Gear
Room EQ Wizard | Free Acoustics Software
Room EQ Wizard (REW) is free room acoustics software for measuring and analyzing room and loudspeaker responses. The analysis helps you optimize your studio by finding the best spot for the speakers and listening position. Shooting the room gives you…
The 6 Best Shure Microphones for Your Home Studio
Shure microphones have a wonderful reputation in the recording industry as some of the best, most reliable, and most affordable mics around. Shure started as a one-man radio company back in 1925, and by the early 1930s were one of…
Cytomic The Glue: Best SSL Bus Compressors?
Cytomic The Glue is an affordable SSL-style bus compressor plugin. The plugins gets its name from the SSL hardware’s famous ability to ‘glue’ mixes together. Even though there are tons of SSL bus compression plugins on the market, Cytomic makes…
The 10 Best Fuzz Pedals to Add Serious Crunch to Your Sound
Keen to learn more about the best fuzz pedals to use for meatier riffage? Look no further than this guide to some of the most popular pedals out there. What Is Fuzz, & How Does It Differ from Distortion? Fuzz…
RE20 vs SM7B: Battle of the Broadcast Mics
Today we’re looking at two competitors, the RE20 vs SM7B. Both are celebrated mics, often used similarly for radio, podcast, and voiceover. That’s not all they can handle, though, with the RE20 becoming a a favorite on low-end instruments like…
Flanger vs. Phaser: What’s the Difference?
Two of the most common modulation effects are flanger vs. phaser. We’ve heard both all over various recordings, and they do have a similar sound. This lends itself to some confusion, but if you know the subtle differences between each,…
Apollo Twin X vs MkII: What’s the Difference?
Universal Audio is one of the most famous names in all of recording. Founded by Bill Putnam in 1958, the company has been at the forefront of technological advances for more than 60 years. If you’re thinking about adding a…
Kaotica Eyeball Review: Is It Worth It?
The Kaotica Eyeball is a microphone isolation ball with an integrated pop filter. It’s a big foam sphere you slide over the microphone capsule to protect it from reflections. The Eyeball intends to keep untreated room sound out of your…
The Audio Mixer: Key Features & Functions
At the most basic level, an audio mixer combines multiple signals and routes them to a common output for recording or amplification through a sound reinforcement system. “Signals” are those sounds captured by microphones or received from electric instruments. Also…
Dexed VST | Free Yamaha DX7 Plugin
Dexed VST by Digital Suburban is a free software emulation of the coveted Yamaha DX7. The first successful digital synthesizer ever, the DX7 changed the course of modern synthesis. Free VST Plugins: Dexed Dexed VST is a multi-platform, multi-format plugin…
9 Best Mellotron Plugins / 2023 [Free & Paid]
When the original Mellotron debuted in 1963, it was a groundbreaking new instrument. The range of sounds you could get from a keyboard were limited in the days before digital synthesizers, but the Mellotron introduced impressive new technology. Today, we’re…
Is Waves Vocal Rider the Solution to Levels?
Vocal levels are one of the most important things to get right. Even with all the compressors in the world, nothing compares to putting in the work and riding the fader — automating the levels in each part of the…
What is Spring Reverb?
