10 Best Portable Vocal Booths in 2021

There’s nothing worse than an otherwise good vocal track ruined by poor recording or background noise. That’s exactly why a portable vocal booth, also known as isolation shield, can make sense whether it be for your portable recording rig or home studio. They can be used on their own, or to supplement whatever treatment you may already have in your room.

So, what makes a good portable vocal booth, and which one deserves your hard-earned dollars? Below we’ll take a look at my top three picks, and finally a more in-depth list of the top ten, along with a summary and pros and cons of each. Let’s dive in.

TOP 10 BEST PORTABLE VOCAL BOOTHS

#1 –  Neewer NW-5 Foldable Adjustable Portable Vocal Recording Panel

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Perhaps an unknown brand to most, but Neewer has created a great portable vocal booth with their NW-5 model. It is constructed of aluminum and has five panels, of which the outer two fold up. This makes carrying it around a breeze. The NW-5 also comes with high-density foam to absorb sound, and detachable feet so that it can be used on a desktop. All in all, this is a sturdy, well-made product which steadily earns it great reviews on Amazon.

 

PROS

• Sturdy construction
• Highly portable
• Can be used on a mic stand or desktop

 

CONS

 

• Some bad reviews said this product was flimsy, though most users didn’t agree
  

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#2 –  Monoprice Microphone Isolation Shield

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For a rather modest price, the Monoprice Microphone Isolation Shield is an excellent, no-compromises option. It’s got high quality acoustic foam and a vented backplate, just like all the other high-end portable vocal booths out there. Amazon reviewers love the looks and functionality, where the unit gets mostly five-star reviews. Key features include foldable design and it includes a 3/8” to 5/8” thread adapter.

 

PROS

• Users praise this unit for having great quality for the price

 

CONS

• This unit is heavy – a heavy duty mic stand is recommended
  

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#3 –  Aokeo Professional Studio Recording Microphone Isolation Shield

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Here’s a great budget option from Aokeo, which also has hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon. This unit is smaller and cheaper than the first two options, but just might fit your needs if you’re on a budget, or just looking for something simple.

PROS

• Inexpensive
• Helps eliminate interference

 

CONS

• Some users aren’t the biggest fans of the design
• Cheap build quality

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#4 –  Neewer NW-6 Microphone Isolation Shield

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Neewer’s NW-6 model is definitely high-quality, and sure looks sharp. Is it worth the money? Most buyers thought so. Although there were some complaints about build quality with some of the lesser reviews calling it “flimsy,” most people found the NW-6 to be exactly what they were looking for.

PROS

• Does a good job of minimizing noise and reflections

 

CONS

• Not the most sturdy, as some reviews point out
• Doesn’t fold flat for transportation

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#5 –  Auray ISO-ARMOR-2 Microphone Isolation Chamber

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This thing might look a little odd, and it’s priced on the high end, but it screams quality and will deliver among the best results of any on this page. You’ll get a dry, direct sound with no further soundproofing needed in your room. Users love the quality all around and it’s been called a “game changer” by some.

PROS

• Very thick, fantastic build quality
• Works very well at reducing noise

CONS

• Can be tricky to mount

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#6 – Pyle Recording Shield Box-Microphone Foam Booth Cube

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The Pyle Recording Shield box is a well-designed portable sound booth with emphasis on portability. This thing is lightweight and easy to assemble, making It great for on-the-go settings. Users on Amazon love it, and it gets mostly 4-star reviews. Overall, the sound quality here may be a bit mediocre compared to some of the other units on this page. However, this is a great device if portability is your top concern. After all, it’s better than nothing.

PROS

• Highly portable
• Lightweight
• Inexpensive

 

CONS

• Doesn’t block reflections as well as others on this list

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#7 – Pyle Mini Portable Vocal Recording Booth

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This unit from Pyle is a step up in quality from pick #6. It features a folding diffusion shell with small holes designed to direct audio. You also get 2 inches thick of high performance acoustic foam to help reduce ambient noise and get a nice dry signal coming in. Most reviews are 5 stars, however some of the critical reviews say it doesn’t always stay in place.

PROS

• Folds up for portability
• High quality acoustic foam

 

CONS

• Some critical reviews indicate poor build quality

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#8 – TONOR Microphone Isolation Shield

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This is my choice for the best budget device. This is a budget item that happens to work very well and has the positive reviews to back it up. People love it for its sturdy build, how well it works, and the budget price. It’s also a very portable unit which is important for some recording situations.

PROS

• Folds up
• Provides good sound isolation for its small size
• Can be fixed to a table top or mic stand

CONS

• 1.7 inch thick foam is thinner than some of the other vocal booths on this list

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#9 – TroyStudio Portable Sound Recording Vocal Booth Box

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The TroyStudio Portable box is just that – a basic box with eggcrate foam. Although it doesn’t look super elegant, it definitely does the job. Oh, and the price is nice. If you’re not too picky, this one might be worth checking out.

PROS

• Large, but provides good sound isolation

 

CONS

• Negative reviews say it’s flimsy and might not be the highest build quality

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#10 – LyxPro VRI-30 Sound Absorbing and Vocal Recording Microphone Isolation Shield Pane

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For a modest price, the LyxPro VRI-30 is a solid option. It looks nice, folds up, and has great build quality. This is also a fairly big unit, which means it will provide a good amount of absorption and isolation. The VRI-30 gets mostly five-star reviews on Amazon, with most people pleased.

PROS

• Does what it’s supposed to do

CONS

• Big and Heavy – make sure you have a solid mic stand!

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What to Look for in a Portable Vocal Booth

There are quite a few choices when you look at them all. However, there are some key things to look for. Portability can make a big difference, so if that’s important to you, then look for a unit that folds up. Foam density is also a biggie, and the thicker, generally the better. I’d recommend one that has 2 inches of foam.

Do They Really Make a Difference?

So, do isolation shields work? If you do some research or read through any reviews for these items, you’ll see for sure that they absolutely make a difference, especially when used in otherwise untreated rooms. Portable vocal booths or isolation shields help to calm down early reflections, resulting in a more direct and dry signal with which you can add reverb and other effects later. Let’s face it – your bedroom or basement is likely not to have the best acoustics in the world.

Conclusion

Ultimately you just need to find something that will do the job you’re looking for. If you plan on keeping it put in your home studio, you may want a bigger shield. Likewise, if you’re looking to use it for your portable rig, you might want to prioritize one that’s more light weight and folds up.  Now that we’ve been through the list, hopefully you’ve found the best portable vocal booth for your rig.