Studio Solutions 96
Is the Lauten Audio LA-220 the Most Affordable Workhorse FET Condenser?
This is not hyperbole: every recording engineer prizes their large-diaphragm condensers. Why, you ask? When you’ve found “the one,” you use it on almost everything. In comes Lauten Audio. Whether it’s a cream-of-the-crop professional model, or an extremely affordable budget mic, Lauten specializes in high-quality microphones. The Lauten Audio LA-220 occupies the “Goldilocks zone” between […]
Build Your Studio Around the Focusrite ISA One
A high-quality preamp gives you a lot more than clean, low-noise gain. A preamp is the window through which your recorded audio passes, and the preamp you decide to use will impart its character to everything you record with it. If you think about your mix like a building, then you can see why having […]
Shure KSM8: Upgrade your Dynamic Game
Dynamic mics are pervasive and for good reason. Whether you are gigging at the dive bar, opening at an arena, or making a demo in the basement, there is almost always a dynamic mic within reach. If that’s the case, shouldn’t we be pining for the highest quality possible in these ever present microphones? Shure […]
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 […]
Kali Audio WS-12: The Sub for Live or Studio Use
You can’t mix the low end if you can’t hear it — so why do so many home studio owners go without a subwoofer? A decent sub is a good investment for anyone who’s serious about mixing audio for music, video projects, or films. These days even portable speakers put out an impressive amount of […]
Dynamic, Ribbon, and Condenser Microphones
Similar to how an artist’s choice in brushes can widely affect the textures in a painting, different microphone types have the ability to also affect the textures of your recordings in various ways. While there are countless brands and models of microphones, I’d like to focus on three main types used to record music: dynamic, […]
Review: Shure MV7 XLR/USB Hybrid Microphone
When you think of broadcasting and podcasting, one of the first brands to come to mind is Shure. The company was founded in 1925 and is well known for many microphones, such as the Beta 58A, the SM57, and the legendary SM7B. As most of you know, the SM7B is regarded as one of 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 […]
Mix Tips: Cleaning Up the High End
As you may know, the bass frequency area in a mix should be like an exclusive club — only authorized instruments and sounds are allowed in. The reason for this is two-fold: it gives you more headroom to work with in your mix (alleviating some of the pressure from your 2-bus compressor and limiter), and […]
