sE Electronics is now shipping the Reflexion Filter, described as a portable vocal booth. According to the company, it allows you to record vocals, guitars and other instruments with a ‘drier’ sound without having to have an acoustically treated room.
The Reflexion Filter is basically a portable device for recording live sources with reduced room ambience. It is an advanced composite wall which is positioned behind any microphone by means of a variable position stand clamp assembly which ships with the product.
The main function is to help obtain a ‘dry’ vocal or instrument recording. This is especially useful in studios without proper acoustic treatment, but can also be used to help record takes in control rooms, where the performer also has to operate the recorder, or in rehearsal studios to reduce ambient noise.
Technical Details
The Reflexion Filter has 6 main layers. Firstly, a strong layer of punched Aluminium which allows sound waves to pass through it, diffused, to a layer of absorptive wool. The waves then hit a layer of Aluminium foil which helps dissipate energy and break up the lower frequency wave-forms, and from here they hit an air space kept open by rods passing through the various layers. The air gap acts as an acoustic barrier. The sound waves then pass to a further layer of wool and then through an outer, punched, Aluminium wall which further serve to absorb then diffuse the remaining acoustic energy.
The main absorber has formed pieces of polyester fibreboard (patented) attached to it via the extended separation rods, which further serve to absorb and then diffuse sound waves as they pass to the main filter.
The stand assembly comprises a horizontal bar onto which both the Reflexion Filter, and any standard fitting shock mount can be fixed. Both the microphone (in its shock mount) and the Reflexion Filter can then be moved both vertically and horizontally along the bar to obtain the optimum working position.
How it Works
The various layers both absorb and diffuse the sound waves hitting them, so progressively less of the original source acoustic energy passes through each layer. This reduces the amount of energy hitting un-treated walls and other surfaces so there is less of the original source reflected back as unwanted room ambience to the mic. The Reflexion Filter also helps prevent any reflected sound reaching the back and sides of the mic. Its shape and size have been carefully tested to maximize absorption while keeping ‘coloration’ down to only around 1dB, and leaving the microphone’s polar pattern unaffected.
The Reflexion Filter retails at £229 inc. vat
