Ryan Ulyate

Interviews

Ryan Ulyate

By Larry Crane and Aya Muto

Years ago, I started seeing an engineer's name associated with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers on a number of releases. Working on Tom's Runnin' Down a Dream documentary, The Live Anthology box set, the Mudcrutch side project, as well as The Heartbreakers' fantastic last two...

Read More →
Mike Elizondo

Interviews

Mike Elizondo: Creating an Atmosphere

By Larry Crane

From session bassist, to songwriter, to producer, Mike Elizondo has had an interesting musical path. For 11 years he co-wrote with Dr. Dre, making hits for 50 Cent, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige. His production career has encompassed Fiona Apple, Avenged Sevenfold, Switchfoot, twenty øne piløts, Rilo...

Read More →
Andy Sneap

Interviews

Andy Sneap: The More Things Change…

By Gina Shots), Gina G. (Feature) + Margaret Lord (Live Shots), Avinash Mittur

If you've listened to metal records produced in the last two decades, you've surely heard the work of Andy Sneap. Killswitch Engage, Megadeth, Carcass, and Judas Priest are only a few of the artists whose works have been given his treatment: tight, snarling mixes where the bands&apos...

Read More →
Mad Professor

Interviews

Mad Professor: The Sound of the Studio

By Geoff Stanfield, Ariwa LTD
My introduction to Mad Professor was via an album called No Protection, his dub remix of...
Read More →
John Leventhal

Interviews

John Leventhal: Let the Process Unfold

By Rosanne Cash, Gus Berry
John Leventhal's record production skills first caught my ear when I was a young kid...
Read More →
Zac Farro

Interviews

Zac Farro: The Fine Line of Inspiration and Knowledge

By Geoff Stanfield
Paramore drummer Zac Farro was playing on the world's stages at an age when most of...
Read More →

MORE FROM THIS ISSUE

FEBRUARY 26, 2026 INTERVIEWS
John Cuniberti

John Cuniberti: OneMic Recording Sessions

BY CHRIS CUNIBERTI, LARRY CRANE

In Tape Op #55 we had a wonderful chat with John Cuniberti, where we discussed everything from his ReAmp product to recording the Dead Kennedys and Joe Satriani. In this interview we asked him about his OneMic series, where, for several years, he's recorded artists performing two songs live in a room, captured via one AEA R88 stereo ribbon microphone. These recordings are also shot for video and are stunningly beautiful. We were curious about the process, so I got John into Jackpot! Recording a few years back for an interview, while he was at The Hallowed Halls studio nearby tracking some OneMic sessions.

FEBRUARY 26, 2026 INTERVIEWS
Julie McLarnon

Julie McLarnon: A Truly Analogue Cat

BY JUNO SHANLEY, LARRY CRANE

In Northern Ireland, in a certain region of the countryside, you can find Analogue Catalogue Recording Studios. This residential studio is run by Julie McLarnon, an engineer/producer with a fascinating history and a passion for analog(ue) recording. Her records for The Vaselines, Jeffrey Lewis, King Creosote, Barbarossa, and The Shivers are proof of her skills. Myles O'Reilly's documentary short film with her, The Psychology of Analogue, is also worth tracking down on YouTube, and I found her insights in it on hearing quite interesting.

FEBRUARY 26, 2026 INTERVIEWS
Purity Ring

Purity Ring: Accidents & Textures

BY GEOFF STANFIELD

Hailing from Edmonton, Canadian electronic pop duo Purity Ring made a splash with their debut album Shrines. The release was a document of Corin Roddick and singer Megan James' long distance collaboration, as well as Corin's electronic music experimentation and exploration. Made entirely at home, the band's third (and most recent) release, WOMB, debuted at number one on the electronic music charts. I sat down with Corin to discuss the making of both Shrines and WOMB, as well as his experiences with long-distance recording and happy accidents.

COLUMNS

END RANT by Larry Crane
Learning How to Really Record
END RANT

Learning How to Really Record

by Larry Crane

Do you want to know how to make better recordings? Start by making a lot of bad (or not-quite-perfect) recordings. Yeah, I know this may sound like some tired old adage, but it's true. I know, because I've lived it. When Elliott Smith and I opened Jackpot! Recording Studio almost 25 years ago, I...

GEAR GEEKING by Andy Hong
Gear Geeking w/ Andy
GEAR GEEKING

Gear Geeking w/ Andy

by Andy Hong

The LED indicators on my Cherry SPOS G86-61410 USB keyboard [Tape Op #56] cherryamericas.com are stuck in forever-blinking mode. Reflashing its firmware didn't expunge the gremlins, so I decided to purchase a new keyboard for my studio computer. I considered another G86-61410 for several reasons....

