Doing pop the right way
Studio Special,
First Look: JZ Microphones, Epiphone 1963 Firebird
Reviewed: Alesis Strata Prime, Audient ORIA, QSC CP12, PreSonus Eris PRO 4 + more
“The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacri ce. You sacri ce the things you love. I love my guitar.”
JIMI HENDRIX
Forever Ahead Of Its Time
I’m writing this to you after pulling close to 50 hours in the studio this week, performing some of the most thankless and unglamourous audio tasks imaginable.
Granted it was paid and it ended up forming an important part of what may end up a decent enough record, but the monotony of it all had me rethinking the very notion of the studio and what the term actually even means at this point. After all, studios are art spaces-artful this was not.
It got me thinking about the old Art vs Science trope and how we are constantly straddling this line as audio engineers. I mean, in what other scientific field is your personal taste so
consistently relied upon (and readily brought into question?)
Studios and audio engineers are there to facilitate the artist’s creativity (even if it's you wearing both caps). Creativity is meaningless if we are unable to execute it, just the same as a recording facility is a barren shell if there is no art to fuel it. These are the kind of things to think about when saving for monitors or room treatment.
Broad brushstrokes people. Little victories.
Libertad,
CMC
AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
Preventing feedback on an acoustic guitar can be an uphill battle, but Ernie Ball make this easier. You’ve got microphones pointed at the soundhole which are picking up your playing, the front of house sounding bouncing back at you, into the soundhole and into the mic, as well as foldback monitors also firing at—you guessed it—the soundhole.
The Soundhole Cover suppresses unwanted noise and feedback, maximising the output of your acoustic-electric guitars. The soundhole cover is designed to fit in most acoustic soundholes, while the durable rubber material is soft and will not damage your guitar’s surface. Protect your guitar from that undesired screech and hum while eliminating dirt and debris inside your guitar with the easy-to-install, no tools required acoustic soundhole cover from Ernie Ball!
The removable nature of this soundhole cover makes it the perfect for players, allowing them to breathe at home, while suppressing feedback in a live or studio setting. Just pop it in or out! The rubber material makes for a tight, reasonably soundproof and airtight fit. Intended for full size guitars with approximately 4" (10 cm) sound holes.
updated with USAMade PRS Pickups and Electronics
ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU
PRS Guitars is now building its S2 Series instruments with USA-Made pickups and electronics – the same pickup models
and electronics configurations and components as their Core guitars. Meaning “Stevensville 2,” the S2 Series was named for a second manufacturing line that was created inside the PRS Stevensville, Maryland shop. However, since its introduction, the S2 Series has grown to be fully integrated into the same production line as PRS Core and Bolt-On instruments.
“This just makes sense,” said Paul Reed Smith. “We have worked very diligently on pickups for the last several years and made big strides. To infuse the S2 Series with the life that comes with this kind of attention to detail was the next logical step for these instruments.”
Loaded with PRS's renowned 85/15, 58/15 LT, and proprietary Narrowfield and TCI pickups – made right in PRS’s Maryland shop – the S2 Series now carries more PRS DNA than ever. The Series also comes with the same electronics as PRS Core instruments, including potentiometers with extreme audio tapers and other components with customdesigned features. To top off the specs, all Maryland-made PRS electric instruments feature a nitrocellulose finish. This finish is thin, allowing the guitars to have a resonant, organic tone. The nitro finish also has a natural feel, elevating the playing experience from the moment the guitar is picked up.
With thirteen model choices, the S2 Series features both variations on well-known PRS models (like the Custom 24 and McCarty 594) and also truly distinct model choices found only in S2 (like the Vela, Standard 22, and McCarty 594 Thinline).
For local enquiries, visit ELFA. For more details and demo videos, please visit www.prsguitars. com.
ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU
Featuring a suite of premium built-in multi-FX, class-leading audio quality and comprehensive connectivity options to help take your looping to the next level. Designed to perform flawlessly night after night, tour after tour, Sheeran Loopers offer musicians from singers, guitarists and keyboard players to violinists, drummers, and beatboxers a new world of creative looping possibilities.
The Sheeran Looper+ features singleand dual-track workflow, with four looper
modes: Single, Multi, Sync and Song. It’s an incredibly durable die-cast aluminium pedals, as used on Ed’s stadium stage looper. Monitor it all with a full-colour 1.8” display, loop status LED ring, and LED input / output monitoring. The Looper + features Custom DSP powered by HeadRush®.
The Sheeran Looper X features Ed’s signature Sheeran Looper multi-track workflow, building on the Looper + with five intuitive looper modes: Multi, Sync, Song, Band, and Free. The Looper X allows you to customise your own unique looper workflows, controlled by eight premium die-cast aluminium pedals, as used on Ed’s stadium stage looper.
For local enquiries visit ELFA.
Audio-Technica’s first-ever USB mixer is about to launch in Australia
TECHNICAL AUDIO GROUP | TAG.COM.AU
Audio-Technica announces the release of its first dedicated USB mixer for musicians and content creators, the AT-UMX3. Featuring dedicated instrument inputs and a loopback function for easy live streaming, this mixer was made for musicians and creators who want to go live, all while having complete audio control at their fingertips.
