Fun trivia: The Audio Engineering Society’s (AES) Pro Audio Reference Guide provides three definitions of the word feedback, one being “the longest word in the English language that uses all the letters 'A' through 'F.'” On a more practical point, the AES Guide also defines...
Since its release in 2018, FabFilter’s Pro-Q 3 [Tape Op#132] has become one of the most used, if not the most used, EQ plug-ins for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Seven years later, Pro-Q 4 offers several new features and updates, giving FabFilter fans everywhere a reason to celebrate. From...
Harrison consoles are beloved by many engineers, and after I had the opportunity to work with four of the new Harrison 32Classic MS Mix Strips, I understand why. While the Harrisons are not as colorful as offerings by some of the other notable consoles in recording history, they definitely have a...
In April 2023, John La Grou, founder/owner of Millennia Media, dropped me a line about a new audio technology venture he was working on, with the caveat that I could not tell anyone what he was up to. Later that year, he asked if I was interested in becoming a beta tester for his new HDR-A...
A few years ago, I had a water leak somewhere on a 600-foot-long pipe. There was no wet ground to give the leak away, and I even tried water witching/dowsing to locate it! No dice. Enter the AudioTech Probe, whose motto is: "You can hear what you've been missing." Described as a...
I’ve always been fascinated with the history of recording studios, the evolution of analog gear, and MCI equipment. There was one particular MCI console that almost seemed mythical: The so-called “Hotel California” console at Criteria Recording Studios in Florida. Criteria’s MCI really can’t be...
I’m a big fan of using audio equipment originally designed for radio and other broadcast purposes to work on recording music in the studio. This gear is typically of extremely high build quality and is easy to use since in a broadcast context any interruption can be a major problem that could cause...
Ben and Veronica Sneesby have been making mics in Australia for nearly 25 years (the name derives from Ben’s nickname in high school). Some of their mics have been designed as modernized clones of classic originals (e.g., Neumann U 47, Telefunken ELA M 251, etc.), while others are original designs...
Here are books I enjoyed reading that cover two important underground music scenes that may have escaped some folks’ notice. Needles and Plastic, subtitled Flying Nun Records, 1981-1988, is an exhaustive tome by Matthew Goody. It discusses every record released by the New Zealand label Flying Nun...
I reviewed the RTM (Recording The Masters) 1/4-inch SM900 tape back in Tape Op#161, was very pleased with it, and have since used it for a few more mixing sessions. Then, at the 2024 NYC AES show, I bumped into Matt and Tim from RTM, and they gave me a few of their C60 and C90 Type One cassette...
After decades of manufacturing measurement tools and consumer electronics in England, Pye Audio merged with Phillips in 1960, forming Pye TVT Limited. Their studio technologies impacted an era of seminal records from the late ‘60s through the mid-‘70s. Then, the brand was curiously dissolved in...
Malcolm Toft [Tape Op#26, #165] began his career as a recording engineer at the legendary Trident Studios in London in 1968, then went on to found Trident Audio Developments, creating the initial Trident A Range consoles and many others to follow. After leaving Trident in 1988, Malcolm founded Toft...
Earthworks Audio has been known for its quality mics for decades, and they are my first choice for clean capture of sources without hype. I have always found them to be natural and detailed sounding, and I use them frequently for acoustic instruments such as drums, acoustic guitars, and woodwinds....
Universal Audio’s Topline Vocal Suite offers an entire vocal chain’s worth of UAD analog effects in a single Native plug-in. Rather than overwhelm you with options, Topline divides its eight individual effects into three helpful sections: Tuner & Shift; Channel Strip; and Modulation, Delay...
In Tape Op #159, we published an overview of the UAFX Pedal line. This summer, the UAFX Amp pedal line expanded with two new models: the ANTI 1992 High Gain, and the Enigmatic’82 Overdrive Special. Though their form, physical size, rear panel, and connectivity options are similar to the Lion ’68...
Being a loyal Trident console user, I jumped at the chance to review Malcolm Toft’s [Tape Op#26, #165 online] new EQUATE: Eight channels of six-band EQ in a three-space rack unit built in the UK. Malcolm has been in the audio recording industry as a gear designer, an engineer, and even a professor...
Subtitled “How Something Comes From Nothing,” this heavy, beautifully designed and written, 423-page book explores the “celebration of the art that happens when instinct meets rigor.” Author Moss interviews 43 creative folks, ranging from visual artists, filmmakers, and musicians to playwrights...
Hex FX from Serato is a virtual multi-effects rack that works as an AU or VST3 plug-in and is compatible with Serato Studio, Ableton Live [Tape Op#160], Apple Logic Pro [#74], Native Instruments Maschine, and FL Studio. It can also be used with Pro Tools via a conversion “wrapper” plug-in, such as...
Subtitled “Where cymbals go to die,” Silencer is a plug-in that claims to remove drum bleed on the individual tracks of a drum set recorded live, a problem I frequently deal with while mixing. I hate resorting to drum samples and would prefer to use the real drum tracks sent to me for mixing, but...