Cabinet isolation boxes?

[Newc]

I know what they are and what they do, thanks

Anyone use one regularly? Ready-made or home-made? Pros and cons of each?

I know they're not intended to be 100% soundproof, but surely it's possible? At least 80%?

What about size ratios? Back when I first heard of the idea (in the Guitar World letters section) I believe the author suggested it should be about 2x the size of the cabinet, so for a 1x12 cab that was about 18x18 it'd be 36x36 for good air flow and cab resonance. Anyone stick to this? I've seen a small 4x12 in one that had about 4" clearance (if that much) all around, and it did sound fine to me.

[Nightbat]

Something I still plan on building

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFxH9sVe3Ls

[Newc]

Ok, definitely going to build one like that.

[Nightbat]

Ok, definitely going to build one like that.

Yeah I wouldn't mind some ready-made case, but $1k and up? Nah, I can fuck up 4 DIY projects for that amount of money

[Newc]

No shit

I'm putting together a shopping list now :P

I figure for a 2x12 cab, the foam should be 24" x 36", and if he's using 6mm laminate (roughly 1/4") and 1/2" plywood, the box dimensions should be rounded up to 40" x 40" (38"-39" actual, depending). I figure it's easier to get the wood cut to a round number. Probably find excess laminate floor panels locally for cheap, or on Ebay. Flooring shops might sell only in packaged bundles of room-sized quantities. Then again it's also a question of "why floor laminate? does it have some special property for the application such as a foam layer?".

Looks like Uline has the better deal on 24" x 36" x 4" panels. $122.80 for 4 panels vs $270 for 4 12" x 12" x 4" Auralex panels from MF. I'm sure there's the "brand name" argument, but I doubt it holds water.

I'm also looking at Uline's 64-pack of 6" x 6" x 2" foam panels. You could line the lid with a double-layer of 2" foam, so that'd take 24 panels per layer (4 across and 6 deep), and leave 16 for corner treatments and patching the floor of the box. Might also consider mounting the box on pedestal feet to eliminate floor noise.

So basically I'm up to $202 for the foam. For another ~$40 I could skip the 6x6 panels and get another 4-pack of the 2'x3' panels to do the lid and floor, and have 2 extra toward a 2nd box for my 4x12. Or, save that $40 towards plywood.

The plywood's going to be the kicker, though. Having to dig through sheets to find "the good stuff" that isn't bowed all to hell. Then again, a couple of 2x4s for internal bracing should pull them into place.

[Newc]

Then again, I wonder if you lined the box with these:

http://www.audimutesoundproofing.com/audimute-sound-reduction-curtain-noise-proof-your-band-room-soundproofing-existing-walls.aspx

If you double-layer them throughout the box, at 65% NRC for each one, you'd get a theoretical 130% reduction where they overlapped, and almost 200% reduction in the few areas where they triple-layered.

8'x4.5' sheet in a 3'x3'x2' box should only take 2 sheets. At $170 for a 2-pack, that's a better deal than the foam. As well, you'd get effective bottom coverage. Simply mount one to the lid and lay the other crossways in the bottom (tacked to the walls of it). Open the lid and fold the flap over the top to get to the mics and cabinet.
4 sheets would yield a theoretical 200%+ reduction.

Hmmmm. This deserves further contemplation.

[Nightbat]

Looks interesting, but for some reason, the better foams being fireproof, somehow gives me piece of mind if I would be driving a cab beyond it's limits

[Newc]

Hmm. Haven't tested my cab for excess heat, but is it possible? I guess it makes sense, what with it having a copper coil. Never really thought about it.

At any rate, I posed the question of noise reduction stacking to the company with the blankets, and they said it doesn't really stack that way, but it would stack slightly.

Still, you could cover the outside of the cab rather than double-layer the inside, and all for the cost of a complete foam treatment. Or do foam on the inside and blankets on the outside.

Gonna work on the wood first, then might end up trying both methods for a head-to-head comparison.

[Newc]

Ok, not happy with some of the reviews I'm seeing for 1/2" plywood (at least from Lowe's, my most-local place).

Other than hand-inspecting each sheet myself, I was considering solid panels rather than ply, although I know it'd be more expensive.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Should I just go with 1/4"? Those seem to be getting better reviews.


Working on a 3D model of the box now, with a 36x36x1/2" base/floor, and 2x2s at each corner to attach the panels to. May just build a frame of 2x2s.

Also thinking about making it so it can be broken down easily and stacked flat if the need arises. I figure hinge pins on the insides of the corners, or maybe some sort of end cap/receiver cup on the corner posts. It'll have to be sealed all the way around once it's together, so I'm thinking maybe some sort of lever-action latch that pulls it all tightly together. But then you get into the possibility of hardware rattle.