The AT-UMX3 has various features, inputs, and controls ideal for all content creators. It is designed to deliver professionalquality results every time you go live or hit record. Its plug-and-play USB-C connection is compatible with Windows PC, MAC, iOS, iPad, or Android devices, allowing you to power and stream your favourite microphones, and instruments wherever you go.
Made with musicians in mind, the AT-UMX3 features a Neutrik XLR/6.3mm combo microphone jack (with selectable 48V phantom power) and a switchable Hi-Z or stereo input for guitar, bass, keyboard, or other external devices. Each input has separate gain and level controls, peak and signal indicators, and a dedicated microphone mute button. It also features a microphone monitor mute and adjustable output for your own headphone mix.
EGM proudly presents the highly acclaimed Thalia Capo
EGM | EGM.NET.AU
Thalia Capos are designed and manufactured in the USA. Thalia was founded by a fatherdaughter duo with a dream of creating a more beautiful capo than what was traditionally available. Thalia capos are designed based on the needs of the player and features unique interchangeable fretpads.
The Thalia Capo is a complete rethinking of the capo as a piece of art. Our aesthetic goal was to create a truly beautiful capo that would match or compliment the users’ instrument. Its reverse fulcrum point and quick-release design allows for seamless onehanded key changes with fretting hand.
Furthermore, Thalia Capos offer a wide range of exotic woods including abalone shell inlays, providing even more possibilities for customisation.
CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
We here at Mixdown are really big on comfort, as well as being Les Paul devotees, which usually don't go hand in hand. That was until the Ernie Ball range of straps expanded to include the Cloud Comfort Strap range that are comfy as a ... well, you get it.
The Ernie Ball Cloud Comfort strap incorporates air cell technology, offering an optimal cushioning solution for musicians who experience discomfort due to prolonged playing. This strap is designed for players of all types who have had shoulder discomfort and have attempted and been unsuccessful with other strap designs. The unique AirCell core technology makes this guitar strap stronger and more comfortable to wear, evenly dispersing the weight of your instrument across your shoulder and back; our neoprene strap is attached to long-lasting leather ends and fastened to polypropylene webbing via an acetal plastic loop slide. It provides a snug fit without being too stiff or bouncy. Due to the wide surface of the 2” and 3” air cell shoulder pads, you can be sure that the strap will be comfortable, moisture repellent, and glide easily over skin or clothes. Two widths - 2.32” and 3.32” - are available to purchase with an adjustable length (43” to 51”).
For local enquiries, visit Ernie Ball Australia.
Tone City have released three new pedals that are taking the FX world by storm, hitting top 10 best seller lists of some of the best stores around the world ...
Inspired by Tone City’s Tape Machine and Tiny Spring pedals, the Heavenly Lake broadens its horizons by providing you with the same great airy and spacious soundscapes, with the ability to sonically refine the decay and depth of your tone. Housed in a bigger ‘two-in-one’ unit, Tone City have upgraded the Tape Machine’s circuitry, adding decay and tone adjustable controls enabling the user to precisely develop and shape delay for a refined tonal experience.
Producing a wide sonic palette of rich, responsive low-to-medium tones, the Tone City Big Rumble Overdrive pedal transforms your tone giving you a mix of varied inbetween clean and crunchy gain flavours. The Attack knob enables you to adjust the overall fatness tone that can be refined for a punchy attack, or whack it all the way up for a massive wall of sound featuring intertwined distortion elements.
The Tone City Holy Aura Distortion pedal harnesses inspired iconic American sounding
amp tones with high gain, sustain and most important distortion goodness. Featuring 3 stages of EQ regulation, gain, presence, volume, and boost. You are able to fully adjust the tone with a wide sonic palette finding that overdriven sweet spot.
CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
Markbass’ new Gloxy GV series of basses offers a compelling combination of features for beginner and intermediate bassists. The comfortable neck, versatile pickups, and solid construction make it a great choice for bassists who want a quality instrument without breaking the bank. Key features include
Featuring a new, eye-catching and unique ‘Double Shaped’ headstock, with a Comfort C Shape Neck that’s crafted from hard maple, this neck profile is designed for smooth playability and comfortable hand positioning for hours of practice or performance.
The Maple Fretboard offers a bright and articulate tone, perfect for a variety of playing styles, 20 frets allowing ample room for exploring the full tonal range of the instrument across all those genres!
The 34" scale length provides a familiar playing experience for most bassists and allows for comfortable string tension regardless of tuning.
The iconic P-Style Body is available in Basswood or Alder, with a bolt-on construction. Bolt-on necks provide a common and reliable construction method that allows for easy maintenance and potential for future upgrades, as well as subtly shaping the sound for a more controlled tone. These basses are powered by Markbass JJ-Style MB Instrument PRE Pickups: these custom-designed pickups are inspired by the classic Jazz Bass design, offering a wide tonal range and plenty of punch.
Meet ORIA, the world’s first audio interface and monitor controller designed specifically with immersive audio in mind.
