Gear Reviews

There seems to be an endless number of stompbox companies out there, but a good portion of them are only offering their take on classic circuits. Strymon is a rare exception to this, and has released more than one modern classic at this point. While amp modeling is hardly new and has already been...

The Lauten Audio LS-208 is a companion microphone to the LS-308. Both are part of their Synergy Series, designed to reduce bleed in lively environments. The LS-208 is a front address, large diaphragm condenser voice and instrument microphone that is equally suited for use in broadcast, sound...

I don't want to call these mics "specialty," but they are truly special. The Lauten Audio LS-308 is described by the manufacturer as "a noise rejecting, high-dynamic range microphone to be used as a problem solver in challenging recording situations when isolation is needed but...

I didn't know I needed the Avid S1 until I started using it. Most of my production work is done in Pro Tools. I utilize outboard gear via inserts, and I've used an Avid Artist Mix for fader rides at times when a more hands-on approach is required. In other words, most of the time I...

Many of us have gone down the rabbit hole while mixing, looking for that unique and musical effect to put on a track to keep it from sounding stale. Lately, I've been relying on Wow Control by Goodhertz to achieve that goal. Goodhertz, perhaps most famously known for their Vulf Compressor...

A few years back a friend of mine was recording at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles [Tape Op #114], and he told me there was a tech on staff there building some special compressors that I needed to hear. So, when I spotted one making the rounds at Electric Lady Studios, I jumped at the chance to take...

A new addition to the venerable Drawmer line, the 1970, is a dual FET compressor, dual mic pre, and mono DI. It's versatile and easy to use with a vast feature set. While the 1970 borrows its layout inspiration from the Drawmer 1960, features have been updated and it's not a tube-based...

I've always wished there was a recreation of the Urei 1178, the stereo version of the Urie/Universal Audio 1176. With its FET-based compression and simple stereo link controls, the fresh-faced lads at M House Studios have put together the 5020 Stereo FET Limiter, a worthy 1178 substitute, yet...

In a recent review of a $7000 tube condenser microphone, I alluded to the fact that there are excellent condenser microphones being made for $400 and that it is no longer necessary to spend oodles of dough to make high-quality recordings. This is, of course, something that many Tape Op readers...

Let's come clean right from the beginning: I'm a gear snob. I like gear that feels robust and solid. I like gear that sounds beautiful and inspiring. I like it when the gear I use gives me the sensation of sitting in the driver's seat of a proper German automobile. That being said,...

I was excited to receive an email from Colin Adshead at AML (Audio Maintenance Limited) about a new product in the works; their take on the Neve 1081 microphone preamp and equalizer – a personal favourite of mine. Over the years I've owned some vintage modules, and currently have a pair of the...

Around 40 years ago I went to Radio Shack and purchased an integrated circuit (IC) chip that was packaged with a technical data sheet explaining how to wire it up as a delay unit. This was the Reticon SAD-1024 bucket-brigade delay (BBD) IC. I hooked up all the needed components on a circuit board,...

Let’s use some simple steps for choosing monitors, based on how one might select a bottle of wine. Set your monitor price point (much like wine, with monitors you’ll likely need to buy at least two), pair them with your space (not with your food), and maybe pick a bottle with an interesting...

Chameleon Labs has been around since the early 2000s, when they made their mark with their popular inexpensive British-style mic preamp and EQ, the 7602 [Tape Op #51]. John Baccigaluppi reported in his review of the 7602, that when compared with a real 1073, "...the 7602 is pretty much dead...

"Why did the producer cross the road? Because that's how The Beatles did it!" I forget who first told me that joke, but if you can relate to it the way I do, you're going to want to check out the new Kush AR-1 Vintage Mu compressor plug-in. The Kush AR-1 is modeled after the...

Ten plus years ago I was the proud owner of a Neve 5104 console. I admit, it's a far cry from a vintage Neve sporting 1073 modules, but it's what I could afford at the time and I liked its sound. But as is the case with any piece of vintage equipment, it required constant love and...

The UAD VT-737 is a recreation of the renowned Avalon Designs 737 tube channel strip [Tape Op #28]. At a glance, the basic features of the channel strip include a preamp section with +45 dB of gain, a -20 dB pad, a phase reverse, a high gain switch for low output sources, selectable mic/line modes,...

A few weeks ago at the airport, I noticed a Best Buy vending machine ready to dispense various electronic goodies like laptop chargers, headphones, lightning cables, and an audio interface. I'm sure that somewhere in the world there's a gas station that has one for sale – they're...

I'm sure you've read countless interviews and reviews in Tape Op mentioning how analog gear can impart "depth," "weight," "sheen," or that elusive "glue" to a track or a mix. Much of the time, these discussions revolve around the classic preamps,...