Tape Op Magazine - Issue #69 - issue-69

The Dragon Bros.

Interviews

Stephen Street

Interviews

Cornelius

Interviews

Christina Files

Interviews

My Summer Job

Interviews

MORE FROM THIS ISSUE

JULY 27, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Dr. David Berners

Dr. David Berners : Behind The Gear with Universal Audio

BY MATT ALLISON

In 1999 Universal Audio, the company founded by the esteemed Bill Putnam Sr., was re-launched by his sons, Bill Jr. and Jim Putnam [Tape Op #24]. In addition to re-creating some of the classic audio equipment that UA was known for, the company is also focused on "powered plug-ins" — developing their own DSP digital signal processing card to run UA's VST Virtual Studio Technology plug-ins in a DAW scenario without taxing the computer's processing. Their first card, the UAD-1, was a success and has now been superseded by the UAD-2, with up to ten times the power of the original. Engineer and Chief Scientist, Dr. Dave Berners has been involved in this end of UA's work since it started, and has had a hand in designing many of their most popular plug- ins, including emulations of the 1176, LA-2A, Pultec EQ-1A and Pultec Pro, Neve 33609, Neve 1073, Helios Type 69, Fairchild 670, Roland RE-201 and the Precision Series.

JULY 27, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Robert Carranza

Robert Carranza : Jack Johnson, Beck, Ozomatli and more

BY DAVID BROGAN

It's a warm, sunny, February day in Los Angeles as I take the Vine street exit off the Hollywood freeway. Immediately on my left is the Columbia Records tower, one of this city's many "temples of sound" where, in the '50s and '60s, recording history was made on a daily basis.With its subterranean echo chambers and cylindrical 'stack-o-wax' design, the building is a symbol of past innovations from a bygone era, and a fitting landmark as I head into the heart of the Tinsel town. I'm on my way to one of L.A.'s newest recording studios, also owned by a label and replete with modern day innovations. Brushfire Records serves as the headquarters of Jack Johnson and his manager Emmett Malloy. Their studio is operated by veteran engineer, mixer and producer, Robert Carranza. Robert has been recording in L.A. for almost twenty years and has worked with the afore-mentioned Johnson, Beck, The Mars Volta, Los Lobos and Ozomatli. I had the pleasure of working with him on my band's most recent album, and quickly discovered that Robert was a guy with a brain to pick.

GEAR REVIEWS

Gear Reviews

Addictive Drums 1.1

by Addictive Drums 1.1 | reviewed by Will Severin

There's nothing like hiring a great drummer with a quality kit, recording it with a selection of killer mics, and processing the tracks through an assortment of world-class outboard gear. Unfortunately, the constraints of time and budget sometimes make this scenario impossible. XLN's Addictive...

Gear Reviews

Analog Factory Experience

by Analog Factory Experience | reviewed by Allen Farmelo

As an integrated system with hardware controller and soft-synth designed together, Analog Factory Experience may just be the first "hybrid synthesizer". The controller is an exact physical representation of what you see on the screen with all controls mapped accordingly. (Note that an earlier,...

Gear Reviews

ATB Series Console

by ATB Series Console | reviewed by Steve Silverstein

A recording console is arguably one of the toughest pieces of gear to review. Connectivity to other gear, internal routing capability, build quality, ergonomics, and all-around workflow are necessary points of discussion, as is the sound quality of the various sections. And inevitably, any console...

Gear Reviews

Drumagog 4.11

by Drumagog 4.11 | reviewed by Garrett Haines

In some circles, purists scoff at the idea of replacing drums. As a drummer and a microphone addict, I understand. But the fact remains there are times when you need to augment or fix poorly-recorded tracks. (Speaking of stacking, you didn't really think those drums you hear on the radio are single...

Gear Reviews

Edirol R-09HR portable recorder

by Edirol R-09HR portable recorder | reviewed by Geoff Farina

The original R-09 was reviewed in Tape Op #63. The new HR version adds 24-bit, 96 kHz recording capability as well as numerous improvements to function and form-factor. It's always a good sign when I pack up a review unit for return and realize that I never even opened the manual. I quickly found...

Gear Reviews

GrooveTech T-Handle Drum Key & Guitar Player Tech Kit

by GrooveTech T-Handle Drum Key & Guitar Player Tech Kit | reviewed by Andy Hong

I first heard about CruzTOOLS from a review of one of their tools published a few years ago in Motorcyclist magazine. They are manufacturers of top-quality tools and tool kits for motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and personal watercraft. Right around the time that I was ordering one of their...

Gear Reviews

M3 small-diaphragm condenser mic

by M3 small-diaphragm condenser mic | reviewed by Garrett Haines

A lot of people write me asking what kind of small-diaphragm condenser to buy. To quote Craig Anderton, "That's like asking me to pick your girlfriend." But people still ask, so I'm always keeping my eyes open for a good buy. The R0DE M3 is a newer model in the R0DE line. In person it looks like...

