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REVIEWS
LaChapell 992 EG and TLS
Telefunken R-F-T AK47 and M16 MkII
Avalon VT-737SP Revisited
The Avalon VT-737SP is one of the first stand-alone channel strips that were
designed and was released in the late 1990's. After its release it
received rave reviews from numerous engineers and artists, and is still
in heavy use on major-label sessions. I figured it was time to take a look at
the 737 SP, and see how it matches up against the new guys on the block.
ADK AP-1 Mic Preamp / DI
The story behind the AP-1 was early on I was having conversations with Larry Villella of ADK. He said he wanted to make an API-type preamp. I said if they were going to do that they really should make the opamps socketed rather than soldered. And should use the 6-pin 2520/990 format. I sent lists of all the opamps available. So, they went with that. And they also came up with the idea of swappable transformers.
Lavry DA10 vs Benchmark DAC1
The Benchmark DAC1 — the crowning champion for stand-alone D/A converters in the $1000 range — is now being challenged by the Lavry DA10; a newcomer from a highly-respected converter company, Lavry Engineering.
The two go head-to-head in a no-rules deathmatch.
Neve Portico 5012 Duo Mic Pre
BFD Acoustic Drum Module
Rode K2 Valve Microphone
Frontier Design TranzPort
A-Designs Audio REDDI Tube DI
The REDDI I had for review had to go back to A-Designs. I've had well over 200 products here for review in the last couple of years. I'd already bought an A-Designs MP-2, so I didn't think another offering from them [ and certainly not a DI ] was going to increase my sonic pallet. I was wrong.
Amphony 1000 2.4 GHz Wireless Headphones
ADK Vienna and Hamburg
Tascam DV-RA1000 Master Recorder
Waves IR-1 Convolution Reverb
Dynaudio BM5A Active Monitors
Phoenix Audio (UK) DRS-2 Mic Preamp/DI
Summing Box Shootout
Speck Electronics 5.0 Mic Pre
The MicPre 5.0 is an original design and packs a lot of features into a compact half-rack space and can be rackmounted and combined with the Model ASC 4-band equalizer for a powerful and versatile channel strip.
DACS Clarity MicAmp
I recently ran across the DACS Clarity MicAmp, and in doing so have found a gem. Rather than waiting to the end of this review, I want to state here that the Clarity is hands down one of the best and most unique mic pres on the market today.
A Designs Audio MP-1 Tube Mic Pre/DI
There's been lots of discussion of tubes and using them to warm the signal path, but if you didn't have a thick wallet, a true tube microphone preamplifier was probably out of reach. Getting into tubes for under $1,000 has meant hybrid-tube designs or even units that claim to have tubes, while in reality the tube had little or nothing to do with the sound of the unit and more to do with marketing.
Great River Electronics ME-1NV
The recording-studio market is abundant with many mic-pre offerings under $1,000 that claim to "run with the big boys." And while some of the claims may be true, what if one of the real "big boys" made a microphone preamplifier available at a street price near $1,000. Welcome to the Great River Electronics ME-1NV.
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FEATURED ARTICLES
The Early Years
All of us — musicians, recording engineers, and producers — got bit by the music bug at some point: some early in life, and some later. I was recently making a video of my four-year-old son, Max's, band, and the experience took me back to those early years when I was banging and playing on anything I could get my hands on. Music is a language that crosses all borders: race, socioeconomic groups, religion, etc.. Music is also about sharing, whether as players together, or performers to an audience (either live or recordings). Tell a little bit about the discovery and journey of music in your life during the early years here in Studio Forums.
Microphone Graph
We keep getting requests for a buried link we have to an in-progress microphone graph The Listening Sessions started a few years back. So, we thought we'd give it a more visible position here on the front page of Studio Reviews. In the last five years we've tested over 200 microphones. The mic graph is being updated on an ongoing basis as time permits.
Preamplifier Graph
Since 2002, The Listening Sessions has tested over 100 microphone preamplifiers. The preamplifier graph is being updated on an ongoing basis as time permits.
How to Record a Couch
I recently spent a few days in bassist Steve Bailey's studio recording hand drummer Bobby Thomas, Jr. for Steve's upcoming solo album. Looking for the sound of "air", I made it over to one of the couches and gave it a rub. I got excited and laughed, and said, "Hey, Bobby, you've gotta' check out this couch! Bobby went over to the couch and started slowly rubbing. He dug it. So, I miked it up. And we recorded it.
How I Mix
I came to realize that many of my mixes follow a specific approach. The decisions made, directions pursued, imagery, sounds achieved and overall production approach in each mix will vary greatly based on the musical genre and even my mood.
Mic & Pre Tests @ Blackbird Studio
We spent a day in Blackbird's Studio B testing through a choice
selection of microphones and preamplifiers. A day in a well-equipped studio can save time and money over the hit-or-miss process of buying and trying different gear over time. You might even find, that on your voice, a $100 Shure SM57 sounds better than a $25,000 ELAM 251.
Say What?
It's all around us. We swim in a sea of noise. In this new millennium
society we're bathed in iPods, construction sites, roaring traffic, power
tools and a myriad of other sources of deafening sound that assault our systems
on physical and psychological levels.
Studies have shown that a sixty-year-old from a traditional African society
hears as well or better than a twenty five-year-old from North America.
Unpaid Studio Internships
I spent a number of years working in commercial studios in New York City, and hiring and training interns. Even as an engineer it wasn't just about earning money for me. It was more about getting access to the gear. And if you're serious about recording and making music, spending time around a lot of sweet gear will be a high priority.
