Audient: iD14 MKII Interface
reviewed by Chris Hughes
My biggest fear when using a new interface is always, “How much downtime will there be before I can get this thing up and running?” The drivers are never up to date out of the box, my OS...
Gear Reviews
The means contribute to the end. Usually.
Elektron: Analog Rytm MKII 8-Voice Drum Computer
reviewed by Dana Gumbiner
Held in high regard by many as the “ultimate analog drum machine,” Elektron’s Analog Rytm has been around since 2014, with the Mark II iteration arriving in 2018. The eight-voice...
Sonic Farm: Tantra Bass Tube Preamp
reviewed by Kirt Shearer
A bass amp is not a typical product often seen on the review pages of Tape Op. Reviews usually center on mainstream recording equipment as opposed to performance amps, but I was really curious about...
Output: THERMAL Distortion Plug-In
reviewed by Scott McDowell
I’m a big fan of distortion plug-ins – these days, who isn’t? If you are, you’ve got to check out THERMAL, from Output. There’s so much to this plug-in that I’ve...
DIY Recording Equipment: Colour Duo 2-Channel Colour Channel Strip Kit
reviewed by Don Gunn
Peterson Goodwyn and his crew at DIY Recording Equipment (DIYRE) won’t be strangers to many long-term Tape Op readers. Their Colour 500 Palette [Tape Op #107] has been reviewed, along with...
Lisciel Equipos: Maletomp Linked 2-Channel Compressor
reviewed by Geoff Stanfield
Many pieces of audio gear have a reputation that precedes them. They’ve been heavily used for decades, reviewed, revered, copied, and cloned. Names and numbers like Neve 1073, Universal Audio...
Leapwing: RootOne Plug-In
reviewed by Scott McDowell
If you find yourself chasing modern low end, you’ll eventually end up playing with a subharmonic synthesizer. There are plenty of options, ranging from outboard gear like the dbx 120A...
Klevgrand: Brusfri Noise Reducer Plug-In
reviewed by Gus Berry
About two months ago, I was mindlessly scrolling on Instagram when an ad for a “Noise Reducer” plug-in caught my eye. (Yes, I know, I got reeled in by an Instagram ad). It showed an artist...
Heritage Audio: 73JRII 500 Series Mic Preamp
reviewed by Geoff Stanfield
If you’re an audio professional, it’s likely you know the simple number “73” means only one of two things: It’s either a reference to the revered Neve 1073 mic pre/EQ, or...
Flea Microphones: 249 Multi-Pattern Tube Mic
reviewed by Don Gunn
I usually like to structure my reviews with a full description of the product I’m writing about, then provide my experience with it (along with use cases during the review period), and...
El Garatge: Expression Knob
reviewed by Jonathan Saxon
For effects pedals with an expression input, consider using the Expression Knob by El Garatge. It’s well made, saves space, and is easy to use – I love it! This L-shaped device has a...
Fredenstein Audio: Bento 8 Pure Analog 500 Series Chassis
reviewed by Daniel Ryan Morse
As a home recordist on a limited budget, I’ve been hooked on 500 Series modules for the past few years. In addition to the possibility of building my own gear, like my beloved CAPI VP26 [Tape Op...