“My earliest memory is playing my father’s kit along to the Four Seasons.” explains Blondie drummer Clem Burke in a sly New Jersey lilt that feels a planet away from my mumbly West Australian brogue.
“For all of us East Coast kids they were the local heroes.”
Acity boy through and through, Clem is the living embodiment of everything that comes to mind when we think about guitar music in the Tri-State area—having been there to witness the golden age of doo-wop and the emergence of early rock ‘n’ roll, through to the envelope pushing (but still quintessentially NYC) flavour of the Velvet Underground and onto the infamous CBGB’s scene, to which Clem is a made man. Suffice to say, a conversation with Mr. Burke is an understanding that you are speaking with someone steeped in a deep musical lineage. It permeates every sentence.
“The American roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll-Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochrane, that was the foundation of what I loved from an early age,” he explains. “It just spiralled from there.”
Geography has always played a pivotal role in the sonic output of any recorded project, least of all for Blondie, who’s taut, female fronted punk-pop feels like the spiritual bridge between Madison Avenue opulence and Lower East Side hoodlumery. The result is something utterly unique, which also has the added advantage of having aged incredibly gracefully, due in part to Clem’s ability to craft perfectly ecstatic drum parts that enhance the bands propensity for three minute pop bangers- the economy of which is rare amongst his classic rock contemporaries.
“We always straddled that line between the underground and then a larger ambition to make hit singles that were universal.” he declares, while
ruffling a hand through his perfectly manicured mop top.
While the uninitiated might be instantly drawn to the cool allure of Blondie’s iconic frontwoman (the inimitable Debbie Harry) anybody with a basic understanding of the nuts and bolts of record making can hear that the five brunettes behind her do a hell of a job at holding it down. It’s an aspect of his work that is a source of pride for the lifelong drummer.
“Pre-Production was always very important for us. Being well rehearsed and going in there with a plan-I think you can hear that in many of those early songs.” he explains.
“I always appreciated drummers like Hal Blaine (Phil Spector’s go-to session drummer) and Earl Palmer (Little Richard, Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra) who were consummate studio musicians and had the kind of musicality and versatility that I aspired to. I wanted to be able to contribute to the song rather than detract.”
A craftsman in his own right, Clem’s combination of tasteful self effacement and bombastic, energy laden fills have been embedded in Blondie’s DNA since the very beginning, with the band emerging at the exact moment where recording studio technology (and particularly drum sounds) were experiencing a massive sonic shift.
Amongst studio engineers, this early New Wave period through the mid to late 70’s is considered by many to be the pinnacle of drum sounds in the
open air, with Clem carting his stock Red Sparkle Premier kit to some of the most iconic acoustic environments in existence, the size and space of which are rare in the modern recording zeitgeist. “Power Station, Electric Lady, United Western in LA-we would always start with the biggest ambient room we could and work our way inward from there, with the close mics.” he explains. “That way we could go as dry or as roomy as the song required.”
“I always like to record with as few microphones as possible, but it always seems to blow out.”
This utilitarian approach to drum sounds has served him and the band well, with Blondie’s discography doubling as a masterclass in how to do pop ‘the right way.’
When the band venture out here in April for the upcoming Pandemonium festival, they do so with an enviable set list in tow, stacked to the brim with some of the most infectious songs of the last 50 years: “Heart of Glass”, “Call Me”, “Hanging on the Telephone”, “Tide is High”, “One Way or Another”, “Dreaming”, “Atomic”, “Rapture” - it’s hard to think of a band with as many certified bangers as Blondie.
Given the inherent danciness of so many of their backbeat heavy hit singles, you would expect Clem to be something of a connoisseur when it comes to snare sounds, which makes it all the more surprising to hear that all of these came from the same trusty wooden Premier—albeit with
different tunings, mic setups and room reflections.
“The snare on all that early Blondie stuff is all the stock 14” x 6.5” wooden Premier snare that came with the kit.” he picks up. “These days I tour with a Black Beauty and my DW Collectors kit.”
For someone who has experienced as much success in the studio as Clem, it’s fitting that he generally opts to keep his setup clean and simple with a preference for coated heads, prized for their tasteful attack and ability to play nicely with microphones, in turn making them a common choice for session drummers worldwide.
“I’ve always been a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to heads. Usually Remo Ambassadors. To me it’s about the tuning and serving the song. The tuning is very important.”
Kicks are an equally simple affair, with Clem sticking to his preference for 24” Kick drums and instead, putting the majority of his focus on finding the pocket and groove in any composition that comes his way. These human fluctuations in timing and groove are one of the things that separate Blondie’s music from your traditional ‘Four on the Floor’ affair.
“There was a dance club called Club 82, who would have a ‘Rock and Roll’ night once a week,” remarks Clem.
“You would hear these organic dance records with live drums in between the bands- stuff like “Shame Shame Shame” (Shirley & Company) ,”Rock the Boat” (The Hue Corporation) in between sets by the New York Dolls or my old band Sweet Revenge.”
“The drummers in the room were always keeping an ear out because there was just so much great playing happening at the time.” he notes.
