Gear Reviews

This compact audio interface allows you to record up to 8 channels simultaneously on an iPad; delivers 18 input and 18 output channels on Windows and Mac OS X (8 analog, 10 digital); supports USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 connectivity; provides onboard routing and mixing as well as DSP effects; supports...

The Retrospec Juice Box is an all tube, Class A direct-

injection box for recording musical instruments. It is fairly simple in layout and unique in looks. It has the usual 1/4'' I/O and an XLR output to feed a mic preamp, console or converter. The unbalanced 1/4'' Amp Out is...

While continuing to update SONAR X1 (Tape Op #82) for free, Cakewalk is adding functionality to their top-shelf version of SONAR X1 Producer with a paid upgrade - SONAR X1 Producer Expanded. Most of the improvements are to Producer's ProChannel console strip, so Expanded isn't available...

Softube is a Swedish company that develops pro audio hardware and software, with plug-in titles that include official emulations of gear from Abbey Road Studios, Tube-Tech, Trident, and more. Interestingly, Tonelux Tilt was originally created in collaboration with Tonelux's designer Paul Wolff...

Like many Tape Op readers (especially guitarists), I've amassed a somewhat embarrassing collection of effects pedals over the decades. For me, it started in 1982, too young to drive, when I pedaled my bike three towns away to buy a used Univox Micro Fazer for $15. I still have it, and...

The OWC Mercury Rack Pro is a hard-drive enclosure designed for the high-performance demands of audio and video production. Whether you want it for production, backup, or a combination, the unit is mission-ready out of the box. Working with Mac or PC, it's configurable as a desktop or...

Gregory Scott of KUSH Audio is one of those guys that seem to really think about the process of making music. In talking with him at trade shows or seeing his posts in recording forums, he communicates his ideas in a way that is informed, intelligent, and artistic. His company has in recent years...

These are fun days for adventurous electric guitarists. All sorts of permutations of the quintessential rock instrument have reared their headstocks in the past decade. We’ve got easy access to modeling guitars that mimic classics pretty convincingly. Also, there are baritone guitars, axes with...

Inspired by the straightforward approach Equator Audio takes in selling the D5 direct to consumers — without middleman margins and BS sales tactics — I’m going to just cut to the chase here. The D5 studio monitor is high in quality, low in cost, sounds fantastic, offers amazing detail and imaging...

The reason most mixers use speakers like the Yamaha NS-10M and Auratone — or small radios, cheap computer speakers, and other assorted “crappy sounding” things — is that these speakers highlight the midrange content of our mixes where the most essential sonic content exists. This focus helps in...

Most of you are probably familiar with Chandler Limited and Wade Goeke from previous reviews and experiences with Chandler gear — the cool-looking, vintage-styled processors with innovative, modern twists. This newest 500-series module in the Little Devil lineup follows the EQ and Compressor and is...

The Maag EQ4, from the designer of the venerable NTI EQs with their legendary Air Band, isn't really an equalizer at all. So if you're looking for a new parametric EQ, stop reading, because the EQ4... isn't.

You don't need a new EQ anyway, do you? Of course not. There's...

I jumped at the chance to audition the DocDerr EQ/compressor, a new 500-series module designed by ELI’s founder/designer Dave Derr. I, along with almost everyone else in the audio world, am a huge fan of his Distressor compressor, so my interest is always piqued when a new product of his is...

Inward Connections and its Vac Rac series of tube audio processors may be some of Pro Audio’s best kept secrets. The TSL-4 represents the latest incarnation of Vac Rac tube limiters that graced premier equipment racks since the early 1990s. This newest 3RU-height behemoth sports the same vintage...

Genelec has long been a name associated with "industry standard" for active studio monitors, and the 8040A model has been around since 2004, so I won't focus on the sound of the 8240A as much as I will the Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) DSP auto-calibration system.

According to...

I've been using the same brand of head cleaner for a decade. Nice alcohol-based stuff. But I ran low and found that MDI PrecisionMotorWorks was able to reintroduce their "right stuff" cleaner. (The previous formula contained ozone-depleting substances, and it took years to come up...

Acoustic Geometry is a new line of professional sound products from Acoustical Surfaces, Inc. (www.acousticalsurfaces.com). Their debut product group, called the Curve System, is a family of diffusors, absorbers, and corner traps. As the name implies, the units are rounded, with a constant-radius...

Recording equipment manufacturers, as in any other product segment, fall into trends. When something sells, everyone wants to jump on the boat, and it's easy to write off late-comers in the competition. This applies to Neve clones and 500-series modules, but even while falling into both...