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Author Archive
![Radial Workhorse 5000 Lunchbox Frame]()
Radial Engineering is about to release its much delayed and long anticipated lunchbox frame, the Workhorse 5000. The unit houses and powers up to eight analog modules of the popular 500 series ‘lunchbox’ format. However, it differs from its competitors by including a master section with analog summing of all 8 channels, master and auxiliary outputs, and headphone monitoring. Radial, known for its bulletproof DIs and interfacing devices, will also be producing its own line of modules for the Workhorse 5000, all of which will be compatible with other manufacturers’ lunchboxes. The inputs and outputs of all 8 modules on the unit are accessible using XLR, 1/4”, or D-sub 25-pin connectors, so you can use whichever type is most convenient for you. There is also an OmniPort 1/4” connection for each channel – a new addition to the 500 series format that Radial hopes other manufacturers will embrace as a way of making lunchbox modules more versatile. The OmniPort can be configured to serve as a key input, pedal control, or even a tuner output for a DI. The summing section includes individual level, pan, and on/off controls. This feeds a master section with level controls for master and aux […]... Click on the title for more
![Royer R-101 Ribbon Microphone]()
Royer Labs first came on the scene in 1998 with the R-121 passive ribbon mic. At the time, there were few manufacturers still making ribbons, and vintage models were fragile and bulky. Royer’s mic was a game-changer; with the ability to combine the warm, natural tone of vintage ribbons with better durability and a higher output, it quickly became a standard. Today, you can find them in countless studios around the world, from Abbey Road to Blackbird. The R-121 ushered in a revival of the ribbon microphone, and to many it represents the pinnacle of the genre. The new Royer R-101 ($799.99 street) provides an option for studios with tighter budgets to purchase a high-end ribbon mic that has similar specs without sacrificing quality or performance. The R-101 incorporates many of the same features that made the flagship R-121 so innovative. A mono passive ribbon mic with a figure-8 polar pattern, it promises to have the same warm, natural tone that made it’s predecessor such a popular choice for electric guitars, horns and brass. Royer’s patented offset-ribbon transducer places the ribbon element closer to the front of the mic’s body, allowing for full frequency response even at high SPL’s (max. […]... Click on the title for more
Working with audio ‘in the box’ provides little room for pushing past the boundaries of your device. Once you reach the upper limit of your digital gear, there’s no going any further. However, when you overdrive analog gear, the result can be very different – tube saturation, pleasing even-order harmonics, warmth and character. SoundToys aims to bring a little bit of analog gear saturation to the digital realm with Decapitator ($179.99 Native). The folks at SoundToys chose five pieces of classic analog recording gear, and modeled how they reacted as they were pushed to the point of saturation and then well beyond their normal limits. This resulted in five unique saturation algorithms, which are represented on the decapitator by the ‘Style’ buttons (labeled A, E, N, T, P). These choices include an Ampex 350 tape drive preamp, a Chandler/EMI TG channel strip, a Neve 1057 input channel, and a Culture Vulture distortion device (with either the triode or pentode tube setting). The Drive control will increase the amount of gain and distortion of your signal, ranging from subtle to over-the-top. While there is also an Output control, turning on the Auto Output switch will decrease the output level as you […]... Click on the title for more
![Echoplex and DBX 160VU plugins by Universal Audio]()
Universal Audio just released two new plugins this Wednesday, adding to their numerous emulations of classic pieces of recording gear. The EP-34 Tape Echo and DBX 160 Compressor/Limiter ($199 each) represent two units from the 70’s that are still widely used and sought after. The EP-34 emulates the characteristics of both the EP-3 and EP-4, two solid-state models of the original Maestro Echoplex (pictured above). The unit was the first to introduce a slider that actually moved the tape heads further apart, resulting in a longer delay. Popular with guitarists and known for its warm and rich sound, the Echoplex set the standard for the delay effect, and can be found on recordings by Jimmy Page, Chet Atkins, and Joe Satriani among many more. The original DBX 160 Compressor/Limiter, commonly known as the “VU” model, was also on the cutting edge of recording technology when it was released in 1976. Nowadays, it remains a studio staple due to its distinct sonic signature – much loved on bass, drums, and vocals. With only threshold, compression, and output gain controls, the attack and release times were determined by nuances in the 160’s circuit – for instance, the release time increases as the […]... Click on the title for more
![Level Pilot – Monitor Level Controller by TC Electronic]()
Having precise volume control at your fingertips during a mix is essential, but in a small or home studio, it can be difficult to achieve. Anyone who has spent time fumbling around for the monitor level knob on their audio interface, or trying to pull down the master fader in a DAW using a laptop trackpad has dealt with this issue. TC Electronic has come up with a simple and elegant answer to this problem, and it’s called Level Pilot ($99.99). Level Pilot is an analog master volume controller for your studio that takes the form of a hefty sandblasted aluminum knob just under 2 inches in diameter with a rubberized bottom that sits anywhere in your workspace without slipping. A cable running from the knob breaks out into two pairs of male and female XLR connectors, which are inserted between your audio interface or mixer, and a pair of active speakers. The Level Pilot requires no power, and affects the signal after digital to analog conversion, so there won’t be any degradation in audio quality. Also, since it operates independently from your computer, you will always have volume control even if your computer freezes or your DAW crashes. While […]... Click on the title for more
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