as being dropped. They don't do as good of a job with both quiet and loud at the same time they do better when the overall performances is similar volume. A good budget dynamic is the Shure SM48. A better one is the SM58.

I do not recommend a USB mic. It will dramatically limit you in the future and usually has a much lower quality preamp and AD converter than even the budget behringer interface I linked above.

All of this is way over your budget - but unfortunately that's about as cheap as I recommend even for a hobbiest getting into this.

Lots of folks do this - no danger so long as you’re using an appropriate material. I’ve written at length on this in the past, but he short answer is that it becomes truly helpful in two conditions:

1 - the material is sufficiently designed to absorb sound.

2 - the material is thick enough to make contact with the PCB, allowing a direct transfer of acoustics.

I have personally always used Dynamat, and it does an amazing job. It’s thick enough to touch your PCB, but thin and compressive enough that it won’t damage any components. Another more cost-effective solution is using SilverStone silencing foam. I haven’t personally used it, but I have personally typed on boards using it, and it’s still pretty good, for half the price.

Lots of people use budget options as well, like shelf liner and things like that. All of them are better than nothing, but if you’re not using the correct material, you’re really not doing a whole lot to truly absorb sound and migrate the issue. I’ve touched plenty of boards that have only gone halfway with silencing, and the difference to me is super apparent.

Alternate ultimate air cooler for Define R4 above:

• If you like the idea of quiet air cooling in the Define R4 above, but want to know how far you could take it...
  
• http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-cpu-cooler-phtc14pebl
  
• http://youtu.be/d3aB8e5mSAs?t=59s
  
  
  
  
  

  Alternative to above with easy to use Liquid Cooler and sleek compact case.
  

  
  Same other than these differences:
  
  
  

• NXZT Kraken X61 280mm Liquid Cooler
  
• NZXT's Kraken X61 a Powerful Zero maintenance closed loop Liquid cooler with software control over fan speeds.
  
• Extra Large 280mm radiator to dissipate the heat
  
• Install is relatively easy and similar to installing any 3rd Party cooler on the CPU.
  
• Here's their fantastic install guide. You can step through it and see the clearly laid out steps. It's much better than a typical paper guide. - http://www.nzxt.com/manuals/krakenx61/X61-115X.html
  
• Can customize Block LED Color. --- Think Blue or White to match the RAM - or even turn it off.
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU0BEepRZBM
  
• Easily max out the overclocking capacity of your CPU/Motherboard with this beast.
  
  
• NZXT's S340 Case
  
• Dust Filtered
  
• Compact while still having capacity for a Full size ATX motherboard and SLI. At about 17" x 17" x 8" it's as small or smaller than many MicroATX MiniTowers.
  
• Selected Black for the black/blue theme we had running above but white is also available.
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hozx1o188Y
  

• If desired you can add some sound dampening foam for $15 to give it some of the silencing ability of the Define R4. - http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-21-Inch-Dampening-Acoustic-SF01/dp/B0040JHMH6/
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $225.98 @ SuperBiiz
  CPU Cooler | NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $122.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Motherboard | MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $117.98 @ SuperBiiz
  Memory | Avexir Core series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $79.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $109.97 @ SuperBiiz
  Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $54.99 @ Amazon
  Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card | $349.98 @ NCIX US
  Case | NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.98 @ Amazon
  Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $94.99 @ Amazon
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) | $99.98 @ OutletPC
  | | Total
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1326.83

Not an expert and can't handle all of these but I can have a stab a it...

> What do I do about windows volume?

I haven't used much audio stuff under Win 7 (never 8) but I think there's a way to set the relative levels of different applications relative to the system sound, isn't there? I think it's the "Mixer" link under the volume thing in the system tray?

> I have pretty sensitive ears and after an hour or so of producing, my ears feel really weird.

This sounds kind of like ear fatigue. Is there a particular frequency that stands out? Are there other sounds besides just your speakers?

> I really don't have the volume that loud.

You can get an SPL meter from Radio Shack for about $25. I'd recommend it, as "that loud" seems to be awfully relative. I generally hear to aim for 85 dbSPL, I think C-weighted (that's what I use at home)

> The speakers vibrate a fair bit and make the table vibrate lightly too.

Any chance this has something to do with your fatigue?

Speakers will transmit low frequencies into whatever they're standing on. Generally this isn't super-desirable (although it can sound cool) because it's not going to be as precise as the monitors themselves. There exist little foam risers designed to alleviate this problem.

> How far away should I be from them? / How far apart should they be?

For accuracy, you want (roughly) an equilateral triangle between your head and the speakers, and you want them at ear height if possible. This isn't always possible in small setups (and the acoustic space is often unpredictable/bad enough that these small advantages are eliminated anyway, for example, that reflective glass window right in front of you) but you can experiment. The ideal result is the best accuracy and clarity of sound, not necessarily the most pleasing sound.

Take a look at various pictures of studios and you can get an idea where people tend to put them. Read the comments too, as monitor placement is something a lot of people will comment on when it's suboptimal so hopefully between the two you'll get an idea where they "should" be.

> When I put my ear right up to the woofer, I can hear a light hiss/hum. Normal?

Not necessarily. For some speakers, yes, and in some setups some hiss is unavoidable due to line noise. Read reviews, maybe contact the manufacturer. I don't know anything about the hum - does it do that when no audio cable is plugged in?

Enjoy your new setup!

Just a comment about the audio:

What it sound like in this video is that you're a bit far away from the mic, that may not be the case, but you should try to stay as close as you can to the mic so that you can pick up clear consonant sounds for more crisp audio. The other case is that you're recording in a place that has a decent amount of open space with no sound absorbing material. Consider recording in a closet with clothes or under a blanket if you're unable to afford things like sound foam to cover a recording space(I use sound foam, it really helps take the reverb out). When recording or making content, the ends justify the means.

If you're able to afford something like Adobe Audition, it has an Amplitude tool called Dynamics Processing which lets you modify sounds that go above or below a certain dB level, which can boost the volume of your voice. This can help you out a lot because when people hit the end of a sentence, they tend to go lower in volume. Also you can use Dynamics Processing to eliminate those pesky room tones.

Loved the video! Definitely well written. Keep up the good work!

-Gamebomb

Glad I could help! And no, just putting your mic in the corner won't help. You have to find a way to get that corner and ceiling padded with something. I've made vocal booths out of cardboard and cheap sound proofing. Not recommended. Something I bought not too long ago has been working surprisingly well.

I use that, then put a sound proof panel over the top. I was certain I was wasting my money on a quick fix but I don't regret it in the slightest. Put THAT in the corner and you've got some results. Need a good quality heavy mic stand though so it can add up for me when I was dirt poor haha. Obviously if you're screaming a loud main vocal line from 6 feet away from the mic you're still going to get room sound, but is worth the investment for the improvement I saw.

I hear you with the intonation problem. Bought a cheap classical 6 months ago that sounds beautiful, but the cheapness shows through there. It's a shame you would have to change any bit of that song to compensate for quality equipment.

I honestly don't know which mic to recommend for you. Sound like you're using a condenser? I usually recommend dynamic but I love how lo-fi it sounds. You've heard of Dr. Dog right? That song screamed early day Dr. Dog. Lo-fi for a reason, not because you don't know what you're doing. (even if you don't lol)

I'm shocked you are using garage band. Biggest mistake I see with people new to production is everything is too loose and floppy with the starts and stop of instruments. Yours is very tight and holds the idea of the song very well. I can groove on it without cringing at slightly misplaced strums or bass lines. For not knowing much about mixing this is very impressive.

It has a very intimate "I'm talented and getting by with what I can to make good music" feel. The only issue I see is that this seems like the song on the album that deviates from having a full band and is a novel clap and snap acoustic bit to shake things up. I hope to hear you change it up enough through out your material because that might be difficult. I didn't say that though. No obstacles. Keep making it!

EDIT: Don't go buying the link I sent you without researching what you're getting, I might have linked you one to sit on a desk or something. But that is the brand I have.

There is really no good "cheap" solution, but there are a couple that would likely work well.

1. This might not be entirely practical, but you could make a few sound deadening panels (plywood, and sound deadening foam with a base of some sort) that can be set up and taken down easily -- maybe stored in a closet, or under a bed. This is a solid DIY that provides a cheap and effective solution. What you could do is expand on the idea and make and put them on stands and place them around your recording area. You can't do much about ceilings, but it should still cut down on the echo significantly.
   
   
2. If it doesn't mess up your flow with your co-hosts too much, you could build (or buy) something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017AI3B32?th=1
   
   This seems to be the most popular option: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-602650-Microphone-Isolation-Shield/dp/B00GR9W1MS/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491281681&sr=1-3&keywords=Microphone+Isolation+Shield
   
   Obviously, this creates a problem because you can't look at your co-hosts, but it could dramatically increase the quality of your audio and save you a lot of post-production clean up.
   
   [edit] Just realized you're recording both you and your co-host at the same time on the single mic. As others have noted (especially with that mic) this is going to be noise no matter what. So, just reconjigger my comments so that they better apply to your set up. Or something. I'm so tired I have no idea what I'm saying.
   
   

"Build log" (mostly pictures) is in the imgur album.

This started off as a stock WASD V2 with Cherry MX Clear switches. I bought a 55g uniform RealForce not long after, and that has been my daily driver pretty much ever since. I actually thought I might just sell the WASD for whatever I could get for it.

I decided instead to go for the ergo clear mod, which sounds absolutely fantastic on the videos I've seen here, here, and others on YouTube. I also decided that while I had the case all apart I would add dampening foam to it and paint it to go with the SA carbon I just received.

Paint and clear coat for the case were from the local hardware store. I found the dampening foam on Amazon. I also picked up a Hakko tip cleaner and Engineer solder sucker from Amazon. The 62g gold springs and lubes are from Mehkee. They were out of their kits, but the lubes that are in the kit are all sold separately on their site, so no problemo.

The whole thing took about a week, give or take, and it was very tedious, to say the least. But the outcome has been simply spectacular. The ergo clears are so buttery smooth, and they sound awesome with SA doubleshot caps. I think the case color came out great. The WASD is now feeling a whole lot more premium!

Edit: this video was super helpful for the case painting.

Edit: here is the “before” post - https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/76s7rx/is_it_worth_it_to_do_the_ergo_clear_mod_on_a_wasd/?st=JFBLDQYL&sh=a9f5b0f2

IF you arent trying to spend too much money on it, I'd recommend just heading to a local studio and renting some time to record what you need. That is, unless you are trying to make this a regular thing.

I'll go ahead and throw some links up on what I list as good, low-budget options to get you going.

I'd recommend getting a cardioid condenser mic (AKG AT2020 ~$100), an audio interface with at least one mic preamp and phantom power (Scarlett Solo ~$100), and a pop filter (Audio 2000s AWS4071 ~$10). You'd also need a DAW to edit the tracks, such as cutting out long pauses and words you didn't intend to make into the final cut, and adding a bit of compression and EQ changes. Most likely the audio interface will come with an intro DAW that'll do just enough for what you want to do. For better results you can also pick up an acoustic shield (Monoprice 602650 ~$65) to help isolate the sound, which doesn't seem important just getting into it but once you hear the difference you'll see why its important. Oh, and you'll need to get an XLR cable (~$8) to plug the mic in, but you may or may not want one that's a bit longer than the one I linked.

Something I want to throw in there as well is you'll also probably want to learn how to get on de-essing. In a vocal take, often times an "s" sound will come out very harshly if left unedited. A method to avoid this is to not talk directly into the mic, but slightly off center. Alternatively, you can buy a VST or program that can do it automatically for you. Also, a good thing to do is to reduce noise either through careful automated eq cuts or by using a program such as reafir which can be downloaded for free from the developers here.

