Gear Reviews

Plug-Ins  |  No. 104

Airwindows: Console and Buss Colors plug-ins

reviewed by Kirt Shearer

Twenty years ago, there really wasn't much of a market for "plug-ins." Sure, there were some limited software tools for audio, but they were mostly proprietary to a specific editor. Very little...

Accessories, Computers  |  No. 104

CalDigit: Thunderbolt Station, 10946 MP Thunder Dock

reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

If you, like me, have recently moved to the Thunderbolt computer interface platform, these two products may be of interest to you. I recently sold my Avid TDM hardware in favor of a Universal Audio...

Accessories  |  No. 104

Triad-Orbit: Advanced Stands Systems

reviewed by Garrett Haines

Triad-Orbit is a new brand of professional microphone stands from Access Products Group, a company that has been designing and producing products for other market leaders for over twenty years. The...

Interfaces  |  No. 104

Audient: iD22 USB audio interface

reviewed by Andy Hong

What sets the iD22 apart from countless other compact audio interfaces I've tried is its big-console feel and sound. And really, it's the most "analog" sounding USB audio interface I've heard! The...

Accessories, Computers, Mic Preamps  |  No. 104

Drip Electronics: 47 ULTRA preamp PC board

reviewed by Brad Williams

In a majority of cases, the absolute worst motive for undertaking a DIY electronics project is "cost savings." Gear builds are gratifying for a number of reasons, but factors like economies of scale...

Plug-Ins, Software  |  No. 104

Softube: Studio Collection plug-in suite

reviewed by Eli Crews

The first thing one notices about Softube plug-ins is that the graphics are kinda stunning. Now, I'm not foolish enough to think that skeuomorphic precision and meticulous shading are going to make...

Dynamics  |  No. 104

Anthony DeMaria Labs: ADL 1700 Liquid Mu tube limiter

reviewed by Daniel Schlett

In today's boutique audio market, variable-mu designs have become very popular after the rediscovery of such classic units as the Fairchild 670, General Electric BA-5-A, and Gates Sta-Level. What...

Effects, Plug-Ins, Software  |  No. 104

Waves: Reel ADT plug-in

reviewed by John Baccigaluppi, Geoff Stanfield

At AES, we met with Waves, and they asked us why Tape Op never reviews their plug-ins. "Good question," I said. Then, a bit later at the show, Geoff Stanfield and I started talking about how we had...

Mic Preamps  |  No. 104

LaChapell Audio: 583S mk2 tube preamp

reviewed by Geoff Stanfield

Let's paint a picture. If you are new to painting, let's paint by numbers. If you have been at it awhile, let's explore and start mixing our own colors and use more than just a paintbrush to apply...

Consoles/Summing, Control Surfaces  |  No. 104

Avenson Audio: Blend mixer, Mid-Side matrix

reviewed by Andy Hong

If you do any audio processing in the analog domain, whether you rely on a large-format console or just a modest rack of gear, you'll realize quickly how powerful and easy-to- use these half-width,...

Dynamics  |  No. 104

Pheonix Audio: N90-DRC/500 compressor/gate

reviewed by Adam Kagan

I am a fan of the 500-series format, but each time I see a new module enter the fray of over 200 different modules, I have to wonder what makes this one special. Phoenix Audio produces high quality,...

Monitoring  |  No. 104

ADAM Audio: A77X active monitors

reviewed by Larry Crane

I've had a pair of ADAM S3-A [Tape Op #33] powered monitors for about a decade at Jackpot! Recording Studio, and they've treated me well. I had been through a number of speakers before them, and in...