TC Helicon VoiceLive Touch Review - The TC Touch
Written testVocal effects are present more than ever in modern music, but if you want special effects, you don't give the control to the sound engineer. Loopers are also hip, especially for artists making solo p…
The Microphone Preamplifier Comparison Test - The BIG Pre-Amp Faceoff
Written testA pair of audio heads with a studio based outside Tokyo recently contacted me with their first recorded mic preamp comparison tests. I was impressed and happy to have made friends from studio trench…
Have Fun with Noise Gates - Noise Gates Don't Have to be Boring
LearningNoise gates aren't as relevant as they were back in the analog days, when hiss was an uninvited intruder on anything you recorded. But noise gates can do some really cool special effects that have no…
Exploring the Art of Filthy Signal Mutation - Extreme Drum Processing
LearningI like music with a distinctly electronic edge, but also want a human "feel." Trying to resolve these seemingly contradictory ideals has led to some fun experimentation, but one of the more recent "h…
All About DC Offset - DC Offset: Case of the Missing Headroom
LearningIt was a dark and stormy night. I was rudely awakened at 3 AM by the ringing of a phone, pounding my brain like a jackhammer that spent way too much time chowing down at Starbucks. The voice on the o…
How to Compress a Guitar or Bass - Dynamics Processing Meets Rock Guitar
LearningDynamics processing with studio-oriented processors? Been there, done that. But have you re-visited it lately in a guitar context? Dynamics control for vocals or program material is very different co…
ADAM A3X Review - The Tiny ADAM
Written testAn ADAM speaker for under $300? Yes, what used to be a dream is now reality thanks to the small A3X equipped with a 4.5" woofer and the German manufacturer's famous ribbon tweeter. Does it have every…
Compressors: How They Really Work - Compressors Demystified
LearningIt's one of the most used, and most misunderstood, signal processors. While people use it to make a recording "punchier," it often ends up dulling the sound instead because the controls aren't set op…
Focal CMS 40 Review - Focal Point
Written testThese monitor speakers ought to be of interest to mobile home studio owners or people who have a very small room to play or mix music. Following the Focal CMS 65 and CMS 50, the CMS 40 is even smalle…
Whether for Recording or Live Performance, the Right EQ… - Making Equalization Work For You
LearningEqualization is one of the most important and powerful tools in the recording enthusiast’s arsenal, yet too many people adjust equalization with their eyes – not their ears. For example, one time aft…
Tannoy Reveal 601a Mini-Review - Tannoy Reveals Itself
Written testAt the start of the 2010 season, Tannoy, the famous studio monitor manufacturer, updated the Reveal series — its entry level product range. We had the opportunity to review the Reveal 601a, a powered…
Adam A8X Review - The Return of the Ribbon
Written testIt has become a yearly tradition for the German manufacturer ADAM AUDIO to launch a brand new product for the Musikmesse trade show in Frankfurt (Germany). Trade shows are meant for that, aren't they…
ADAM S3X-H Review - ADAM X-Rated
Written testFirst launched in 2009 at Musikmesse, the ADAM S3X-H is the successor of the jewel in the crown of its previous product range. But is it really an innovation or just an upgrade from the German manufa…
iPhone/iPod Touch Sequencers Report - My iPhone is a Sequencer
LearningIn addition to recording music with your iPhone, you can also edit and produce your music with the little magic machine. A DAW in your pocket!
Zoom R16 Review - Zoom R16: All-Rounder
Written testDAW systems are good but you don't always have a computer by when you feel the rush to record music. Mini studios were created for that purpose: they are practical solutions but not very comprehensiv…