If you do get involved with all this craziness, and I know its all pretty intimidating, I'd be happy to help you get on your way to making some great recordings. Just send me a message any time.

I personally wouldn’t go for a camera right away. Video podcasts are fun, but if you’re just starting out, you want to focus more on quality audio before messing with video. You’re going to want a mic that runs off phantom power rather than a USB mic. That being said, I recommended getting this cat right here. Super easy to use, works with all audio software and computers. And you can use mics that require phantom power which makes your audio sound, well, better. Just buy some decent condenser mics and record in a sound tight room and you’re good. Most mics you use will be okay as long as you record in the right room. Carpeted, small, you can also buy these to help with sound proofing.

Sound Review:

First let me say that the best way to describe them is to say they are nothing like my HD650s. Really if the HD650s are dead north, these are dead south. They have pronounced mids and highs, small bass, but they are exceptionally clear. You hear details that simply did not exist before. They take quite a bit of power to drive (the OTL wouldn't drive them properly). Anyone should be able to build these for less than $200. I would say that at that price point these are a great value. I dont know that these will be my go to headphone, but they are definitely different than anything I have ever used before.

EDIT: Do not use self adhesive felt on the drivers, get non adhesive stiff back from Michael's or similar. This will give you nice strong bass, with excellent extension. These bad boys sound amazing now. Now if I could just get the pads to stay on better...

Information:
Original thread.

Stuff to buy:
Fostex T50RP
Sticky Stiff Felt
Modeling Clay
Shure Replacement Pads
Double Sided Scrapbook Tape
Silverstone Audio Block

Hi there friend. This thread is old, and about to die, but I might be able to help. One thing you can get is an isolation pad for subwoofers. The Auralex SubDude is one such item. This will decouple your amp from the floor, which is a big step.

The next thing that I want to make you aware of is a phenomena called "boundary gain". Basically this is an amplification effect produced by putting a subwoofer or speaker next to a wall. This effect is even greater if you put a speaker in a corner. Moving your amp away from corners and walls can reduce the boundary gain, and hopefully annoy your neighbor(s) less.

Last trick, and probably the least helpful is bass traps There's a few different designs of these, but the general idea is that they can capture bass frequencies in the corners of rooms.

It may be helpful for you to gain some understanding of "room modes" as well. It may be that the room its self is acting as a resonance chamber. You can use this room mode calculator to get an idea of the frequencies that may be causing issues in your apartment. I believe that there's a table of frequencies on wikipedia that correspond to the notes on a bass guitar (or google for one).

I'm at work right now, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me, and I'll do my best to answer what I can, or point you in the direction of some resources if I dont have the answer.

Thanks for the question--I've gotten more ideas from the comments! I have to record here and there, so yeah, noise is always a concern. Since you already use Audacity, you know about the noice reduction effect. There are also some effects that can moderate larger background noises which you can google and try out. Otherwise, here are two tips I have used:

1. In a pinch, try kneeling and recording over your bed. The blankets and mattress really absorb a lot of noise. You can even use pillows to build a kind of fort/wall around the mic. Bonus: Helps you to kind of physically get into the voice acting.
   
   
2. I bought this portable sound unit -- it's on sale under $60. Yes, it's an expense, but using this and setting it on a square piece of foam, on a table top virtually eliminates most if not all background and louder random noise. You can use this about anywhere and it folds up for storage. It's smaller and just great for a table, desk or counter top. When I have the time and privacy, this is what I use. It's an option if you don't mind spending a little $$.
   
   I agree that background noise is not a huge issue. With Audacity, the hiss and such can be eliminated so easily for a cleaner sound. I'm finishing up what is supposed to be a kind of lab setting scenario series of audios and I've been handholding a recorder, mostly because of lack of time, but the residual noise gives it a more realistic, live sound (I think). Hope this gives you a few more options! Happy recording!

I'm only going to speak to vocal practice because this is a solved problem for guitars.

At the end of the day, your singing is not as loud or obtrusive as you think. Plus, walls are thin, but they still block a noticeable amount sound, and sound reduction is cumulative. This works to your advantage because you really only need some sound dampening, not major treatment. A sound booth could be useful, but should not be a requirement.

Meaning, don't let a big solution get in the way of a productive, if sub-optimal, setup.

I practice in an uninsulated outbuilding with picture windows for two of the walls that is closer to my neighbors than my own house, plus a voice that carries even when I'm not singing metal belts. This is a problem I have had to deal with. There are a couple of options I have tried with great success.

Vocal Reflection Shield. People here have argued with me that this is for reflections but not sound reduction. Well, what is sound, fuckwits? It's waves. And it travels by reflection. Block reflections, you block the movement of sound. Science. No, it doesn't block all sound. But you don't need to block all sound, you just need to reduce it. This works really well, but is might be inconvenient because it takes up space you need to mount it on a stand:

https://www.amazon.com/Marantz-Professional-Sound-Shield-Compact/dp/B01GDB7296/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537474265&sr=8-1&keywords=vocal+reflection+shield

BeltBox: This is the newest tool in my arsenal. I originally bought it for practicing away from home -- hotels, at other peoples' houses, etc, but it's really easy for when my shield is not on the stand and I want to get a few minutes practice in. People here have argued that a pillow works just as well. Fine. Could be right. Again, you don't need to block all sound. So save a few bucks and strap a pillow to your face and see how much of your attention goes to your singing vs holding a fucking pillow to your face. Plus: breathing.

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537474253&sr=8-1&keywords=beltbox

These are not perfect solutions by any stretch. If you truly need full sound treatment, a booth is going to be your best bet. But if you're looking for something to help you feel a little less self-conscious and disruptive when you sing, they're a pretty cheap solution.

Right, I just posted in that thread. Here's what I posted for reference:

So here's my situation. I'm in a rather cramped space in the corner of the room where I end up sitting a lot listening to music. I find that studio monitors are a bit harsh, and it may be the acoustics of my room. I have until March 12th to file a return, so I want to try my hand at one more thing, which is acoustic sound panels before I throw in the towel and opt for something new.

The speakers I have are the Neumann KH120 A. I like that they are so detailed that I can hear literally every part of the presentation of the arrangement. I am used to very detailed audio.

Here's what I'm looking for, and perhaps what someone in this thread could help me with:

1. I am looking for speakers which fit my space requirements. Here's a diagram of my room dimensions I drew https://i.imgur.com/eRkNQe1.png
   
2. I am looking for speakers which are very forgiving, and still have a neutral sound which is very detailed, without causing the music to sound colored or fatiguing.
   
3. I need speakers which are powered, as I don't have space to run them out of anywhere else but the small amount of space allocated to me on my desk. Here's a picture of my desk arrangement https://i.imgur.com/rp03BPM.jpg
   
4. I need to see if acoustic panels will fix this problem. Here are the ones I plan on getting next week https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WLB0RW/ref=crt_ewc_title_oth_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1S815T8HSYNPL
   
5. I think the adjustments I've made on the speakers make them listenable at the moment, but they need to be absolutely perfect. So I need to make sure I'm not fooling myself when there's much better options out there, of which I see none. Whatever replacements I make would need to be a marked improvement, of which it's hard to foresee.
   
   I hear people saying that the Neumanns are neutral, so I really want to make sure that I don't get a worse pair of speakers and realize that it was actually my room. But I had the Cambridge S-30 bookshelf speakers with a very cheap 100 dollar audiosource amplifier, set up incorrectly on either side of my computer, and they were very forgiving for the sound. I now have a Schiit Gungnir which makes sound coming through my headphones sound incredible, and it's taking up the place where the Audiosource amp used to be. The old speakers and amp are now occupying my television area across the room.
   
   I really feel like these monitors, the MK120 A are end game, and I really don't want to get rid of them. I don't know what could possibly replace them, but I may be left with no other options. In which case I would need to weigh my alternatives.

oh sorry I was thinking of the snowball, but it's the ICE version, cheaper and it's just the same mic, but without the different modes, Microphone Link and here are accessories, the boom stand is much better than the tiny stand they give you, and it's better for freedom, and it comes with extra bits for future proofing Suspension Stand Here's some medium quality padding if needed Padding and a nice pop filter to stop the P's and S's slipping through Pop Filter This is all the same stuff I use and it is a wonderful starter kit, I highly recommend this to you!

In case anyone finds this by Googling later, I experimented with two different generic rail kits, for science:

• NavePoint 1U Rack Mount 4-Post Shelf Rail Full Depth
  ** I tried these first, and they DO NOT fit a Lenovo SA120 in a standard 19" square-hole rack. The design of these rails means they stick inwards about 1/4 centimeter beyond flush with the rail, making it an extremely tight squeeze for larger hardware like a (2U) SA120. While that alone might still be usable in some racks, additionally the depth of these rails is adjusted with some screws that have heads that stick yet another few millimeters inside, making it impossible to seat the machine. It might be possible to make the squeeze if you have a round hole or threaded rack, but I wouldn't chance it.
  
  
• CyberPower 4POSTRAIL 4-Post Universal Rack Mount Rail Kit
  ** These worked for me. They're a similar design to the NavePoint, but they leave a few precious extra millimeters between posts that made all the difference. It's still a tight squeeze, and I had to remove the SA120's rack ear protectors to make it fit (you can put them back on after), but it's in there good and securely, and flush with the rest of the equipment. Looks great.
  
  Thanks to /u/Mthrboard for pointing me in the right direction, and to /u/donnydavis for offering to sell me a genuine kit!

I would recommend [Auralex] (http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Studiofoam-Inches-Wedgies-Charcoal/dp/B0002D05KA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396896193&sr=8-1&keywords=acoustic+foam) if you don't have a tight budget.... but if you do, I'd go with [this kind] (http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396896193&sr=8-2&keywords=acoustic+foam). I have both types in my set up and they work quite wonderfully together. The colors are nice accents as well!

Also, you will want to pull your table out from the wall a bit... and make sure you have the monitor tweeters at an equilateral triangle with your ears!

Somewhere down the line you can invest in bass traps as well. [Here are some yoga blocks as well] (http://www.amazon.com/YogaAccessories-TM-Foam-Yoga-Brick/dp/B000OFBC12/ref=sr_1_7?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1396896353&sr=1-7&keywords=yoga+block). Just make sure they will adequately support your monitors (aka being large enough).

If you have any questions, pm me whenever.

Thanks for the reply.

I recently bought a pair of Audio Technica's, but playing through headphones just doesn't quite feel the same. The thing is, the amp simulating on the POD XT Live is pretty old, and you can really hear it when you play through headphones. The tones sound a lot better coming out of the monitors. I barely record, too. I just make guitar covers and upload them to YouTube for fun.

Wouldn't buying something like this and just pasting it on the wall somehow do the trick? Or is there more to it than that? I apologize if I'm coming off as a total noob, but I really am one lol. I've been living in this apartment for only a year and I sometimes don't even bother picking up my guitar because of my current setup. 2015 was a pretty frustrating year because of that.

They're not being shitty but being truthful. A lot of telcom and professional audio / video recording studio gear used threaded hole racks but the computer industry pretty much standardized on square mounting holes that ball bearing sliding rails snap into as well as using cage nuts that fit square holes.

You can use a round hole rack for computer equipment but he'll need to buy several sets of L bracket shelves to hold his gear. You can buy round hole to square hole adapter brackets so a square hole sliding rail set can mount to the frame but now that free rack suddenly becomes more expensive each time a piece of gear is added to it.

He'll also have to go to Ace Hardware, buy a few different sized machine screws and try them out until he finds the right diameter and thread pitch that will fit his rack. It could be 10-32 or 12-24.

