Isovox Mobile Vocal Booth V2

Ik heb de Isovox aangeschaft om op vakantie of onderweg te kunnen inspreken. Omdat het inspreken in de auto of in een fort gebouwd van kussens in een hotel wel iets aan comfort te wensen overlaten leek het mij een goed idee om een professionele oplossing hiervoor te gaan gebruiken.

De kwaliteit van de Isovox is prachtig: mooi afgewerkt, de uitstraling is luxe/professioneel. In elkaar zetten gaat erg makkelijk en is binnen een aantal minuten geregeld. Verder is het meegeleverde led-lampje lekker krachtig en simpel te bedienen.

Een nadeel is dat er weinig ruimte in de Isovox is om papieren of je tablet/telefoon neer te zetten. Het kan wel, maar dan moet je er wel met een schuin oog naar kijken.
Het grootste nadeel vindt ik dat het voor mij iets te wollig/boxy klinkt. Logisch als je in een kleine ruimte in een microfoon spreekt, maar ik had gehoopt dat dit mee zou vallen en er vanuit de maker over nagedacht was. Vooral voor de prijs waarvoor deze Isovox verkocht wordt. Nu schijnt dit met de nieuwste microfoon van Isovox goed opgelost te zijn, maar ik ben redelijk gehecht aan mijn eigen microfoons.
Ook met EQ nabewerking is er een hoop aan het geluid van de Isovox op te knappen, maar het was in mijn geval nu juist te bedoeling dat het makkelijk was om in te spreken zonder allerlei nabewerking.

Helaas voor mij dus geen 5 sterren. Ik heb mijn Isovox geretourneerd en ga naar een andere oplossing op zoek.

Yes it is very expensive thing in my opinion. So if I pay such a hight price what do I expect ? I expect it to do a descent volume reduction , so I could literally scream my lungs of without bothering my neighbors. I expect it to be comfortable . I expect it to be soundproof .

1 - It does up to 15db volume reduction , from my tests. My wife can still hear me screaming from the other room. Just for a comparison , covering yourself with a blanket does the same reduction :-/

2 - It sounds very dead inside as it should , but boxy as well . So it emphasises around 200Hz always. Not a big deal for me but still...

3 - It is quite comfortable and looking very good. Also have a feeling of a good quality product.

But since it does not reduces the volume up to 35 as advertised , I am afraid this product does not approve its high price .

I would definitely recommend ISOVOX 2 for up to 400 Euros . But it is just twice as expensive...

Bought this product in replacement to my old reflection filter - which is known to be one of the best solutions - hoping to reduce the captured room sound and get some isolation.

The booth solves the reflection issue beautifully. With a reflection panel, you still hear the reflections with your ears, hoping that reflection is not captured by the mic. Within this booth, its all dry, which is better in my opinion since its better to compensate with some reverb than hearing a badly treated room sound. On the other hand, the sound inside is boxy. It can be filtered out with some eq, however I prefer to track the sound right at the first place. Can live with that though.

I am a very loud singer. I recorded some room sound with and without the booth. The result was at around -15 dB. When I put someone else in the booth and listened at the next room however, I heard some substantial reduction in volume. I believe if you're a loud vocalist your neighbours will still be hearing you singing, but it wont be as loud as before.

Another point to mention is, it becomes really hot inside, so if your room is already hot, that may affect your comfort while singing.

Final thoughts; this is the best portable reflection solution i came up with so far. On the isolation side, it wont create miracles but unless you have the opportunity to properly treat and isolate a vocal recording space, this product is your best bet.

I really enjoy singing, i love to sing online too, especially with all the staying at home. On that platform people always ask me "are you singing in a box?" And then they ask me more info when i explain its purpose.

I live in a appartment building from the 1950's, the concrete makes sound travel further than you want it too. My neighbour below complained and the others knew i sang. That is a bit awkward and inhibited me a little bit. Especially if you want to do scales, that doesn't make you friends anywhere anyway.

Enter the Isovox: to start with the downside, its not ideal to do a 1 hour scale practicing session, because it will get a bit warm inside. However, if the alternative is angry neighbours it can be a real lifesaver.
Also, i record a song or two, and then open the flap for some air, and doing this i can stay in there for a long time withouth being bothered. I sooner get tired of standing up than of the box life itself.

The isovox adequately dampens sounds, i would say you are still quite audible but it take the edge off. Say that if you heard someone sing loud in the other room, now it would seem like a (loud) conversation. (maybe the worst 40% volume is gone)

But dont let me convince you, listen to my 80 year old neighbour lady below, she said my singing bothered her. Now, it doesnt anymore she told me. Now, in order to please her more i should probably need to buy a silent guitar as well and some carpet ("you drop stuff")...

About the Isovox itself: it is well built, quite beautiful (mine is white) for what it is, also on the inside. It is kind of massive but i like its looks enough that it does not bother me. My cats havent abused it yet, in 5 months, so that is a good sign as they destroy everything else.

Make sure you get a nice stand, the one included in my thomann package was so-so (millenium) as the twisting lever in the middle broke and now it is stuck at a certain height.