RME: HDSPe MADI FX interface
reviewed by Andy Hong
I bought my first RME product, an ADI-648 MADI-ADAT converter [Tape Op #63] a decade ago, when my primary recording devices were an Otari MTR-90 2'' tape machine, a TASCAM MX-2424 standalone HD...
Gear Reviews
by Andy Hong
Ultimate Support: MC-125 mic boom stand
reviewed by Andy Hong
I can't believe this boom stand streets for $200, because its quality is far above what you'd expect from an affordably-priced studio boom. I've used plenty of boom stands during the many decades I've...
Shure: SRH1440 headphones
reviewed by Andy Hong
For mixing and critical listening, my favorite headphones in the studio are Shure SRH1840 (Tape Op #89), Shure SRH940 (#85), and Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (#63). As I've stated in my previous reviews,...
Steinberg: Cubase 6.5
reviewed by Scott Evans, Andy Hong
This venerable DAW, which was introduced originally for the Atari ST in 1989, was last covered in Tape Op in 2010 (Tape Op #75); Garrett Haines and I cowrote the Cubase 5 review. For this latest...
Ultimate Support: MS series monitor stands
reviewed by Andy Hong
Last year, I upgraded the pair of Ultimate Support MS-45B2 monitor stands (Tape Op #49) in my personal studio to the current, second-generation model in Ultimate Support's studio lineup, the...
ioSafe: SoloPRO disaster-proof hard drive
reviewed by Andy Hong
Past reviews in Tape Op have covered external hard drive storage systems with RAID capability for redundancy in case of drive failure. Even if you're doing daily backups, the loss of one day's worth...
DNA Music Labs: Hotkey Matrix 144-key controller for Pro Tools
reviewed by Andy Hong
The QWERTY keyboard that I use with my DAW is a fully-programmable Cherry SPOS G86-61410 (Tape Op #56) designed for use with Point of Sale register stations. Any keycode, key combination, or sequence...
Radial Engineering: PowerPre 500-series preamp
reviewed by Andy Hong
If you have any open slots in your 500-series rack, the PowerPre should be on your shortlist of preamps to consider. Like other products from Radial Engineering, the build-quality is top- notch, and...
Avid: Pro Tools 10
reviewed by Eli Crews, Andy Hong
A little over a year ago, I asked three other writers to contribute to a four-opinion review of Pro Tools 9 (Tape Op #81), which in my mind, was the most significant upgrade to the venerable DAW in...
Shure: SRH1840 headphones
reviewed by Andy Hong
Let me preface my statements here with a general note that everyone's heads, ears, and ear canals are shaped differently; therefore, everyone will hear a set of headphones differently. With that said,...
Equator Audio: D5 compact powered monitor
reviewed by Andy Hong
Inspired by the straightforward approach Equator Audio takes in selling the D5 direct to consumers — without middleman margins and BS sales tactics — I’m going to just cut to the...
RME: Fireface UCX USB/FireWire interface
reviewed by Andy Hong
This compact audio interface allows you to record up to 8 channels simultaneously on an iPad; delivers 18 input and 18 output channels on Windows and Mac OS X (8 analog, 10 digital); supports USB 2.0...