I'm in the market for a rack and every time I see one for sale that has round holes, I close the tab for the reasons I outlined above.

It looks as if the round hole sections can be removed, if he can find a square hole conversion kit that will fit, then it was a good deal to get it.

Thanks. I prefer the BT with the Type-S sliders & rings. I'll definitely be adding a vibration mat to the bottom of it as well, just haven't ordered it yet. I'll probably add some sound dampening foam to the internal case of both HHKBs. I prefer the nice dampened thock sound from a more silenced board and the HHKB BT has a more hefty body than the standard Professional 2 models which is nice as well.

I actually harvested the Type-S sliders & rings from an old Pro 2 Type-S that I have since sold with normal Topre sliders with kbdfans silence-x rings.

I've also owned a stock Pro 2, a HHKB Professional JP with kbdfans silence-x and Hasu BT Controller and probably one or two more off the top of my head.

The MX board is an interesting departure for me as before I discovered Topre I was using Tactile MX switches (started with Cherry Browns, then Gateron Browns, then Zealios 67g). I kept hearing great things from primarily topre users that were finding Cherry MX Silent Blacks or Silent Reds appealing if they were to use MX switches. I decided to give it a try and do not see myself going back to an MX tactile switch, linear is the way to go for MX, for me anyway.

I setup a Logitech Z-5500 in my bedroom with TV, Xbox One, cable box and PC connected, and a Logitech Harmony remote. It sounds great for a HTIB in the bedroom. I play music and movies, games and TV at varying volumes throughout the day/night.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-THX-Certified-Digital-Surround-Speaker/dp/B0002WPSBC

Here's the modern version of the product, both are THX certified (if that matters):

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Z906-Surround-Sound-Speakers/dp/B004M18O60

And then if your budget is lower, there's non-THX versions of these PC surround systems for less, from Logitech and others. Just check into what connections you have/need vs what these offer.

If you can't put the sub on the floor, you could plop it up on a desk (far from ideal, but an option) with a foam pad, something like this or you could DIY:

https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-II-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00DI5AXNI

Note I ran my own speaker cables and connector pins with my Z-5500 since the cables they come with are super thin and kinda meh. Good luck!

Hey there! Here's my suggestion if you're starting out and have a $600 budget.

• Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Rode-Anniversary-Condenser-Microphone-Package/dp/B002QAUOKS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1520276764&sr=1-1&keywords=rode+nt1a
  
  
• Interface/soundcard: https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Interface-Generation-Technical/dp/B01J9NDHXK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1520276849&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=scarlett+2i2&psc=1
  
  That mic is a great one to start out with and I can personally vouch for its sound, whereas i cannot for the SE one you linked (not saying it's bad, just haven't tried it!)
  
  That soundcard is a hell of a deal, high quality, and *comes with a mic stand and XLR cable (and an extra pop filter) all bundled in.
  
  Total price for all of this: $390
  
  You can grab a reflection shield and still be at $450 total (https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-VRI-30-Portable-Absorbing-Recording/dp/B012OFI98I/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1520277017&sr=1-2&keywords=reflection+shield)
  
  Important: Please note, while it will help, a reflection shield alone is not enough to tame the echoes in a hardwood room with a lot of reverb. If AT ALL possible, the absolutely best thing you can do (if I had to choose between reflection shield vs. doing this, I would do this every time) to improve the quality of the recording you'll get is to spend some of that remaining budget - remember we've got everything for $450 so far! - and buy cheap blankets from Ikea or similar. They have like their cheapest comforter/duvet blankets that are only like $4-5 each and cover a lot of space, if you use some command hooks (or nails/tacks, whatever your living space allows) to put these on the walls, put a cheap rug down on the floor, etc. to break up the flat surfaces, you'll be astounded by the difference.
  
  I did this to my studio room - again, using all cheap blanket materials and no expensive acoustic foam - and even random guests comment on how quiet it sounds when they're talking and walk in from the hallway and hear how much their voice changes.
  
  Here's a picture series (click the right arrow to go through them https://www.instagram.com/p/BWYSx2XFdi0/?taken-by=petravitamusic) from my studio after I'd set up the blankets, and for sound quality examples of the microphone, everything on my soundcloud within the last year has been recorded on the mic I linked, and recorded in this room. A couple examples: https://soundcloud.com/petravita/the-land-of-no-seconds-petravita-prod-syndrome-demoaday-67365 and another with no reverb added back in during the mix process so you can hear that the recording sounds very clean: https://soundcloud.com/petravita/the-science-of-art-petravita-prod
  
  I really hope this helps you, and please don't hesitate to reach out to me via PM or reply here if you have questions :)
  
  

Those are definitely some of the best value speakers I think you can get for a desktop system.

You definitely don't need to drill any holes for stands. You have a few options.

Auralex MoPads (If you buy the 4pk you'll get some extra inserts that will allow you to either angle them up to point them more towards your ear.)

Iso-Acoustics small desk stands. I'd recommend these even at their price. They work really well to decouple the speaker from your desk and the amount of adjustment you can do will work for any setup you use now and in the future. Read a few reviews and I think you'll justify the costs ...

Good luck.

It's absolutely your room. Room modes are the worst. They create spots with zero bass frequencies, and you end up compensating unknowingly and ruining your songs.

1. Step one, (this is the most important part) build some bass traps like these in the corners. Top to bottom. All four corners. These are for controlling the low end of the room. The thicker the better.
   
2. Step two, build some acoustic panels like these from rockwool. I'd suggest a minimum of 10cm thickness. This is for mids and general absorbtion. Hang them on the walls and ceiling.
   
3. Buy some cheap foam panels. This is for the highs. Don't try and plaster your room with these as it'll do nothing except ruin your sound. Place them at reflection points.
   
4. Step four: After you get a good base sound for your room, place your monitors where you find it best, and then calibrate your listening spot with a measuring mic and Sonarworks 4. This is as important as step one. You won't be able to achieve perfection in your room no matter what. What this plugin does is it measure your peaks and valleys and applies a system-wide EQ on your PC to control that.
   
   After you did all of this, your mixes will absolutely translate and you won't have a problem.
   
   Room treatment is such a huge issue I can't believe people think buying monitors and sticking them in a random room is enough. I did all the steps listed above this summer and it's an absolute game changer. My room had literally no low end before, now I love listening to music as it sounds so good.
   
   Do it. Good luck.
   
   P.S. If you cant do bass traps, at least do mids and highs and Sonarworks. It's the least you could do.

Yeah I know these aren't REAL bass traps or broadband absorbers, but considering the benefit that this simple kit gives, its a pretty good value:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TT7BGQM/

and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010GPFRUQ/

I made my own bass traps which outperform these and cost less. But if you were on a budget and wanted a noticable improvement, I would buy these.

I have done a couple of things to minimize the noise coming from my DS916+. First, I have it sitting on the middle shelf of one of these types of racks with another Mini-ITX server on the top shelf, a USFF server next to it, and a UPS on the bottom rack. I had thought it was part of the problem initially causing vibrations that caused increased noise so I endeavored to isolate the vibrations from the machines themselves. But I first started with the Velcro fix I found in another Synology thread here on Reddit. That actually helped quite a bit but I wanted to do more with the other devices so I bought some sound proofing foam on Amazon and cut individually sized portions for each device and placed the device on top of it. Overall I am pretty pleased with the reduction in noise. I can now here the drives themselves working which is a whole other issue but I did mitigate quite a bit of sound overall.

Good luck and hope this helps!

Hello!
I am personally using a mic with a cardiod option and I found I was getting a lot of echo as well. I'm in a carpeted room with my desk up against a wall.
After a bought a windscreen:
https://www.amazon.com/Windscreen-Audio-Technica-Other-Microphones/dp/B00I8XYTNK
and a pop filter:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/KM/Pop-Killer-Double-Layer-Pop-Filter.gc
I found that my audio quality was quite a bit better. My girlfriend and I started our channels close to the same time and she is using sound proofing foam on top as well:
https://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6
After she started using the foam her audio sounds great. (I'll buy some one of these days)
If you're curious to see how the sound has changed in my videos let me know and I can send you a link to a video I made before I got the pop filter and windscreen and one after. Good luck!

I remember they were something Jesse recommended for her, and they were heavy. One for on the wall behind her mic, and 2 or 3 for the hallway which she did NEWZ. She showed the corner of one in coffeh once, but I dunno which one (sorry bud). She moved into her previous apartment in July-ish of last year, and according "COFFEH: Saw Enders" to didn't get them up until the beginning of November! Right now, considering the echo, I think she is still free-balling it with no sound-proofing. I assume since they didn't get around to hanging their shelves or framed goodies, that the sound-proofing isn't hung either.

So that limits it to a coffeh between when she moved and the end of October '13. I remember it looking not like the ridged stuff like Jesse has, but like a tan rectangular padded soft panel thing on wood. Looked sorta like these http://www.amazon.com/ATS-Acoustic-Panel-24x48x2-Inches/dp/B002WLB0RW and those are like 10 pounds or so each. She was hanging horizontally, I think.

Oh, and the best answer to "What Does Dooger Use to Soundproof?" is.... Her cats. ;)

These would absolutely help if your apartment is echo-ey. It just depends how nicely you're trying to treat your room. Auralex makes some professional grade panels that will end up costing you a bunch, but you'd really only need those if you were doing some serious recording. If you're just wanting to cheaply treat your room a little then I'd check out something like this. They look cool and they'll help with the reverb in your apartment a little bit, but the change won't be super noticeable. I mainly just don't want people buying these thinking they will be able to watch porn on full blast without their roommates hearing. They definitely won't sound proof anything.

If you want the best of the best I'd say Kollossus, Ensolite and some 1lb/sq. ft. MLV like this or the stuff they sell at SDS.

A good budget setup would be the RAAM products plus cheaper MLV wherever you can find it. Typically the budget stuff will be lighter at ~.75lb/ft and will have a textile backing.

Important to remember is that CLD and foam will cut down panel resonance and rattling that comes from it, but without MLV road noise such as wind/tire noise won't be lessened much. It really depends on how much you are willing to spend and what the goal is. A Lexus is going to have some pretty good deadening from the factory also, so consider that as well.

I am not sure what would cause that issue. Speaker placement shouldn't matter because they are front ported. Make sure the speakers are toed in and that the speakers tweeters are pointed at your ears. Getting an isolation pad like this to sit underneath them may help with the reverb/echo, but the muddy bass may just be how they sound. If none of those solve the issue, I would personally return them and get a different pair of speakers. Maybe it is just that these speakers don't have the right sound signature for you.

​

Another pair of speakers at that price point that would sound great for desktop use would be the Polk S15's. They currently go for $152 on Amazon and sound fantastic. There is also the Sony SSCS5 speakers for $73. They normally run about $148 per pair and they hit well above their price point.

I think just put the right one on one of these and the left one on one of these and you'll be good. That will fix the height issue as well as the vibration dampening issue.

Ah, yeah the cord for those is pretty short. Oh well.

So a pretty big problem with active speakers, as you found out, is the constant buzzing from them. You can't stop this. It's really common in active speakers.

Forget a box and do it right with a good stand from iso acoustics or auralex. I use the iso acoustic one for my smaller sub and the auralex for my large sub in my other listening room. Both perform very well. I do prefer the iso acoustic stuff but it made my sub sit to far off the ground for its position so I went the auralex and have been super happy. Also look at the iso stands for your monitors they look great and made a big impact for me as I have mine sitting on my computer desk also.

Auralex Acoustics SubDude-HT Subwoofer Acoustic Isolation Platform, 1.75" x 22" x 18" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COVEJ1E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_wYM3sxMKmFBUB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3JJ9DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_SJ4jDbZ76TAGD

I might.