This influence can be heard across many singles in the Blondie canon, in particular on 1978’s Parallel Lines- produced by Australia’s own Mike Chapman and whose hit single “Heart of Glass” took Blondie into unchartered technological territory.
“Mike wanted every song on Parallel Lines to be a single and that was how he approached it,” he reminisces.
“Heart of Glass in particular, took a very long time to record.”
“This was before MIDI and up until that point we had never played to a click track. I had to lay a sort of a click track with the kick to the arpeggiator on a very early Roland Synthesizer which was constantly going out of sync. In the end we had to record a few bars, comp it and drop back in and record a few more-which took seemingly forever compared to how we would normally work.”
The results more than speak for themselves with “Heart of Glass” becoming one of the band's defining tracks.
“Mike was the perfect producer for us, he was hands on in the way that if he didn’t like something in the arrangement, he would tell you and the song would be better for it. He would be on the studio floor conducting and given his track record and all the hit records he had written or been a part of, he had a real feel for what would work and what wouldn’t.”
Having spent so much of his adult life touring and recording, it is safe to say that Clem is a musical lifer.
“I don’t know what I would be doing if I wasn’t playing. Drumming has just always been there. Being in a band has just always been my social life from a very early age.”
“I like being in the studio and on stage. I don’t feel inhibited when I'm there. I enjoy it. These are places that I like to be.”
You can catch Blondie in the flesh later this month at Pandemonium Festival, tickets are available at www.pandemonium.rocks
Pandemonium Festival 2024
Saturday, April 20: Caribbean Gardens, Melbourne
Tuesday, April 23: Alice Cooper, Blondie, Psychedelic Furs, Wolfmother side show Entertainment Centre, Newcastle*
Thursday, April 25 (Anzac Day): Cathy Freeman Park - Sydney Olympic Park Precinct, Sydney
Saturday, April 27: Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast (new venue)
Sunday, April 28: Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane (new venue)** Blondie not appearing
WORDS BY JAMIE COLIC
On July 13th 2022, Billboard reported that heavy metal behemoth Pantera were reuniting for their first world tour in 22 years.
This news was polarising due to the fact that the Abbot brothers “Dimebag” Darrell and Vinnie Paul, cornerstones of the band's lineup since its formation in Arlington Texas back in 1981, had both tragically passed away since the band's breakup back in 2003.
Now in 2024, it's safe to say that a reinvigorated Pantera led by vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown have gone forward to silence naysayers internationally.
With metal veterans Charlie Benante (Anthrax, S.O.D) and Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) joining the fold as fill-ins for the legendary Abbot brothers, the band is closing in on the end of a mammoth two-year world tour and Australian audiences at this year’s Knotfest are ecstatic to witness the steel.
Amidst the chaos and fury, we were fortunate enough to catch Rex Brown for a chat. From working in Willie Nelson's home studio, to the first time he witnessed the wrath of the Gibson Thunderbird, Rex emanated nothing but passion and gratitude for both heavy metal and the generations of fans who have followed him through a storied 40-year career.
Cheerfully greeting me on the line, Rex doesn't sound like a man who has endured a two-year run on the road, “We have just gotten off the plane here in Sydney, and it brings back so many memories!” Having last played Sydney’s
fabled Hordern Pavillion back in 2001, a 23-year absence seems to have done nothing to dull Brown's appreciation for the land down under. Suddenly the tone of the discussion retracts from jovial to somewhat serious as Rex remarks “Look man, I wanna make this really brief... we are grateful, and honoured to be here, doing what we do again, seeing the multitude of fans all across the world.”
The sincerity of this sentiment hits home even harder when one acknowledges that fans who caught the band back in 2001 are perhaps returning to Knotfest in 2024 with their own children in tow, spreading metal across generations via their adoration for the Texan legends.
The appreciation doesn't end with the metalheads though, as Rex has recently been honoured with his own Signature Thunderbird basses by Gibson and Epiphone. Thinking back on his first introduction to the Thunderbird's striking silhouette he is quick to turn the discussion over to London, highlighting both The Who’s John Entwistle and UFO’s Pete Way.
“Those guys were massive influences in the 80s, when I got the Lights Out record in ‘78, that record was really the gateway into the bands that came after.” Rex recalls. “Thin Lizzy came first, then you had UFO and then you had the first Def Leppard record, and all of those guys were using either the big Explorer basses or the Thunderbird.”
“You learn how to play bass with a fuckin’ Thunderbird.”
An immense appreciation for the English hard rock stalwarts of the ‘70s and ‘80s ensues with Rex reeling things in to highlight his love for guitars. “I’ve been an avid collector of vintage guitars for going on four years now. I was down in Willie Nelson's studio working with Terry Date on some tracks for some television stuff, and I had this old bass in a coffin.”
Rex continues to detail how his tech at the time had enquired about the remnants of a vintage Thunderbird that he had acquired back in 2002. $500 and a call to EMG Pickups later and the ol’ Bird was back in action, sporting nothing but Rex’s favourite gold Hipshot hardware. The discussion rolls on to become a love letter to the different eras of Gibson's timeless bass shape, “That bass has a really thin neck on it, I think it dates back pre-86.”