GEAR REVIEWS

Gear Reviews

249 Multi-Pattern Tube Mic

BY 249 Multi-Pattern Tube Mic  |  reviewed by Don Gunn

I usually like to structure my reviews with a full description of the product I’m writing about, then provide my experience with it (along with use cases during the review period), and ultimately, conclude with what I think of said kit. I’m turning that approach on its head with my review of the...

Gear Reviews

5057 Orbit Summing Mixer

BY 5057 Orbit Summing Mixer  |  reviewed by Don Gunn, Alan Tubbs

From the requisite hand-wired boutique pieces of the ‘50s and early ‘60s, to the large format commercial consoles that followed, and then right into the modern project-style studio, hardware from Rupert Neve’s bench has filled the decades – and sometimes defined them. His recent passing marks not...

Gear Reviews

73JRII 500 Series Mic Preamp

BY 73JRII 500 Series Mic Preamp  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

If you’re an audio professional, it’s likely you know the simple number “73” means only one of two things: It’s either a reference to the revered Neve 1073 mic pre/EQ, or a clone of one. One could argue it is the most famous and most widely imitated mic pre/EQ design that exists. Why? The original...

Gear Reviews

A133 Condenser Microphone

BY A133 Condenser Microphone  |  reviewed by Dylan Ray

I would be hard-pressed to remember a recording project where I didn’t use an Audix microphone. Your initial reaction to the name Audix may paint a picture of affordable workhorse dynamic microphones that sound great on percussion and bass instruments, but this company has made plenty of headway in...

Gear Reviews

Analog Rytm MKII 8-Voice Drum Computer

BY Analog Rytm MKII 8-Voice Drum Computer  |  reviewed by Dana Gumbiner

Held in high regard by many as the “ultimate analog drum machine,” Elektron’s Analog Rytm has been around since 2014, with the Mark II iteration arriving in 2018. The eight-voice hybrid drum machine has a heavy steel enclosure, angled slightly for desktop use, with a considerable amount of I/O on...

Gear Reviews

Bento 8 Pure Analog 500 Series Chassis

BY Bento 8 Pure Analog 500 Series Chassis  |  reviewed by Daniel Ryan Morse

As a home recordist on a limited budget, I’ve been hooked on 500 Series modules for the past few years. In addition to the possibility of building my own gear, like my beloved CAPI VP26 [Tape Op #77] and Hairball Audio Elements [#110] preamps, one of the initial appeals of collecting 500 Series...

Gear Reviews

Brusfri Noise Reducer Plug-In

BY Brusfri Noise Reducer Plug-In  |  reviewed by Gus Berry

About two months ago, I was mindlessly scrolling on Instagram when an ad for a “Noise Reducer” plug-in caught my eye. (Yes, I know, I got reeled in by an Instagram ad). It showed an artist recording their podcast in what looked like a bedroom. There was some obvious background noise from the HVAC...

Gear Reviews

Classic 5 Studio Monitor

BY Classic 5 Studio Monitor  |  reviewed by Fiona Gurney

Learning the ideal applications of your gear is an excellent ear training exercise, and frankly half the job – whether you’re a recording engineer or a musician. For me, simply remembering this essential process helps to navigate equipment purchases and corresponding reviews, which KRK, being the...

Gear Reviews

Colour Duo 2-Channel Colour Channel Strip Kit

BY Colour Duo 2-Channel Colour Channel Strip Kit  |  reviewed by Don Gunn

Peterson Goodwyn and his crew at DIY Recording Equipment (DIYRE) won’t be strangers to many long-term Tape Op readers. Their Colour 500 Palette [Tape Op #107] has been reviewed, along with several other DIYRE and third-party Colour modules. For those not familiar, the Colour 500 Palette is a 500...

Gear Reviews

Comp IIT Compressor

BY Comp IIT Compressor  |  reviewed by Adam Kagan

Geoff Daking began his career as a drummer in a signed band, then became a recording engineer, and almost three decades ago began building his own brand of recording gear in California. This is to say that Daking is one of the few companies where hardware is designed by people who successfully...

Gear Reviews

DBX 160 Compressor/Limiter UAD Plug-In

BY DBX 160 Compressor/Limiter UAD Plug-In  |  reviewed by Mike Kosacek

Universal Audio has been quietly updating some of their previously released plug-ins with new features that you may have overlooked if not watching closely. About four years ago, I purchased the dbx 160 UAD plug-in. At the time, I left a four out of five stars customer review on the Universal Audio...