Interview: IAC's Scott Stambaugh
Independent Artists Company (IAC) is based on the concept that indie artists don't get the kind of opportunities they deserve in the larger music business, all the avenues to the mainstream are blocked. The only route open for independents to get true exposure is to buy into the industry themselves and bridge the gap by force, so that's what we're doing. The music site is only one element of IAC, more will be unfolding in the course of 2006-2007.
Mastering Scams
I have nothing against legitimate "budget" mastering facilities. This is about deceptive facilities — the phonies, the "wannabees" — the scam artists that promise the world on a silver platter for the cost of a paper plate. I'm quickly growing tired of seeing people being victimized by these hacks, and it's time to help arm the uninitiated.
The All 57 Song
Kelly McGuire had been wanting to do an entire recording using only SM57's as a challenge. That finally resulted in an excellent recording and performance of "Head Over Heels". Keep this recording around as an acid test when you get to feeling that if you only just had that one more piece of gear that you could really start making great music. Because the fact of the matter is that talent can go quite a long way using some very simple tools.
Why Don't My Recordings Sound Pro?
A common reason recordings don't sound "pro" is often because of the arrangement. Yes, we can all often use more gear — a new mic, preamp, or the latest plug-in — but the fact of the matter is that very good recordings have and can be made using very inexpensive, basic equipment. I know this isn't what people might want to hear, but chances
are very good if you already have some type of recording set-up that you can make great-sounding songs if you dig a little deeper into what you're actually doing — rather than digging deeper into your wallet.
What Makes a Good Producer?
I have had the honor of working with some of the most respected Producers in the industry. I've also worked with some very bad Producers. I have noticed several different types of Producers. Here is an opinionated breakdown of the extremes that all Producers fall in between.
Home Recording Boot Camp
International recording engineer, producer, and musician, Ronan Chris Murphy, whips home recordists into shape at intensive courses via Home Recording Boot Camp. With locations in Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; and Northern Italy and a staff of world-class instructors, students from around the world and of all skill levels receive personalized instruction in the art of recording and music production. We recently interviewed Ronan about the program.
The Les Pauls and Stratocasters of the Microphone World
Using the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster to establish some tonal differences that can be commonly identified, we can move into the world of microphones — where we find the same opposing and complementary designs in two classic mics, and all their later incarnations and knock-offs, from another pair of iconic companies: Neumann and AKG.
Home Studios are Killing Music
I get asked a lot by songwriters what gear they should buy, and I tell them a 4-track cassette or an old ADAT with a Mackie 1202 — and whatever they do, don't get a DAW. If you are a performing songwriter that puts a fancy studio in your home, if that does not stop your career dead in its tracks you are the exception and not the rule.
Mixing Digital to Sound More Analog
First of all, I would like to make it clear that I have only recently decided to forgive digital for how it sounds. Yes, I agree that digital is easier, more convenient, more stable of a storage medium and you can do very cool things that would be difficult or even impossible using analog. Unfortunately, I have always felt that analog technology better captured midrange nuances that are crucial to any voice or instrument's sound. So I worked harder because the sound was worth it.
WTF is Mastering?
Dan Richards interviews John Scrip in-depth about mastering and why you shouldn't try this at home.
"Before someone smacks us with semantics, I suppose we should clear up the difference between mastering and premastering. Technically, mastering refers to producing the final version from which copies are made. Mastering has generally become accepted as the term used for the final manipulation of the recording — bringing it into its final "sound" if not quite its final state."
Audio Engineering as a Career
For those of you who are looking to get your foot in the door towards a career in audio engineering, you will find that getting your foot in the door will become a way of life for you if you're to have any chance of success working as an independent in the recording industry. You need to get into the mindset that you are the one who makes things happen.
The Secret to the Bonham Drum Sound
There is no greater truth in making records than this: "The recording is governed by the performance." This may seem obvious, but many times the implications of this are not. There are two main areas where this truth manifests itself. The first is in the emotional impact of the music and the second is in the sonic signature or sonic possibilities of a recording.
The "Over Production" Myth
It truth, there is no such thing as over-production, only appropriate and inappropriate production. To understand this, there must be consensus on the definition of the three issues at hand. What is production? What is appropriate production? What is inappropriate production?
Johnny Graham Interview
Johnny Graham is most well-known as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire during the peak period of the group's career, 1972-1982. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from BET Network, and won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards.
05/28/08 PreSonus Firestudio Ships
04/03/08 Sennheiser Intros MKH800 TWIN Mic
03/12/08 ADAM Launches A5 Monitor
02/02/08 Dynaudio Announces AIR 12 Monitors
01/22/08 SE and Neve Join Forces
11/08/07 New Extreme Isolation Headphones released
10/24/07 New Presonus ADL 700 tube channel strip
09/30/07 JLM Audio announces 500-series products
08/10/07 Focusrite unveils ISA828 preamp
05/25/07 Great River 500 series NV preamp
04/10/07 WK intros EDIT DAW controller
02/10/07 AKG Launch Limited Edition C414
01/17/07 Tonelux intros MP2D micpre w/ AD
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Wireless technologies have made huge strides in this first decade of the new millenium. It's quite liberating not to be hindered by a cord, and I'm still enjoying getting used to the idea.
Over the last couple of years I've used most of the mics in the ADK Audiophile Series, and mic after mic I've been impressed. For quality mics made in China, ADK has proven itself to be king of the hill. I've had a chance to test and use both the ADK Vienna and Hamburg microphones, and unlike the familiar harshness and hyped upper-mids of many of the Chinese-made mics, these are much smoother and have a quality sound, even when used over numerous tracks.
