 |
Category 
Studio & Home Studio
List of user reviews Studio & Home Studio
- Product Prodipe Pro Ribbon 5 By Arsxxi on Jun 29, 2009 at 10:02:12 PM
-
-
Characteristics - What technical features/characteristics motivated your choice?
For what use? Home studio professional recording
What Amp/What Setup?... Thay are amplified/ -
Sounds
- Is the stereo image satisfactory? not
Is the sound clear and precise all along the spectrum? the high frequencies are just rubbish
Are the dynamics respected?... very low
Are the effects good, usable and sufficiently realistic? not, this is the worst product I've bought in my life -
Overall Opinion
- What thing do you like most/least about it? the fake publicity
Did you try many other models before getting this one? not
What is your opinion about the value for the price? ten times expensive for what it is
Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?... Oh Lord, never!
Precision and quality of the sound? for the computer games, not more
-
- Product RODE M2 By moosers on Jun 22, 2009 at 7:57:50 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Rode M2 is a hand held condenser microphone that has a hyper cardioid pick up pattern. The mic is designed for use in broadcasting as well as for MCs and for live shows. It has an on/off switch and has the standard XLR jack on it. It also comes with the microphone clip that is shown in the picture above.
-
Overall Opinion
- I've only used the Rode M2 a number of times for live shows, but I've been quite happy with it when I have used it. It has a pretty good sound from a hand held microphone and it is nice that it is a condenser because it picks up way more detail than a dynamic microphone would. I've never used this microphone for recording, but I wouldn't really suggest it for this use anyway as it isn't designed for that sort of use. That being said, it will certainly work in the recording studio and definitely won't sound bad if you decide to use it for this, but there are other microphones in this price range made by Rode that will do a much better job in the studio because that it what they are designed for. The mic has a pretty sturdy make up and should last a while if you treat it properly, which is a big feature when it comes to live microphones. The price of the Rode M2 is pretty reasonable even if it is a bit more expensive than most hand held mics, which is only because it is a condenser rather than a dynamic mic. If you are looking for a nice hand held condenser microphone that sounds great for live shows, the Rode M2 seems to be as good as any choice. However, if you want a nice condenser microphone for the recording studio, I would stay away from this mic and look elsewhere at a mic like the Rode NT1A that is a similar price but will sound much better in the studio. All in all, the Rode M2 is a great sounding microphone for use on the stage!
-
- Product Mojave Audio MA-200 By moosers on Jun 21, 2009 at 7:38:49 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Mojave Audio MA-200 is a large diaphragm tube condenser microphone. It comes with its own power supply and has a special cable and connection on the end of it to send it to this power supply. It also comes with a hard shell case and a shock mount specially designed for this mic.
-
Overall Opinion
- The Mojave Audio MA-200 tube condenser microphone is a pretty good sounding microphone overall. It has a warm and full bodied sound to it that makes it a good microphone for vocals as well as for acoustic piano, drum overheads and just about any other application you'd want to use a large diaphragm tube condenser mic. However, for the price I was expecting a little bit more from the tone quality of this microphone. Don't get me wrong, it definitely is a good sounding microphone overall, but for that price of about a thousand USD, I was expecting a better sounding microphone. When you consider the other microphones you can get for this price, the Mojave Audio MA-200 doesn't seem as appealing anymore. This day and age microphones are being made much cheaper than ever before and it seems to me while this is a good sounding microphone, for the price I could find others that sound comparable or better for a cheaper price. For the same price I would much rather have a Neumann TLM 103 because it has a superior sound quality even though it isn't a tube condenser mic. If you are looking for a tube condenser microphone I would definitely recommend checking out the Mojave Audio MA-200, but I would also strongly recommend shopping around to see what microphone will work best for your situation and budget. Overall though, the Mojave Audio MA-200 is a nice sounding microphone for a somewhat reasonable price.