Meh. Maybe I need to stop over-thinking it before I talk myself out of it completely

[jspeed]

Sounds like you have a plan.

The isolation boxes I’ve seen all have the same problem of mic’s not being able to cancel all the frequencies bouncing around the box while recording. If I were designing one, it would have some major sound absorption in the mic compartment to kill off all the standing waves inside it. I’d use the same type of thinking that goes into control room acoustics.

I'd look into some rockwool, maybe 4" on the top, bottom & sides; while using 6" rockwool on the panel facing the speaker. Cover it all with burlap. Maybe give the speaker/mic throw area as much distance possible in design length.

Good luck.

edit: I'd also build the main structure in 1/2", build it once lol

[Newc]

Ok, I'm seeing two different definitions these days: one where you've got this big ass box you drop a speaker cabinet into (like in the video) and ready-mades that have a speaker inside the box - sort of a closed speaker cabinet (as in closed on all sides).

I'm also seeing what looks like single-layer 1/4" plywood being used for these ready-mades. I guess to make them lighter.


I'm definitely going for the "big ass box you drop a cabinet into", and will either use 1/2" or double-layer 1/4" if I can't find quality 1/2" (gaps and holes and shit).


I've got my 3D mockup almost done. 2"x2" boards for the frame (12 total - one in each corner and lateral ones at the top and bottom of each side), 1/2" panels for the walls, top, and bottom.
Still gotta look into feet to get it off the floor.

Made a quickie model of the 2x12 going in it to check the dimensions. Looks OK so far. Might have to make it longer to fit a pedestal/desktop mic stand and the rear deflector thingy that dude had in his.

[Newc]

Ok, more crazy ideas:

Since the box will be built around a frame, you could double-wall the whole thing (like a room) and fill the gaps with sound-deadening insulation (the especially-for-acoustic-dampening stuff, not the pink fiberglass cotton candy/candyfloss), then drape those acoustic blankets half inside and half outside the box (4' inside, 4' outside) on all sides, basically wrapping the box in them, including the completely-removable lid (since the hinges would get in the way), and build a 4" deep platform for the cabinet that was a box filled with sand, a lid with 6 holes in it and tennis balls in the holes and a deck on top of those (IIRC somebody here made a box like that for their e-drums to eliminate floor resonance).

You'd get pure cabinet and speaker tone.

Of course you'd also find out if you had a shitty-sounding cabinet

But you could also tailor the platform/box for resonance, or make a resonant box to put on top of the sandbox. Maybe make a rig in that box that has sympathetically-tuned strings so you get this weird harmonic shit happening, like leaning an open-tuned acoustic against a bass amp.

Fuck yeah, I'm fucking certifiably insane

[markD]

Are you in a situation where you really need something this elaborate or is it just a project to see what you can do?

Here is an option (you be aware of it) that seems like a lot less work - and it is cheaper than the Rivera Silent Sister....

http://www.jetcityamplification.com/#!jetstream-iso/c3zz

[Newc]

Because I'm Dr-fucking-Nukenstein.

It's not that I have some pressing need for it, but I do have 2 100w heads (Marshall and Fender) and a 150w Mesa TripleRec that I'd like to be able to use whenever I want and not hafta hear any shit from the haters. My rack gear has served me well for almost 20 years now, but I can't justify keeping these 3 heads and 2 cabs when they sit quietly 90% of the time. If I can rig up the ultimate soundproof box for what I have rather than throw money at something made with low-cost shipping and profit potential in mind, I see no reason not to try.

I can build it to my specifics, for as much money as it takes, try all the different ideas I have, and then find the most cost-effective path to the same end-results. If I end up revolutionizing the industry, great. If not, great. My ultimate goal is 100% silence from the cab while standing next to it. You'll have to open the lid to tell if it was putting out sound (assuming of course you're not in sight of someone playing and thus imagining you're hearing something just to be a noise-Nazi dick).

If the box works like I want, I'll probably look into making a drummer's box. Though the biggest problem there would be piping in fresh air so the goony bastard doesn't suffocate

Then there's a vocal box, and then the Ultimate Goal: Lemmy's bass rig. If I could get that fucker in a box that didn't make a peep, I'd be a God among Men

And besides, if I do it myself, I can put spikes all over the tolex

[markD]

that's cool. I was just curious you ultimate needs and goals. personally, I'd be all over the vocal box. I can see it now - the singer onstage with a wooden box over its head, nothing but in-key, pleasant vocal tones emitting from the PA - and a happy crowd that only praises the singer.


make it happen!!! i'll buy one!! I have 2 singers in my two different bands that have use of it.