Gear Reviews

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...

I'm a big fan of the On Stage CM01Video 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...