In 1959, Motown Records' president, Berry Gordy, needed a first-class reverb for the label's studio. The EMT 140 plate reverb had just come out, but most studios built their own chambers in those...
FabFilter’s Twin 3 is a sweeping update to their well-received virtual Twin 2 synth, originally released back in 2009. Fourteen years later, Twin 3 represents a massive overhaul to almost every...
Touted as a "hands-on plug-in control for Pro Tools," this standalone application could be a frustration-killer for anyone who finds themselves tweaking the multitude of parameters within plug-ins via...
Ever since I acquired a rack-mounted DAW interface, I didn’t think I had much need for a smaller, portable interface. However, when I recently had the opportunity to record a grand piano outside...
NUGEN Audio is back with a brand new metering plug-in, Halo Vision, that takes their stereo-based Visualizer and expands it into the surround and Dolby Atmos/immersive audio world. Halo Vision...
What I didn’t need was another piece of gear to help drain my bank account, but what I always need is a compressor that helps me do my job while making me look good. On both fronts, the new...
In 2019, I reviewed the Townsend Labs L22 Sphere mic [Tape Op #133] and raved about its versatility and innovation. Universal Audio acquired Townsend Labs in 2021 and has rebadged the L22 as the...
This fun deck of creativity-sparking cards – with inspiration from Brian Eno [Tape Op #85] and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies – was created by Isaac Karns of The Marble Garden...
I’ve been looking for a one channel, high-end tube compressor for a few years – mostly for vocals. When Austin, Texas', Electric & Company announced the EC5B, their take on Universal...
Songwriter Laura Veirs has made a number of engaging albums over the years, including last year's Found Light, tracked at my Jackpot! Recording Studio where Veirs co-produced the album (with...
Lauten Audio recently released a revision to their LA-320 [Tape Op #117] tube microphone. I’m a big Lauten fan and own several of their mics, including the original LA-320 and the Clarion...
The API 3122V 2-channel mic preamp is certainly not a new and revolutionary design, but rather a new version of a tried and true classic, originating in consoles from the late-'60s. This preamp...
