I had a marvellous time on day one at the AES 2025 Convention. I kicked off with the keynote then sat on a panel with engineer producer studio owner and Kyros band member Shelby Logan Warne, producer engineer and mixer Marc Daniel Nelson, world-class mastering engineer and Bakery owner Eric Boulanger, and our friend the masterful Abbey Road mastering engineer Stefan Brown. After that I spent the day roaming the floor to find what is genuinely fresh this year. Here are the standouts straight from conversations and hands-on demo moments.
The Honour of Giving the AES 2025 Convention Keynote
It was an absolute honour to give the keynote speech at the AES 2025 Convention. The AES Convention has been a constant thread throughout my career and I’ve been attending every year I possibly could since 1996 when I first came to the United States. It has always been the place where I meet my heroes my peers and the next generation of audio professionals.
What makes the AES Convention so special is its sense of community. You’ll find students and young engineers wandering the floor with the same wide-eyed excitement I had back in the nineties talking to designers mixers and producers they’ve only ever seen in the credits of their favourite records. You’ll see seasoned professionals swapping stories testing new gear sharing tips and mentoring without even realising they’re doing it.
It’s the one event where everyone—whether they’re designing cutting-edge hardware developing plug-ins running a home studio or mixing stadium records—gathers under one roof with the same purpose: to learn to share and to stay inspired. For me the AES Convention isn’t just a trade show. It’s a yearly reminder of why I fell in love with recording in the first place.
Undertone Audio: Eric Valentine’s PWM Vocal Secret And A Smarter EQ
Eric Valentine showed a working prototype of a pulse-width modulation compressor inspired by the vintage PYE compressor design. Think ultra-high-frequency switching that yields gain reduction with a remarkably open top end. The prototype adds the controls we all want in daily use: attack release ratio side-chain high-pass parallel blend stereo link by percentage and a “shape” control that changes how the compressor eases into gain reduction. On dynamic vocals it felt like a skilled assistant riding faders smooth transparent and remarkably consistent even at heavy gain reduction.
Eric also previewed a new EQ plug-in that carries over the Undertone console’s party tricks. You can continuously morph a band from a bell to a shelf and everywhere between with the Q still active in shelf mode to create tasteful resonances. He is baking in per-band harmonic colour so those big pushes feel satisfying instead of brittle and there’s an integrated spectrum analyser for fast decision making. It looks like a modern workflow EQ with the musicality of good hardware.
Check Out Undertone Audio: https://www.undertoneaudio.com/
Audeze LCD-S20: Tracking Cans That Don’t Lie To The Player
Over at Audeze the LCD-S20 landed in the sweet spot for tracking. The pitch is simple: clear low-fatigue sound with proper isolation so the cue mix on the floor is closer to what the band hears in the control room. Pads pop off magnetically which is brilliant for hygiene and maintaining a consistent seal. Street price mentioned on the floor was $499 USD.
Recording The Masters: Tape, Cassettes, And Real-Time Decisions
Tim from Recording The Masters confirmed what many of us are feeling. Engineers are pulling machines back out. Part of it is sonic part of it is intent. Tape encourages human performances better rehearsal and ensemble awareness.
In an era where the constant search for perfection has been amplified and exaggerated by AI many engineers are rediscovering the beauty of imperfection. Tracking to tape forces commitment embraces subtle human variance and captures the emotional fingerprints that algorithms can’t replicate. It’s not about nostalgia it’s about rediscovering honesty in performance and process.
Labels are even issuing full albums on open-reel. We listened to classic catalogue on LPR90 long-play stock and I couldn’t help but smile listening to The Yes Album especially the track Perpetual Change. RTM are also busy duplicating cassettes for labels and indie bands alike. For artists ten cassettes sold at the merch table can beat the streaming revenue of thousands of plays and fans love taking something tangible home.
Check Out. Recording The Masters: https://www.recordingthemasters.com/
Audioscape BA-6A: Heavy Honey For Vocals And Bass
Our friend Marc Daniel Nelson chatted with our friend Chris at Audioscape to revisit one of our collective favourite colour boxes the BA-6A. It keeps the soul of the RCA circuit with period-correct tubes and transformers then adds modern controls: threshold variable attack and release side-chain high-pass and a negative feedback switch that tightens the snap and adds a tasteful edge when you want it. On vocals and bass it is thick in the best way like dipping the source in chocolate before it hits your mix.
Check Out Audioscape: https://www.audio-scape.com/
Austrian Audio Flagship LDC: Dual-Output Precision And A Clever Pop Filter
Austrian Audio unveiled a flagship large-diaphragm condenser with true dual XLR outputs. You can record both capsules and set polar patterns after the fact with their plug-ins which makes it a beautiful single-point stereo option over a kit or an infinitely flexible vocal mic. The electronics are lightning fast for transient capture. The new pop filter deserves its own mention: foamed aluminium that is light rigid easy to clean and sonically transparent and it snaps on magnetically. Expected pricing was just under $3,000 USD.
Check Out Austrian Audio OC-S10: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Qj79Mz
Beyond Products: The Themes In The Halls
Dynamics still matter. The loudness wars taught us many lessons. What moved me in Eric Valentine’s demo was how loud can still feel alive when the envelope behaves musically.
Human pressure creates magic. Tracking to tape rehearsing properly and committing as a band raises the bar. The healthy pressure of getting it right together often produces the takes we remember.
Taste is currency. Skills open the door taste keeps you in the room. The references you carry the way you balance bold moves with restraint and how you choose when to add character or stay invisible all of it is why people hire you.
Keep your inner teenager in the chair. If a tape machine a classic room or a new box makes you feel that first-love excitement follow it. Bring that energy into the session and it will resonate with the artist.
Design for how you work. Your studio is an instrument. Ergonomics repeatable workflows and the physical layout matter as much as plug-ins. Build it for your hands and your head then keep evolving it.
Quick Takeaways
- Vocals: Try PWM-style compression when you need heavy control without darkening or obvious grab.
- Tracking: Give players honest musical cue mixes. Better headphones on the floor improve performances.
- Format choices: Tape and cassettes are not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. They can shape process economics and audience connection.
- Colour vs clean: Boxes like the BA-6A remind you that saturation and weight can be part of level control not just an effect.
- Flexibility: Dual-output mics extend decisions into the mix while keeping the front-end premium.
That’s day one energy in a nutshell. For me the AES Convention remains what it’s always been: a celebration of creativity curiosity and connection. It’s where old friends reunite new ideas are born and where the art of sound stays very much alive.
