Review

Reviews

By George Shilling and Russell Cottier

Focusrite Liquid Mix HD Plug-in Convolution based TDM plugin
Dec 23 2012 Convolution based TDM plugin
Focusrite Liquid Mix HD Plug-in

Since Focusrite impressed everyone with their remarkable hybrid digital and analogue Liquid Channel microphone preamp (using a clever combination of convolution software and emulation hardware), they have brought their ‘Liquid’ convolution technology to a popular audience with the compressor and EQ emulating Liquid Mix, a...

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Gyraf Gyratec XIV Stereo valve equalizer
Dec 23 2012 Stereo valve equalizer
Gyraf Gyratec XIV

Gyraf are a Danish company who have been quietly making valve-based outboard equipment for over 15 years; it is five years since Resolution last looked at any of their products.

EQ
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McDSP Retro Pack EQ, compressor & limiter plugin bundle
Dec 23 2012 EQ, compressor & limiter plugin bundle
McDSP Retro Pack

McDSP have for over a decade been providing plugins which are much loved by professionals. In particular, the long-established FilterBank EQ and CompressorBank plugins are standard requirements for many mixers, with rock-solid sound quality and low latency.

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Phoenix Audio DRS-Q4M Mono mic pre & 4 band EQ
Dec 23 2012 Mono mic pre & 4 band EQ
Phoenix Audio DRS-Q4M

Phoenix Audio’s DRS-2 and DRS-1 microphone and instrument preamplifiers have been delighting audio professionals for a number of years, and I have been a regular user since reviewing the DRS-2 in 2002. From May 2009 Phoenix units have been built in California.

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Prism MMA-4XR 4 Channel Mic Pre Amp
Dec 23 2011 4 Channel Mic Pre Amp
Prism MMA-4XR

This four channel mic preamp is part of the Maselec Master Series, an all-analogue unit designed by Swedish audio wizard Leif Masses.

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Klark Teknik Square ONE Splitter Active signal splitter
Dec 23 2011 Active signal splitter
Klark Teknik Square ONE Splitter

Whenever out on a mobile recording job, it has always been reassuring to encounter Klark Teknik splitter units when interfacing with the house system.

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ACME Opticom XLA-3 Leveling Amplifier
Dec 23 2011 Leveling Amplifier
ACME Opticom XLA-3

The Opticom is a 2U mono opto limiter which combines high speed photocells with all-valve circuitry.

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Universal Audio 2-LA-2 Dual optical compressors
Dec 23 2011 Dual optical compressors
Universal Audio 2-LA-2

UA have been at it again. Previously, the 2-1176 packed a pair of mono 1176s into the space usually occupied by just one of them. And UA have performed another magician’s trick with the LA-2A.

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Universal Audio UAD Plugins DSP powered software
Dec 23 2011 DSP powered software
Universal Audio UAD Plugins

Universal Audio are widely respected not only for impressive hardware reissues and original designs, but also for the quality of the ever increasing plugin range available for the UAD range of cards.

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SSL Mynx and E Series Modules EQ and dynamics based on the 4000 E consoles
Dec 23 2009 EQ and dynamics based on the 4000 E consoles
SSL Mynx and E Series Modules

SSL’s XLogic X-Rack system is now well established with a large range of modules with the flexibility to cater for all kinds of application, and boasting the major attractions of mixer configuration possibilities and Total Recall, utilising the excellent sonics of SSL’s SuperAnalogue circuitry.

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SSL X-Desk Rackmountable line mixer
Dec 23 2009 Rackmountable line mixer
SSL X-Desk

No relation to Monty Python’s Ex-Parrot, nor Nissan’s X-Trail (a derivative of the N-Trail?!), the X-Desk is perhaps an SSL for everyone.

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Groove Tubes The Glory Comp Mono valve compressor
Dec 23 2008 Mono valve compressor
Groove Tubes The Glory Comp

The Glory Comp (GC hereon) is a sister product of the ViPre microphone preamp.

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Neumann TLM 103 Large diaphragm condenser microphone
Dec 23 2008 Large diaphragm condenser microphone
Neumann TLM 103

Georg Neumann started making microphones in 1928. His first microphone, the CMV3 condenser was way better in sound quality and noise performance than the recording formats of the time.

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D.W.Fearn VT-7 Stereo valve compressor
Dec 23 2008 Stereo valve compressor
D.W.Fearn VT-7

Such is his perfectionism, Douglas Fearn spent nearly 10 years researching and designing this stereo compressor.

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Apogee Rosetta 200 Stereo A/D & D/A Converter
Dec 23 2008 Stereo A/D & D/A Converter
Apogee Rosetta 200

This high-end stereo converter usefully includes a FireWire option, George Shilling plugs in his red-hot cable. Founded in 1985, Apogee initially designed filters, and later, armed with this expertise, their converters were soon regarded as the best of the breed.

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Audio Ease Speakerphone Speaker simulator plugin
Dec 23 2008 Speaker simulator plugin
Audio Ease Speakerphone

The clever Dutchmen who brought us Altiverb have been beavering away at Speakerphone for some time. It finally arrived proclaiming to be the ultimate speaker simulator plugin, and includes 5GB of background environment samples.

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