Product Reviews
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs – A Real-World Review
Having tried many models of earplugs over the last 20 years, reviewer Rob Tavaglione says that for applications where audio fidelity is crucial, he is sold on these Vibes.
Real World Review
Product Reviews
Revive Audio ART VLA Custom Modification – A Real-World Review
Rob Tavaglione tried out Revive Audio’s mail-in modification service on an ART Pro VLA compressor and was impressed with the results, noting, “In many ways, it’s still the same sonic signature—warm, forgiving, rich in bottom end and tastefully congealing—but...
Product Reviews
Maat thEQblue 12 – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts the Maat thEQblue 12 parametric stereo equalizer plug-in to the test and declares it may be the best of its type yet.
Product Reviews
Austrian Audio OC818 Microphone – A Real-World Review
Reviewer Rob Tavaglione finds Austrian Audio has put out a new microphone that combines the best of the old with a healthy dose of some extraordinary new features.
Product Reviews
Review: Panasonic RZ-S500W Bluetooth Wireless Headphones
The new RZ-S500W True Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones mark Panasonic's maiden voyage into the crowded waters of Bluetooth wireless headphones—so we put them to the test.
Product Reviews
Softube Summit Audio Grand Channel – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rich Tozzoli and friends recently put Softube's Summit Audio Grand Channel Plug-In to the test while recording in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Universal Audio LUNA: Real-World Review
Inspired by the fast real-time workflow of analog recording, the LUNA recording system offers music recording, editing and mixing with analog immediacy.
Product Reviews
Eventide H3000 Factory Plug-In — A Real-World Review
Our review team recently put the Eventide H3000 Factory Plug-In to the test while in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Focal Elegia Closed-Back Reference Headphones—A Real-World Review
Our review team recently put Focal Elegia closed-back reference headphones to the test while in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Samson G-Track Pro USB Mic Review – A Real-World Review
The Samson G-Track Pro USB mic is a complete recording solution for podcasters and home recordists that features a multipattern USB condenser microphone, audio interface and mixer all in one.
Product Reviews
Sonnox Oxford Inflator v3 Plug-In—A Real-World Review
Our review team recently put the Sonnox Oxford Inflator plug-in to the test while in the Virgin Islands; here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Sony C-100 Two-Way Condenser Mic: A Real-World Review
Our review team recently put the Sony C-100 microphone to the test while in the Virgin Islands; here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Yamaha EAD10 Drum Module – A Real-World Review
Our review team recently put the Yamaha EAD10 Drum Module system to the test while in the Virgin Islands; here's how it went.
Product Reviews
IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Studio Monitors—A Real-World Review
TV composer/PSN reviewer Rich Tozzoli recently put IK Multimedia’s iLoud MTM monitors to the test while in the Virgin Islands; here's how it went.
Product Reviews
Universal Audio Apollo x4 Interface: A Real-World Review
TV composer/PSN reviewer recently put Universal Audio’s Apollo x4 Interface to the test while in the Virgin Islands; here's how it went.
Product Reviews
PhantomFocus System Studio Monitors Review
The PhantomFocus System has evolved into a portfolio of physical studio designs and products that hold their ground against anything in the world today.
Product Reviews
DPA 4560 CORE Binaural Headset Microphone—A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Russ Long puts the brand-new DPA 4560 CORE Binaural Headset Microphone to the test for this Real-World Review.
Product Reviews
Behringer Model D Analog Synthesizer Review
The Behringer Model D Analog Synthesizer is for the most part a dead ringer for the original 1970s Minimoog, but with some extra features users will appreciate.
Product Reviews
Audio-Technica ATH-M Series Headphone Ear Pads Review
Several options are available for replacing the ear pads on Audio-Technica's ATH-M50x professional monitor headphones.
Product Reviews
Sonnox Oxford Drum Gate Review
Sonnox's Oxford Drum Gate is a must-have for anyone who mixes live drums.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Newfangled Audio Elevate Bundle
Rob Tavaglione evaluates the Elevate Bundle, a package that consists of the component pieces of the Elevate Mastering Limiter (Punctuate, Saturate and Equivocate) as individual plug-ins.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: AKG K275 and K371 Headphones
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts his favorite AKG headphones aside to put the company’s new K275 and K371 Headphones to the test inside his recording studio, Catalyst Recording.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Mic Amp
"Once I read their claims...my curiosity was piqued." Rob Tavaglione checks out the Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Mic Amp and calls it "a game-changer."