Gear Reviews

M7 Stereo Reverb Processor

by M7 Stereo Reverb Processor | reviewed by Joel Hamilton

When you walk into a room that seems like a cool acoustic space, do you clap your hands to hear the decay properties? Do you keep the conversation rolling while part of your brain tunes in to the resonance of the room? Do you find yourself wishing you could record the drums for your next record in...

Gear Reviews

Modular Snake System

by Modular Snake System | reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

As its name implies, this is a modular multi-channel wiring system. It utilizes an 8-channel "core" cable, available in 5, 10, and 25 ft lengths, with DB25 terminations on both ends, plus various DB25-equipped breakouts to individual 1/4" TRS, XLR analog, XLR AES/EBU, and Bantam (TT) connectors....

Gear Reviews

Much Ado About Almost Nothing: Man's Encounter with the Electron

by Much Ado About Almost Nothing: Man's Encounter with the Electron | reviewed by Garrett Haines

Many Tape Op readers like to tear apart gear, solder, and build things. This book is for all of you (us). Actually, anyone who is interested in a well-written, easy-to-understand explanation of electronics should consider this book. Author Hans Camenzind is a Swiss-born electrical engineer who...

Gear Reviews

PEQ-1A tube equalizer

by PEQ-1A tube equalizer | reviewed by F. Reid Shippen

I never really set out to "review" gear, per se; it just sits around the studio until it fights its way into the workflow. I'm sure that wears out the guys who send me the stuff, but it's really my only way to give them a fair shake. Otherwise, I do this... Bring in a piece of gear. Stop working....

Gear Reviews

ScaryDrive pedal

by ScaryDrive pedal | reviewed by Mike Jasper

My buddy Steve Bright told me about a spanking-brand-new, hand-made distortion unit crafted in, of all places, Placerville, California-which used to be called "Hangtown" back in them Gold Rush Days. It's called the ScaryDrive and Steve told me that even though he just got it in the mail, he'd be...

Gear Reviews

Si 500-series mic preamp

by Si 500-series mic preamp | reviewed by Joel Hamilton

Every time I record something, I am thankful that I have the right tools to simply get things rolling for the client. I don't make them stand around for hours, nor do I need the drummer to play the kick drum for an eternity before I have a sound I am ready to commit to the record. I have the right...

Gear Reviews

SONAR 8

by SONAR 8 | reviewed by Alan Tubbs

I started using SONAR years ago for work at home. It fit my way of working, and I've stuck with it all the way to the latest version. (Version 6 was reviewed in Tape Op #61.) SONAR remains Windows-only (though it will run on a Mac via Boot Camp), working on both 32 and 64-bit flavors of XP and...

Gear Reviews

Studio 100 speakers

by Studio 100 speakers | reviewed by Allen Farmelo

The ProAc Studio 100 is a passive two-way monitor sporting a 6.5" bass/midrange driver and a 1" soft-dome fabric tweeter housed in a traditional-looking ported cabinet. The crossover allows for typical single-input use as well as bi-wiring and bi-amping. All wiring and components are very...

Gear Reviews

Sub12 subwoofer

by Sub12 subwoofer | reviewed by Andy Hong

As I've mentioned in the past, a properly positioned subwoofer can reproduce the low frequencies that the main speakers simply can't due to room geometry and placement constraints. Even if a full-range speaker has good low-end extension as measured in an anechoic chamber, once placed in a...

Gear Reviews

SuprEsser plug-in

by SuprEsser plug-in | reviewed by Andy Hong

At first glance, SuprEsser seems to be a straight-laced de-esser with a tidy user-interface centered on an orderly FFT spectral analysis display. But after time spent, you realize that even simply-presented controls, like the wide/band buttons for trigger and audio modes, allow you to perform all...

Gear Reviews

Ultimate Digital Performer 6 Learning DVD

by Ultimate Digital Performer 6 Learning DVD | reviewed by Ken Dravis

While working on a project at Click Studio in Stowe, VT, I was introduced to MIDI sequencing through Mark of The Unicorn's Performer in 1991. Even then, the editing possibilities seemed overwhelming as I thought, "How are you supposed to learn all this stuff?" Over the years, many of us have...

Gear Reviews

Xtra Boom & Jam Nuts

by Xtra Boom & Jam Nuts | reviewed by Garrett Haines

Pop quiz. Do you record drums? Do you make a living as a recording engineer? If you answered yes to either one of these questions, you need to check out the Latch Lake Music Xtra Boom. Look, I'll warn you right now-this is much less a review and much more just one recordist telling another about an...