I’m pretty sure I know the answer already and I can foresee the other comments incoming already. (Eg; “Why are you recording in the living room in the first place? 🤪)

But here we go. My partner is recording audio occasionally while on the couch in the living room; while I work from home in an adjacent office. They are using a Blue Yeti on a cheapo $40 mic arm, bolted to a side table next to the couch.

Since we have hardwood floors in an ancient house, there’s some creaking being picked up in the recordings. Which is probably me adjusting my weight in my chair in the other room every now and then.

Question is, do we:

  1. Get a shock mount?
  2. Put carpet (or something) under the side table?
  3. Switch the mic stand to a sits on the desktop weighted one we also have and also put a pad o’ fabric or foam under that?
  4. All of the above?
  5. Additional crap?

Alright. Give us hell folks! Hehe.

  • ThePJNOPEnglish
    2·
    5 days ago

    More padding would definitely help but yeah from what we’re hearing it’s the sound transferring through the boards in one room, along the boards into the living room and then the table itself. The floor in the 120 year old house is… Let’s use the word “malleable”. Oh and it also has minimal insulation underneath! And under that? Unfinished concrete basement! Hell yeah!

    Will look into hanging or tossing stray comforters/towels around though. Thx!

    • haverholm@kbin.earth
      2·
      5 days ago

      Oh, I didn’t account for an old house carrying sound so transparently. Well, if it is a matter of isolating the microphone and stand from those structural vibrations, I’m with the commenter suggesting sorbothane feet under the table legs.

      Sorbothane is also used by HiFi enthusiasts to cheaply isolate turntables, speakers, and other equipment susceptible to (or emitting) vibrations. If you want to get fancy, look for vibration dampening of absorbant feet for stereo equipment. But like everything else marketed at audiophiles, they get pricey fast 🤑

      • ThePJNOPEnglish
        2·
        5 days ago

        No worries. There’s a ton of variables, I forgot to mention that one in better detail.

        We’ll look into feets and other stuffs. Might as well just to see what’s out there at least.

        But yeah ultimately one of use is probably just going to have to switch rooms. 😋

        Thanks for the tips!