One idea is to use a layer of mass loaded vinyl, sandwich it between two blankets, and sew like a quilt. If the vinyl isn't flexible enough already, cutting a pattern of slices before sandwiching will make it more flexible.

40 sq ft (4' X 10' ) costs about $120 on Amazon It's density is 1lb/sq ft.

The other option that came to mind is the nuclear option, it's much more expensive for a smaller blanket. A 2'X4' lead protective blanket is about $225, has a density of 1.6 lb/sq ft, and has the added benefit of shielding you from radiation. But that's not nearly a queen size blanket.

If the internet is right and a queen blanket is 90" X 90", 56.25 sq ft, the mass loaded vinyl option seems to be your best bet. You could use just the 40 sq ft and make a blanket with a "sweet spot" in the middle, or if you want full a full 56 sq ft of super- heavy, buy a larger roll.

And then there's companies like this that sell weighted blankets pre-made.

Of course, none of these options are terribly affordable.

It's odd because I find the modmic4 to be a bit bass heavy for my voice.

AT2020 is very popular as is ATR-2500. This seems like a good starter pack though I haven't heard that mic personally. Pick up a mic boom and pop filter as well. Room acoustics can play a bit to it too, if you want to improve the sound from there look into a mic shield, though I'd go the DIY route, from there the sky is the limit with room treatment and an empty wallet.

Hit youtube and search best USB microphone and go from there. There's tons of videos.

These should help a little bit, if you don’t have them already. Also, the less surface area your speakers have to the floor, the better - less surface for low freqs to travel through. Speaker stands on another soft material would help.

Then some bass traps and iso pads too. As mentioned bass is tough to isolate, but the more absorbing material the better.

I saw the comment about having her check it out, if it’s possible to hear it from their space that’d help your perspective too, and possible defense. I’m super sensitive to bass, and can sympathize with her, but have also had to deal with noisy neighbors with no solution. Just gotta deal with it.

I was doing the same thing not too long ago, if you are going to have not much more than 8-10 units of space taken up this should work pretty well:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CD1R84/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

I use it in my home lab and it works perfectly. It's great if you're on a budget, however if you have the money go for something like the ones already posted.

It depends on the size of the room, your vocal range, the materials the walls, floor, and ceiling are made of etc... Generally speaking, right behind the mic is the best place to position panels because early reflections bounce and generate even more destructive interference on the recording by generating secondary and tertiary reflections, if you have the budget, a reflection shield is likely a good place to start or if you have a closet with clothes in it, that can also be used to "dampen" reflections.

Example of a reflection shield: Reflection shield on Amazon

The sound cloud link will do, but, I'd recommend just recording a cover of something you like with backing if you can (You can buy backing tracks to a lot of tracks on iTunes)

Make sure not to get too close to your mic btw, the proximity effect can be really bad. 20-15cm or 6-8in is usually the sweet spot for a natural vocal sound in a cardioid large-diaphragm mic like yours.

Everyone else seems to have covered the basics about the answers to your questions so far. Might I offer some advice, then?

Most of your problems seem to come from you living in an upstairs apartment (at least on the second floor, if not on the top floor), with people below (and possibly above) you, with the sound transferring down through the ceiling. I know you said that you invested in sound dampening casters for your piano, but it doesn't sound as if they worked; I know from playing violin (and having my sister play the drums) that these dampeners only dull music. They don't silence it completely, so your neighbours will still be able to hear you practice. Would it be possible to work out a compromise with your landlord to transfer your lease to a ground-floor apartment, and then use a dedicated room in that apartment as a practice room (complete with you putting up soundproof tiling like this along the walls and ceiling? If you take those steps (ground floor apartment + soundproof tiles), your neighbours should barely hear your practice.

Apartment living is all about compromises. People who can't stand hearing footsteps above them have to learn to look for top-floor apartments. People in general have to learn not to be jerks (i.e., not hammering nails into walls at 3AM, etc), and further have to learn that others in the building do have different schedules (and so might be doing laundry at 10PM at night, for example). People who practice musical instruments have to learn to soundproof their practice spaces, which... in the case of heavy instruments, like pianos and harps, may include having a solid ground underneath them if sound-casters don't cut it. If this isn't possible in your current place and you do end up having to move, it's something you'll want to keep in mind while looking at new places...

:Edit:: Subject/verb agreement are hard, y'all

It does look great for such a small space. I do have some suggestions to make it better.

First the mirror on the back wall will make the entire room light up when you're watching a movie. It might be better to cover that up or have some sort of shade you can pull over it.

Secondly I have a feeling there is quite a bit of acoustic issues with sound bouncing off the walls. It may not be a bad idea to invest into some acoustic panels that adhere to the wall. Maybe something similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6

Overall nice use of the space!

Awesome minimalism :) Suggestion for you: Improve the acoustics, keep the minimalism and give the impression of art by hanging some acoustic panels as if they were paintings.

The red/burgundy might look really good in your space as an accent colour.

All great comments guys, thanks for tips and sharing your personal techniques. Just wanted to update and say while I'm still not 100% about making them deal with my singing, I know eventually "I got to do what I got to do", as the old saying goes. As long as it's in reasonable hours I don't see why someone developing a skill/practicing (what I hope can be considered) music should be a problem.

Also, I found this real handy tool called the 'Beltbox'. You can do warmups and practice singing into it, rather than a shoe or pillow :)

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-24601/dp/B01FRK4MLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466447695&sr=8-1&keywords=beltbox

Check their website, there may be some software you can get there. Also, using a muff or pop filter can help to reduce the background noise.

Another thing is that you have a condenser microphone and it functions differently than a dynamic mic. Here is a Youtube video about the differences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y01N_L1VA4I The part you want to pay attention to is after 2:14 but the first of the video is a good education into the actual differences.

Lastly, if you are using it for streaming or video editing types of activities, you should invest in some sound deadening material for the surrounding area. Things like the foam you see in the radio studios, really absorb sound well. Here's a suggestion for that: https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B010GPFRUQ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=noise+foam&qid=1572765375&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-4

CPU fan: pick one of the 220W compatible models from the TDP page like NH-D14/15. When installing the cpu cooler, don't add the fans (0dB!). The heatsink is enough to cool a 95W+ cpu and you can even overclock a little. ALT. solution (if your mobo allows it): place 1 fan and configure it to turn itself off when it's under a certain temperature, like 60ºC.

GTX970: the ASUS STRIX has a 0dB mode when idle. The fans only start when the card needs to be cooled. The Gigabyte Windforce is the quietest under load. It also has a "0db mode" but it's not covered by the warranty.

Silent Base 800: remove the case fan in the middle front, leave the one in the bottom front. If you want to replace the 2 remaining case fans (bottom front and upper rear), buy two Noctua NF-S12B redux 700(6.8 dbA) or NF-S12A ULN(6.7 - 8.6 dbA). Don't buy the be-quiet pure wings. Don't buy more case fans. If the case contains more fans I didn't see, remove them.

Power supply: you could either buy a fanless Seasonic 520W 80+ Platinum or a model with a zero rpm fan mode like the Corsair RM650 or RM750.

If the computer case doesn't already have it, electronic components emit a high pitch noise than can be reduced by adding accoustic foam.
There are also antivibration screws for the case fans, but I think those are included with the Noctua fans, mine were.


Wireless card: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Not about silence, just a better card. Consider powerline networking if possible.

If at one point you need much more storage space but SSDs are not affordable, noise can be a problem with HDDs. For this, place each HDD inside a HDD silencer. There are cheaper models, but you get what you pay for. Also, I'm assuming, you'll place a 2TB or 4TB HDD inside it. HDD price + silencer is still much cheaper than 2TB or 4TB of SSD storage.
Another problem with HDDs is interference. If you hear it, using a dedicated sound card may suppress it.

Thanks for the advice!

I have a basement room so there is concrete behind the drywall. I have some parallel walls but I have lots of furniture to help bounce around the sound. The floor is carpet.

Walking around my room and clapping has a pretty consistent reverb all around. Nothing major but noticeable if you're listening for it.

Would something like this make a difference?

These aren't probably the best quality, but I was very impressed for $20

Link

I got two different colors and made it look fresh. At least take care of first order reflections, you'll be surprised by the results.

You can buy 20 square feet of soundproofing to put on your walls for around 20 dollars on amazon I believe. I'd buy maybe 2 or 3 of that just for good measure and maybe put in a groovy shag carpet for the floor. If you plan on having drums, you'll definitely need to fill them with rags or pillows and just hope no one calls the police hahaha.

This sounds good and ought to do

I haven't bought the foam yet, so right now I'm still trying to figure out what to buy and how much. My goal is to buy something that works well and will last, but I'm also not looking to spend more than I need to. So understanding the quality of what I'm buying is pretty important to me. I don't want to spend extra money because the package the foam comes in says Auralex when I could have just as easily bought some generic company's foam for the same purpose. Also, how much do I really need? And do I need those corner things?

What I was looking at listed from cheapest to most expensive.

• $60 http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6/ref=pd_cp_MI_1
  
• $100 http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Studiofoam-Inches-Wedgies-Charcoal/dp/B0002D05KA/ref=pd_sim_MI_3
  
• $150 http://www.guitarcenter.com/Auralex-D36-Roominator-Kit-102475969-i1417965.gc
  
  _
  
  
  The Room is a square 14x12 with hard wood floors. My mic is against the north wall (for the purposes of this diagram), and I sit maybe 1-2 feet from the mic with it pointed at my face.
  
  . = wall
  
  & = mic
  
  ^ = me talking at mic
  
  \ = The side where the celling joint is a 45 degree angle
  
  
  
  ......
  
  . & . \
  
  . ^ .
  ......
  
  
  
  __
  Oddly, the upper right celling joint is at a 45 degree angle instead of a 90 degree angle, so it looks like this.
  
  
  .........
  
  \
  \
  \
  .
  .
  .
  .
  .
  
  
  

No problem. You also may want some acoustic foam around your recording area, like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TP7C9YY/ref=pd_aw_lpo_267_bs_img_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DKFBYPREFAA84ZEKF401 , or this works really good as well https://www.kaoticaeyeball.com/ . If you want a more expensive set up, you can get these professional Studio standard speakers https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HHZUTQQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445723&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=krk+rokit&dpPl=1&dpID=41i5K-Wru6L&ref=plSrch and these monitor headphones https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUR86/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445753&sr=8-12&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=monitor+headphones . Good luck with the recording man, hope this helps!

What he said: heavy stuff up top makes it easier to tip over.

Generally, if they are only 12-18ish inches deep and don't come with rails, then they're fine with being on two posts.

If you are still uncomfortable for whatever reason feel free to buy some 4-post shelves.

Even 2-post shelves are usually rated for 50#, some for 100#.

Edit:To secure the Yamaha receivers, I might consider unscrewing the feet and drilling some holes in a rack shelf or rails to bolt into the same. This way everything can be secure if you have to move the rack around.

Edit 2: Lastly, and I'm sure you know this, some of these receivers call for 30cm of space above for proper ventilation: they're not designed for rack mount. So I would mount some fans on the back and close any excess open slots to pull air across the top of the devices.

I was just about to! Thought someone could use this in an apartment or spare room.

1.) Get a screen room divider off of Amazon. I used a 6 panel with a paper film on it for $80, but you can pick up 4-panels for $60. I shopped around a bit for it, YMMV. The panels determine the size of your space that it encompasses. I stand and record and found that 6 panels is comfortable enough to enclose the shelf and I and leave plenty of elbow room. W/o the shelf it'd probably fit two people sitting, if a little snug.

