Category Archives for "New Music Gear Monday"
Since it’s introduction in the late 60s, the AKG C-451 received a justifiably solid reputation over the years as a go-to mic whenever you needed a fast-response small diaphragm condenser (SDC), especially on cymbals and acoustic guitar. That said, the design of the mic changed quite a bit as time went on in an effort […]
Continue readingOne of the most prescient, forward-looking songs ever is the tune that initially broke David Bowie – “Space Oddity.” Anyone who’s tried to copy the synth work on the song has been kept up all night searching for that sound, and probably never found it. That’s because it was generated by a small inexpensive unit […]
Continue readingThere’s something about the sound of the very first digital reverbs that everyone still loves. Sure they were limited spec-wise, but that’s exactly what gave them their character. The very first inexpensive digital reverb was the Alesis Microverb in 1986. It shattered the notion that anything digital had to cost a lot, but more than […]
Continue readingThere are many pieces of vintage gear that just had “the sound” that people went through great expense to reproduce years later. One of the most sought-after and elusive hardware pieces is the custom-built Motown Studios EQ, a box with undeniable magic that can be heard on all of those great hits. Now Heritage Audio […]
Continue readingWarm Audio has taken the pro audio industry by storm over the last 10 years thanks to its philosophy of releasing low-cost quality versions of beloved vintage audio gear. The prices were always very affordable, almost to the point of wondering how they could make any money considering the low prices they were charging. The […]
Continue readingThe original Harrison 32C console was responsible for the sound of so many U.S. hits in the 70s and 80s, yet unless you worked on the desk you might not be aware of its various attributes. While the 32C’s equalizer has been available as a UAD plugin for a while now, and the entire console […]
Continue readingSo often artists, engineers and producers are looking for a new sound, and as anyone who’s ever gone on that search knows, it’s not always easy to find. Then there’s the case where a mixer might be trying to get something to jump out of the track, but finds that the normal processors like EQ […]
Continue readingIn the category of “Why didn’t someone think of that before?” we get another new plugin that takes an existing audio tool and makes it function better with some additional features. This time it’s the M-Gate, a multiband gate plugin from Mogwai Audio Tools. If you’ve ever struggled getting a gate to trigger just right, […]
Continue readingDid you ever want to copy the way a track sounds, but can’t quite do it even though you’re using the same plugins and settings? Did you ever hear a track and go “That’s perfect. I wish I could get my xxx (fill in the blank) to sound like that?” If you’ve run into these […]
Continue readingThe very heart of a desktop studio setup is the audio to computer interface, but many times that’s overlooked in importance. As a result, the audio quality suffers until one day the user knows that it’s just time to step up to something better. A viable upgrade alternative is the new Antelope Audio Zen Q […]
Continue readingWe get new modern audio plugins all the time but no matter what, there are still tried and true sounds that just seem to work. Take for instance, the SSL G series buss compressor, or the E series EQ, two hardware modules that always had some sort of audio magic to them. When it comes […]
Continue readingMost EQ plugins available today tend to be based on one vintage hardware EQ or another, and as a result, introduce some color into the sound. What if you want the opposite though? If you want the cleanest most precise EQ plugin available, then look no further than the MDWEQ6, the latest from the man […]
Continue readingI think the ultimate channel strip plugin for many engineers has always been one of the variants of Neve’s legendary 80 series consoles. There are certainly some really good versions of the hardware now available (some closer to the original sound than others), and I think even the pickiest mixer can find one that satisfies. […]
Continue readingI need another set of headphones like I need a hole in the head. I have every popular set of phones you can name from Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, Fostex, and Audio Technica, plus a host of more exotic ones. I have my favorites, but that changes all the time. Needless to say, I have a […]
Continue readingMixing engineers are on a never ending quest for low end. Not enough and your mix is weak and sounds like a demo. Have too much and it sounds bloated and boomy. Get it right and your mix is big and powerful sounding. That’s why there are tons of different techniques and plugins that focus […]
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