He further details that Thunderbirds with this thin neck profile were only made during a period of time “When they first came out in ‘65 to ‘67, then they put some out between ‘71 and ‘75, then in ‘76 they came out with the bicentennial model which is always a killer bass.”
Rex’s own Thunderbird dates to a period between 1981 and 1986 in which the model was issued with the original thin-neck profile. He expresses a subtle disdain for any model outside of these aforementioned periods “They have this big fat neck on em’ that I hate, y’know, so I got one of the good ones!”
Later on, when Rex became acquainted with the good people over at the Gibson custom shop, it was only natural that he would introduce them to his beloved Thunderbird stating “I’ve got this Thunderbird that will knock your fuckin socks off!” and the rest is history.
“I'd say the Epiphone bass is more me than the first one was,” the bassist exclaims, whilst deep in thought. “It has passive pickups, and the same neck as my old Thunderbird, but it's a neck-thru and has nine plys of wood going through the body and it sounds brutal.”
“The punch of those pickups I had done by a guy called Richard Aker who has been with the company for 40 years! How cool is that,” he explains excitedly.
At this point, it's apparent to me that the discussion is much more than a mere listing of artist specs as Rex demonstrates his astute knowledge of the history of the Thunderbirds and a genuine passion for the Gibson and Epiphone companies, “I can't thank them enough for letting me in the door.”
“I’ve got eight or nine, or 10 basses with me [on tour] and I’m playing two! But you're talking about Epiphone and they are my favourite basses, they are worth every damn penny, you learn how to play bass with a fuckin Thunderbird, It’ll make you learn how to play the son-of-a-bitch and that's just how it was back in the day”.
The Epiphone Firebird holds a special place in history, as well as all of our hearts. Production for a new, futurelooking model began in 1963, following slow sales of high-priced hollow and semi-hollow Gibsons, as well as the futuristic Explorer, Flying V and Moderne being too extreme for the day.
The Firebird name and automobile-influenced colours are no coincidence, the Firebird being designed by famous auto-designer Ray Dietrich. Having retired in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Dietrich gave a talk on his expertise regarding auto-design and, inspired, Gibson’s Ted McCarty approached him with a proposition. While unconventional for guitar design (at least in the early 60s), the Firebird is not unlike the Lincolns and Chryslers that Dietrich was known for. The appropriately named Firebird pushed the boundaries and conventions of guitar design at the time, tying together Gibsons’ legacy while elevating it beyond more ’traditional’ shapes and designs. Colloquially referred to as “Reverse” Firebirds, because the Firebird’s lower, treble-side horn was longer than the other end of its body, the “reverse” Firebirds ironically made the backwards version that would follow a “Non Reverse” Firebird from 1965 onwards.
Whichever way you look at it (literally), the Firebird was the first solid-body Gibson to feature a neckthru design, bringing with it unmatched sustain and the iconic little hump on the guitar’s body as the neck wood passed through the wings right through to the guitar’s tail. Doing away with Gibson’s naming convention at that time of “Junior”, "Special", “Custom” and “Standard” models, the Firebird was instead named with roman numerals (I-X, with a few extra models littered in between) to differentiate the more
Standard models up to their flagship Custom models. This year, Epiphone pays tribute to two classics: the Firebird I and the Firebird V.
Epiphone Firebird I
The Epiphone 1963 Firebird I is available in ohso-60s colours like Heather Poly, Inverness Green and Silver Mist, as well as more traditional colours Vintage Sunburst and Cherry, both exclusively available. Beneath the hood are CTS pots, a Mallory capacitor, and Switchcraft 1/4” output jack, used to control the tone from the single Gibson USA Firebird mini-humbucker, denoting this as a Firebird I and a reasonably lean music machine.
The mini-humbucker falls tonally between a humbucker and a single-coil pickup, doing its job to buck hum, but retaining the cut, bite and jangle of a single-coil. Like the originals, this is a neck-thru design consisting of a nine-ply neckthrough-body made of mahogany and walnut, with mahogany wings. Kluson planetary geared “banjo” tuners complete the look, just like they did in the 60s, giving the Firebird its unique silhouette. The tuners serve both to provide sleek aesthetics as well as stable tuning, the mechanism itself serving to securely retain string tension with smooth and accurate tuning.
Epiphone Firebird V
The Firebird V builds on everything that the Firebird I offers, moving quickly past the doublehumbucker’d Firebird III, the V featuring two mini humbuckers and a Maestro Vibrola to express yourself and modulate to your heart’s content. The 1963 Epiphone Firebird V specifically, though, features a newly redesigned Vibrola with engraved Epiphone logo
The Epiphone 1963 Firebird V includes the same Gibson USA Firebird mini humbucker pickups as
the Firebird I, again with Alnico 5 magnets, each pickup having its own volume and tone control. The Epiphone Firebird V combines modern tech and vintage flair, with Epiphone ABR-1 bridge to maintain tuning stability. The Firebird I has a period-correct Wraparound Lightning Bar bridge. The Firebird is as much a part of guitar history as any other, its eye catching, head turning “reverse” body shape helping to push guitar design forward. The sustain available from the neck-thru design offers new tonal possibilities, with the mini humbuckers offering a unique middle ground between the single-coil or humbucking camps. While its aesthetic design is enough to ogle at, the players who’ve trusted it speak to its ability to handle just about any task you need it to.