2.) Buy some 12 inch acoustic foam squares. Double check the dimensions of each panel to determine size (mine was 15 inch, so I cut some squares into 1/4s to cover the whole panel). I originally started with 24 1x1 squares and eventually picked up another 24 to cover both the wall and the bottom 2/5s of the divider. Most manufacturers come with sticky tabs for mounting.

3.) When you mount, give the tabs an hour on the acoustic panels to set, then another hour set on the divider. Only had two pieces come off the first time and just reapplied spare pads I had laying around.

Overall, came out to be $150 for something I can save space with and take with me if I need to move or record elsewhere.

I have been looking into the X2000 Also, seems to have a lot of bang for your buck. I am aiming on picking one up in the next few weeks pending any Black Friday Sales.

As far as not annoying the neighbors, there are products on the market to help eliminate vibrations from Subs like the
Auralex SubDude Subwoofer Isolation Riser > Seems to have pretty good reviews.

You should be able to still get great sound quality in an Apartment, you just can't crank up the volume as much.

The handles on the server chassis may get in the way. If it slides in, guess that be good enough. just won't be flush due to the screws holding the shelving in. I could look into swapping out the handles on the server chassis from 4u to like 1u or something, then it can become flush. This need 1u of free space on the bottoms of where the handles goes. I have come up with a list of parts.

 

Rosewill 4U Server Chassis / Server Case / Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case support with 15 bays & 7 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4500)

Requires modifying from HDD setup to GPU Setup to save money.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091IZ1ZG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

NavePoint Adjustable Rack Mount Server Shelf Shelves Rail Rails 1U (33.25" max depth)

https://www.amazon.com/NavePoint-Adjustable-Mount-Server-Shelves/dp/B0060RUVBA/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518819818&sr=1-2&keywords=1u+shelving

 

Tripp Lite 25U 4-Post Open Frame Rack, Network Equipment Rack, 1000 lb. Capacity (SR4POST25) 22" to 36" depth

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OB8T72/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Awesome, thanks for the response. Looks like I'll be picking one of these up. There seems to be one dedicated to subwoofers whereas yours is for amps and loudspeakers, is there any reason or is one higher quality?
Edit: These are the two i'm talking about

http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Subwoofer-Isolation-15x15x3-inch-Charcoal/dp/B001140OZ0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1376941401&sr=8-7&keywords=Auralex

http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-GRAMMA-Monitor-Isolation-Charcoal/dp/B0002D0B4U/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1376941401&sr=8-8&keywords=Auralex

You can do something as simple as acoustic wedge panels:

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B010GPFRUQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1518027589&sr=1-4&keywords=acoustic+panels

Mount them to cardboard first, then to the walls just to quell those reflections you may have from the ceiling and walls. I would really only concern myself with the wall/ceiling behind the speakers, and the wall behind your listening position since it looks like the room has a shallow depth.

Other than that, I would just sit back and enjoy. Hopefully to your ears its the best sounding system you have heard, because that's all that really matters.

I agree that moving the sub would be the first and easiest step. Perhaps it's resonating with the wall and desk too much, bouncing around those bass transient notes and therefore keeping the kicks longer than it should. Another thing you can try is putting the sub on a platform like the following:

https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-II-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00DI5AXNI

I use that isolation pad with my SVS SB1000 and it works great to tidy up the bass, though my situation is entirely due to having wood floors. Perhaps an isolation pad will help in your situation. Definitely worth a little research.

I think a shotgun microphone should help here along with some blankets or acoustic treatment. You can pick up this shotgun microphone and some isolation to try and get that noise dampened. This will work if you are recording to a camera with a mic input, but if you don’t have a microphone input you can pick up this recorder which will also double as a recording interface. If you need to place your mic further away from your camera or recorder, this cord will give you some length to position it where you need. This is really nice if your camera is a few feet or more away from where you’ll be while shooting, as an added bonus the closer you place your microphone to your subject, the better it will pick sound and reject sounds you don’t want.

The shotgun mic should reject sound coming from the sides and pickup clear audio from the front. Place this close to your mouth and you’re good to go. I use a shotgun microphone to record voiceovers and videos at my desk because just like your place, it seems like my neighbors are always doing something loud. It’s useful to check your audio with some headphones to hear what background noise you might be picking up, then adjust.

If you’re still getting noise you’ll need to pick a time where you can record that you know to be more quiet. It’s a bit of a pain but unfortunately most home productions have to work around some sort of obstacle, just don’t let it keep you from making some videos!

I think it depends on whether OP needs all 12U of that rack, or is willing to trade some density for lower cost.

"Generic rails" tend to be more like 0U shelves. I bought some of these and I like them, but there is a density cost. The piece that holds the server from beneath is thicker than the clearance between most 1U or 2U servers, so if you have two of these right next each other, the upper one will have to be fudged up to leave room for the server below. Because of standard rack hole spacing, you can only do this 1-2 times before you have to leave a blank space above. That works fine for me, but needs vary.

AFAICT, all rack-mount server models have different means of securing to their intended rails, not to mention side-to-side spacing. I don't think there's a way to make a set of generic rails that supports only from the side instead of supporting from below.

I've been with them since my first build and no complaints. In my rookie years I flashed the BIOS from Windows and bricked it. Of course flashback worked and fixed it. At work, I a crappy fan that shorted and blew the regulator on the board (literally put a hole in it) and the system still works - just not the fan header. So forgiving.

I'm not the biggest on the microphone side myself, however case fans are no good either but I think there could be ways to notch out the sound. How silent is your case? Another cool thing you may like are acoustic panels for your wall. They come in different verity to suit your taste. Also you have isolation shields and boxs but it's a little clunky. Cutting the wall reflections help.

Yeah true enough, you'd be surprised the things you hear coming across peoples mic's. Keyboard clack is the least of the worry.

>Good talking to you too. Thank you for your helpful insights! I'll def check out the Auralex Subdudes as well.

Cool. If you get one check the Amazon warehouse and or Ebay used. I bought both mine that way and saved some money. Here is one open/damaged box.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B00COVEJ1E/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=all

I know egg crate foam like /u/YouHadTimeToWaste suggested is popular for DIY soundproofing. You could also just buy tiles which are meant for the purpose
I'd also suggest doing something like this to pad the floor, both for the kids' safety and for soundproofing. You could also lay rugs over that if you feel like it.
You could also keep some blankets and pillows out for fort building.

Hi there thank you for your reply!

​

These monitors are SAM powered so I am currently saving up to get the GLM kit.

I got these speaker stands because they elevated the tweeters to my listening position and overall it sounded much better to me.

This is what they look like on the stand: https://ibb.co/5Ms3nNn

I didn't realise it at first but whenever heavy bass or kicks (or any of the low end) come into the music I could feel the vibrations through the 'wood tile'. When I initially put it on the desk first the only thing vibrating was the desk (which was obvious) but the floor was not. Seems to have switched around when I put it on the stands.

​

Im thinking of getting these pads from amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KNWTPRI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A22FIXQJK49KP9&psc=1

because they are the only one that fits my stand plate almost perfectly which is 9inches x 9 inches. Do you think these would be okay?

Very clean setup, especially up front. Nice.

Your a lot closer to a perfect layout than you might think. Cheap/free upgrades:

Something like this to raise the center channel to ear height-looks like yours is firing into the crotch region -> https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-MoPAD-XL-Acoustic-Isolation/dp/B00266HBSU

There are cheaper foams out there.

Point the surround speakers towards the MLP.

Some visual aids -> https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/surround-sound-speaker-setup/5-1-setup.html & https://www.crutchfield.com/S-I6gq98nrkm9/learn/learningcenter/home/speaker_placement.html

Lastly taller surround speaker stands will raise them 1-2 feet above ear level=ideal.

Unless you're planning to add a metric ton of stuff into that rack, I would humbly suggest you get thee some Rail Shelves at least for the ESXi server; if it's supporting the HP, it deserves to have some more support than the rack ears it comes with.

Note they do eat a fraction of a rack unit because they're bumping up the server, but you can do 3 or 4 and still be down less than a single RU.

Sorry, it's a really nice setup and very cleanly set up, but the lack of backside support is making my skin crawl for some reason. :)

Dayton Audio SUB1000 is a great budget sub for the money. You would use the inline speaker connections to connect it to your receiver.

Probably help to pull your speakers forward an inch or two so that the drivers are not reflecting off the sides of the hutch on your desk. That would also give the rear ports just a little more room to breathe. And if the tweeters are aimed at your chest, a speaker pad that helps to angle them up towards your ears would probably help https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-Monitor-Isolation-MOPAD/dp/B0002D0B4K/

> I know I am not supposed to have the speakers on the same surface as the record player, but at the moment it’s the only place I can put them.

If this is the case, give some thought to picking up something like these

This will help reduce surface vibrations and produce improved sound if you aren't able to remove the speakers from the surface they're on.

Amazon is your best bet. I bought mine here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP7C9YY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PtzwDb9S23MJN
Even though 2 packs don't fully cover my walls, they do fine in my rather spacious make-shift walk-in closet booth. There is no echo unless I'm at the other end of the closet and yelling.

Be warned, foam boards are NOT sound proofing, they ABSORB sound. Most people don't realize this, so before you spend money don't think that this will solve those pesky outside sounds. If you do want sound proofing you need special walls, but that is too pricey for most people.

Anyway,s good luck.

I have these that I paired with a couple stands for my JBLs. I can't say these are the very best for everyone's situation, but they have been perfectly fine for me.

Yep, that rear venting - [under the black felt square in this picture] (http://cdn.innerfidelity.com/images/Fostex_T50RPMk3_photo_CompareCapsuleInside.jpg), from an inside perspective - plays a large role in T50RP bass response.

Tape's the easiest, most-reversible way. You might do permanent sealing at some point, but for the moment, temporary and functional is good for experimenting.

You get acoustic foam [by buying it] (http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-21-Inch-Dampening-Acoustic-SF01/dp/B0040JHMH6), typically, though I'm not one to intrude in another man's affairs :P

No worries, I'm here to help - I remember being new, and I'd like to help new folks along.

I disagree with some of the comments. There's options you have to limit the soundwaves traveling through the walls. If you're in the cellar, there's a few things you can do to help the noise.

Mass Loaded Vinyl: https://www.amazon.com/Loaded-Vinyl-Square-Acoustic-Barrier/dp/B007N3356S

Subwoofer Pad: https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-HT-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00DI5AXNI/

Bass Traps: https://www.amazon.com/Column-Acoustic-Studio-Studios-Theater/dp/B01C9F83QQ/

Acoustic Panels (would recommend 2"): https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Charcoal-Acoustic-Absorption-Treatment/dp/B01KKNO9QW/

Now, the acoustic panels and bass traps are sound absorbers, not sound deadeners. In my opinion, however, if you get those last, it will improve the acoustics and accuracy of the sound you're hearing in your cellar, so maybe you wouldn't have to play it as loud.

I think the best thing you can do at first is get the subwoofer pad, followed by some mass loaded vinyl. Depending on the size of your speakers/monitors, you might want pads for those, as well. You're looking at reducing vibrations, which is what the pads and vinyl is made for. The foam and bass traps will just give you a more accurate sound.

Hey! Thank you. My 3550 was manufactured in 2005. Yeah I guess that is kind of interesting how they seem to run forever. The rack is just an instrument rack I got off Amazon. I'll post a link.

http://www.amazon.com/On-Stage-Stands-RS7030-OnStage-Stand/dp/B000CD1R84/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398787864&sr=8-1&keywords=on+stage+rack

If you are referring to the effect this has on my power bill, I couldn't tell you because I live in a dorm on a military base. But I will say that it's only on when I'm using it.

