Matt Wallace

Interviews

Caught in a Mosh with Alex Perialas

Interviews

Kevin Army

Interviews

Then and Now

Interviews

SassyBlack

Interviews

Enrique Tena Padilla

Interviews

MORE FROM THIS ISSUE

JULY 10, 2025 INTERVIEWS
Eric Bachmann

Eric Bachmann: Can't be Faked (Bonus)

Eric Bachmann started recording in the late '80s and early '90s with the indie heroes, Archers of Loaf. The group had a unique sound that is still heavily cited today. However it was far from a clean or heavily "produced" feel, which is why listening to his latest LP, Eric Bachmann, on Merge Records might shock fans of his early material. A lush, intimate record (and on many critic's Top Ten lists by year's end) that was written on piano, Bachmann delivered nine songs that are undoubtedly at the top of his craft, echoing influences like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, as well as utilizing female backing vocals that recall a vintage R&B vibe. I chatted with Eric while he was in Athens, Georgia, working on a self-produced follow-up album. For those of us who have been lifelong fans throughout his various projects (Archers of Loaf, Barry Black, Crooked Fingers, and solo), Eric remains an anchor. Despite going through the wringer of the music industry, he remains unjaded and is a constant fan of music. As The National's Matt Berninger put it, in his wonderful liner notes for Merge's LP release of Crooked Fingers' Bring on the Snakes, Eric "understands how seriously people take rock music."

COLUMNS

Tough Love
END RANT
Gear Geeking w/ Andy
GEAR GEEKING

GEAR REVIEWS

Gear Reviews

12-251 Mic Kit & VPS1 Power Supply Kit

by 12-251 Mic Kit & VPS1 Power Supply Kit  |  reviewed by Don Gunn

Micparts is a DIY microphone mod/build company started by Matthew McGlynn, of the wonderful microphone resource website recordinghacks.com and Roswell Pro Audio. Matt started Micparts a few years ago to offer upgrades for "donor mics" (generally less expensive Chinese mics, like the MXL 990) that...

Gear Reviews

17455 Mini Drop Boom

by 17455 Mini Drop Boom  |  reviewed by Scott Evans

Andy reviewed the Ultimate MC-125, a tall boom stand, in Tape Op #91. He was right - they're great stands. Sharkbite Studios in Oakland has six or eight different big mic stands, and the only one every engineer seems to like is the single Ultimate MC-125. Anyway, one of this stand's cool features...

Gear Reviews

500DT Dual Topology Preamp

by 500DT Dual Topology Preamp  |  reviewed by Dave Hidek

LaChapell's boutique tube preamps have earned a reputation for being some of the best around, so when they announced their ultra-affordable 500DT preamp earlier this year, my interest was piqued. The 583S 500 Series tube mic pre [mk2: Tape Op #104] received rave reviews, but the 500DT is nearly...

Gear Reviews

510 Transwarmer

by 510 Transwarmer  |  reviewed by Justin Mantooth

Digital processing has come a long way. Within the modern DAW there are a plethora of tools that replicate our favorite real world classic gear, yet many engineers still reach for actual analog equipment to achieve that special something. For me, when choosing an analog process over the convenience...

Gear Reviews

Arcade Loop Synthesizer Plug-In

by Arcade Loop Synthesizer Plug-In  |  reviewed by Will Severin

Arcade is a new cloud-based software instrument from Output that offers an ever-expanding subscription-based loop synthesizer, while also allowing you to use your own loops. The plug-in can be used with most DAWs (AU, VST, or AAX), and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.9 and up, or Windows 7 and up...

Gear Reviews

CM01 Video Camera / Digital Recorder adapter / MM01 360° Ball-Joint Mic Mount

by CM01 Video Camera / Digital Recorder adapter / MM01 360° Ball-Joint Mic Mount  |  reviewed by Billy Barnett, Larry Crane

I'm a big fan of the On Stage CM01 Video Camera / Digital Recorder Adapter, which allows me to use a mic stand as a camera "tripod" when I visit studios to do interviews, or to support a Zoom recorder for interviews or those oddball remote sessions. A 5/8-inch socket fits onto a typical mic stand,...

