...nwood...

[G2:1879 class=g2image_float_left]This weekend I bought a Whisper Room model 4260 used off of Craigslist. A good time to make this purchase is when you are between girlfriends. Girlfriends will invariably tell you that sound isolation booths - especially Whisper Rooms - are ugly. And, well, you have to admit that they have a point.... So I'm patting myself on the back on the timing of score. Perfect size room, great price, the guy even delivered it to me! When the next unsuspecting girlfriend wanders buy, I'm thinking that I can argue that the room is a pre-existing condition. A good idea, in theory at least...

Some stuff I've learned about these booths after a couple days of ownership:

[G2:1882 class=g2image_float_right size=fullsize]The room can be assembled by one strong person. The hardest part is to get the walls to sit on top of the standard floor's groove. They constantly want to slide just outside where they are supposed to sit. With a liberal amount of cursing, hefting and risking lower back paralysis, it CAN be done. I did my best imitation of a Russian Olympian performing the dead lift: Grab the straps and, with a blood curdling yell, slowly straighten your knees. Now kick the bottom of the wall forward.

I bought an older model. The walls are held together by straps and plastic clips - the kind you find on backpacks and outdoor gear. These clips are barely strong enough to bear the load of the walls. My room came with three clips already broken and I broke a fourth during the assembly. The other problem with the clips is that you really can't pull the straps tight enough with them. I'm thinking of replacing some of the crucial ones with the metal ratchet that comes on cam straps.

The A/C is not quite enough for me. Air does get sucked through the room, but after 15 minutes of playing saxophone I need to open the door for a breather. I'm hoping that I can replace the fan with a stronger one.

Overall I am trilled with my new gear. I practiced saxophone (mezzo piano) until 10:15 p.m. and then picked up the flute for another 30 minutes. No word from the neighbors yet...