Hi everyone,

I have a modest bedroom studio with way too many room reflections. I really don't want to apply any treatment to the walls for aesthetic reasons (it's my bedroom). I sometimes want to record vocals there (and acoust. guitar) and am trying to decide between the SE Reflexion Filter and the RealTraps Portable Vocal Booth (http://www.realtraps.com/p_pvb.htm).

Can you please tell me your thoughts on which one you'd recommend? The RealTraps PVB is larger (2'x4') and so would probably do a better job of containing the vocal sound and creating it's own little 'acoustically protected' space. And it works as a moveable gobo for amps, acoustic guitar, etc. However, I think the SE Reflexion Filter looks much more attractive. And I like the SE's smaller size because it's easier to read lyric sheets and I probably wouldn't feel so 'boxed in' or claustrophobic if I'm singing for an hour or two.

I have a heavy-duty mic stand, so weight and balanced aren't a problem. On the RealTraps website, they have a video demo comparing the two items (http://www.realtraps.com/videos.htm - about HALFWAY DOWN) - their test shows the SE Reflexion Filter with TERRIBLE comb filtering. It's so bad, it would be totally unuseable - for anyone, in any situation. I emailed them about this, because I've read that it's important to properly place the mic with the Reflexion Filter (usually at about the opening of the curve), finding the sweet spot so there's enough reduction of room noise but no comb filtering. I don't know whether they made any effort for this in their test; seems not. However - I know Paul White and thousands of others seem to be very happy with the Reflexion Filter and Paul recommends it for all those SOS Rescue projects. So it can't possibly have comb filtering always, or no one would use it.

One other consideration is that the SE model might be a pain to store away, since it's curved and doesn't fold up. The RealTraps PVB folds flat in half. It's only 1 1/4" thick, so folded in half is less than 3" thick and flat; easy to put away.

It seems like both units are probably made of decent sound absorption materials and are sturdy & well-made. However, the RealTraps appears very simple, and SE explains how tons of research went into theirs and it has a complex design with many layers. Both are $300 (although I can buy the SE unit at my local Guitar Center and return it with no shipping costs, whereas the RealTraps must be shipped from the company). Some people accuse the RealTraps design of potentially causing bass build-up because it's like singing into a corner, but RealTraps insists their unit is entirely absorptive and NOT reflective like a room corner with thick walls, so this isn't an issue.

PAUL OR HUGH? I'D REALLY LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS SINCE YOU GUYS RECOMMEND THE SE REFLEXION FILTER SO OFTEN, AND YOU ALSO PUBLISHED A REVIEW OF THE REAL TRAPS PVB IN 2007. Thanks very much everyone for any advice - I greatly appreciate it

Adam Margulies
West Bloomfield, Michigan
USA

I have no experience of either of those products. Just wanted to point out that the home-made panels can aesthetically look really , really good.... It's just down to the style and quality of the material used. In a bedroom, you could really go to town with the material costs and call it a makeover

My setup is a study, not a bedroom, but I share it with my wife - ugly panels were not an option . I got away with it with it.

I'll go away now and let the folks with experience of what you actually asked about help you.

I'm in the same boat, studio is my bedroom, I have got panels up and they look good.
Girlfriend is fine with it, though she may just be really nice?

I have the SE Relfexion filter Pro and 3 GIK 242 Panels.
These are moveable panels (hooked on to mic stands), so when I mix they get placed where they need to in the room (To fill in the holes the other panels miss).
When I record vocals I make a box around myself with these panels, with the Reflexion filter they give me a dead quiet good vocal with no weird reflections. (There are also some panels on the ceiling above where I sing, this helps too)(Using a Shure SM7B which seems to be extremely good at not picking up ambient noise)

I assume the realtraps moveable panel will give the same sort of results.

Neither of those devices will do what you need, and as we say so often in the Studio SOS articles, they are a useful addition, but are not adequate on their own.

The fundamental problem is that the microphone picks up sound mostly from in front and, to a slightly less sensitive degree, from the sides. Sounds that bounce of the walls behind the performer reach the microphone at its most sensitive point (the front) and those are the reflections that are the most omportant to remove. The only way to do that is with good broad-band absorption behind the performer and, ideally extending around the sides.

The cheapest and easiest way of achieving this rear absorption is to use thick polyester duvets suspended from cheap T-bar lighting stands or similar. Very cost effective, very compact when put away, non-destructive to the room furnishings, and orders of magnitude more effective in improving the recording room acoustics than any kind of reflexion filter or portable booth.

