I’ve had an original one channel hardware Eventide Omnipressor for years, so it’s been exciting to try the new 50th Anniversary Reissue Omnipressor 2830 Au, which keeps the functionality – both conventional and unique – that makes this a special dynamics processor, while adding some interface improvements...
“What is this crazy thing?” is the heading of the second paragraph in Kludge Audio’s instruction manual for the one knob / two toggle switch 509 Rotating Limiter. Before slotting this single-channel unit into my 500 Series chassis, I was giddy at its perceived simplicity. I’m a big fan of gear that...
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: Nirvana's Nevermind, Fleetwood Mac's Fleetwood Mac, and multiple Tom Petty albums just to name a few....
I'm a stickler for using stereo mounts for setting up pairs of microphones or grouping two mics on an amp when recording, and I am usually completely unhappy with how all these stereo bars and mounts are designed. My favorite for years has been a simple one K&M made, with two adjustable arms...
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 is a full bandwidth dynamic resonance suppressor. It’s not exactly groundbreaking, as I’ve relied on similar tools such...
In what seems to be a growing trend, Freqtube FT-1 is a saturation plug-in for DAWs that uses an outboard analog processor in conjunction with software. This is my first experience with anything from the Freqport brand, and I hope this well-designed analog/digital hybrid is a sign of more to come. The...
UPDATE: ANTI & Enigmatic Amp Pedals Review
Universal Audio introduced their first three UAFX Pedals in 2021, and with the release of 12 new pedals in 2023, the line now has 18 different pedal options available for a complete instrument recording and/or signal processing chain. All pedals share one...
Baby Audio collaborated with producer Andrew Huang [Tape Op#85] to create the Transit transition designerplug-in. Like most Baby Audio plug-ins, Transit aims to simplify a complex task, offering an intuitive approach to generating impactful mix transitions such as risers, sweeps, and build-ups that...
I have quite a few snare mics, but none that are actually named “Snare Mic.” That's about to change. I'm a drummer, and I've mic’d a lot of snare drums. I usually rely on dynamic microphones as a snare can generate high sound pressure levels (SPLs) that dynamic mics typically handle well....
Sure, there are a few elegantly functional mic mounts out there (Royer, Audio-Technica, Rycote), but are there any aesthetically beautiful and functional mic mounts available? Manufactured in Portland, Oregon, Ear Trumpet Labs (ETL) have made a name for excellent-sounding and sort of retro-looking condenser...
SAMAR Audio is a refreshing voice of innovation. Dr. Mark Fouxman founded the company on his passion for electronics engineering, classical piano virtuosity, and pro audio expertise, and has consistently delivered intriguing contributions to the microphone market – particularly in the ribbon microphone...
The MT 48 isn’t just another desktop interface; it is Neumann’s redevelopment of Merging Technologies’ high end Anubis interface as Neumann and Merging Technologies both now operate under the Sennheiser umbrella. The MT 48 can connect to networks and computers via AES67/RAVENNA IP-based protocol, but...
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 of Eventide SP 2016 [Tape Op#129] reverbs and H3000/DSP4000/Orville Harmonizer units. With those hardware effects...
Recently, I was lucky to catch Stereophonic, David Adjmi’s off-Broadway (Playwrights Horizons in New York City) hit, featuring songs by ex-Arcade Fire member Will Butler and directed by Daniel Aukin. Set within a dazzling approximation of Record Plant Sausalito circa 1976, the show follows a rising...
It wasn't that many years ago that my staff at Jackpot! Recording Studio kept mentioning FabFilter's Pro-Q 3 [Tape Op#132] so much that I began using it on everything; they were correct – it’s a well thought out EQ tool that's easy to use and sounds proper. Since I'd somehow remained...
The Shure SM7 microphone [Tape Op#36] is an all-around workhorse mic that has been ubiquitous in the recording industry since its introduction in 1973. Subsequently, many engineers have recognized the SM7’s versatility, in large part due to its flat and wide-range frequency response, one that produces...
These two books are both highly disparate but also very similar. More than anything else, I found them fun to read and also inspiring, although in different ways. But in the end, inspiration is exciting regardless of the source or even the subject. Both Mr. Rubin and Mr. Schlarb are white males who...
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 1960. Utilizing six 12AX7/U7 tubes, the real Echorec 2 tonally changes instruments run through it....
Looking for a new effects pedal and want to know if the Eventide H90Harmonizer is a good fit for a recording rig? Well, it absolutely is a good choice for recording situations. However, is it a good fit for you? That depends on how comfortable you are with studying a user manual. Eventide encourages...