# What is an echo chamber used for in recording studios? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 5, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019 "2003-08-05T00:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![renigademaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@renigademaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/renigademaster)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019/1 "2003-08-05T00:43:18Z")
I am reading a great book called Temples of Sound. It is about famous recording studios across america. I have one question about it though, what are these echo chambers that they talk about and what are they used for? Are they like a modern day reverb device? Does anyone have a picture of them? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019/2 "2003-08-05T01:29:31Z")
I can’t find a picture, soorry. I’ve seen them, though. Yes, in’s the very analog reverb. You have a concrete room with a speaker and a mike. From the miximg board the studio could send the signal from the musician to the speaker and pick up the signal plus echo with the mike. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019/3 "2003-08-05T05:57:10Z")
A picture of the room would be pretty boring, as it’s just a room with a speaker and a mic. Along with the echo rooms, recording studios also put speakers on large metal plates to create a reverb effect. Later, a speaker on a slinky type spring. I love old tech recording gear, but I’m GLAD those days are over. I’ll take my rack mount reverbs any day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019/4 "2003-08-05T07:41:42Z")
Festival Records in Sydney which is a world class facility used the ladies toilet as the echo chamber for vocals in the 1950’s. But I don’t have a picture. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-echo-chamber-used-for-in-recording-studios/193019/5 "2003-08-05T08:00:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Q. What about the legendary Gold Star echo chambers? > > A. There were actually two echo chambers designed by David. (Two more were later built to more conventional standards) > After years of painstaking experimentation and research, Dave finally found the right combination of dimensions and materials. The chambers were built in an area of about 20 x 20’ and were complementary trapezoids 18 feet long. The > walls were thick, specially formulated cement plaster on heavy isolation forms. Entry into the chambers was through a series of 2" by 2" foot doors, (which were always kept under lock and key) and the opening was only about 20 inches wide and high! From [here](http://www.goldstarrecordingstudios.com/FAQ.htm). AFAIK, the chambers are still there, having survived the fire. I was watching E! one night and they took a camera down there; nothing really inhabitable.