DIY Isolation box tips?

  • Anyone have any tips or ideas for building an isolation box for a 212 cab? I have made a bunch of direct profiles before using a two notes captor but none of them made me say "Wow, that's my amp!". I want to try to profile my whole rig this time and I really want to be able to turn it up to where I normally use it when I record (two note into my DAW). I just want to isolate the cab an minimize the volume. I don't have to worry about neighbors only the wife and kid so it does not have to be completely silent.

  • in my info quest, to sound proof a basement studio, I’ve seen several builds on YouTube. I think a sealed box with 2 thicknesses of 5/8 drywall ( with green glue between) would work quite well

    Make sure all openings are sealed

    You could also just try shipping blankets

  • in my info quest, to sound proof a basement studio, I’ve seen several builds on YouTube. I think a sealed box with 2 thicknesses of 5/8 drywall ( with green glue between) would work quite well

    Make sure all openings are sealed

    You could also just try shipping blankets

    Since I have a finished basement that only a portion of is my studio I want to build just a box for recoding and profiling. Preferably something I can move or use for other purposes if we have company.

  • Hi, jfischer518,


    Here's a thought:


    If you get some great Profiles of your amp and cabinet, you don't need to use the cabinet for recording. The sound will have been captured in the Profiles.


    You only need the isolation "box" for the Profiling process (just while you hear the profiling sounds).


    If the above applies to you, then you don't need a robust solution. You might only need temporary isolation for several minutes.


    "I don't have to worry about neighbors only the wife and kid so it does not have to be completely silent,"

    Since you only need a few minutes, can you schedule around that?


    Perhaps shipping blankets or some other temporary solution would be sufficient.


    ST

  • Actually I much prefer using the real amp for recording if I own it. That allows me to make adjustments to the tone without having to re-profile. If I am using my Archon , for example, and I don't think the tone fits what I want I can just reach over and turn the presence knob or flip the bright switch. I would 100% use the profiler to record if I don't own the amp. Like ill never own an actual Dumble but my Les Paul and Strat sound soo good through those profiles.

    I don't think an isolation box is the answer to all of my tone quest issues but it would be one more nice tool to have.

  • If you put your 212 in a box and mic it, i bet that wont sound like your amp either.

    I'm certainly no expert but I can't imagine a good outcome by doing that.


    Your speakers would be suffocated so wouldn't that be reflected in the profile?


    Even if it did work, it seems like a lot of needless hassle.


    Just ask the fam to go shopping or something for a few hours, put in some earplugs and have at it.


    In my opinion, profiling isn't that bad at volume ...and it goes rather quickly.

  • It depends how permanent you want it to be.


    nothing beats mass and air.


    Ideally build two boxes from high density concrete bricks with an air gap between them. However, that probably isn’t a practical solution.


    therefore, I would build a solid sturdy box from 25mm ply. Making sure ALL joints are full sealed. It needs to air tight. Then build an inner box from two layers of drywall. Again, making sure to seal all joints. Place some Rockwool RWA45 or similar between the boxes. Mount a speaker socket on the outside of the box and seal around the mounting plate.

    You also want to lone the inside of the box with Rockwool to kill reflections.


    I you really want to go to town on it fir a silencer exhaust port.


    Take a look at some of the Rivera Silent Sister cabinet for design ideas.


    https://www.rivera.com/product/cabinets/silent-sister/