Hazel Mills

Interviews

Hazel Mills

By Zachary Gresham

Hazel Mills is a British pianist, synthesist, and songwriter whose day job is touring with the likes of Goldfrapp, Kylie Minogue, Florence + the Machine, Birdy, Dave Rowntree (Blur), and Fraser T. Smith. Mills's classical virtuosity and passion for sampling, minimalism, and analog synths...

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Philip Weinrobe

Interviews

Philip Weinrobe: Quiet Parts Loud

By Sam Retzer, Michael Buishas

Brooklyn is a fast-moving, noisy place. Hop on a bus at Washington Ave., and a million construction zones later you escape the chaos of Atlantic Ave. and slip into a quiet Bed-Stuy alleyway. As a band loads into a van, you’re greeted by a smiling Philip Weinrobe at his lovely new studio, Sugar...

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Recording Nona Invie’s <i>Self-soothing</I>

Interviews

Recording Nona Invie’s Self-soothing

By John Baccigaluppi, Zoe Invie

On Friday mornings I go to the new releases page on Tidal and wade through the new music released each week. I'll check out records from artists I know, but what I really enjoy is finding new music from an artist I'm not familiar with that resonates with me. On the last day of February...

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Jens Jungkurth

Interviews

Jens Jungkurth: Following His Ears

By Matt Bockelman, MIke Reilly
Hiring Jens Jungkurth to track and mix your record is a great idea. Mark Ronson [Tape...
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Bob Blank

Interviews

Bob Blank: Catching the Moment

By Kellzo _
Bob Blank built his own Blank Tape Studio in downtown New York City in the mid-‘70s out of...
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MARCH 3, 2026 INTERVIEWS
M. Ward

M. Ward: Leaving the Door Open to Chaos

BY JACOB BOLL, GEOFF STANFIELD

Geoff Stanfield spoke with M. Ward for an episode of the Tape Op Podcast in August of 2023, around the time of his album supernatural thing was released. Here they dig into his love of collaborations, his analog approach to recording, and more.

MARCH 3, 2026 INTERVIEWS
Migui Maloles

Migui Maloles: Creativity is King

BY MARCO ALEXANDER, ADAM GONSALVES

Migui Maloles’ credits, including Fantastic Negrito and Killer Mike, are self-evidently impressive. Even more impressive is how he has applied lessons learned from a DIY recording background to multiple Grammy-winning albums. I caught up with Migui to talk about his journey from Oakland to L.A., recording over a dozen albums for E-40, and leveling up professionally.

MARCH 3, 2026 INTERVIEWS
Terry Brown

Terry Brown: The Working Man

BY SAM RETZER, YAËL BRANDEIS

Chances are, when you think of producer Terry Brown the first artist that comes to mind is Rush. But along the way he was also behind the board in swinging ‘60s London (The Who, Donovan), into the pop hits of the ‘80s (Cutting Crew), and up to current projects at his studio in Toronto. Terry’s work with Rush, from the tightly wound heaviness of Fly By Night up to the icy precision of Signals, formed an impeccable run of studio albums full of inventive recording techniques and vividly-captured performances. Regardless of the studio setting or gear available, for Terry it seems to be about the work: Get great sounds and make awesome records.

COLUMNS

END RANT by Jonathan Saxon
Learning With Friends
END RANT

Learning With Friends

by Jonathan Saxon

The next time you need to learn a new DAW, plug-in, or a hardware unit with advanced functions, consider teaming up with someone. Harvard University’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) shares that, “Study groups can be an excellent way to strengthen your understanding,” and “are safe spaces where you...

GEAR GEEKING by Andy Hong
Geek Geeking
GEAR GEEKING

Geek Geeking

by Andy Hong

The most popular sound absorbing materials for home studio acoustic treatment are rigid fiberglass (e.g., Owens Corning 703) and open-cell polyurethane foam (e.g., Auralex Studiofoam). Foam is much easier to apply as it's easily reshaped with common cutting tools and it sticks to walls and ceilings...

GEAR REVIEWS

Gear Reviews

1029 VCA compressor

BY 1029 VCA compressor  |  reviewed by Scott McDowell

I was delightfully surprised when I happened upon the new 1029 Stereo VCA Compressor from AEA. Isn’t the company best known for its great collection of ribbon mics? AEA’s incredible mics are a 21st century studio standard. My partners and I have eight of their ribbons living in our mic closet right...

Gear Reviews

88C VCA dual compressor/limiter

BY 88C VCA dual compressor/limiter  |  reviewed by Daniel Ryan Morse

VCA compressors are generally fast. Almost any other observation about them would depend on which one you’re talking about. Some are fairly transparent while nonetheless adding excitement to sources. Others – I’m thinking primarily of the API 2500 bus compressor [Tape Op #52] and the dbx 160 – are...

Gear Reviews

A200mk2 monitors

BY A200mk2 monitors  |  reviewed by Jeremy Wurst

Over the course of a few months, a friend of mine had been gently prodding me, asking me if I’d take an honest listen to some new high end studio monitors from Germany. I’m always hesitant to write loudspeaker reviews, especially for expensive gear. As the dollar amount goes up, so do my...

Gear Reviews

API: ASM164 Analog Summing Mixer

BY ASM164 Analog Summing Mixer  |  reviewed by Kurt Kurasaki

Automated Processes, Incorporated, popularly known as API, has a rich history spanning over half a century. Since their first consoles were installed in 1967, API has developed new technologies, established important pro audio standards, and contributed to the production of many great records....