-
- Product Art Tube MP Project By moosers on Jun 21, 2009 at 7:30:09 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Art Tube MP Project is a single channel tube based preamplifier. It is an analog unit that has XLR connections and is powered by the power supply that comes with it. It isn't in rack form and stands on its own in a box a little less than half the length of a rack space.
-
Utilization
- The Art Tube MP Project is fairly simple to use and even those with no real recording experience shouldn't have too many problems with it. The unit has knobs for gain and output levels and then has a series of buttons including ones for +20db gain, low/hi impedance, a filter, phantom power, a limiter, and a phase switch. The preamp also has a meter that will show you the level of your signal and will also show you when your signal is clipping. The set up of it is quite basic and unless you really have no experience whatsoever with preamps the manual isn't necessary.
-
Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Art Tube MP Project preamp is actually not bad at all. While it does have a tube sound, it isn't anything like the high end tube gear, but will stand on its own as a pretty good mic pre. Like the name states, it is really designed for project studios rather than professionals and this is where it should stay as the sound quality isn't up to par for professionals. This preamp won't really color your sound, but it does have a certain quality to it that is somewhat unique to itself. I have used the pre on everything from vocals to electric guitars to drums with good results, but you must keep in mind that it does have its own sound and will really only work best in certain situations.
-
Overall Opinion
- For the money, the Art Tube MP Project is a great deal. If you are a home studio looking to expand your palette in terms of preamps, the Art Tube MP Project can definitely help you do that without spending too much money at all. However, don't expect to get an immaculate tube sound just because this is a tube powered pre. It has a good sound but the ceiling is only so high for this unit and I wouldn't ever recommend it to anyone other than a home studio owner looking for a cheap outboard pre. Overall, this is a great deal for the price, but don't expect the world from it.
-
- Product AKG K 1000 By moosers on Jun 21, 2009 at 7:08:41 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Overall Opinion
- The AKG K 1000s are a set of studio headphones that are extremely high quality and just as rare as any set of headphones out there. The headphones have an extremely unique shape and a crystal clear sound quality that is hard to match. Since these are no longer made and are very rare, they are extremely hard to find and are quite expensive because of it. They have quite a unique shape and look unlike any other set of headphones that I've ever seen. They aren't the most comfortable headphones because of this unique shape and sometimes sound does seem to leak out because they don't fit perfectly on your head, but this isn't that big of a deal to me because the sound quality makes up for. You also need to power these headphones with a power amplifier which is strange because most headphones don't require this but I guess the speakers in the headphones are so powerful that it needs external power. AKG has a great line of headphones, and the K 1000s are really some of their best and are some of the best overall that I've ever used. If you are looking for an absolute high end set of headphones, the AKG K 1000s will give you that if you can find them, which is no easy task at all. However, unless you are a professional I wouldn't recommend seeking these out because at this point they are somewhat of a collector's item and you can find good headphones for cheaper and easier. This being said, it is hard to match what AKG has to offer with the K 1000s and because of this it is hard to find anything that comes close to sounding as good, but unless you are looking for a pair of headphones to mix on, I would recommend picking up a different pair. All in all, the AKG K 1000s are a classic set of headphones that will probably never be matched in design and quality.
-
- Product Ashly CL 52 By moosers on Jun 19, 2009 at 6:47:19 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Ashly CL 52 is a stereo compressor in the form of a rack mountable piece of outboard gear that will take up a single size rack space. The on of these that I have used in stationary in a rack, so I'm not sure what type of connections it has as it had already been set up at the studio I have used it at.
-
Utilization
- The make up of the Ashly CL 52 is pretty basic, with each channel having parameters for gain, threshold, ratio, attack, release, and output level. These are pretty much all of the parameters you would expect when you use a compressor, so anyone with any previous experience with using compressors shouldn't have any trouble with this unit at all. The unit also has two meters for each channel that are programmable and can show all of the input and output levels as well as gain reduction. I don't have the manual for the Ashly CL 52 so I don't know how helpful or well put together it is, but the unit is really easy to use on its own without it.
