McDSP: SA-3 Spectral Processor Plug-In
reviewed by Scott McDowell
The SA-3 is a massive evolution of McDSP’s SA-2 Dialogue Processor. Like its predecessor, it’s still a killer dialogue and vocal tamer, but it’s so much more than simply that. This...
Gear Reviews
Software
Eventide Audio: Blackhole & MicroPitch Immersive Plug-Ins
reviewed by Adam Kagan
Remember when hardware reverbs were the sole effects available? I certainly do. In the mid-‘90s, when I began making records in Los Angeles, I would scan any unfamiliar studio for the presence...
Universal Audio: UAD Sound City Studios Plug-In
reviewed by Scott McChane
To list all the classic, quintessential rock 'n' roll recordings that have been tracked at Sound City Studios is beyond the scope of this review – but trust me, you’ve heard them:...
Baby Audio: Transit Transition Plug-In
reviewed by Adam Kagan
Baby Audio collaborated with producer Andrew Huang [Tape Op #85] to create the Transit transition designer plug-in. Like most Baby Audio plug-ins, Transit aims to simplify a complex task, offering an...
Universal Audio: PolyMAX Synth Plug-in
reviewed by Dave Hidek
Universal Audio (UA) is one of the giants of the plug-in world, and their emulations of classic analog gear are among the most hallowed. With the release of their PolyMAX synth, UA is showing...
Acon Digital: Remix Stem Separation Plug-in
reviewed by Larry Crane
Remix is a plug-in that "uses cutting edge technology based on artificial intelligence" in order to un-mix a stereo track into five stems of Vocals, Piano, Bass, Drums, and Other. There have been a...
Sonnox: Voca Vocal Processing Plug-in
reviewed by Larry Crane
I've been wary of "all-in-one" vocal processing plug-ins that claim to deliver "pro-level vocals" for your mixes with minimal work. I've tried a few, and every time I've been better off removing the...
Wavesfactory: SK10 Subkick Simulator Plug-in
reviewed by Larry Crane
The kind folks at Wavesfactory recently offered up the free SK10 plug-in, which simulates having a speaker-based mic as an extra low frequency kick drum track. Insert it on your kick track, dial in...
FabFilter: Pro-G Gate Plug-in
reviewed by James Neil
Mixing drums can seem like some sort of magic. Mysterious, delightful, revelatory, fascinating, confounding, and confusing all at once. My experience begins with the love of playing drums. The power...
PSPaudioware: PSP BinAmp Preamp Emulation Plug-in
reviewed by Larry Crane
What's a BinAmp? Well, the fine folks at PSPaudioware love the sound of the preamp section of the Binson Echorec 2 delay, those cool metal-based magnetic drum delays from Italy, first introduced in...
MixWave: Benson Studio Tall Bird Plug-In
reviewed by Larry Crane
In issue #126 I reviewed Benson Amps' stereo Studio Tall Bird Spring Reverb, a wonderful piece of hardware that gets used a lot at Jackpot! Recording. The original Tall Bird has been discontinued, but...
Baby Audio: BA-1 Analog Modeled Synth Plug-In
reviewed by Ben Bernstein
Baby Audio’s BA-1 is a reimagining of the cultish ‘80s analog synth, the Yamaha CS01, bringing with it some pure and authentic textures that are easy and intuitive to program. The CS01 was...