As Content Manager, Maya writes about gear for zZounds — especially recording and live sound gear. She started plunking on a piano in 1992, and began audio engineering work in 2000. Over the years, she’s fronted bands, trained commercial voiceover actors, assisted on hundreds of recording sessions, and once co-wrote an alt-rock musical. Currently, Maya’s music gig is singing lullabies to her two young children.
Inside Lauten Audio Series Black V2 Microphones
Boutique microphone maker Lauten Audio had a hit on their hands with their original “Series Black” family of mics. Embraced by artists seeking versatile workhorse condensers at more modest prices than Lauten’s flagship Atlantis and Eden models, the LA-120 small-diaphragm condenser, LA-220 large-diaphragm FET condenser, and LA-320 large-diaphragm tube condenser have all earned excellent reviews […]
What Does Rupert Neve Designs’ “Silk Mode” Do?
“Silk” is one of the standout features on many Rupert Neve Designs preamps, including their flagship Shelford Channel mic preamp, and on RND’s limited-edition 5025 Dual Shelford 2-channel model. While the Shelford on its face is a very transparent mic preamp, the Silk & Texture circuit on the output transformer lets you add “color” by […]
Focusrite Vocaster: The Audio Interface for Solo and Duo Podcasters
Attention, solo and duo podcasters looking for an easy-to-use audio interface that won’t bust your budget: Focusrite Vocaster has arrived! Known for building some of the world’s most popular home studio interfaces for musicians, Focusrite loaded their Vocaster One and Vocaster Two with the podcasting community’s most-wanted features, like Auto Gain for setting levels quickly […]
Songfinch’s Home Studio Gear Picks
When music lovers want to give an unforgettable gift for a special someone, or commemorate an event like a wedding or anniversary, they turn to Songfinch — a unique service that creates personalized, custom-made original songs. Songfinch’s team of artists rises to the occasion, producing made-to-order material in their home studios in 7 days or […]
Headphones Ohms Ratings Explained
All headphones have an impedance rating, measured in ohms. But what do headphone ohm ratings mean? In practical terms, impedance tells us how much power your headphones require to deliver a reasonable listening volume. Put simply, the higher your headphones’ impedance, the higher source voltage they need. Knowing your headphones’ impedance helps you determine which […]
Audio Gear Makers Face the Global Chip Crunch
Call them semiconductors, microprocessors, or integrated circuits, the silicon chips found in electronics of all kinds have been in short supply since mid-2020, with chipmakers struggling to meet unprecedented demand for the high-tech devices we use to work remotely, attend classes, stay in touch, and entertain ourselves at home in a global pandemic. Now, the […]
Bose L1 Pro vs. Bose L1 Model II, 1S, and Compact
When Bose first announced their L1 “Cylindrical Radiator” loudspeaker system back in 2003, it was considered a radical approach to a live PA system. Over the years, as musicians increasingly adopted the new design, countless competitors began to launch column-style PA systems of their own. When Bose retired their original L1 Classic and L1 Model […]
Comparing iRig Audio Interfaces for Streaming on iOS Devices
It’s easy to “go live” with your iPhone or iPad. But to deliver pro-level audio on your livestream, you’ll need an audio interface that lets you connect microphones, instruments, or the stereo output from your mixer. IK Multimedia makes a variety of iRig audio interfaces that connect directly to the Lightning port on your iOS […]
Hands-On with the Softube Console 1 + Console 1 Fader
Softube’s Console 1 and Console 1 Fader control surfaces give you hands-on, tactile control over the Softube Console 1 DAW plug-in — a powerful piece of software packed with sound-shaping tools. The Softube Console 1 plug-in lets you load up emulations of console channel strips — like the included Solid State Logic SL 4000 E, […]