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Universal Audio Sonnox Oxford SuprEsser DS
While it's a great linear-phase de-esser, reviewer Rich Tozzoli uses the Oxford SuprEsser DS plug-in as a bass enhancement tool.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Universal Audio Avalon 737 Tube Channel Strip
Audio engineer Peter Moshay and Rich Tozzoli agree that the UAD Avalon VT-737 is "stunning."
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Avid Pro Tools Ultimate
Rich Tozzoli shares how he uses Avid Pro Tools Ultimate in the real world.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier 25
The Mini Rectifier 25 is like having a plug-in hardware amp on your desktop, except that it’s not—it’s living, breathing tubes.
Gear and Technology
Real-World Review: Vienna Symphonic Big Bang Orchestra and Smart Orchestra Expansion Pack
Rich Tozzoli takes a look at the free Big Bang Orchestra starter edition from Vienna Symphonic Library.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Wireworld Pro Audio Polaris Instrument Cable
Cable is one of those things you shouldn’t take for granted, and it’s worth it to invest into your tone with a quality piece like Wireworld's Polaris instrument cable.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Sound City SC20 Combo
Reviewer Rich Tozzoli says, check out the Sound City SC20 Combo if you’re looking for a solid, hand-assembled, tone-shaping tube amp.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box v1.2
Rich Tozzoli takes a look at the update to Universal Audio's reactive load box and guitar recording system.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Goodhertz Trem Control
Rich Tozzoli says, if tremolo is your thing, Goodhertz Trem Control should be in your computer.
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Making Sound — Creative Music Production Tips and Philosophies
Producer/engineer Russ Long pages through Making Sound and declares, "I don’t think there an engineer alive who won’t receive some benefit from reading it."
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Royer AxeMount Dual Microphone Clip
Producer/engineer Russ Long has to axe himself, how did we never think of this before?
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Loop Earplugs
Producer/engineer Russ Long tried out jewelry-like Loop Earplugs, which reduce 20 dB across all frequencies, and found them “an ideal solution.”
Product Reviews
Real-World Review: Gamechanger Audio Plasma Rack
Producer/engineer Russ Long dives into the Plasma Rack and discovers “the most unique distortion I’ve heard in 25 years.”
Gear and Technology
Review: Carl Tatz Design PhantomFocus eChair
By Russ Long. I’ve had the opportunity to work and audition several of Tatz’s proprietary PhantomFocus monitoring system-equipped spaces, and they are sonically spectacular. For that reason, I knew that an audio production chair worthy of the PhantomFocus name...
Gear and Technology
Review: Genelec 8320A and 7350A Monitors
The 8320A and 7350A three-piece monitoring systems are part of the Genelec Smart Active Monitoring, or SAM, portfolio and were the perfect size for our villa-based recording setup.
Gear and Technology
Review: Awesome Guitar Production Tools
Last month was the annual NAMM Show, and it was great to be in attendance. For guitar players/guitar-based composers like me, you can’t beat checking out all the great instruments and toys on the floor.
Gear and Technology
Review: TASCAM DA-6400 Recorder
I own many older TASCAM units, but had not seen much—other than a few film sound products—that interested me over the last decade.
Gear and Technology
Review: TASCAM DR-100mkIII Recorder
TASCAM’s latest incarnation of their DR-100 Linear PCM Recorder—the mkIII handheld—is a rugged and uniquely-equipped location recorder that is notably featured in its versatility, I/O options and intuitiveness, not to mention its fail-proof power supply redundancy scheme.
Gear and Technology
Review: Audio-Technica BP40 Large Diaphragm Dynamic (LDD) Broadcast Microphone
Designed for use as a broadcast vocal microphone, the BP40 is actually quite superb in a broad range of applications where a large diaphragm dynamic (LDD) transducer with a hypercardioid polar pattern can be useful