Gear Reviews

Elsewhere in this issue is my review of the Groove Tubes MS encoder, which was designed to be an M/S to L/R encoder for recording with Mid/Side microphones. The Sonic Orbit accomplishes the same task, but unlike the rackmount encoder from GT, Peter Engh's is 100% passive and is enclosed in a...

Let me start this rant of a review by saying that endeavors like this one warm my recording heart. I love it when I meet someone that loves recording as much as I do, and in this case, the expression is through the modifying and "re-engineering" of Oktava microphones. I have always had a...

In last issue's "Gear Geeking" column, I mentioned how producer and Tape Op contributor Thom Monahan (Devendra, Vetiver, The Pernice Brothers, The Capital Years, etc.) turned me on to the plug-ins developed by Wave Arts, an acoustics and audio technology company founded by a fellow...

If gear design were a sport, I'd be calling for steroid testing of Wade Goeke, as he seems to hit a home run every time he's at bat. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say his Germanium Tone Control is the most innovative new EQ design I've seen. It has germanium...

This DVD pretty much saved my ass on a recent Pro Tools project that required way more editing than actual mixing. Let's start by saying that I'm not really a fan of PT, despite being an ex-employee of Digidesign. As I've mentioned in the past, I think the interface is archaic and...

Love 'em or hate 'em, digital guitar amp simulators and modeler plug-ins have become a big part of our lives. While we all love the convenience and versatility of amp simulators, none of us feel totally satisfied with the realism or sonic quality of such devices. Sterile, crispy, thin...

When I first pulled the R92 out of the box, I was shocked at how light it was. In fact, my first reaction was disappointment because I have such a strong association with heavy being better. Once I learned what this mic is all about, I realized its light weight is a feature and part of its...

Here's something that all of us could use-acoustic treatment that's portable, adjustable, affordable, and extremely easy to set up and use. The Reflexion is an arc-shaped acoustic filter that surrounds the back side of a mic. An integrated mount allows you to attach it to a mic stand (or...

This latest entry into the portable recording market tries to be all things to all people. The H4 is first and foremost a lightweight, field stereo recorder. Its built-in electret condenser mics are positioned in an X/Y stereo pattern and deliver good sound quality. An included foam windscreen will...

This is one of those "why didn't they think of this sooner?" devices. If you use any type of DB25 connections-analog or digital-in your studio, you need to check out the BOB-32. Personally, I hate DB25 to fan snakes. They never spread enough to connect to my gear. I end up patching...

Phillip Victor Bova, along with his wife Janet Kirby and their son, Philip Shaw Bova, have a recording studio called Bova Sound in Ottawa, Canada, and their company Sage Electronics makes wonderful audio products, sold directly. Already familiar with them through the purchase of my indispensable...

I've been a computer geek for 27 years now! Yikes! And during that time, I've gone through many computer keyboards... from IBM mainframe terminals to fold-outs for Pocket PCs... and everything in between. Honestly, I've probably owned three or four dozen keyboards or computers by...

Subtitled The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used to Create Their Classic Albums, this 540-page hardbound book arrives in a pseudo EMI tape box and is heavier than a 2" reel of tape. It has three sections: I -covering Abbey Road and the people involved; II -the equipment used there; III...

I've learned to really respect John Peluso-designed microphones. John Peluso too. He's taken the plunge into ribbons with his brand new R14. He's not new to ribbon technology however. He's been repairing ribbon mics for years. He repaired his first ribbon, an RCA 77DX, back in...

This past summer, I helped mix Nedelle's latest home-recorded album at JB's Hangar Studios through his Neve broadcast console onto tape. On the morning of the first day, John strapped a Thermionic Culture Phoenix stereo tube compressor across the stereo drums coming out of Pro Tools. It...

All I want is a stereo mic adapter that's solid, flexible, and reliable. There are some expensive ones out there, but I want one I can count on for live work or rowdy punk bands. I was going through the Shure catalog when I stumbled upon the A27M. Most retailers don't even know it exists...

While appearing on a couple of radio shows at two different studios, I found myself amazed by the sound of my voice through two well-known broadcast mics: the Shure SM7 and Sennheiser MD 421. I'm a male baritone, and both mics sounded full and rich on my voice, without a hint of boominess. I...

For my next project on the RADAR V, I recorded local artist Backseat Radio at 192 kHz. We multitracked "Throat", a guitar-driven pop tune with Wurlitzer, Syndrums, additional guitars, and vocals overdubbed on top of drums, bass, and rhythm guitar. Like in previous mix sessions, I was...