Various iterations of Firebirds have been strung across the shoulders of the likes of Jamie Cook of the Arctic Monkeys and Lzzy Hale, along with her Explorerbird Explorer/Firebird hybrid. Dave Grohl famously played a Pelham Blue Firebird Studio, and had an artist's signature model made, while Tom Petty rocked with one for decades, along with his guitarist Mike Campbell.
The Firebird borrows from the best that Gibson had at the time, opting for a slimmer, more lightweight body than the Les Pauls that had come before it, and refined the design for the modern day. Epiphone’s 1963 Firebird I and Firebird V pay tribute to this in the best way: an affordable package and a stellar offering of guitars. The Firebird I is your workhorse, providing a stable rock stalwart that’s all tone, while the Firebird V adds a mini humbuckers and vibrato system, allowing you to subtly or overtly shape and hone your tone, all the whole expressing yourself with vibrato and whammy. The Firebird truly is a part of musical history.
Drawing inspiration from their popular Tape Machine and Tiny Spring, the Heavenly Lake dual reverb and echo pedal builds upon these already great circuits, bringing some fresh improvements to controls adding decay and tone adjustment to the reverb side of the pedal and new analogue tones and newly designed modulation section with rate and depth controls for the echo.
The reverberation creates spacious depth, dimension and airy soundscapes whilst retaining that distinct springy-like quality to the decay of the reverb, with some distinct modulation inherent in the decay. Dialling up the wet and decay controls doesn’t get out of control but rather just adds a nice space around the notes without getting in the way. The tone controls take things from typically dark timbres that springs are more known for but can be dialled in to be brighter if required.
The analogue vibe of the delay side of the Heavenly Lake ranges from subtle bucket brigade style darker trails right through to full on psychedelic mayhem, in the best possible way. Bend pitch by adjusting the time and space things out with the mix control. Getting even deeper with the depths and speed controls of the modulation section or go full psych mode pushing the echo into self oscillation diming the repeat control. Combining the two sides of the Heavenly Lake makes for some lush soundscapes or just some subtle verb and delay. Everything’s on tap and sounds great, especially given the very reasonable price tag.
WORDS BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELLBig, Heavenly and Holy - three words that immediately spring to mind when looking at three new pedals recently released from Tone City.
Having become quite well known for for their small footprint 1590A pedal enclosures such as their little green Tape Machine, Golden Plexi 2 distortion and Tiny Spring to name but a few, Tone City have more recently been venturing into dual stompbox territory, with a family of dual circuit and/or tone stack type designs, with three new members to add to their already impressive array of tone machines.
Revered for their quality, tone and very appealing price point, the three new Tone City pedals named Heavenly Lake, Holy Aura and Big Rumble each bring their own sonic flavour to the table, with an offering of reverb, delay, overdrive, distortion and boost, so let's dive in.
Three distinct flavours of effects in a dual stomp box footprint, Tone City have introduced some exciting tonal flexibility from the time based Heavenly Lake through to the overdrive bliss of the Big Rumble and the full throttle distortion madness of the Holy Aura, literally every gain stage is covered, with some luscious airy soundscapes to taste. An exciting expansion to their already wide range of pedals, Tone City have struck gold once again! EGM.NET.AU
From subtle “edge of breakup” through to raucous, crunchy, clipped overdrive, the Big Rumble has a nice broad palette of overdrive tones on tap with a heap of controls available for precision tone dialling. Switching between the jazz and rock circuits gives users the immediate flexibility of bright shimmering like drive through to smooth creamy heavy blues type drive - classic Skynyrd tones for days.
Focusing on just the drive part of the circuit, the one knob has a surmising wide range of tone available, particularly when used in conjunction with the jazz/rock switch. The attack knob adds some more control over the roundness of tone from punchy attack through to wall of sound saturation. Where things get particularly interesting is the clean side of the circuit, essentially giving Big Rumble the ability to blend in clean tone parallel to the overdrive. This can make for some interesting tone stack effects, where one can really crank the overdrive into a more exaggerated overdrive then subtly blend the clean tone back into the signal for more note definition and detail. Adding to this the switchable 20dB boost separate from the drive circuit but positioned in front allowing for more tonal possibilities when both drive and boost are engaged. Big Rumble is right - plenty of tone available at even higher volumes if and when required.