-
Sound Quality
- The overall sound quality heard from the Ashly CL 52 compressor is about average and isn't anything that will blow you away, but does indeed get the job done in a few different situations. I like using it for electric guitar and drums of all types, and it will probably work fine with other things as well, I just find that this is where it works best. It won't color your sound at all beyond what you set it to do and will do the job well, it just doesn't add any real special quality to your signal that you do get with some higher end compressors.
-
Overall Opinion
- I've been using the Ashly CL 52 compressor for about two or three years and I would definitely recommend it to the home studio owner looking for a nice outboard compressor that won't break the bank. This unit does the job well at a very reasonable price and is also really easy to use. I can't say I would recommend it to professionals because I don't believe that the sound quality is up to par, but this is a great unit for home studio owners.
-
- Product Fishman Dual Parametric DI By moosers on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:03:16 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Fishman Dual Parametric DI box has a dual band EQ in addition to the standard features found on a DI box. It has 1/4 inch connections and is an analog piece of gear. It isn't a rack mountable piece of gear.
-
Utilization
- The Fishman Dual Parametric DI box is generally really easy to use, even though it is a little more in depth than most DI boxes because of the EQ features. Each EQ band has parameters to set the frequency, octave and gain (cut or boost). Each also has a switch to put the EQ in or out and there is an overall volume knob as well as a phase switch. It is a pretty basic make up and even if you don't have any experience with EQs you shouldn't have too much of an issues learning this DI box. The manual for the Fishman Dual Parametric DI box is pretty thorough but isn't necessary to learn the unit.
-
Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Fishman Dual Parametric DI box is really clean and for this reason it is suitable for both in the studio and on the stage. The EQs are a bonus as it allows you to have further control over your sound, but I don't always use it as I generally like the sound it has without it when I record bass guitar with it which I was I use it for mostly. The EQs sound good too, but this makes it money on its great inherent tone.
-
Overall Opinion
- I've been using the Fishman Dual Parametric DI box for about a year and it is one of my favorite DI boxes out there because it has a super clean tone and great sounding EQ. It is however a bit pricey and for this reason I only have one of them as I generally like to have a few DI boxes around of the model. If you're looking for a great sounding DI box either for recording or for live shows, the Fishman Dual Parametric DI box will exceed expectations.
-
- Product Tube-Tech PE1C By moosers on Jun 16, 2009 at 6:44:20 PM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- The Tube Tech PE1C is a two band parametric equalizer in the form of a rack mountable piece of gear that will take up three rack spaces. It has XLR connections in the back and is an all analog, tube based EQ.
-
Utilization
- If you have any experience with parametric EQs in the past I would say that you shouldn't have too much trouble operating the Tube Tech PE1C. It has pretty straightforward parameters and everything is easy to find and use. The unit has two bands - one for low frequency and one for high frequency. Each band has a switch to choose between a number of set frequency bands and then each has a knob for both boost and attenuation. There is also a bandwidth knob that applies to both bands as well as another switch for attenuation selection. I don't have the manual for the Tube Tech PE1C but unless you are a beginner you don't really need it.
-
Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Tube Tech PE1C EQ is absolutely pristine. These are some of the warmest and cleanest EQs I've ever used and is really what I have come to expect from the Tube Tech brand. This being said, I do feel that this EQ is best suited for some things rather than others due to its thick sound that comes from the tubes in this thing. I only use it on a few things because it doesn't always work to add the huge thick sound that this offers to a signal. However, for the things that I do use it for like drums and electric guitars it really works flawlessly.
