Elysia: Skulpter 500
reviewed by Adam Kagan
Elysia, just over a decade old at this point, boasts over a dozen hardware products and more than a half-dozen plug-ins in its catalog. Their flagship Alpha Compressor and its plug-in version are...
Gear Reviews
Dynamics
DIY Recording Equipment: OLA5 500 Series Compressor
reviewed by Scott Evans
I've followed DIYRE since reviewing their Colour 500 Series analog saturation platform kit [Tape Op #107], and they've been busy. They've released three or four new kits since 2015: a Colour mkII with...
Locomotive Audio: Weight Tank Compressor
reviewed by Kevin Friedrichsen
Variable-mu compressors are renowned for their soft, gooey compression. A few of the heavyweights that come to mind are the Fairchild 660, RCA BA6A, and Gates Sta-Level. All of these come with a hefty...
Drawmer: 1978 Compressor
reviewed by Justin Mantooth
I've been considering a new hardware compressor for my drum bus, and the Drawmer 1978 compressor has recently intrigued me. It's a stereo FET compression design with many extra creative features...
Sensaphonics: ER Series Musician Earplugs
reviewed by Jonathan Saxon
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders "musicians face nearly four times greater risk of developing hearing loss than the rest of the public." If you haven't...
Standard Audio: Level-Or MK2 Limiter
reviewed by Joseph Branciforte
Standard Audio, a California-based manufacturer specializing in 500 Series designs, has released an update of their much-loved Level-Or limiter/distortion processor. The original Level-Or [Tape Op...
Looptrotter: Emperor 500 Series Limiter
reviewed by Scott Evans
A few months ago, I was lucky enough to travel to Copenhagen to record an LP for the awesome band Town Portal. It was easily the best audio experience of my life, and, as a bonus, our basic tracks...
Electro-Harmonix: Hum Debugger / Hum Eliminator Pedal
reviewed by Larry Crane
You all know the scenario. You're in the studio, the guitarist is getting sounds, and even though they may have a great tone, as a recording engineer all you hear is the obnoxious buzzing hum from...
Black Lion Audio: Seventeen Compressor
reviewed by Kevin Friedrichsen
What!? Another Universal Audio 1176 clone? Well, not exactly. Black Lion Audio has been modifying entry-level gear [Tape Op #48], into top-notch studio grade equipment, while building outboard gear -...
Waves: Scheps Omni Channel Plug-In
reviewed by Scott McDowell
With the Scheps Omni Channel, Waves has delivered a next generation channel strip that plays to its unique strengths in the best way possible. Over the last few years I've really embraced channel...
NUGEN Audio: SigMod Plug-In
reviewed by Andy Hong
My new favorite plug-in, SigMod, is a routing toolbox with various "modules"– Mono, Trim, Phase, DC Offset, Mute/Solo, Switch, Tap, Delay, Mid/Side, Crossover, and Protect– that you can...
Decibullz: Professional Music Filters Ear Plugs
reviewed by Larry Crane
Hearing protection is incredibly important for everyone, but when you make your living producing and mixing you get totally paranoid about it. I've been on an endless quest for comfortable,...