NEW SPEAKER IN THE HOUSE
Several weeks ago, we got a gift from The Misanthrope.
The gift was a Randall Isolation Box, which is a nifty contraption that allows you to crank up your guitar amp and not blast your neighbors, bandmates, or cat through the wall. Even better, it allows you to cut basic tracks at the same time as you do your drums without the amp bleeding all over the other mics.
Dave advised that the speaker was likely shot, and upon plugging a few different amps into the cab Jackson and I had to concur. There's definitely some kind of gnarly fuzz in there.
Well, today I went down to Guitar Center on 14th Street and picked up a nice new Celestion Vintage 30 to drop in. Rated at 60 watts, we'll have to be careful not to blow it out with the big Marshall (this may be what happened to the original speaker), but everything I've read says these speakers are sweet.
I'll do the install, perhaps tonight if I get a chance, and let y'all know the results.
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While here in the ATL, Jackson and I hit Guitar Center to pick new heads for my drum kit and discovered a pretty good deal running on heavy duty overhead mic stands, ones suitable for large heavy condensers. They have heavy wide bases on wheels, with ratcheted angle joint (no slipage), and heavy weight on the end of the boom, with a small goose neck at the tip. They're selling them for $69.99. I picked one up while we were there, and will pick up another on my next trip. I had my car on this visit and Theo had to ride back to the house with it between his legs. Looked like he was enjoying this a little too much if you asked me. Since you guys are now doing the condenser overhead thing, I thought you might want to jump on a set.
Oh yeah, they look cool too...
YEAH!!!
I hope it all works out.
How exactly does this isolation box work?
It's a very simple concept.
The speaker is in a heavy, sealed box that has an integrated mic stand (look at the picture on the Randall site). You plug the output of your amp into the speaker input on the side of the box rather than into a speaker cab (or the speaker in a combo amp).
Put a mic on the stand, plug it into the mic cable, and close the box.
There is a mic output on the side of the box, where you plug a cable that goes to your preamp, mixer, and eventually recorder.
Turn up your amp and play. The speaker is baffled by the box and you record the signal from the mic.
Ken, you were there when we were using it with Evan, GOD DAMMIT PAY ATTENTION!
Ah. I'm surprised that the mic could deal with that so close to the speaker.
Ted: It's hard to pay attention to anything else with someone bitching about this and that in the studio....
Especially when someone's bitching about losing an orange lighter. Geez...
So quit bitching (insert smarmy smirk, I'm just yanking your massive manly vegetarian chain) You were a bit out of it that night as I recall, anyhoo, the thing is great.
I'm not talking about you, Ted... ;-)
Actually, the mic is no closer to the speaker than it is in normal use.
SM57's are often put right up on the grill of guitar amps. They're also put inches away from snare drums. They can handle this no problem.
I broke the speaker when I tried to climb into the box with my guitar. I don't think I fully understood the concept of the isolation box at that time.
do they make isolation boxes for wifes?
funny!
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