The Trakker is a new mono compressor/limiter from Cranesong. Although similar in appearance to the STC-8 Stereo Compressor, the designer has taken a somewhat different approach.
Read George Shilling's reviewI was intrigued. A couple of die-hard analogue-loving colleagues were salivating over some new equipment. I presumed it was another valve compressor or somesuch.
Read George Shilling's reviewA friend of mine has a theory that any audio equipment is guaranteed to be good if it is American and has an 'X' in its name.
Read George Shilling's reviewIn the area of studio outboard, there is always room for a new twist on an old idea, and Scottish company CLM have popped up, seemingly from nowhere, with this ‘Dynamic Equaliser’, an EQ with several new twists.
Read George Shilling's reviewThe dbx 160 was standard equipment in any studio worth its salt when I started in the business. Not for the faint-hearted, I always suspected that this half-rack, 2U machine was compressing far more than the meter indicated.
Read George Shilling's reviewThe 400 is a black 2U multi-fx box, fairly shallow in depth. On first glance one is immediately put in mind of the Eventide H3000. However, this unit is about half the price of an H3000D/SX.
Read George Shilling's reviewWhen scouring the microphone cupboards of the commercial studios I use, I am always delighted to encounter Brüel & Kjær models, (now available under the DPA name). Frequently, these are Type 4006 omni-directional condensers, known for their bright, clear and true characteristics.
Read George Shilling's reviewIn the high-end 'voice channel' market, one can easily forget that Drawmer were an early entrant with the Vacuum Tube 1960. They now enter the crowded budget end of this market with the feature packed 'Front End One' MX60.
Read George Shilling's reviewEsoteric [es–o–ter'ik], adjective inner; secret; mysterious; taught to a select few – This is the dictionary definition of the ‘E.’ of E.A.R. (Esoteric Audio Research), which says much about the philosophy behind the company and its designs.
Read George Shilling's reviewThe Eventide name is synonymous with the studio harmonizer. Their more recent designs include many other types of effects, but the pitch-shifter remains central to all 'Ultra-Harmonizer' models. The most widely known Eventide unit is the H3000 and its variants.
Read George Shilling's reviewI was just a few days into my health diet when the Fat One arrived, threatening to spoil things.
Read George Shilling's reviewThe Vac Rac was originally reviewed by Dave Foister in the March 1996 edition of Studio Sound. This revisit is to evaluate the new EQ module, but first, a quick recap..
Read George Shilling's reviewSince the introduction of the Joemeek Compressor a few years ago, Joemeek have been steadily increasing their range. They have found a particular niche with the all-in-one type of processor for use mostly as a direct-to-tape microphone processor.
Read George Shilling's reviewI have long been a fan of Joe Meek's productions. I even went to a Joe Meek Appreciation Society event a few months back. But until recently I had not tried any of the famous JoeMeek range of outboard equipment, designed by Ted Fletcher.
Read George Shilling's reviewThere are currently available many compressors and other outboard devices which use vacuum tubes and which have fairly hefty price tags. Some of these units have a limited range of useful features, and many lack the qualities of vintage valve designs.
Read George Shilling's reviewOutboard equipment - "Toys" to use the technical term - I love them. Big ones, small ones, red ones, blue ones, (thank you, Dr.Seuss!), and especially ones with lots of colourful knobs on them, and big flashy displays.
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