Gear Reviews

Documents 6 iPhone & iPad File Manager

by Documents 6 iPhone & iPad File Manager  |  reviewed by Scott Evans

I still give most mixes and masters a test listen in my car. Three hundred years ago I did this by burning CDs, but now I use my iPhone. Over time this has become much more of a pain in the ass. I posted mixes on a web server and for years listened to them directly in my phone's browser, but...

Gear Reviews

DrumBrute Impact Drum Machine

by DrumBrute Impact Drum Machine  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

A few years back, I found myself on the prowl for a true analog drum machine. I had not owned a capable, dedicated drum machine since my E-MU Systems Drumulator went belly-up some time ago (or arguably since I sold my last Akai MPC 2000). And outside of the odd Ace Tone Rhythm Ace or Korg MiniPops,...

Gear Reviews

Emperor 500 Series Limiter

by 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 sounded fantastic. When I sat down at home to mix, all I wanted to do was "big" things up a bit....

Gear Reviews

Hum Debugger / Hum Eliminator Pedal

by 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 their guitar, pedals, and amp. You pull all the unused pedals out of the chain, swapping wall warts...

Gear Reviews

Lightning to USB Camera Adapter

by Lightning to USB Camera Adapter  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

I recently got a new iPad and my CME Xkey mobile USB MIDI keyboard [Tape Op #115] wouldn't work properly with it. It would function perfectly for a few minutes, but would then give me a, "This accessory is not supported by this iPad" message, forcing me to have to unplug it and plug it back in. I...

Gear Reviews

Maschine MK3 Controller

by Maschine MK3 Controller  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

Can you teach an old dog new tricks? I have a medium aged dog, and he’s awful smart and seems eager to learn. In fact, I think because he’s always hungry, he’s hungry to learn new tricks. I don’t feel old but am a little shocked sometimes when I walk by a mirror! The truth is, if you want to stay...

Gear Reviews

Ocean Way Studios Plug-In

by Ocean Way Studios Plug-In  |  reviewed by Don Gunn

Universal Audio's Ocean Way Studios for their UAD platform is a room emulation; this is the most basic fact when trying to describe the plug-in. But this simple description does a huge disservice to what the plug-in can actually do. The boffins at Universal Audio had a genius idea to take...

Gear Reviews

OX Amp Top Box

by OX Amp Top Box  |  reviewed by Kevin Friedrichsen

My experience with Universal Audio's Ox Amp Top Box definitely cleared up any misconceptions or doubts I'd had about this device. More than just a reactive load box, power attenuator, and guitar recording system with emulations, the OX is much bigger than the sum of its parts. What UA means by...

Gear Reviews

Room Kit Package #2

by Room Kit Package #2  |  reviewed by Gus Berry

After two grueling months of learning how to pour concrete, run electrical wire, frame walls, and hang sheetrock, I have just finished transforming my detached garage into a mixing suite. The end result is a rectangular room (solely intended for mixing; not tracking), measuring 11-feet by 19-feet...

Gear Reviews

Seventeen Compressor

by 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 - such as the Micro Clock [#83] and various microphone preamps [#100] - for over a decade. The...

Gear Reviews

Special Edition 2x6 I/O Module

by Special Edition 2x6 I/O Module  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

The new Special Edition 2×6 I/O Module for Symphony I/O Mk II offers the highest quality AD/DA in the Symphony line. The module can be added to existing Symphony Mk II audio interfaces [Tape Op #118] or purchased pre-installed in a Mk II chassis. I won't rehash details on other Symphony products...

Gear Reviews

Synchronize! Pro X Software

by Synchronize! Pro X Software  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

Years ago I was wandering around London with several recording engineer/journalist types, when I made an offhand complaint about the interminable wait I was going through during hard drive backups at the end of every day's session. Zach McNees quickly asked me if I was using any backup software. I...

Gear Reviews

T5V & T7V Monitors

by T5V & T7V Monitors  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

Some of the best money spent on your studio is in your playback. Invest some of your hard-earned cash on a good monitoring setup, and your mixes and production choices will improve dramatically. ADAM Audio has been making high-quality reference monitors for many years, and although the company's...

Gear Reviews

Temblor T10 Subwoofer

by Temblor T10 Subwoofer  |  reviewed by Brandon Miller

I've run expensive professional studios, visited many friends' small home project studios, and at home I have what you might loosely call a studio. I've heard incredible music produced in home studios, and I've also heard (and personally produced) utter garbage in both. In my opinion, there's no...