Once you have dealt with the very audible 'over-the-shoulder' reflections, you can then think about dealing with those bouncing back from the other end of the room and reacing the mic around it's much less sensitive rear half, and that's where these products come in.

The Reflexion filter performs remarkably well for its size -- which is the whole point. It's easy to achieve acoustic attenuation using soemthing the size of a door! Using RealTraps response plots, the Reflexion filter provides around 10dB attenuation at 2kHz while the much thicker and larger RealTraps panel only adds another 3dB to that! It isn't rocket science to realise that larger, thicker acoustic panels are going to be more effective than smaller thinner ones.

The Real Traps panels are good, and if you have the space they would be very effective. The sE Reflexion filter achieves a fairly similar acoustic performance in a much more compact size through the use of clever layering technology. You pays yer money and makes yer choice... as they say in some parts around here!

The comb-filtering thing is almost certainly down to poor placement of the measurement microphone, whether deliberately or accidentally. The Reflexion filter is curved and thus will tend to focus sound, resulting inevitably in comb filtering. However, this is easily avoided by appropriate mic placement which is discussed in the user manual. Essentially, the capsule has to be placed slightly forward of the front edges of the filter, and it's really not a problem in practice.

hugh

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

Thanks to all of you for the advice, and Hugh - thank you very much; I greatly appreciate your opinions and quick reply.

I should've mentioned - I definitely plan on hanging a duvet behind me when singing, as I've read your many suggestions for that and I see why it's important.

SO HUGH - if it you were and the price were the same, would you choose the RealTraps or the SE Reflexion Filter? I assume perhaps the RealTraps is more expensive in England because of shipping, maybe SE is easier to find at retailers; but for me they're both $300 (except the RealTraps will cost me shipping if I return it and the SE I can return in person at my local Guitar Center). I like the SE's looks and it's compact size, but since the RealTraps PVB folds in half it might be easier to store away. I totally see how a larger panel works better, but I'm wondering if it wouldn't feel very pleasant singing into that PVB for a few hours, whereas the SE might not be as claustrophobic.

I got a few replies from the guys at RealTraps, and they just won't answer the specific question of whether they diligently and honestly tried to move the mic around and find the ideal placement when they test the SE unit. From Hugh and Paul's writings, I'm sure the SE unit works great with some minimal effort to place the mic. Even though RealTraps seems to probably make great stuff, I feel their test was kind of disingenuous.

THANKS AGAIN TO HUGH AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR YOUR HELP BTW - Hugh and Paul - you guys really do publish the greatest magazine in the world for music, and probably the best music website as well. I LOVE the Classic Tracks articles and all your Mix Rescue and techniques articles. THANKS!

Edited by Adam M. (16/05/12 03:38 AM)

I'd save your money and try with just the duvet for now. If that doesn't work well enough try another duvet behind the mic.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

Hi James,

Thanks for the advice. Honestly though, I think my room has so much reflection and room sound that I'll really need something on both sides of the mic - both a duvet behind me while singing, and either a Reflexion Filter or RealTraps PVB. I think just a duvet behind me wouldn't be enough and my voice would still echo in the room a lot, getting into the mic from the sides.

Right now I can easily set up a duvet in sort of a 'V' shape behind me by draping it from the top of my dresser or bookcase. However, I don't have any easy way of hanging a second duvet in the middle of the room to go behind the mic. So I'd either need to set up a couple mic stands, or just get the Reflexion Filter or RealTraps PVB - which is why I probably want one of those two.

HUGH - IF YOU'RE STILL THERE, could you please tell me - if it were you and the price is the same, would you get the SE or the RealTraps PVB? I can see pros and cons with each, I just want your opinion about which one you'd personally choose. And THANKS AGAIN VERY MUCH

My choice would be the SE, if you'll be recording yourself then there would be no moving screens. Hanging a sheet of acoustic foam, duvet, or one acoustic screen behind you as well will give you a nice recording environment. Carpets, bed, curtains help to deaden the sound a little in the room, plus then you'll be able to get to your computer, mulitrack etc.

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'You know it's a bad role when Nic Cage passes on it.'

Quote Adam M.:

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However, I don't have any easy way of hanging a second duvet in the middle of the room to go behind the mic. So I'd either need to set up a couple mic stands, or just get the Reflexion Filter or RealTraps PVB - which is why I probably want one of those two.

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Well my feeling is that these devices are a bit of a rip off. A mic stand and duvet is around a fifth of the price and far more effective. Even better, you could make some free standing fold up panels for much less than the cost of a reflexion filter.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net