With permission I received the following email today and am reprinting it, showing my response.

Hi Bobbin,

My name is Shelley Baldiga and I’m a fellow voice actor who loves to read the updates on your blog! I’ve read through the construction of your sound booth and am very intrigued! Thank you for showing us the process step-by-step. I’ve seen similar articles about the Dawbox, and based on the good reviews, just ordered the plans to construct one for myself. But before diving into construction, I wanted to get in touch with you to ask how you still like the booth today.

Has it met your needs? Does it block out unwanted sound well?

The reason I ask is, after receiving the plans and watching the DVD, I’m a bit worried about how I would answer those questions after my booth is complete. The plans themselves are vague in areas and have several inconsistencies between the DVD and written instructions. Also, it’s hard to imagine that plywood walls and an inexpensive door from home depot (plus a layer of foam and carpet) can keep unwanted sound from getting into the mic.

I would sincerely appreciate your input. You seemed happy with the results at the end of construction. Are you still? Do you have any feedback or advice you could offer now that you’ve had a chance to break it in? And would you go the same route today or purchase a pre-built unit like Whisper Room?

Thanks so much in advance for your time!

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Hi Shelly,

Thanks for contacting me. Yes. I love my booth. It could be a bit larger (mine’s 4’x4’ x 7’) but I’m completely fine with it. I really can’t imagine working differently unless I spent tons of $$$$$ and remodeling an entire room or getting a whisper room, which could cost four-times as much. My made-from-scratch booth serves my needs, completely. And the sound floor is perfect for ISDN voiceover work, and all high quality audio output, provided you have the best microphone and audio processing interface you can afford.

You’re right, the DAWBOOTH plans ARE vague in some places. I’m glad my husband is kind of handy and figured out some things himself. There were even some parts omitted from our initial parts list. My best suggestion to you is to stay on Justin at Dawbox and get what you need from him. We did. He eventually responded.

About sound-proofing. Plan to locate your in the quietest area of the home. The booth will not block out all sound. (Unless you’re in a fallout shelter underground or in a basement.) No double-doors like a  recording studio  or at the stations. What you’re basically making is a space with ambient noise REDUCTION and the absence of sound reflection. I guarantee you’ll (and your recorded output) will be better off than doing nothing. However,  I have heard excellent results from those who have their studio inside a carpeted closet filled with either clothing, or with strategically placed moving blankets.  My booth is in a dedicated home office space, so I can have clients here, too.

While my booth doesn’t block out all sound, it does a fabulous job of keeping much aberrant noise down. Most sound booths don’t eliminate all sound. No, mine won’t stop the noise helicopters or planes while flying over my home, which occurs all the time… or Harley’s bombing down my street, but it works well, very well for me.

Don’t skimp on the foam. It’s by far the most expensive component, but well worth the investment, in my humble opinion.

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