It seems fitting that Universal Audio offers the Capitol Mastering Compressor plug-in. When the first hardware units were made, Capitol Mastering engineer/tech Ian Sefchick [Tape Op#134] drew from his love of the Universal Audio 175 compressor and his desire to pair its tube front end with a solid-state...
Drawmer isn’t the only audio company that offers a saturation processor, but they are the only brand I’ve encountered that offers one with this much functionality, a great price point, and all in one rack unit. The name may suggest at least two features, but there are even more.
Like its name, the 1976...
Kali Audio has swiftly established a notable reputation in both professional and home studios, and quite a few professional engineers have been quoted saying that Kalis match or outperform monitors costing significantly more. Therefore, I was curious to check out their new IN-UNF ultra-nearfield studio...
Despite all the amazing plug-ins available for delay these days, there’s something inherently cool and desirable about early first generation digital hardware delay units, hence so many plug-in emulations of them. With the newly updated Lexicon PSP 42, PSP Audioware has captured everything that makes...
When I first saw the Lindell Audio LiN2A Vintage Leveling Amplifier, I admit I got excited. I use my Lindell Audio LiN76 [Tape Op#153] quite a bit, so I couldn’t wait to try this one. As soon as I pulled the LiN2A out of the box, I saw that one of my minor nitpicks of the LiN76 had already been addressed...
I recently got an email from Matt Walton at Iron Age Audioworks, “Hey John I’ll be in the San Francisco Bay Area in a few weeks installing a console. Maybe we could meet up for a beer or coffee?” Installing a new console? I was intrigued, and so it was that a few weeks later I rode my bike over to meet...
Ever since getting a very patient and life-changing call from mastering engineer John Golden [Tape Op#121], where he explained that my snare drum and overhead mics on many of my mixes were out of phase, I've been a stickler for keeping phase and polarity relationships intact, especially on drums....
I've been a fan of Kim Bjørn and Bjooks' series of hardcover synth nerd bibles since the initial release of Push Turn Move in 2017. For those unfamiliar with the series, Bjooks publishes a series of gorgeous, hard cover, heavyweight, photo-essay style tomes, each with a specific focus on music...
The API 3122V 2-channel mic preamp is certainly not a new and revolutionary design, but rather a new version of a tried and true classic, originating in consoles from the late-'60s. This preamp circuitry is also in the 3124V 4-channel preamp, the 500 Series 312 [Tape Op#141], and shares most of...
Lauten Audio recently released a revision to their LA-320 [Tape Op#117] tube microphone. I’m a big Lauten fan and own several of their mics, including the original LA-320 and the Clarion FC-357. Everything they’ve created has a unique personality but fits multiple applications in a studio environment....
Songwriter Laura Veirs has made a number of engaging albums over the years, including last year's Found Light, tracked at my Jackpot! Recording Studio where Veirs co-produced the album (with composer/instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily [Tape Op#151], Kendra Lynn engineering, and mixing by Phil Weinrobe)....
I’ve been looking for a one channel, high-end tube compressor for a few years – mostly for vocals. When Austin, Texas', Electric & Company announced the EC5B, their take on Universal Audio’s legendary 175B, I was immediately interested. The 175B is a well-loved tube compressor, and Electric...
This fun deck of creativity-sparking cards – with inspiration from Brian Eno [Tape Op#85] and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies – was created by Isaac Karns of The Marble Garden studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. (See also: Larry’s End Rant this issue, his review of Laura Veirs' cards, and our front...
In 2019, I reviewed the Townsend Labs L22 Sphere mic [Tape Op #133] and raved about its versatility and innovation. Universal Audio acquired Townsend Labs in 2021 and has rebadged the L22 as the Sphere DLX; this renamed model is nearly identical to the original L22 (the DLX has a single -20 dB pad rather...
What I didn’t need was another piece of gear to help drain my bank account, but what I always need is a compressor that helps me do my job while making me look good. On both fronts, the new Chandler RS660 compressor is that piece of gear. As the name suggests, the RS660 is based partly on the Fairchild...
This Is What It Sounds Like:What the Music You Love Says About You is a must read for any music producer, recording artist, audio engineer, or consumer of art in any form. Susan Rogers [Tape Op#117] doesn’t explain to us the technical aspects of how a song is written and gets recorded – that’s been...
NUGEN Audio is back with a brand new metering plug-in, Halo Vision, that takes their stereo-based Visualizer and expands it into the surround and Dolby Atmos/immersive audio world. Halo Vision provides a customizable layout of up to six meter types (plus timecode display) ranging from stereo all the...
Ever since I acquired a rack-mounted DAW interface, I didn’t think I had much need for a smaller, portable interface. However, when I recently had the opportunity to record a grand piano outside of my home studio, it struck me how much of a pain it would be to extricate my existing interface from my...
Touted as a "hands-on plug-in control for Pro Tools," this standalone application could be a frustration-killer for anyone who finds themselves tweaking the multitude of parameters within plug-ins via mouse or trackball. It also opens up the possibilities of two-handed (or more) control when...