Ask any acoustic guitarist, and they'll tell you their biggest challenge: amplifying the dang thing in a live situation. The three perennial solutions all have serious drawbacks: soundhole pickups can...
When one hears the name SSL, the first thing that comes to mind is a big bucks console. Now that there is some kind of rackmount version of every other large format console's mic pres or channel...
The most noticeable aspect of the Mercury's pristine AC30-like tone is its focused low-end. This Deluxe-sized amplifier delivers a uniquely powerful and clear bottom even at low volumes. When run...
Admittedly, there are more than a couple Neve 1073 mic-pre/EQ clones out there. While one may claim to be a true reproduction, another will call itself a variation. Well it's time for those companies...
Ever try to get the best of both worlds by sending a guitar signal through two amps using an A-B-Y box? I used to love this technique in theory, but every time I tried it, I was left severely...
This summer I had the pleasure of recording the band Ida in my studio. During "basics" tracking, the band insisted on playing as many of the instruments "live" as possible. With four band members and...
I've had this headphone amp/mixer in my studio for over two years now and it's probably one of the best under $300 investments I've made. The Q-Mix is a 6 x 6 headphone mixer and amp with six inputs...
Is it me, or is modeling getting a bit out of control? Seems like every plug-in, amp, outboard effect, keyboard, and even guitar these days relies on modeling circuitry to simulate some classic sound...
Mixing out of the Box, Part 1: High End Mixer Shootout In recent months, there's been a bunch of talk on the various online forums about mixing digital audio tracks within your DAW vs. through an...
By now, most of us have seen the products made by Zachary Vex of the Z.Vex Company. Z.Vex pedals are incredibly cool in both design and function. Every time I go to the good music store here in...
The Cornford Harlequin is a hand-wired, 6-Watt "recording amplifier" with a stripped-down design that utilizes two 12AX7s, a single EL84, and a sparse control panel (Pre-amp Volume, Treble, Bass,...
One of the easiest ways to clean up your audio is to buy a power conditioner and plug all your audio gear into it. A good power conditioner will filter out noise (both electrostatic and...
