The SonaRV
The SonaRV was built over 5 years as both a soundproof studio (while closed) and as a stage for performing on. This is a page to show what went into it and what was spent on its creation. Most of the labour was done at a highly discounted rate or donated and much of the gear was also bought from craigslist. I found records of spending about $36,000, but from quotes received, to get something similar rebuilt would cost $80,000-$120,000. It is a unique creation so it is a little hard to value, but I hope this helps to makes things more clear. Receipts, bank statements, tax statements, more photos and info is shown below in the spreadsheet and is all downloadable at the bottom of the page. Please contact me with any questions. Thanks, Paul Taylor - luckypaulsemail@gmail.com
The Start
The Original Dodge Sportsman was entirely gutted down to a Cab Chassis truck, the only thing kept was the original tin to go on the outside, but the studio itself was an all new and customized room created from scratch on top of the truck bed.
Frame Build
A new frame for the studio was designed and built by Chuck Overcash. The frame needed to hold a lot of weight for both sound proofing and a number of people standing on the stage when open.
Sound Proofing and Acoustics
The sound proofing was done to professional music studio spec as recommended by Randy Sieg at Super Soundproofing Co. It had an STC rating of around 50 for sound proofing. Acoustic panels and foam was also added for acoustic treatment with an NRC rating of about .7.
The entire studio wall, floor and ceiling was layered with
1- The original RV outside tin/extra aluminium.
2- 3M Thinsulate sound deadening insulation inbetween the frame and outside tin.
3- OSB board.
4- Greenglue Sound proofing compound
5- Green Eboard (cement board alternative)
6- Closed Cell foam
7- Mass Loaded Vinyl
8- Acoustic tiles
9- Acoustic Foam
10- 2 layers of fabric including an air gap.
Stage Construction
The stage was designed to easily hold 5 people. It also had custom built speaker holders. It opened up by remote with an electric winch.
Suspension
A lot of care was put into making sure the truck was safe to drive and could handle the weight. A sway bar, air shocks, high quality Bilstein shocks and custom leaf springs were added.
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