Spring reverb is an early form of synthetic reverb. Similar in principle to plate, spring reverb uses a coiled up piece of metal instead of a flat sheet. What is Spring Reverb? A spring system has a transducer at one…
RC-20 Retro Color Review
RC-20 Retro Color by XLN Audio is a popular creative effects plugin. With its multiple parameters, you can quickly add character and vintage vibe to any sound source in your mix. RC-20 Retro Color Overview The idea behind Retro Color…
Who Makes the Best Guitar Stands? [Top 10 for All Budgets]
You may be wondering, “who makes the best guitar stands?” Below are 10 of our top favorites to keep your guitars safe and secure! Keeping Your Space Organized and Functional Is Key We talk about workflow and efficiency in the…
PreSonus vs Focusrite Audio Interfaces 2023
An audio interface is one of the first things you’ll buy for your home studio. Typically two inputs are enough for the majority of home recordings, and there are tons of affordable entry-level interfaces. In terms of PreSonus vs Focusrite,…
Neumann TLM 102 vs Neumann TLM 103: Comparison
Neumann is synonymous with exceptional recording quality. Founded by Georg Neumann in Berlin, Germany in 1928, the company has been making the world’s preeminent microphones for decades. It all started with the CMV 3, or the ‘Neumann Bottle,’ which was…
Types of Audio Compressors and Their Uses
There are 5 primary types of audio compressors from the analogue world that software emulates. Different hardware makes use of certain internal components and designs for various styles of compression. If you’ve only ever used plugins, you’d be totally forgiven…
Sausage Fattener | All-In-One Saturation/Dynamics Plugin
Production duo Dada Life teamed up with Tailored Noise to release Sausage Fattener 10 years ago. Over time it’s become a cult classic in the plugin world, known both for its performance as well as its humorous name and interface. Don’t…
Soundtoys Decapitator | Grade-A Saturation
Soundtoys Decapitator is one of the most popular saturation plugins on the market. It gives mixers plenty of variety and control in an easy-to-use package. It can do everything from giving an instrument a bit of analogue character to ‘punishing’…
Softube Saturation Knob | Free Plugins
Softube Saturation Knob has been around for a long time, but that doesn’t make it any less great than it was when it first came out. This plugin from Softube is easy to use, sounds great, and best of all,…
Sennheiser e835 vs Shure SM58: Which Is Right for You?
Today, we’ll have a look at the Sennheiser e835 vs Shure SM58. These are two popular handheld dynamic microphones for live use. How does the SM58, a longtime favorite since 1966, stack up to the competition made almost thirty years…
Monitor Isolation Pads | Home Studio Accessories
Monitor isolation pads are a small but important addition to any home studio arrangement. In this article we’ll look at what they are, whether they’re 100% necessary, and how you might make some of your own! What are monitor isolation…
Sonnox Inflator Review: Loudness without Compromise
The Sonnox Inflator plugin has been around for almost two decades. It’s sort of a mysterious desert island tool for many engineers, somewhere in between a compressor and a limiter. The Inflator is able to increase perceived loudness, and it…
Squarp Pyramid Review: 64-Track Sequencer
The Squarp Pyramid Mk3 sequencer is considered ‘the perfect brain for your musical setup, from studio to stage.’ It combines a powerful 64-track sequencer, a looper, a rhythm generator, a real-time effects processor, a MIDI controller, and an I/O interface.…
SPL Transient Designer | Level-Independent Dynamic Control
When it debuted at the Frankfurt Prolight + Sound Fair in 1998, the SPL Transient Designer was mysterious new technology. Everyone who visited the SPL booth had the same question: is it a compressor, or is it a noise gate?…
PreSonus FaderPort: Does Your DAW Need One?
The PreSonus FaderPort gives users tactile control over features in their DAW. With transport buttons and a single fader, it’s main use is for writing automation in a hands-on way. Control surfaces like these bridge some of the gaps between…
Slate Trigger: Industry Standard Drum Replacement
Drums are difficult to mix. Just the sheer number of mics creates unique challenges we don’t encounter with other instruments. This is probably why there are so many plugins dedicated to drum mixing; and Slate Trigger tops the list as…
SSL Fusion: The Vintage Drive You Need?
Founded in 1969, Solid State Logic is renowned as one of the finest manufacturers of high-end consoles and recording equipment in the world. In the ’80s, their famed 4000 E series console set the benchmark for recorded music, becoming a…
EZDrummer 2 vs Superior Drummer 3: Which Is Right for You?
Toontrack produces industry-leading virtual instruments and sample libraries, including two popular drum plugins: EZDrummer 2 and Superior Drummer 3. While both are powerful in their own right, they tend to serve different purposes depending on what you’re looking for in…
Vocaloid 5 Review: Virtual Singers in Your DAW
Vocaloid is a very unique type of voice synthesizer software. Initially not meant to be a full commercial product, research on its technology began in 2000. Yamaha then got involved during the development process, and the first version of Vocaloid came out in…
Aphex Aural Exciter | Breathing Life into Recordings
The Aphex Aural Exciter is one of the most recognized exciter effects. Its main job is to add a bit of top-end sheen to a signal while imparting some subtle harmonic distortion as well. Lots of engineers like it on…