I have made a considerable investment into my education. The real question is, "how much is the knowledge I've gained worth?" lol. honestly I don't know how much I've spent. If I wouldn't of spent it on educational material it probably would of went some where else not as intellectually rewarding.

I actually have not considered using that software, but now that you mention it. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for your comment.

isolation stands/pads and that's about it. If you want to get fancy look into a better DAC for your PC, but that's not a biggy. I would just get a pair of isolation pads like these, but if you wanna get fancy you could get these.

--

Those are great speakers though and if you're trying to keep the setup low-key then you're doing a good job.

Thanks! These are some very handy tips.

I'm in need of 2 1/4 TR cables to plug the monitors into the audio interface, any recommendations from Amazon?

​

Regarding the stand, since I have to buy cables anyway, would I benefit from something like this (amazon.com/gp/product/B0757LTZJJ?pf_rd_p=2d1ab404-3b11-4c97-b3db-48081e145e35&pf_rd_r=P6XPKWNF92AQE866JP4N), or is it a waste of money and better use book, as you said?

NavePoint Adjustable Rack Mount Server Shelf Shelves Rail Rails 1U https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060RUVBA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_10vRzbR1DB9JA

Shelves are your best friend :)

NTA but here's a suggestion: this is a belt box and a lot of my opera/musical theater friends have them for when they travel and need to warm up, but don't want to disturb others. Fair warning: It looks like a muzzle though.

You want to avoid the cheap foam ones. Something like this is ideal. Diy is pretty easy on these if you want to save cost. ATS Acoustic Panel 24x48x2 Inches in Ivory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WLB0RW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_h2KezbJ3JEC3S

Get an acoustic shield, it's a very easy and portable way to get good sound from an untreated room. I use this one with my condenser mic in a similar room and it sounds great: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GR9W1MS/

I just mounted a L4000 in my middle Atlantic rack. My rack is enclosed MRK-4426.

I used these rails and they worked great with no modifications. Just had to make sure the mounting brackets were bent correctly to make sure the case slides in and out smoothly.

If you had threaded round post like I do the M4 screws fit through the 10-32 holes so I didn’t even have to drill out the mounting holes.

The case shouldn’t be a problem in the rear. If you can slide it through the front post the rear post should be fine.

Worst case you can use something like this. I didn’t want to go this route because I wanted the cool sliding feature and using this kind of mount may take away 1U since it’ll raise it a little bit. I used a set of APC rails first and I didn’t like the way it sat, so I ordered the sliding rails instead.

Let me know if there’s anything you need to know. Whether it be measurements or whatever.

How well do these work? link. They are not very expensive, and seem like an adequate solution. What do you guys think of this? Thanks for all the help so far by the way.

Ahhh ok, yeah that makes sense. Well there seems to be some nice 12 packs of soundproof foam for relatively cheap. And you'd probably only need it on wherever the sound waves are bouncing off of (I say as if I know anything about the science of sound). But these look like decent ones: https://www.amazon.com/Soundproof-Store-Acoustic-Soundproofing-Charcoal/dp/B00ATP5KF6

If you're able to, I highly recommend putting some acoustical foam on the walls and ceiling of your rehearsal space. It sounds a million times better. This stuff works great. They also have the fancy kind.

That chair tho. I like how sharp looking everything is. Also, if you are planning on recording videos or sounding very clear to your friends, I would suggest getting some echo cancelation sound panels. Like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TP7C9YY/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1503332811&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Sound+panels&dpPl=1&dpID=51ozVnyFxRL&ref=plSrch . ALSO... PC MASTER RACE

Sound guy here, all that open space and super nice hard floors make for terrible acoustics and a lot of echo. If you like the look, I would definitely throw up some acoustic panels http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6/ref=pd_bxgy_MI_img_z

Otherwise, a couple tapestries and some throw rugs should make the space sound much warmer less cavernous.

This is one of those long-controversial topics in the hobby! Even though it's pretty simple.

The benefit of spikes is that they keep your speakers/stands from sliding around on carpet. On a hardwood floor, you might wish to avoid spikes so you don't mark/dent the floor.

Since you have carpet, you probably want the spikes.

That's it, really.

Using the spikes by themselves will couple my speakers
to the floor, and adding the metal pads will decouple them,
correct?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by metal pads - do you have a picture of them?

While I'm not quite sure what metal pads we're discussing, they sure don't sound like anything that would do decoupling, though.

To achieve decoupling, you basically need some sort of a suspension that is appropriate for the weight of the speaker. Sort of like how your car's suspension decouples your car from the road (to an extent) so that you feel less of the bumps in the road.

The simplest example is Auralex's SubDude isolation platforms. They are literally just a board with a square of foam underneath. The foam acts like a suspension between your subwoofer and the floor.

https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-II-Subwoofer-v2/dp/B00DI5AXNI

Will coupling or decoupling them in this situation be better?
Or is there no correct answer other than find which one sounds best to me?

The "metal pads" you mentioned sure sound like they won't do any decoupling.

But in general decoupling will not make a difference unless your speakers are putting out enough deep bass to rattle your room. If that is the case, isolation can prevent some of that energy transfer and prevent some of the resultant rattling and rumbling.

In my experience that sort of decoupling doesn't really make an audible difference in-room, but it does make a pretty significant difference in the room below you if you are in a typical residential wood-frame house. Instead of bass traveling right through the wooden floor and being extremely audible in the room below, it becomes much less likely to annoy the crap out of whomever is directly below you.

I have observed this with both an older version of the Auralex SubDude and with my own DIY versions. (Again, it's just a board with foam on the underside)

In that case, you could try acoustic foam panels like they'd use in a sound studio.

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B010GPFRUQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_1?keywords=sound+proofing+membrane&qid=1574835244&sprefix=sound+proofing+membrsne&sr=8-1-fkmr2

These would need to be on roommates side though, as to dampen the noise generated from their side of the wall.

If it were me, I'd just put them on both sides of those doors, then put up a tapestry of your liking if you don't like the look. They do make different colors though, it could be a cool accent wall, purple, red, etc. Just Adhere them with something removal for when you decide to leave.

I still vote for adding a shelf at some point! Always need more space for stuff, haha!

All the rack are at a set price, there is no rack cheaper than $29... That is how much mine cost, I like it, feels sturdy but I wish it was beefier. It came with a whole pack of mounting screws for each space, which I liked! I would recommend it because of the price and in the end it does the job.

Just buy soundproof foam on Amazon, will be easier than mattresses or egg cartons.

http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6

Works pretty damn well, and its easy to cut to fit specific window shapes.

You wont be able to sound proof that (proofing and absorption are different things). You could try to hand a bunch of blankets and stuff to dampen the sound, stop it from bouncing all over the place. Amazon also has sound absorption panels you could try.


Also, just talk to your room mates about it, they might be into helping out with the stream or even helping maintain the channel for extended amounts of time, like streamer house or something.


If you are embarrassed because they hear you, you're going to have a rough go at it. Just be you and have fun.

If i were you i would just try recording at night,turn off any stuff like AC,fans and other noise inducing things.

Then,i would buy some acoustic panels like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B010GPFRUQ).

Then,find a room that is quiet,like your basement or a closet. Keep in mind that acoustic panels don't soundproof your room, they only absorb sounds in the room like echo.

Get a cheap condenser microphone like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Condenser-Microphone-Accessories-Card%EF%BC%8CLuxury/dp/B07D8SYZNC/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=bm-800&qid=1550855443&s=gateway&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1) in a kit with everything to get you started.

If you have windows in the recording room,get the heaviest curtains on them since that is probably the place where you will have most unwanted sound entering your recording room.

A microphone enclosure like [this](https://www.amazon.com/TONOR-Microphone-Isolation-Absorbing-Reflector/dp/B078WNW4YW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=17FFHMCM37ECP&keywords=microphone+enclosure&qid=1550855711&s=gateway&sprefix=microphone+enclo%2Caps%2C253&sr=8-2) can be used to isolate your microphone and get less echo and reverb.

Then,you should practice recording and breathing out slowly and through nose away from the mic.

And finally, get a program to edit your audio further until you are satisfied.

​

EDIT: I don't know what is wrong with the hyperlinks,if anyone knows feel free to tell me what i did wrong

In your situation the main issue would be keeping the speakers at the ear-level, because they're probably too low now. Search Craigslist for some speaker stands – it's the best solution. If your speakers are truly compact, another, less desirable option, would be to place them on isolation foam pads to minimize vibration and keep them on the same surface with your TT.

A nice looking setup!

Your next step should probably be to isolate the speakers so they're not vibrating your table. These have always worked wonders for me in the studio I work at

Also, nice choice of keyboard (I have the 25) AND interface (I have the regular EIE and love it).

I have these for my speakers:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DI5AXNI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have not tried them for pedals yet, but I do expect to have to do something like that for my rudder pedals when I start using them in my new place. I have hardwood floors. I don't hear much from above me, but can hear heavy footfalls some. My rudder pedals do make a fair amount of noise when they move though. I expect a lot of that to mechanically transfer through the floor.

Anyways, it's my plan, not something I have actually tested. The pad is quite sturdy, firm and heavy. It should stay in place quite well.

Save yourself some time and just snag up one of these reasonably priced homes!

No, in all seriousness, I'm in the process of a similar, but smaller (one room) project. I started with a couple of packs of these, which were half price a month ago; might be worth checking back.

From the reading I've done, it seems like in a basement, your priority would be soundproofing in the ceiling (I'd think the ground would do the job, otherwise), and sound treatment in your listening/tracking rooms. Getting rid of weird reflections, etc.

All the stuff I've read on proper soundproofing has one thing in common: space between the material and your wall surface. For instance, putting up curtains, or some sort of foam padding a few inches in from the actual walls, then filling that space with insulation, then raising the floor, filling the empty space with sand, then lowering the ceiling, basically building a room within a room.

I haven't personally sought this out, but apparently the Berkeley school of music has some of their class material available online for this sort of thing. (Edit: Sound treatment, in this case.. as mentioned, way different than soundproofing)

Sorry if there's not a ton of usable info in this, just excited for you and wanted to pass on whatever insight I've gained so far.

Good luck!

Before I get into bass traps and treatment and all of that I think this will be my first move. May as well considering its relatively cheap and easy.

Probably gonna go for Auralex, they seem to be the best. http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-MoPAD-XL-Acoustic-Isolation-Charcoal/dp/B00266HBSU

You got some fun speakers, I've got the exact same speakers you do (even the white color, I own the ATM top speakers and the Jamo S808) and these are the pads I use for my bookshelves, they fit perfectly on them

Speaker Isolation Pads

I do! And it's actually very affordable.

I bought a few sound dampening panels from Amazon (Something like this ) and lined the walls of the room. I got rid of any surfaces which can reflect sound and those I could not get rid of, I covered with thick comforters and heated blankets (they absorb noise well) then I set up the mic on the corner of the room.

The wall behind me and next to me are fully covered in soundproofing material.

The only issue I have is when the central air conditioning kicks in but...hey. I can turn it off ;)

EDIT: You can listen through my auditions here for an idea of what it sounds like. I use an AT4040 mic with a Scarlett 6i6 interface.

First thing I noticed when viewing your video is that their is a echo that may drive away potential subscribers. I have two fixes for this I recommend using both because the second one is free. The first fix I have is investing in some acoustic panels to hopefully try and absorb more sound than have it be transmitted back as a echo. Here is a link to a 12 pack on Amazon. Depending on how serious you are with YouTube and how willing you are to invest in your set-up their are better options out their that will do a better job. Secondly, I recommend you getting an application called audacity if not already using it. This application is not only used for echo but for things such as bass, treble, noise reduction, etc. It is kinda complicated at first so if you need a tutorial I recommended an up to date tutorial by a YouTuber named Muazz to another review.

