Issue No. 72

Microphones

SM27 & SM137 condenser mics

by Shure  |  reviewed by Mike Jasper

Shure's new SM27 replaces the KSM27 (the "Dixie Chicks mic"), but it isn't just a clone with a new color and new name. Nope, this charcoal grey microphone has a much better self-noise figure than the...

Mobile Apps, Tools

SPL Meter

by Studio Six Digital  |  reviewed by Allen Farmelo

The number of applications for the iPhone that could be useful for people doing recording is growing faster than any one of us can keep up with, but a recent find for me is the 99-cent SPL Meter from...

Accessories

GT 050Q external hard drive

by Glyph  |  reviewed by Steve Silverstein

I trusted Tekserve in New York when they recommended the Glyph GT 050Q. It definitely ranks among the best recommendations I've ever received (not just because I like the convenience of it taking an...

Mic Preamps

SC-1 mk500 mic preamp kit

by FiveFish Studios  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

FiveFish Studios is a Tennessee-based company that offers pre-packaged DIY audio kits. For this review, I'm covering the SC-1 mk500, a preamp designed to fit in 500-series racks and lunchboxes. The...

Recorders

SONAR V-Studio 700

by Cakewalk  |  reviewed by Alan Tubbs

V-Studio 700 is a complete and integrated digital recording system-just add computer-that's designed around SONAR 8 (Tape Op #69), Cakewalk's flagship DAW, which is included with the complete V-Studio...

Recorders, Software

Live 8

by Ableton  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

Less than twelve months from the last major upgrade to their sequencing, composition, and performance DAW (Tape Op #67), the folks at Ableton are at it again with Live 8. This latest version has a...

Microphones

P12 multi-pattern tube mic

by Peluso Microphones  |  reviewed by Henry Robinett

Over the past several months, I've been using a pair of Peluso P12 microphones. I can't say enough good things about them. They sound great no matter what the instrument. I love them as drum...

Microphones

G5790 modified SM57 mic

by Granelli Audio Labs  |  reviewed by Allen Farmelo

Here's a simple yet brilliant product-a Shure SM57 that's been modified with a right-angle bend between its head and body. The bend allows for far easier positioning, especially on drums. When you...

Microphones

e 609 dynamic mic

by Sennheiser  |  reviewed by Steve Silverstein

Mic'ing a snare drum is always a challenge, because it's hard to avoid bleed from the hi-hat. I've developed a preference for not very sensitive, super or hypercardioid dynamics, because they seem to...

Mic Preamps

VTP-100 tube preamp

by Edax Audio Labs  |  reviewed by Kirt Shearer

From an equipment point of view, we live in a wonderful time to make music. Although there is an ongoing "vintage gear" craze, we now also have an amazing array of choices in new equipment-really...

Microphones

MC416 multi-pattern condenser mic

by Nevaton  |  reviewed by Allen Farmelo

Nevaton is a Russian microphone manufacturer that formed in 1947 when an acoustic laboratory established itself at the Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Association (LOMO). In 1954, the laboratory...

Consoles/Summing

Redcloud 8810U8ERS Balanced Attenuator Pack

by Little Labs  |  reviewed by Eli Crews

We recently added a Pro Tools HD rig to our studio, and an unexpected hitch was that the pre-"VT" Lynx Aurora 16 interfaces we bought don't have trimming capabilities. Since we often track to tape and...

Direct Boxes

PDI 500 passive direct box

by Mooktronics  |  reviewed by Joel Hamilton

Sometimes a simple piece of gear can make your life so much easier. Think about a TT to TRS adapter-handy for patching in something that you will use once on a project or maybe once this whole year....

Plug-Ins

Meter plug-in

by Sonoris Audio  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

If you take away one engineering concept from this issue, I hope it's the following: serious recording engineers calibrate their monitor paths. Readers with tape machines paired with analog boards...

Consoles/Summing

Plan E mastering console w/ LCD arm

by Sterling Modular Systems  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

Sterling Modular founder Jim Maher believes that acoustics matter when choosing furniture for an audio working environment. Having used products from his competitors as well as from general office and...

Consoles/Summing

n12 digital mixer

by Yamaha  |  reviewed by J. Robert Lennon

For the past two years, I've been looking for the perfect home-studio mixer. I've been through three or four of them, each inadequate for various reasons, and sold them all. The mixer of my dreams has...