-
Overall Opinion
- I've been using the Tube Tech PE1C for about two years and it is definitely an EQ that has something speical to it that distingushes itself from the rest of the pack. This EQ is designed for professionals and because of this it has a huge price tag, so unless you are a professional or a home studio with a big budget, its hard to imagine too many home studios having one of these. If you are looking for top notch tone from an EQ, the Tube Tech PE1C will give you that and then some...overall, the Tube Tech PE1C is just a great piece of gear.
-
- Product Audix i5 By mooseherman on Jun 9, 2009 at 1:13:40 AM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- aThis dynamic mic is great for studio use. I believe it could be used in a live setting, but it's increased bass and mid response might not be as advantageous in a live setting. It's got a cardioid polar pattern and a maximum SPL of 140db. It's pretty durable and very useful for a variety of things.
-
Overall Opinion
I definitely like the fact that this mic has a great bass response. Sometimes with dynamic mics, the bass response is weak, or it can't handle the really low frequencies. This mic doesn't have that problem. It's great for recording electric guitars, specifically coming out of cabinets that have a massive low end (metal/hardcore are the most obvious genres that tend to have guitar sounds like this). I tried using it on drums, and I feel like it was too bass-y; the high end of the snare was all but lost. I had better luck with using it on toms and a kick drum, though the effect was certainly different than my go to tom mics, the Sennheiser MD421s. I've heard that people have had success using it on vocals; the increased bass response leads me to believe that it would benefit a singer with a shrill voice that needs more oomph! I tried it on my trombone and it was one of my favorite horn sounds, great for funky brass works that require a tough low end. The mid response is also great on this mic. The main downside is that this mic doesn't have the shimmering high end that some dynamic mics possess, but the mic isn't designed for that anyway. It's versatile enough to be pretty useful in the studio. If you've got the (in my opinion) obligatory SM57s and MD421s, this is a good place to expand your dynamic mic collection. I think the price isn't too bad; it usually goes for around $100 or less. I would definitely recommend it, but there are better dynamic mics to start with. After you get those, this is a good addition.
-
- Product ElectroVoice RE20 By mooseherman on Jun 8, 2009 at 7:03:08 AM Music is my profession
-
-
Characteristics
- This is a dynamic microphone that can be used in both live and studio settings, though I admittedly have only used it myself in a studio. I have however, played shows where the sound guys have used it on bass amps, and as far as I could tell it worked great. They are pretty versatile but they are best known as vocal mics. Radio stations have used them for years. I don't know much about that world, but I do know that they are designed for vocal use. They also work well on kick drums, bass amps, and other applications.
-
Overall Opinion
- I guess the best quality of this microphone is it's reliability. While it's rarely the best choice in a studio for vocals, it will suffice in most situations. I tend to prefer large diaphragm condenser mics when recording vocals, but I have heard from colleagues that this mic has worked wonders for them. Hearing the results that they achieved, I'd have to agree. I guess I simply didn't have the kind of sessions that they did. I personally prefer what it can do with drums and bass. The mic is great for bass amps, and was my go-to mic for quite a while, until I expanded my collection and started working at a studio where they had more mics. Kick drums also sound pretty great with this, especially when used in tandem with an AKG D112. I once tried it as an overhead mic just for fun, and surprisingly, it worked rather well. It gave the drums a fatter, thicker sound that made them sound sort of vintage. This might not be what you're looking for most of the time, but it's still pretty cool. Something I particularly like about this mic is it's ability to reduce noise and bleed. I once recorded drums and electric guitar in the same room, and this mic was hands down the best at reducing bleed from the guitar (I used it on kick drum). I've also had good luck with it not picking up extraneous sounds in vocal booths (some mics pick up annoying clicks and people moving in the booth, this is usually not the issue with this microphone). It's very durable, too, as many people have said, although I would still be careful with it, simply because it could potentially never break on you, unlike most gear in general. Given how inexpensive it is, any beginning engineer or anyone with a low budget should make this one of their first investments. The usefulness and quality of sound belie it's cheap price. I would highly recommend it to anybody who doesn't already have it.
-