Gear Reviews

Expression Knob

BY Expression Knob  |  reviewed by Jonathan Saxon

For effects pedals with an expression input, consider using the Expression Knob by El Garatge. It’s well made, saves space, and is easy to use – I love it! This L-shaped device has a 1/4-inch TRS right-angle male connector at one end, a knob approximately 1/2-inches in diameter at the other end,...

Gear Reviews

iD14 MKII Interface

BY iD14 MKII Interface  |  reviewed by Chris Hughes

My biggest fear when using a new interface is always, “How much downtime will there be before I can get this thing up and running?” The drivers are never up to date out of the box, my OS is outdated, or some other random incompatibility prevents me from getting to work without a headache. After...

Gear Reviews

LL2A Compressor Limiter

BY LL2A Compressor Limiter  |  reviewed by Eli Crews

I’m always excited to see a new product from Little Labs. I’ve been collecting Jonathan Little’s [Tape Op #75] ultra-handy studio devices for over 15 years, starting with the ground-breaking IBP Phase Alignment Tool [#33]. I’ve purchased a number of his various boxes over the years, and I use his...

Gear Reviews

Maletomp Linked 2-Channel Compressor

BY Maletomp Linked 2-Channel Compressor  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

Many pieces of audio gear have a reputation that precedes them. They’ve been heavily used for decades, reviewed, revered, copied, and cloned. Names and numbers like Neve 1073, Universal Audio LA-2A [Tape Op #26], API, Fairchild 670, Universal Audio 1176, and the list goes on. Rarely do I stumble...

Gear Reviews

P331 Tube Loading Amplifier

BY P331 Tube Loading Amplifier  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

The P331 Tube Loading Amplifier is the debut product from Whitestone Audio Instruments. Dave Rosen investigated making a device for line level audio signals to enhance wife Kim Rosen’s [Tape Op #108] mastering rig. It was not intended for commercial sale, but beta testers implored the Rosens to...

Gear Reviews

Pro Tools | Carbon Hybrid Audio Production System

BY Pro Tools | Carbon Hybrid Audio Production System  |  reviewed by Eli Crews

It’s very simple – if you record music using Pro Tools with any regularity, and don’t require (or can’t afford) a full-blown HDX system, I cannot advise you strongly enough to buy Avid’s new Carbon interface. It has the two main features that I have been waiting for in a non-HDX system for the...

Gear Reviews

Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm (Film)

BY Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm (Film)  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

In 1963 in the Welsh countryside, brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward set up shop and began recording rock bands on their family’s farm. A few years later, they became the first “residential studio” when they hosted the band Spring in a spare bedroom. Over five decades on, Rockfield Studios is still...

Gear Reviews

RootOne Plug-In

BY RootOne Plug-In  |  reviewed by Scott McDowell

If you find yourself chasing modern low end, you’ll eventually end up playing with a subharmonic synthesizer. There are plenty of options, ranging from outboard gear like the dbx 120A Subharmonic Synthesizer to plug-ins like Lowender by reFuse Software, but when RootOne landed, it really shook...

Gear Reviews

Stellar X3 Microphone

BY Stellar X3 Microphone  |  reviewed by Tony Vincent

I love microphones. When used – or abused – in the right situation, I’m a firm believer that nothing will give you an interesting tone or character like a unique microphone. Whether it’s a cheap thrift store mic or a sophisticated, out-of-budget vintage beauty, there’s not a preamp or piece of...

Gear Reviews

Tantra Bass Tube Preamp

BY Tantra Bass Tube Preamp  |  reviewed by Kirt Shearer

A bass amp is not a typical product often seen on the review pages of Tape Op. Reviews usually center on mainstream recording equipment as opposed to performance amps, but I was really curious about Sonic Farm’s Tantra bass tube preamplifier, especially since Sonic Farm makes one of my favorite...

Gear Reviews

THERMAL Distortion Plug-In

BY THERMAL Distortion Plug-In  |  reviewed by Scott McDowell

I’m a big fan of distortion plug-ins – these days, who isn’t? If you are, you’ve got to check out THERMAL, from Output. There’s so much to this plug-in that I’ve barely had time to scratch the surface, but everything I have found I’ve loved! The closest comparison in my personal plug-in collection...

Gear Reviews

UF8 Advanced DAW Controller

BY UF8 Advanced DAW Controller  |  reviewed by Tony Vincent

I vividly remember the first time I was exposed to moving fader automation. I was 12 years old, and the medium-sized recording facility was centered around two seminal Yamaha DMP7 [Tape Op #122] digital mixers. The experience blew my mind. Even though the faders were noisy, and their resolution was...