The Holy Aura is Tone City’s equivalent to a classic ‘67 Chevy - far from subtle with plenty of high octane muscle. A USA inspired high gain distortion with a 20dB boost to match, the Holy Aura strikes to perfect balance between tonal flexibility and control. With a refined 3-band EQ of bass, mid and high, presence and tight controls as well as the expected volume, gain and boost controls there’s a huge tone stack again here and sounds just massive. Reminiscent of classic high gain amplifiers designed for really moving some air, even just running the everything set to 12 o’clock, the Holy Aura is simply commanding. The 3-band EQ is incredibly powerful giving the Holy Aura ability to range from classic scooped metal tones through to cranked top end with rolled off lows and pretty much everything you’d need from a high gain distortion pedal in-between. The gain on tap here is wild, absolutely not subtle and really is a high gain amp in a box. The presence and tight controls add in that extra level of tonal control that a lot of distortion pedals simply don’t offer, making it a great choice for both stage and studio when more refined control is required. The boost control whilst more subtle when engaged with the distortion circuit certainly has its place as a clean boost on its own, which is a great addition to any pedalboard.
“WE UNDERSTAND SOUND ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL”
With no shortage of small diaphragm condenser (SDC) options available in the current day, what does it take for a microphone to stand out in a market that is so saturated and competitive? If the answer is a combination of passion, innovation and unique design aesthetics, then JZ Microphones has brought forward a worthy answer in the new BT 202 Stereo Pair.
Known in particular for their unique looks as well as employing the use of their unique Golden Drop Capsule design, JZ Microphones have carved out a dedicated following over the past 17 years. This is due in no small part to the fact that JZ has repeatedly managed to offer microphones of an exceptional build quality at a price that won't break the bank.
Established in Latvia back in 2007, lead designer and founder Jurin Zarins decided to implement 20 years of industry knowledge into the development of his own line of hand-crafted studio recording microphones. Jurin states “Our objective is to reduce the physical limitations of delivering your recording whilst keeping its complexity and beauty unaltered.”
Keeping the sincerity of this mission statement in mind we
must draw your focus upon the JZ Microphones BT 202 Stereo Pair. A pair that signals JZ’s entry into the aforementioned SDC microphone market, after an impressive track record of home runs in the world of large diaphragm condenser (LDC) offerings.
At this point in time, it is important to mention that the JZ Microphones BT 202 is only offered for purchase in a matched pair. Considering that many would utilise this sort of SDC microphone for stereo applications such as drum overheads, this shouldn't pose an issue for most buyers. However, we still figured it was worth mentioning before diving deep into what makes the BT 202 stereo-matched pair so great.
The first thing that jumps out about the BT 202 is its design which invokes an aesthetically pleasing impression which is neither retro nor
modern. This aside, we can all agree that they look great, which may or may not be a great consideration for anyone in the market for a SDC Microphone.
Sleek aesthetics aside, this also makes them a reasonably practical option in a space (around a drum kit) where space is at a premium! Their compact and streamlined design helps them to nestle comfortably besides other microphones, or otherwise draped over a drumkit as overheads. Where other microphones in the market might be too heavy to hoist up overhead, especially when even a millimetre’s movement can affect the phase, gain and localisation of a sound, the compact size of the BT 202 Stereo Pair makes them a great solution. While heavier mics might lead you to believe they’re sturdier option, we are pleased to report that the BT 202 feels solid in the hand. Due entirely to the microphone's rugged chassis, JZ has succeeded yet again in providing a microphone that is up to the task of enduring arduous sessions for many years to come.
Looks and feel aside, the sonics need to be heard to be believed. The quoted frequency range of the BT 202 is flat from 30Hz up to 6kHz, after which a slight bump occurs between 8-9 Khz. If all of this wasn't enough a self-noise figure of around 12dBA means that the BT202 pair are about as quiet as can be for a microphone of this type. Other microphones in the space might boast similar specs, but not with the sleek and refined design that the BT 202 do, and those that are as sturdy as JZ’s mics don’t always have the same response! All in all, the BT 202 pack a whole lot of punch.
This stereo pair employ a fixed Cardioid polar pattern ensuring that the BT 202s provide good rejection of everything besides the source you intend to capture. This task is further enhanced sonically by both microphones Class A Transformerless electronics.
The BT 202’s 13mm capsule boasts the same Golden Drop technique that JZ employs in the design and manufacture of their Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphones capsules. The thinking behind this is that it makes the capsule itself is more responsive to transients as it is lighter than other capsules built with more standardised methods.
The JZ BT 202 shine in a number of applications in which Audio Engineers would employ the use of Small Diaphragm Condenser mics including, but not limited to, the recording of drum overheads, acoustic guitars or piano.
Used as drum overheads the BT 202s would to provide a nice lean image of the entire drum kit, enabling one to easily blend them into the close snare and kick sounds when it came time for mixdown. The BT 202s are bright enough as to provide the appropriate amount of presence that most would be seeking from their overhead sound without ever sounding too brittle.
World class engineers, like Romesh Dodangoda (Motörhead, Bring Me The Horizon and Bullet For My Valentine) agree. Romesh explained "They sound really good from my first impressions. They are very warm sounding, almost a slightly vintage tone to them compared to some other alternatives out there. I would say they are voiced darker when compared to something like an AKG451 or KM184 which are fairly bright mics, so if you’re looking for something warmer sounding or you have a bright sounding room or bright cymbals that you want to sound less harsh, these should be good for that!”
