Decoupling a guitar cabinet

[FloridaRolf]

I'm still not 100% happy with my amp in our rehearsal room, cause it's still a bit too boomy / muddy / fizzy in my ears.
I use a JCM 800 2203 KK and an Engl E212V (2xV30s) which is a very nice combination, I still remember how awesome it was when I played it in the local musicstore, but I think the room just fucks it up completely.
Because our drummer is some sort of a douchebag, he rather buys a 3000€ drumkit than spending a few bucks on acoustic treatment, so for now I have to accept the screaming and reflecting highs (btw it's his basement).
But enough of that uninteresting stuff

Because my cab hasn't got any casters (and i don't really wan't to screw something on it), it directly stands on the floor (carpet), so it may interact too much with the room and that may be the source of the boominess. True? And can I get rid of that unwanted boom and mud by decoupling my cab from the floor?
If yes, any effective solution?

 

[StefTD]

about the castors thing, you could buy some board with castors on it and put the cabinet on it.
you should find something at every diy market (at least in Germany ) so you don't have to screw up the cab.
room treatment will help alot in my experience, in our old rehearsal room we just had a few carpets
on the ground, a big sofa in one corner and 2 carpets on the wall, at the beginning we had to
rehears in the room without these things and it sounded like shit.

I know that is no real accoustic treatment and far away from all the professional things
everyone here does, but we were broke as fuck and it helped alot, reduced the hall alot and just sounded way better.

 

[FloridaRolf]

about the castors thing, you could buy some board with castors on it and put the cabinet on it.

omg, a shame that this didn't come into my mind, I think I'll drive to Hornbach today.

We already got a sofa, some carpets on the floor and stuff on the wall (no egg cartons), but it still sucks (must be the tiled floor)

 

[StefTD]

Haha, ich hab erst gar nicht gemerkt, dass du aus Deutschland bist...
Ja, Fliesen sind nicht umbedingt förderlich, wie groß ist denn der Raum?
Wir hatten einen alten Heizungskeller der komplett unverputzt war und haben dann auf dem Boden nen
superbilligen Teppichboden gelegt, der Raum hatte knapp 25qm und wir haben einfach 50qm Teppichboden
genommen und ihn doppelt aufeinandergelegt, die Drums hamben wir durch ein kleines Balkenkonstrukt
zumindest ein wenig entkoppelt, hat im großen und ganzen recht viel gebracht.

 

[Jind]

If this is just for your practice area, get an amp stand and use it for your cabinet to get it off the ground - Even a basic one will only run about $50.00 and support up to 150 lbs. You also get the added benefit of slight tilt back for better projection as well as decoupling it from the floor.

While I don't use a 4x12 cabinet, I do own a 2x12 combo and having it up on a stand help immensely with the sound in my crappy room.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Put it on some cinderblocks. I believe Mark (axeman720) decouples his cabs with em during recording. Kinda ghetto, but should do the trick.

-Joe

 

[aortizjr]

Get a moving dolly. Basically just a flat frame with carpet and castors. I found one locally for $12.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93888

I use them all the time for stuff. Get a ratcheting moving strap:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90984

Instant castors for racks, amps, etc. Also great for actually moving!

Boominess though is a problem mostly with the room. The bit of decoupling will help some, but not a whole lot. A lot of people say the Auralex Gramma helps

http://accessories.musiciansfriend....422033&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26028554

But I have never used them myself. I always figured I could build my own with some U joint isolators and plywood.

You can build some acoustic treatment for way cheap. Just buy some Mineral Wool or Rock wool and some frames and fabric. Look around online for info. Here in the US, a bundle of 6 2" is about $55, add fabric and wood, screws, etc. Say $100 total. Hang them from the cieling in the corners and on the walls. For a band of 4 that is $25 a piece and it will take one rehearsal. $25 is less than most bar tabs...even for broke asses!

Yeah so your drummer gets to "keep" them if the band breaks up or whatever... but to actually be able to hear WTF is going on, even for a month... $25 ain't shit. He/She is letting you use his space anyway... rent on rehearsal spaces sure ain't cheap.

 

[FloridaRolf]

Thanks for the advice guys, a lot of useful stuff. Tomorrow I'll give it a shot and see what I can get.

@Stef
Ich glaub so ca 20m², war mal ein kleiner Party-Raum soweit ich weiß, die blöde Bar ist immer noch drin. Mag zwar auf den ersten Blick geil sein, aber nicht wirklich förderlich für gute akustische Verhältnisse sowas.
Unser Drummer hat auch ein Podest, und unser Bassist hat immerhin Rollen unter der Box. Bass mäßig ist es zwar nicht optimal aber ganz ok, Teppich ist zwar größtenteils überall (sogar ein schöner grauer billig-Flokati ), aber bei den Fliesen ist wohl noch eine Menge mehr gefragt. An 50% der Wände ist auch noch schwarzer Noppen-Schaumstoff, aber ich glaub der ist auch nicht das wahre.

 

[vespiz]

Anyone tried those Auralex Grammas?

 

[TheDriller]

Put it on some cinderblocks. I believe Mark (axeman720) decouples his cabs with em during recording. Kinda ghetto, but should do the trick.

-Joe

If your gonna use cinderblocks, wrap them in Fabric,
makes them cleaner and easier to handle.

even just get a few cheap bath-towels (one for each block),
wrap them over and staple shut.

Ta-da, a block that doesn't tear up your hands or leave shitty dust everywhere.

 

[yarrick19]

Anyone tried those Auralex Grammas?

I have one i use with my cab. It definately helps, but it doesn't totally decouple the cab from the floor (ie. the floor still rumbles when the amp is turned up).