Notes from the Field: Pat Sweeney's acoustics makeover

Pat Sweeney has worked very hard to create a home studio environment that provides the level of quality he needs to play a bigger game.  I'm really proud of the progress he's made since I met him on the VoiceLympics Cruise in 2009!  

Pat said:

Our session yesterday was probably the best investment I could have ever made. Applying a foam pad beneath the mic, adding the acoustical foam on the office dividers and cloud panels plus most importantly the stack you created me has really improved my sound and probably increase my bookings. Have a listen to the difference. The key difference between the two samples is that one did not have any auralex beneath the mic and the second sample did have some foam beneath the mic.

Here's the Before and After audio from Pat showing the importance of having absorption on the desk top surface when working seated at your desk.  Listen in headphones and you'll really hear the difference!   Yes, it's subtle, but that's the different between OK like everyone else, and GREAT!

Notes from the Field: Kevin Wyrauch's home studio

Kevin's studio is a very common setup for a home voice-over studio.  We're taking an office in the home and creating a "dead corner" where he can stand at the mic, without needing to acoustically treat the entire room. We've also dealt with exterior noise passing through the window by creating a "window plug".  This is a very heavy window plug made from drywall and Celotex, and I wouldn't recommend this for most DIY'ers out there. There are some other methods that are less difficult and easier to manage, if you only need a moderate amount of noise reduction, such as this technique described by Paul Strikwerda.  

The results are always amazing when you use the right materials in the right places!  For total simplicity, he's got the Harlan Hogan VO:1-a mic plugged into a MicPort Pro, a golden combo.  Round it out with a Macbook and Twisted Wave, and Kevin's able to bang out broadcast quality auditions at a moment's notice!  Acoustical panels were manufactured by ATSAcoustics.  More about Kevin's work here.