When I moved my mix setup out of my living room and into a large shared studio space, I sensed that it would be helpful to have a larger pair of midfields for monitoring. Unfortunately, most of the...
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...
Several pieces of gear in my studio experienced vacuum tube failures. After I found myself spending money for maintenance and parts, I realized that I would benefit from learning more about tubes and...
No matter how many amazing equalizers that I buy, I find that I never have enough great outboard EQs for everything I need. In my opinion, the biggest advantage of expensive EQs is their ability to...
Before we get to Steve Silverstein's opinion on the newest speaker offering from PreSonus, let me butt in. After reading the first draft of Steve's Sceptre S8 review and his email exchanges with...
The Phoenix Audio DRS-EQ/500 is a 4-band equalizer in 500-series format, loosely comparable to the API 550b. Each band offers fewer frequency points than a 550b, without overlap between the bands. The...
One day, while listening to Roxy Music's Manifesto, I noticed that it was recorded at Ridge Farm Studio in England, and I did a bit of Internet research. While the studio no longer operates, I learned...
New Zealand gear manufacturer Buzz Audio is best known for its REQ-2.2 mastering EQ [Tape Op #71], which some have compared to a classic Sontec. This impressive reputation made me curious enough to...
The Opticom XLA-3 uses a photocell-based detection circuit coupled with tube make-up gain. The first famous compressor with this topology, of course, is the Teletronix LA-2A; its rich and dark tone...
I’ve learned the hard way that small, powered monitors are ideal for my mobile recording work. As the mix setup in my apartment has grown more permanent, I have also found...
I trusted Tekserve in New York when they recommended the Glyph GT 050Q. It definitely ranks among the best recommendations I've ever received (not just because I like the convenience of it taking an...
Mic'ing a snare drum is always a challenge, because it's hard to avoid bleed from the hi-hat. I've developed a preference for not very sensitive, super or hypercardioid dynamics, because they seem to...
A recording console is arguably one of the toughest pieces of gear to review. Connectivity to other gear, internal routing capability, build quality, ergonomics, and all-around workflow are necessary...
