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Do-It-Yourself Microphone Isolation Panel

So I've been looking at these microphone isolation panels like the ones I see online and at Guitar Center. For the most part I've seen them vary in price from $50 - $150 depending on how fancy they are. I made mine for $1.50 (coat hangers from WalMart). I had an old Auralex panel already, you can see the drywall glue stuck on the back from its last use. All you need for tools are some wire cutters that can cut the hangers and any old pair of pliers to bend the hangers.

I first cut the panel down to 16" x 16", trim to whatever size you like. I cut the top hook section of the coat hangers off and bent them to what you see in the coat hanger image. I poked a small hole in the middle of the panel to allow the boom rod through the panel. I attached the two curved hooks to the panel and the straight hook to the top hook on the back of the panel and the screw that tightens the boom rod down. This hanger piece allows the foam panel to stay upright and not fall to one side or the other.

Primacoustic VoxGuard Microphone Isolation Panel:


Coat Hanger Pieces:


Back of Panel Hook:


Front View:





Steve

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Steve,

You are a "man to mine own heart". *grin*

So much can be done with the hands plus the gray matter in between the ears, rather than the "throw money at it" mentality, eh?

Years ago, my youngest daughter once stated from the back seat of the SUV, "Daddy is a cheapskate!" during one of those teenaged, "I've GOT to have this!" moments.

I, of course, thanked her for the compliment! grin


--Mac

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Thanks! I had the "Gotta have this" when I saw one at GC, but could couldn't justify the cost for a "piece of foam". smile It certainly doesn't look good but it serves its function for me just fine.




Steve

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About that, "doesn't look good" -- I just tell 'em, "This ain't TV" and keep on trackin'...



--Msc

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Steve,

Most excellent project you built. Great Ideas and follow thru.
Thanks for sharing with us.


FrankB

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FYI Steve,

Among the more savvy engineers and designers I've had the pleasure of working around, the proper terminology is to never say, "Coat Hanger".

"Kotanga"

That marvelous space age alloy that can be used for so many purposes.

You have never seen real MIG welding unless you've seen it done with a piece of Kotanga.


grin



--Mac

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Duly noted. Do-It-Yourself Kotanga Microphone Isolation Panel




Steve

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Its the preferred alloy of Americans...


Give me Duct Tape, WD-40 and Kotanga, I can fix anything, temporarily.



--Mac

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Originally Posted By: Mac
Among the more savvy engineers and designers I've had the pleasure of working around, the proper terminology is to never say, "Coat Hanger".

"Kotanga"

That marvelous space age alloy that can be used for so many purposes.

You have never seen real MIG welding unless you've seen it done with a piece of Kotanga.


grin



--Mac


@Mac : LOL! That's priceless! I like the way you think!

@steve: very clever idea, well worth sharing! It puts a good deal of functionality in the hands of the vast majority of recording musicians who ain't exactly rollin' in discretionary funds! Thanks for the idea.. rest assured it will be stolen.. um, I mean "implemented"

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No problem Pat. After I put it together I found that other people have made their own too. If you google "microphone isolation" you'll find other DIY projects on this.




Steve

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Originally Posted By: Mac
Its the preferred alloy of Americans...


Give me Duct Tape, WD-40 and Kotanga, I can fix anything, temporarily.

--Mac


As a retired toolmaker, I always have a good supply of shim stock. smile

Don S.

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This one little accessory can significantly improve recording quality, avoiding reflections that can induce comb filtering.

My 'booth' is shown on the 'studio pix' thread. All scavenged materials coupled with use of the available 'half booth' clothes closet.

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Oh yeah, you're the murphy bed guy. That closet is a cool set up. I still have to take photos of my studio to put on that thread.




Steve

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