Overview
A proper recording booth controls two things: external noise getting in and room reflections smearing your signal. You don't need a purpose-built soundproofed room — there are three practical budget approaches depending on your space, and each one can produce broadcast-quality results.
What You Need
- Budget: £50–£300 depending on the approach
- Acoustic foam or rockwool panels, heavy fabric, or a reflection filter
- Mic stand, gaffer tape, Command strips or wall anchors
- A wardrobe, walk-in closet, or 1.5m² corner of a quiet room
Steps
Understand what a booth needs to do
There are two separate problems: soundproofing (mass stops external noise from entering) and acoustic treatment (absorption stops internal reflections). Budget booths can't do true soundproofing — mass requires mass. Focus on acoustic treatment: absorbing as much reflection as possible so the room sounds dead, not live. Quiet + dead = professional VO.
Option A: The wardrobe conversion (£20–£50)
An IKEA PAX wardrobe full of hanging clothes is one of the most effective budget vocal booths available. Add a strip of acoustic foam on the back wall and ceiling. Record inside with the door slightly open (fully closed creates a small boxy resonance). Total cost: £20 if you already own the wardrobe. This approach is used by professional VO artists with decades of experience.
Option B: The reflection filter + treated corner (£80–£150)
A curved reflection filter (Kaotica Eyeball, SE Electronics Reflexion Filter) mounts on the mic stand and wraps around the back of the capsule, absorbing reflections before they hit the mic. Pair with acoustic foam panels on the two walls behind you and a thick rug. Best for: small rooms with moderate traffic noise.
Option C: Acoustic panel build (£100–£300)
Build or buy 50–100mm thick rockwool panels in wooden frames, covered in acoustic fabric. Place four panels around your recording position — behind you, in front (above monitor level), and both sides at first reflection points. Rockwool at 60–100kg/m³ is significantly more effective than foam at low-mid frequencies where voice body lives.
Test your booth with a clap test
Stand in your treated space and clap sharply once. Listen for the decay: a good VO space should have no audible reverb tail. If you hear even a brief flutter echo or room ring, there's a hard surface pair causing reflection. Find it by moving around and clapping — the echo gets louder near the problem surface. Cover it.
Pro Tips
- Bass frequencies require thick mass to absorb — foam tiles don't stop room modes. If your recordings sound boomy, you need thick rockwool panels in room corners.
- A duvet hung over a shower curtain rail behind your mic creates a temporary free booth for travel or rental spaces.
- Use our Reverb Room Estimator to calculate how much panel coverage your room needs for a target RT60.