Depends on how heavy the device is.

Ears commonly lead to machines sagging in their enclosure over time for some bigger equipment like switches and routers. I got cheap Navepoint rails that support each device so that when I do unscrew them from the racks, I can just easily slide them out.

https://www.amazon.com/NavePoint-Adjustable-Mount-Server-Shelves/dp/B0060RUVBA

Though to be honest you should see if your OEM sells rails for your equipment first. Mine didn't, so that's why I went with these. Also look for flush screws so you can get the device itself as close to the cage nut as possible.

The wooden bases are very simple open IKEA boxes. I looked, but can't find them on their site any longer. They are very generic though and mostly provide additional height. The foam supports are there to minimize vibration from the monitors. They're like these ones by Auralex, only a bit wider. EDIT Not wider, I use two per speaker. ;)

https://www.amazon.com/12-Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio/dp/B00TP7C9YY - Dirt cheap but slightly less effective than 2" thick panels.

https://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6 - Thicker panels with some color options.

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B01AB8JOV6 - Giant pack of the thick panels. Should be enough to dampen an entertainment room if spaced appropriately.

Sorry for deleting my original comment, I meant to get rid of another.

Look into acoustic panels/treatments.

That carpet was absorbing the sound. You need something to help do that now. And it doesn't necessarily have to be on the floor. Strategically placed wall treatments will make a big difference most likely. And if there is a space you can throw down a cheap area rug on the floor, that will help too.

This may seem odd, but hanging some curtains or tapestry would help. So if you have some curtains laying around or old blankets, you can probably rig it up against a wall here and there to see if it helps, and then do something a bit more permanent if it does help.

You could also think about putting cheep carpet on the walls. I've seen that done in school cafeterias and it makes a huge difference.

If you look up DIY acoustic panels, you will likely find most of it related to home theater/audio stuff. But it's the same issue.. sound reflecting off of hard surfaces and controlling that.

You can buy them (but if you buy some material yourself, you can probably come out better and there's not much to it for what you want):

https://www.amazon.com/ATS-Acoustic-24x48x2-Inches-Burgundy/dp/B002WLB0RW


But again, if you don't care too much about looks or somebody going "why the hell do you have curtains on a wall with no windows/glass doors?", some curtains or blankets from a thrift store/good will, etc. would most likely make a notable difference if you want a somewhat simple solution.


Edit: The rare moment when /r/hometheater and /r/homegym meet.

Ah, ok. Yeah, if your mother doesn't mind, put up a ton of this stuff. It'll definitely help out with the noise issue.

http://www.amazon.com/2x12x12-BURGUNDY-CHARCOAL-Acoustic-Soundproofing/dp/B00ATP5KF6

Purchased the foam blocks off Amazon for like $30 because I liked the maroon color. But you can get just grey ones for cheaper. Though it looks like the ones I purchased and linked are currently out of stock.

They really did help the room become less echoy and the room mate next to me said it helps block some sound, too.

The rosewill rails are hard to come by, its easier to just use these:

http://smile.amazon.com/NavePoint-Adjustable-Mount-Server-Shelves/dp/B0060RUVBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458500710&sr=8-3&keywords=adjustable+server+rails

They like to prevent stuff from perfectly fitting in the 1U beneath them (they stick down 1-2mm into the 1U below them), so if your rack is packed, they may not fit.

A condenser mic will not pick up less noise. I had a blue yeti condenser microphone and you could still easily hear my computer fans even though my computer was a good 8 feet away from my mic. Condenser microphones are super sensitive, as they're designed to pick up everything.

Look into getting a dynamic microphone.

Edit : on a side note, I watched your video and noticed your walls are pretty bare. A nice little way to lessen background sound is to add some sound dampening foam to hard surfaces (walls in this example). I can't personally say how much this will improve your audio, but possibly consider buying a small piece to put on the walls directly behind your computer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ATP5KF6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1422128151&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=512fwYs-iUL&ref=plSrch

I can still hear the sirens aloud, but better than having nothing on my window. This is my setup around the window AC. I've used 1 sheet of bass wood(bought it from blicks)+3 layers of cardboard+acoustic panel (really thin, it's basically a sponge, but it helps with sound not bouncing around the window sills) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010GPFRUQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

so i guess, in total, that is about 2~3 inches of thickness.

Oh! If that's the case, then cement board isn't gonna do anything for you. What you'd want for effective sound dampening is pickets on both sides (staggered relative to the opposite ones) with a product called mass loaded vinyl in between. It's not the cheapest stuff, but it's the appropriate product for what you want to achieve. You also want height on the fence. 8 feet minimum for sound dampening. I (and I think other posters) got the impression you were building a tile barrier.

Thick landscaping elements can also help, to a degree. Arborvitae, for example, are dense and evergreen. Their foliage serves to scatter and absorb sound. But don't put money into cement board for sound dampening - it's not gonna do the job.

Even just hanging a fluffy quilt or blanket on the wall will keep sound from echoing as much. If you want to get fancy you can get acoustic panels on Amazon nowadays, which is kind of amazing. You'd have to do a bit of research on placement.

But if you have a spare quilt the quilt thing is free and fast and worth a try.

Elevating your monitors is such an awesome thing to do. I just did it a few weeks ago. I'd recommend getting some monitor isolator pads (I have MoPads). they make a huge difference.

Oh no, you don't sound rude at all. I'm new to this. So far no skips, but I haven't cranked the volume to high. Is it just the vibrations that can cause issues? I know that the there are some monitor/speaker stands that can help with this, like these: http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Monitor-Acoustic-Isolation-Charcoal/dp/B0002D0B4K

What do you think? Should I get free standing stands for them?

I will try this. The manual that came with the sub recommended corner placement, so naturally that's what I went with.

I'm not chasing big bass, I'm wanting the bass to meld perfectly in with my speakers. I have Magnepans, which are not known for their strong bass output. I just want to supplement their minimal bass and provide realistic bass that meshes perfectly with the rest of their output.

Since yesterday I've ordered sorbothane cups for the turntable, 2 of these for under the subwoofer, and a magic voodoo spell which supposedly reduces vibration in the home (just kidding on that last one). I'll try these two products along with moving it out of the corner and see what I can do with some combination of the three.

Keeping it in the corner would be great, but it will be worth it to move the sub away if that fixes the problem.

The pads would go under the speakers, something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KNWTPRI

You can also use isolation feet for speakers or subs. I have these for my sub:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075KPHZPF

There's also a style like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PY55OSO

I have all 3 of these types for various applications, they work well. But I live in a house so I don't pay too much attention to how loud I play since I don't have attached neighbors like an apartment building would.

The "belt box" works pretty well and was made for practicing quietly without having to sing softly! I have one and I like it.

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA

This rack is super cheap and very good quality. I received mine yesterday and racked 6 devices on it so far.

Looks great. But I would suggest that you move the PSU out of the chamber to keep it cool. Also here is a link for some sound proofing foam and a link for a temp and humidity monitor. Lastly here is a final link to the ikea Prusa enclosure. I say get a few parts from this guide, but yours is so much better. I’m using a ROBO3D R1+ that I got from a pawn shop and modified overtime. Yours looks better

Uh...I suppose you could... here's what a high cap looks like inside. You'd have to remove sections of the mag but leave that part that clips into the magwell...and leave the bottom exposed so you can wind it (or if you have a flash mag feed a string through I suppose). Basically you're replacing the hard walls the BB hit into with cloth. You could line the edge of the feeding tube so they only hit metal or plastic at the bottom where they feed into the wheel. You could totally massively increase the capacity this way! It'd probably look like a giant ballsack hanging from your gun though. Hmmmm that gives me an idea....

I guess a more practical solution would be line the inside of the mag with cloth or thin sheets of acoustic foam (this is what I use to fill crevices in guns to dampen noise and reduce plasticreak) but I have a feeling that the BBs would have feeding issue and the capacity would reduced.

Honestly, I've completely switched to mid caps - 5x110 BBs is more than enough for 99% of matches. No rattling, consistent feeding, no winding, work in any orientation, and no tell tale WHIIRRRRR when you run out of ammo. Folks at my field listen for that to know when to pop out and open up because they know they are likely to catch someone with their pants down - some folks carry one and pull the spring release to cause a whirr to trick others to pop out lol.

You can get a MXL 770 for under $100 and a 2-channel Behringer U-PHORIA for around $100. This will definitely be enough to get you recording. I use this set-up (mostly for recording samples and very limited vocal work, as I do electronic instrumentals for the most part) and it does the job. That leaves you $200 for accessories (you're gonna want a stand for the mic and a pop screen before you even think about acoustics). You can get an acoustic shield for well under $100. Pop screens are as low as $10 on Amazon. You can definitely stay in that budget if you're only looking to record rap vocals.

MXL Mics 770 Cardioid Condenser Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007NQH98/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Hhj2CbR9JD6X1

BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UMC202HD, 2-Channel ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHURUBE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Rij2Cb226B0WC

(I haven't actually used these two products before, just providing you with quick search results. Definitely shop around first)

LyxPro VRI-30 - Portable & Foldable Sound Absorbing Vocal Recording Panel - Stand Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012OFI98I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Wkj2Cb78J3YWP

NEUMA Professional Microphone Stand with Pop Filter Heavy Duty Microphone Suspension Scissor Arm Stand and Windscreen Mask Shield for Blue Yeti Snowball, Recordings, Broadcasting, Streaming, Singing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHCL3KS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Coj2Cb8MF5N0G

If your room doesn't have any carpets, get some.
I'll assume you don't have enough money for foam covering the entire room, so you can use this instead:
https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-VRI-30-Absorbing-Recording-Adjustable/dp/B012OFI98I/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=Acoustic+panel+stand&qid=1564818851&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1
I've recorded with those before, the placement is important, so youll need to experiment with the placement to find a sweet spot in your home. I've gotten extremely dry recordings after finding a sweet spot. Look near closets or whatnot.

I bought a belt box and i kinda love it. i can vocalize pretty late into the night and it bothers no one. also helps with not "listening to yourself" and focusing on sensation.

At a frequency of 20 Hz, the wavelength is over 56 ft which is over twice the length of your room. You're going to hear a rumble in other parts of the house when the subwoofer is cranked up. I'd do the subwoofer crawl and experiment with the phase of your subwoofer to hopefully get good performance at the seated position while reducing SPL in other areas of the house. You can buy an isolation pad to try to reduce vibrations sent directly into the floor as well

The positioning is pretty good. You could put some fairly cheap foam treatment up to the sides and behind them. It does help but not as much as proper treatment (which you can build yourself with house insulation if you wanted). The bass won't collect too badly there I wouldn't think. It'll be the opposite side of the room, particularly the corners.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AFHS-Pro-Acoustic-Studio-AFBT200/dp/B00I9W4C46/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1494670446&sr=8-4&keywords=acoustic+treatment

This is what I have. It made more of a difference than expected with it just being the foam (experts aren't a fan of it). Bare in mind different brands vary wildly in their effectiveness.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AURALEX-ACOUSTICS-MOPAD-accessories-Speakers/dp/B0002D0B4K/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1494670577&sr=1-6&keywords=speaker+isolation+pads

This is the kind of thing I meant for the speakers though. Will stop them vibrating through the stand and affecting the sound. Spikes on the bottom of the stand help too. Apologies if you know all this!

So there are a huge variety of gags out there that you could try. But the issue is that a lot of those things don't actually stop noise. They either just make words/talking incomprehensible or only slightly reduce the volume of the noise. Or they cause people to mentally try to make less noise as a byproduct of using them when they need to be quiet.