Gear Reviews

ATH-R70xa, ATH-R50x, ATH-R30x open-back headphones

BY ATH-R70xa, ATH-R50x, ATH-R30x open-back headphones  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

I’m going to start this review describing an exemplary unboxing experience, which speaks to Audio-Technica’s all-encompassing attention to detail. All three models of the company’s R-Series open-back headphones are packaged in precisely-assembled cardboard boxes. The ATH-R30x and ATH-R50x models...

Gear Reviews

Drawmer: MQ-1 and MQ-2 Equalisers

BY MQ-1 and MQ-2 Equalisers  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

One afternoon at a TapeOpCon, I was debating equalizers with Rupert Neve [Tape Op #26, #87] when hotel staff endeavored to move four loads of folding tables in a single trip. Basically, a seven-foot Jenga on wheels. Upon taking the corner too fast, the whole thing went caddywompus faster than I...

Gear Reviews

iamReverb plug-in

BY iamReverb plug-in  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

When my band recorded our first album (Vomit Launch’s Not Even Pretty) in 1986, our producer, Greg Freeman [Tape Op #1], had a Yamaha SPX90 reverb unit. There were no other reverb processors in his studio at the time, and we loved reverb. If you listen, especially to the original vinyl release,...

Gear Reviews

LCD-S20 closed-back headphones

BY LCD-S20 closed-back headphones  |  reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

I have been a big fan of Audeze headphones for years and have enjoyed auditioning and reviewing almost everything in their line. Their open-back LCD-X [Tape Op #119] and MM-500 headphones are used daily in my studio for mixing, and I recommend them to anyone looking for an accurate playback...

Gear Reviews

Lo-Fi Plug-in

BY Memorandum lo-fi plug-in  |  reviewed by Stefan Konstantopoulos

I must admit that when I first heard about Memorandum, I imagined it being either another impractically-complicated distraction or a source of amusement while awaiting mix approvals from remote clients. When I looked into it further, I appreciated its conceptual focus enough to explore its...

Gear Reviews

Martin Porter & David Goggin, authors - Buzz Me In (Book)

BY Buzz Me In (Book)  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

I remember working with Greg Freeman [Tape Op #1] on a record, and he mentioned recording in a studio in L.A. that featured a console with a built-in cocaine mirror and rooms down the hall for shagging groupies or such. When your band’s making a record for $15 an hour, this not only sounds...

Gear Reviews

modular microphone stands

BY modular microphone stands  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

Mic stands are one of the parts of owning a studio that is not cool or fun. You need them, but they are often abused and constantly need repair. Cheap stands never last, and expensive stands are, well, expensive – and who wants to spend money on something that just gets abused? It's more exciting...

Gear Reviews

Ohma World: ribbon & condenser mics

BY ribbon & condenser mics  |  reviewed by Chris Koltay

One of my favorite things about doing this work are the relationships we establish. I first met Charlene Gibbs, Sammy Rothman, and Nathan Bowers in 2014, while taking a tour of AEA microphones. I knew Wes Dooley [Tape Op #97] already, and had a great relationship with AEA, but after meeting these...

Gear Reviews

P821 MDN Tape plug-in

BY P821 MDN Tape plug-in  |  reviewed by Garrett Haines

Pulsar Modular's P821 MDN Tape is a remarkable sounding approximation of the Stephens 821B tape machine. Let me be clear; this is not another they-got-the-rights-to-sell-a-tape-machine-so-they-did-a-pretty-GUI-on-top-of-a-cookbook-EQ-with-variable-delay-some-hiss-plus-distortion-plug-in. This...

Gear Reviews

Phonitor 3 DAC headphone amp & monitor controller

BY Phonitor 3 DAC headphone amp & monitor controller  |  reviewed by Tony Vincent

A couple of years ago, I moved my studio, SoundShop370, from Manhattan to South Nashville. Since then, I’ve been refining my setup, making sure every piece of gear I use is intentional, functional, high-quality, and built for long-term reliability. Headphones have always played a role in my...

Gear Reviews

SR-5 hypercardioid ribbon mic

BY SR-5 hypercardioid ribbon mic  |  reviewed by Stefan Konstantopoulos

In the shadow of the iconic RCA 44 series ribbon mics produced in the ‘30s is the relatively esoteric RCA BK-5A [Tape Op #65]. It was designed as a directional ribbon mic for higher SPL sources on film sets but gradually found favor with music recording engineers. Some vintage BK-5As are still in...

Gear Reviews

The Launcher Deluxe stereo in-line preamp

BY The Launcher Deluxe stereo in-line preamp  |  reviewed by Stefan Konstantopoulos

My first experience with Soyuz products in 2021 was brief but memorable. I still recall the smooth, rich sound of the 017 FET condenser and its distinctive aesthetic heirloom-quality construction. When I heard about The Launcher Deluxe, I wondered if it could offer the classy vintage vibe and...

Gear Reviews

Wanda high SPL condenser mic

BY Wanda high SPL condenser mic  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

With its clean, streamlined all-brass construction, Ear Trumpet Labs' Wanda seems to be the first of their unique microphone line that has no plumbing or bike parts in sight. A 26 mm diaphragm phantom-powered condenser mic, Wanda measures under 4-inches long by 2-inches in diameter – with a...