Chris Coady

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Pete Seeger

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MORE FROM THIS ISSUE

JULY 30, 2025 INTERVIEWS
Don Was

Don Was: Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt

BY LARRY CRANE

He started off playing bass in the clubs of Detroit. His group, Was (Not Was), rolled out some funky dance pop in the '80s. He's produced big records for the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, and The B-52s. But today he is in his office, high atop the famous Capitol Records tower in Hollywood, as President of the venerable jazz label, Blue Note Records. How did Don Was get here? How does he approach production? What makes him tick? I knew someday we would have this discussion, and everything that drives him does stem from a true love of music — just as I had always imagined.

COLUMNS

Beware of the "Winner Takes All" Phenomenon
END RANT
Tone Control Circuit Scavenger Hunt
GEAR GEEKING

GEAR REVIEWS

Gear Reviews

32cs channel strip

by 32cs channel strip  |  reviewed by Kirt Shearer

I remember the first time I saw a Harrison 3232 console when I was a young engineer visiting Southern California. At that point, I didn't have much experience on a large-format analog console. That was in the days before non- linear recording, so a lot was required of a console in terms of routing...

Gear Reviews

Apollo 16 Thunderbolt 2 audio interface

by Apollo 16 Thunderbolt 2 audio interface  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

The revised Universal Audio Apollo series of interfaces are selling so well that we had a hard time getting a review unit. We were impressed with the price and performance of the original Apollo interfaces [Tape Op #95, #99, #101] and wanted to see more. Two issues ago, Dana Gumbiner covered the...

Gear Reviews

ATH-M50x & ATH-M70x headphones

by ATH-M50x & ATH-M70x headphones  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

Everything I wrote about the sound of the original ATH-M50 headphone model [Tape Op #63] still rings true for its replacement, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Monitor closed-back headphone. Like its predecessor, the newer model has wonderful clarity. In the highs, there's a slight...

Gear Reviews

Audio Mastering: Essential Practices (book)

by Audio Mastering: Essential Practices (book)  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

When it comes to mastering, people often ask, "What goes on?" While many have a general idea, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the process. While I heartily recommend Bob Katz's Mastering Audio: The Art and Science [Tape Op #64], I feel that book better serves a more experienced reader....

Gear Reviews

BG-2 tube compressor

by BG-2 tube compressor  |  reviewed by Brad Allen Williams

When it comes to checking out new recording equipment, we all bring expectation biases. Some really want to believe that the latest truly is the greatest, while others are skeptical of the new and novel (particularly when it appears someone has tried to fix what isn't broken). Despite striving for...

Gear Reviews

Drum ring damper

by Drum ring damper  |  reviewed by Scott McChane

DrumClips came to me by way of a professional session drummer I'd worked with recently. During our session together, I walked into the live room with a roll of gaffer's tape — an all too familiar scene apparently. The drummer smiled knowingly and whipped out some strange, but ingenious, little...

Gear Reviews

EQ4M 6-band stereo EQ

by EQ4M 6-band stereo EQ  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

When F. Reid Shippen reviewed the 500-series Mäag EQ4 [Tape Op #88], he gave the six-band EQ high marks while pondering, "I also have to wonder if the EQ4 might not be a really cool mastering tool." Well, the guys at Mäag Audio have delivered, and here is a rackmount, stereo version of the EQ4 —...

Gear Reviews

MBNM 440 & MBNM 410 small-diaphragm condenser mics

by MBNM 440 & MBNM 410 small-diaphragm condenser mics  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

MBHO might not be a household name, but you've probably used their gear. Based in Germany, the company has had a hand in products for broadcast and studio for decades. Audio engineers will recognize MBHO's contributions to well-known gear from Telefunken, Audix, and Brauner. MBHO was founded by...

Gear Reviews

N-8 8-channel active DI

by N-8 8-channel active DI  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

Some gear in my studio falls more under the category of "problem solver" and less in the "glamorous" camp. The N-8 is a 1RU-height, rackmount, eight-channel version of the stereo Phoenix Audio Nice DI, and it is certainly a "solver." What was the problem? Every time synthesizers, samplers, drum...

Gear Reviews

Oxford Envolution plug-in

by Oxford Envolution plug-in  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi, Andy Hong, Scott McChane

Scott, John, and I have all become quick fans of Sonnox's latest plug-in, Oxford Envolution, so all three of us decided to contribute to this review. Sonnox publishes Native (AAX, AU, and VST) and HDX (AAX DSP) versions of Envolution, and the plug-in is also available for purchase for Universal...

Gear Reviews

R-122 MKII active ribbon mic

by R-122 MKII active ribbon mic  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

If there is one brand of ribbon mic you see in almost every well-stocked mic locker, it is Royer. Royer Labs introduced its first product, the R-121 passive ribbon mic [Tape Op #19], in 1998, and a year later, released the SF-12 stereo ribbon [#25]. In the years following, Royer grew its offering...

Gear Reviews

RNDI active transformer DI

by RNDI active transformer DI  |  reviewed by Dave Hidek

The RNDI is an active, transformer-equipped, direct interface. It not only provides the best-sounding DI signal I've ever heard, but it can also handle line-level signals, as well as the speaker-level output of guitar amps (more on this later). I was most interested in the RNDI as a direct box,...

Gear Reviews

Sparrow DAC

by Sparrow DAC  |  reviewed by Tom Fine

Black Lion Audio, based in Chicago, started out as a "hot-rodding shop," modifying equipment by other manufacturers to improve the sound quality. After gaining traction in the upgrade business, the company slowly built up a catalog of its own designs, including digital master clocks, mic preamps,...

Gear Reviews

Stretch 500-series dynamics processor

by Stretch 500-series dynamics processor  |  reviewed by Eli Crews

Standard Audio caught my attention around six years ago when I reviewed the amazing Level-Or [Tape Op #78]. With the Stretch, Standard again took the DNA of some hard-to- come-by vintage gear and built an extremely useful new processing unit out of it. This time, the inspiration was more of a class...

Gear Reviews

The Mod Squad handles for SM57 & SM58

by The Mod Squad handles for SM57 & SM58  |  reviewed by Dave Cerminara

I was first introduced to Crimson Audio Transformers through their useful Mogaine ribbon mic pre-preamp [Tape Op #110]. I later tried one of their modded SM57 mics while I was working back at Treelady Studios in Pittsburgh a few months ago and was really floored with the guitar sound it produced....

Gear Reviews

Tri-Trap corner & 244 FlexRange bass traps

by Tri-Trap corner & 244 FlexRange bass traps  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

I recently moved to a new location to have a dedicated mix space. I came across a spot that was so beautifully Seattle in its setting that I wanted to — no, had to — make it work. The room is out over the water on a dock, with boats coming and going, and views of the bridge and surrounding city...

Gear Reviews

Vari-Cap instrument cable

by Vari-Cap instrument cable  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

It's almost annoying. This is the second UnderToneAudio product I've had my hands (and ears) on, and the second to become immediately indispensable to my recording setup. However, to be honest, I didn't think I'd ever find myself in a position of wanting/needing/relying upon one of the more typical...

Gear Reviews

X1-R & V1 robotic mic mounts

by X1-R & V1 robotic mic mounts  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

A year ago, I stumbled across a Kickstarter campaign to build a robotic mic mount. I'd always wanted something like this, where I could remotely move a mic from the control room while actively listening to the changes in placement for the optimal tone. As there was an investor's 33% discount, I...