Review

Reviews

By George Shilling and Russell Cottier

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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Ted Fletcher Audio Gear P38 Stereo Mastering Compressor
Dec 23 2008 Stereo Mastering Compressor
Ted Fletcher Audio Gear P38

King Edward is dead. Long Live King Edward the (P)38th, proclaims George Shilling… The P38 “Edward the Compressor” is the latest in a line of designs from Ted Fletcher that officially started with the Joemeek SC2 in 1993.

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Chandler Limited EMI TG Mastering Pack Abbey Road EQ plugin bundle
Dec 23 2008 Abbey Road EQ plugin bundle
Chandler Limited EMI TG Mastering Pack

Whilst Chandler have painstakingly recreated and customised ancient EMI/Abbey Road circuit designs to great effect in hardware form, many DAW users have also been enjoying the TG12413 Limiter plugins. The follow up to those is this pair of EQ plugins.

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Chandler EMI TG12413 Compressor / limiter plugin pack
Dec 23 2008 Compressor / limiter plugin pack
Chandler EMI TG12413

A few years ago I was lucky enough to use an original EMI TG12345 console which was owned by Mike Hedges – seemingly built to military spec, Mike had acquired and restored it for his private studio.

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Chiswick Reach Stereo Valve Compressor
Dec 23 2008 Stereo Valve Compressor
Chiswick Reach

Chiswick Reach Studio has carved out a niche for itself in the London studio market as a provider of vintage recording technology.

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Crane Song STC-8 Stereo compressor / peak limiter
Dec 23 2008 Stereo compressor / peak limiter
Crane Song STC-8

This is a sophisticated US-built stereo compressor, designed with attention to detail in both function and form. The unit's designer David Hill has taken a very scientific approach: the manual is littered with charts and diagrams. But this approach is firmly based on sonic performance.

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Eventide DSP 7000 Ultra Harmonizer
Dec 23 2008 Ultra Harmonizer
Eventide DSP 7000

Eventide's Orville is a Rolls-Royce effects processor, with 96kHz/24-Bit capability and multiple audio connections enabling surround-sound usage. But it will be some time until we all work exclusively in a surround format: for many, two-channel stereo is adequate, preferred, stipulated or more cost-effective.

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Eventide H7600 Ultra Harmonizer
Dec 23 2008 Ultra Harmonizer
Eventide H7600

This new Harmonizer is not quite the top-of-the-range model, that honour goes to the H8000FW, an eight channel unit featuring 5.1 presets. But the H7600 is now the top stereo unit in the range, replacing the DSP7000 series.

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Daking 52270 Mic Pre/EQ and 91579 Compressor/Limiter Geoffrey Daking pro audio
Dec 23 2008 Geoffrey Daking pro audio
Daking 52270 Mic Pre/EQ and 91579 Compressor/Limiter

I suspect that many readers outside the US have never heard of Geoffrey Daking. I hadn't. The man himself is a studio owner and 'audio tinkerer'.

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