Issue No. 65

Media

The Musician's Guide to Pro Tools

by John Keane  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

We reviewed the original version of this book in Tape Op #31, and back then I felt it really helped get me through my introduction to Pro Tools. Now, six years on, Digidesign keeps moving ahead with...

Media

Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music

by Phil Ramone w/ Charles L. Granata  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

Has Phil Ramone made some records? Yes he has-and classics at that. Just the cover alone shows CDs from Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan,...

Interfaces

Duet 2-ch FireWire audio interface

by Apogee  |  reviewed by Jeff Elbel

Apogee has designed Duet to fit the Apple world. At first glance, it's just a brushed-aluminum, paperback-sized case with a big knob on top. There's also a 1/4" headphone jack on the front, along with...

Mic Preamps

Elixir mic preamp

by Buzz Audio  |  reviewed by Chris Garges

About two years ago, I received a Buzz Audio MA-2.2 preamp to review for Tape Op (#57). After a while of using this preamp for the review, I fell in love with it, but by the time I had to return it, I...

Consoles/Summing

AT8681 UniMix mic combiner

by Audio-Technica  |  reviewed by Chris Garges

I am a sucker for recording through outboard preamps direct to a recording device. I'm also a sucker for using a lot of microphones on a sound source. Sometimes these two loves can cause problems in...

Signal Processors

Transducer

by SPL  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

I'm a sucker for innovative tools that allow for more efficient methods of working, especially when such tools afford you increased flexibility and therefore heighten creativity. My latest acquisition...

Consoles/Summing

402-VLZ3 & 802-VLZ3 compact mixers

by Mackie  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

From professional multi-room facilities to bedroom computer rigs, the compact utility mixer is ubiquitous. Whether it's being used for its mic preamps and zero-latency monitoring facilities in front...

Mic Preamps

992EG 2-ch tube preamp

by LaChappell Audio  |  reviewed by Craig Schumacher

Once you've tasted boutique audio, you're definitely spoiled. A good piece of hand-made gear is like a fine meal at a gourmet restaurant-not food from a formula-based chain restaurant. So, like great...

Consoles/Summing

M4 tube console

by TL Audio  |  reviewed by Roland St. John Perez

Despite staying somewhat under the radar as far as marketing and promotion in the US, the UK-based TL Audio seem to put considerable time, effort, and love into developing products that find many...

Tools

P-touch electronic labeling systems

by Brother  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

A few years ago, we splurged on a P-touch labeler for Jackpot!-a PT-1900/1910 for about $60. As anyone who freelances knows, labeling is important in the studio. Stumbling around in a barely-lit room...

EQs

ASC-V 500 equalizer

by Speck Electronics  |  reviewed by Chris Garges

For some time, Speck Electronics has maintained a reputation for making really excellent-sounding and flexible equalizers in what most consider to be a reasonable price range. I had an opportunity a...

Plug-Ins

RX Advanced restoration bundle

by iZotope  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

  For many years, the restoration software hierarchy was etched in stone. The top tier featured outstanding performance at a premium price (often costing thousands of dollars per application)....

Microphones

BK-5A vintage ribbon mic

by RCA  |  reviewed by Allen Farmelo

Ever since the studio where I do my tracking (Mavericks in NYC) acquired a pair of vintage RCA BK-5A ribbon mics, I've become a big fan and have found a ton of uses for them. It's difficult to track...

Mic Preamps

BG No. 2 mic preamp

by DAV Electronics  |  reviewed by Scott Craggs

Awhile back, I was looking to augment my meager mic preamp collection, as I found myself not having enough "good" preamps to track a band all at once. I had read a lot of praise for the DAV Broadhurst...

Accessories

Rack Writer dry-erase panels

by Rack Writer  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

For our studio, this was like one of those (smacks forehead) "why didn't someone think of this sooner" inventions. After all, our console has a built-in scribble strip for dry-erase or grease pencils....

Accessories

AT-02T Nomad & AT-CF94 tripods

by Dynatran  |  reviewed by

I recently learned that mic-clip thread adapters-typically called "Euro thread adapters"-fit onto standard camera tripods. This is good news if you are on a budget or have to travel with stands. An...

Acoustics

Dimension4 SpringTrap

by MSR Acoustics  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

The SpringTrap is described by its manufacturer as a "spring-loaded, triple cavity, ported Pistonic/Helmholtz bass absorber." It measures 46" high, with an 18" x 18" triangular footprint, and fits...

Plug-Ins

Liquid, Fluid, and Vapor plug-ins

by Audio Damage  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

I first ran across the excellent Audio Damage plug-in line via analogindustries.com, the blog of Chris Randall (ex-Sister Machine Gun frontman). Chris is one-half of the company with Adam Schabtach,...

Software, Virtual Instruments

Morphine soft synth

by Image Line  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

Here's a flexible additive software synthesizer from Image Line, the developers who made the nearly-ubiquitous FL Studio app. Morphine is a standalone application, VSTi, or Audio Unit plug-in for...

Interfaces, Signal Processors

Liquid Mix

by Focusrite  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

Liquid Mix is a FireWire hardware controller and processor that utilizes Sintefex's Dynamic Convolution technology to offer emulations of classic and vintage compressors and EQs. 40 compressors and 20...

Media

Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture

by Jac Holzman & Gavan Daws  |  reviewed by John Noll

In 1950, a nineteen-year-old college student with an interest in electronics met another student in his dorm who had a vast collection of folk records. Having not heard this kind of music before, Jac...

Instruments

Viceroy 1x12 guitar amplifier

by Carr Amplifiers  |  reviewed by Geoff Farina

If you read my glowing review of the Carr Mercury in Tape Op #39, you already know that in my humble opinion, Steve Carr builds some of the best guitar amps on the market. So I was not surprised that...