If that option works for you then just pursue any old variety of kinky gags. I don't have a comprehensive list but you could make another post asking about different types of gags that people have used or know of in general and pick from that.

Otherwise the only thing I know of that actually dampens noise is something along the lines is a product like this. Which is marketed at people who want to sing or yell in environments that they cannot.

I hope you find a solution that works for you.

Well the foam specifically for this purpose isn't crazy thick. Density is more important really as if it's light/airy foam it'll just collapse under the weight and it wont make much difference. Here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-HT-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00COVEJ1E
Obviously that's overkill for a neighbour, just try to pick up something similar looking. Honestly, anything helps, but an inch thick, dense piece of foam that lifts it off the floor should help massively.

Definitely don't set them on the floor. If you moved them off the table, use stands. You'd want the speakers at ear level when you're sitting down and listening. But, yes, you can get those isolation pads off Amazon and they will work just fine

So my current setup is:

• Denon DP-300F Turntable
  
  
• Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
  
  
• Klipsch R-15PM Powered Monitors (w/ isolating foam)
  
  
• Klipsch R-10SWi Wireless Subwoofer (w/ isolation platform)
  
  
• Odyssey CLP090E Carpeted Vinyl Case (No room for shelf storage currently)
  
  Most items were purchased through Turntable Lab, Amazon, or Best Buy's Open Box items on eBay.
  
  

I like your style. Where there isn't any shortage of tech reviews, I like how you're doing it (fresh).

If you're going to continue (do it!) I'd invest in some of these. They'll absorb some of the echo, making the audio less tinny as well.

You can get them on Amazon, and probably otherwebsite as well. Look for Acoustic Panels. They have different styles, colors, thicknesses. I know there are some differences on functionality, but for most people the cheapest foam panels should be fine.

like this 12 pack.
https://smile.amazon.com/12-Acoustic-Panels-Studio-Wedges/dp/B00TP7C9YY/

Get some foam on that back panel, that's the only thing that doesn't seem to fit with the bright white...

http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-21-Inch-Dampening-Acoustic-SF01/dp/B0040JHMH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345135728&sr=8-1&keywords=silverstone+foam

Excellent otherwise, A++

I got these. I love my Rokits and have zero muddiness. I wouldn’t listen to people that straight away tell you “get a sub” without seeing the room first or knowing anything else. My mixes POP and I mix without a sub.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00266HBSU?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I have an iStarUSA D-400-6-Blue with some drive bays, and then my "desktop" PC (my rack is next to my desk so my day to day computer is in the rack also) is in a iStarUSA D-400-L7. If I was creating a file server from scratch, I'd probably get a Norco 4020; however, the D-400-6 was my old "desktop" case, and when I switched to the D-400-L7 for a combination of the added cooling and having enough space that my extended length video cards weren't running into the drive bays, the D-400-6 replaced an old cheapo Dell server box as my main server.

I'm also a big fan of these universal rack rails. They don't slide or anything like that, but you can put absolutely anything on them. I'd still screw in the server's ears, but the rails make it a lot easier to lift it into place.

I just ordered these last night hoping they would be as good as the reviews.

Would this be appropriate?

I've heard the REL stuff and am saving for one of them for my home stereo system. This is not a HT system though. For my HT I am using a Velodyne Digital Drive 1 with a subwoofer stand. My carpet was swallowing all my LF stuff. One of these.

One other suggestion. Think about Sound channel for your dry wall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IfYuNnRLgU

This shit works wonders. Our bedroom is directly over the HT space and LOUD at like -7db, the volume in the bedroom is barely audible. We also put cellulose in the cieling joists to help reduce vibrations and isolate sound.

Good luck on your HT space.

Yes. You want to decouple the subwoofer from the floor. These can help some or a lot depending on your specifics.

https://www.amazon.com/SVS-SoundPath-Subwoofer-Isolation-System/dp/B00NCSQ5GK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517948753&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=svs+soundpath&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COVEJ1E/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1FALQDWORWLD3&colid=1A7M1ZICERB54&psc=1

Super cool, I'll be there soon myself.

Quick question, wooden shelf on rails? What wizard must I quest for to obtain this sort of thing? Is it basically a 19" wide board screwed into spare rails? Or maybe something a bit higher tech like https://www.amazon.com/NavePoint-Adjustable-Mount-Server-Shelves/dp/B0060RUVBA

I'm thinking maybe do three maps across the wall - NYC, LA, and my local San Jose. That'd be pretty cool.

Another thing I was thinking was sound-proofing the wall with foam. Not so much the sound proofing, but using the foam as wall art. Like this stuff but a color combo I like.

"Gaaarrrr!! you have to buy top of the line yamaha ones or you're stupid!"

"No I love my cheapie ones they sound so great!"

"You better get some isolation pads."

"I just mix on headphones, it works fine for me."

FWIW I went through a whole long discussion on this and ended up almost spending ~ $200 on these two things, but then I decided I should get something better if I'm going to bother buying monitors (I can't make a whole lot of noise currently so I was chopping for something small):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUXJCO/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D0B4K/



I'll see it I can't dig up the old thread for you.

basically a platform to put the setup onto that lifts the kit off the floor. I've not tried this one but this is the general idea: https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-HT-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00COVEJ1E/ref=asc_df_B00COVEJ1E/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312305907549&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7784568904470213074&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021716&hvtargid=pla-388859154174&psc=1. The kick drum is the main culprit for pissing neighbors off, and this can help. It definitely doesn't remove all of the energy transfer, but they can definitely make it more manageable in an apartment setting. keep in mind that every apartment is different so it's going to be a trial and error pursuit to finding a solution to noise traveling, but this is a good start.

thanks for the recommendation. wouldn't a large diaphragm mic pick up a lot of ambient reflections? i record in a big room with pretty bare walls. treating it is just way too expensive, even hanging up cheap thrift store rugs.

i've been borrowing an MXL 990, a sub $100 large diaphragm condenser, which sounds great but picks up so much resonance. if i layer several guitar/vocal tracks with it, everything sounds far away and cheap due to all the reflections.

i was thinking about getting one of these mic shields with the large diaphragm mic and literally standing my mattress up directly behind me to catch some of the reflections. i don't really have a lot of ideas left

Acoustic panels help a lot, not only by muting sound but also avoiding echo of soundwaves bouncing around. Do your research on how to mount them because this are literally just foam panels with no mounting equiptment.

You don't have to cover a wall, the more you get the more effective it is but feel free to test out maybe buying a few first.

I'm thinking of possibly getting a couple blue sparks as overheads because I get a discount on them. Are there better overhead options for around $120?

What would you say the main differences are between the fiberglass absorbers and some typical acoustic foam padding like this?

> mybecca on amazon and approx 400 tiles

Which pack did you order for that many tiles? I can't find any bulk options and if I counted properly I need about 250

This seems to be the best deal at $1.25/tile

Yeah I excitedly keep waiting for that tracking number email every time I get a notification on my phone. Also I've been doing a decent bit of research and reading around. Realized my shelves might be somewhat high once the speakers are placed on them.

• http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-Acoustic-Isolation-Charcoal/dp/B0002D0B4K
  
  Was eyeing something like this to angle the speakers down to actual ear level.
  
  Depending on where I put the sub, actual stands may fight for space (front right of seating position, in a corner).
  
  Also when considering ML bookshelf speakers is there any difference at all except the shape of the enclosure between motion 15's and lx16's?

I'm using an old NZXT Source 210 and modded the side panel and rear with some Silverstone Sound Dampening material/foam. You can cut it to the shape you need, and it has an adhesive on the back that stuck pretty well to my case. Overall, it definitely helped dampen the high frequency noise coming from my case. You might be able to find cheaper alternatives though. The foam is a bit thin, about 1/4" or so, but it made a noticeable difference.

I could upload & post some pictures later today if you like.

Rails to fit Rosewill's cases are pretty much all a minimum of 22". Your only real option for "rails" is to put in static shelves such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/NavePoint-Adjustable-Mount-Server-Shelves/dp/B0060RUVBA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539551858&sr=8-3&keywords=server+rails

I bought MLV from Amazon with free shipping. Used other materials from SDS and used his method. Bought TMS MLV. No issues with smell. It was easy enough to work with.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008JHE1P6?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

> https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-VRI-30-Portable-Absorbing-Recording/dp/B012OFI98I/

Just an FYI, you can trim all that stuff off the end of a url. And maybe learn to do that link thing. The text goes in [brackets](followed by the url goes here).

I think those devices look very useful, I just do not want to spend $100. on one this week.

> Rode Lavalier

Thanks a lot for this professional explanations.

How about this shield to 'treat the room':
https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-VRI-30-Portable-Absorbing-Recording/dp/B012OFI98I/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1511645293&sr=1-2&keywords=acoustic+shield

No, those are for the bottom the the stands. Reducing contact with the floor will reduce vibration transfer. Honestly look at some of these as well. The idea is to reduce vibration coupling. Both will help.

We have threads for this every monday and thursday.

But to answer your question, if you're trying to reduce noise, a better mic won't do much. Read the sidebar to learn about dynamic/condenser/ribbon mics; in a noisy environment, a dynamic mic will pick up the least noise. The e945 will sound a little better, but it won't reduce noise.

There's nothing wrong with your interface. How is it holding you back?

On a budget in an unmodifiable place, if it's just one person, these are handy for noise reduction.

I like the sound dampening, going to add it. It's not too pricey either :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XXDHPEU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Been using this for the past few weeks for a Dell R715. Works great.

to quote:

> hold it up to your mouth to cut your sound by up to 30 decibels, that's like everyone around you wearing earplugs

USD$49.99 amazon link

USD$49.99+shipping the direct purchase link from their website for international(aka outside of the US)^^^^^(likeme)

edit: another video to see more examples of it in action :)

MLV: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008JHE1P6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CCF: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00URV8MFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CLD: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BKKZ1AM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've used various CLD's in the past (you can see some Dynamat Extreme on my front door). I figured the Noico would work well and it seems to have done well so far.

I did see a review on Amazon about the CCF glue delaminating when applied directly to the MLV, so I elected to use it on the door panel directly to keep the glue away from the MLV.

some sort of electronics sound dampening foam like this should be good.

Ok thanks! I may give these a shot and see what happens. since they are cheap and I'll have a few to put up

https://www.amazon.com/12-Pack-Acoustic-Panels-Studio/dp/B00TP7C9YY/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1496850506&sr=1-4&keywords=acoustic%2Bpanels&th=1

And no problem man, the last thing I would recommend is getting some isolation padding to put under the monitors. That way when you’re blasting whatever you jam to the speakers aren’t vibrating on the desk or whatever they’re on.

Happy to help! :)

Edit:

Something like this: RightChoice XL-Pro Studio Monitor Acoustic Isolation Pads, 6" x 9", 2 Pack | High Density Premium Foam Fits Most Speaker Sizes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KNWTPRI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JpM-BbTFF0HPN

Check these out! They're really good for speakers sitting straight on the desk

I got this for Xmas, I can’t say there is a huge improvement but I do like it, have my center on both of them angled about 4 deg upwards. Supposed to reduce vibration too which it is on a cheap ikea table. There is also an addition wedge to increase the incline to 8 deg.... (also options for 0 -4 and -8deg declines)

Auralex Acoustics Studio Monitor Isolation Pads (MOPAD

Speakers are M-Audio BX5a (except these are the 2nd gen) and the stands are Auralex MOPADs

As far as the computer case being a dust magnet, it only attracts dust in the front of the case where the filters for my fans are located. However, there is high airflow within the case which helps with cooling and performance.