Additionally, the clarity provided by the BT 202’s relays to other instrument sources; namely something like an acoustic guitar or piano. One-trick-pony the BT 202 are not! This is a scenario in which the BT 202’s offer clarity and trueto-source response to whatever is placed in front of them. The slight bump in the 8-9kHz range will provide a suitable “lift” for whatever source material the mic’s are placed in front of without ever sounding overbearing, harsh or unrealistic.
Overall, the JZ Microphone BT 202 Stereo Pair would be a fantastic contender in the world of SDC Microphones. They provide a unique voice that makes them a fantastic all-rounder for any professional recording studio, especially in such a saturated market, and all at a price that is very reasonable when pitted against a lot of its competitors. Hats off to JZ Microphones yet again, for bringing yet another fantastic offering to the table.
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
It’s really tough to stand out in a product category like USB/Content mic which is well and truly having it’s time in the sun but alas, Shure’s MOTIV range is elevated to new heights with the Shure MV7+.
Building on the accessible, pragmatic and great-sounding MV7, with both XLR and USB connectivity depending on your needs. For content creation, music making, podcasting and other audio-focused mediums, portability can be a really tough area to excel in, as practical and portable solutions usually sacrifice sound quality, while good quality sound usually isn’t super portable. I say usually because, Shure have done it, haven’t they?
Dialling gain, adjusting settings and all the while capturing great audio can be a real challenge at the best of times. Pursuing great sound can sometimes ruin the flow of a session of interviews, songwriting or otherwise, undoing the point of any amount of perfectly adjusted audio you might’ve managed to set.
While borrowing heavily from one of the most famous mics of all time, the classic Shure SM7B, the MV7+ bears more than a passing resemblance to its famous cousin, the iconic broadcast-like design proving that Shure sure knows how to design a mic.
The MV7 came before it had dual XLR/USB outputs. The MV7 was specifically designed as a multi-purpose, one-stop mic for the streamlined, digital generation, something that the MV7 and now MV7+ excel at.
The MV7+ features the same high-quality audio components that make all of Shure’s microphones so great. What the MV7+ adds, is a Multi-Colour LED Touch Panel for use as either an audio meter or simply a cool, vibey light show. The LED panel also serves as a mute, allowing you to quickly, silently and efficiently mute your mic. A 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the mic allows you to monitor directly from the mic, as
well as control and dial in your monitor mix in the MOTIV Mix app—but more on that later!
All in the interest of providing great quality, consistent audio along with the easy-to-use mute button, the Shure MV7+ also includes a live Denoiser that uses DSP to do away with ambient noise from your environment. This, coupled with Shure’s Voice Isolation Technology, provides crystal clear sound in just about every environment.
To elevate this further, the mic includes a virtual pop filter, designed to reduce and remove plosives that can be distracting to listeners, while improved Auto Level Mode adjusts gain based on location of source and constant detection to make sure you’re sounding your best no matter how animated you become. Onboard reverb can give a little ambiénce, or overt cavernous overtones—it’s up to you! There’s three reverbs available, with Plate, Hall and Studio at your disposal.
Increasingly accessible tools are what elevates Shure beyond a humble microphone company, providing traditional microphones for studios, live performance and public address, but also incredibly easy to use for those diving into audio production for the first time - whether that be songwriting, podcasting or otherwise, without the need for a YouTube tutorial rabbithole, higher education diploma or a call to tech support! The Shure MOTIV range makes it easy, packing a whole lot into a tidy, professional looking pack, ultimately in the pursuit of world-class sound in the easiest way possible.
Finally, connect in whatever way is most convenient with either XLR or USB-C. XLR works well as a more permanently set-up style of
recording, whereas USB-C is great for portable recording on-the-go.
As if the features available on the microphone itself weren’t enough, Shure also has the MOTIV Mix app available to mix, process, refine and finish your recorded sound. The MOTIV Mix app is available on desktop, and designed for both micing and streaming, allowing you to route signal wherever you need it to go in one spot, as well as quickly mute, monitor and record.
MOTIV Mix is designed to tie together everything you need to reduce mental clutter as well digital process power! Access dynamic control like a compressor and limiter, EQ and tone for your Shure MV7+.
The Shure MV7+ is proudly carrying the flag for Shure, elevating everything that the MV7 is and was: a well-designed broadcast style mic that both looks great on screen as well as sounding great through and through. The MV7+ features enough control on board to get you up and running, the LED strip now helping you to visually monitor on the unit itself as well, the headphone output allowing you to physically monitor.
Shure’s MOTIV Mix app provides access to routing, levels and control with effects like compression, limiting and EQ if needed, though the sound of the MV7+ is stellar, the virtual pop filter and DSP processing for Auto Level Mode and an onboard Denoiser ensure you’re sounding your best.
All in all, the Shure MV7+ … well, it does it all. Equally suitable as a handy mic to have around as your needs grow as it is your first foray into professional microphones. Handling conversion as well as audio processing, the MV7+ can have you up and running in moments, and sounding great to boot. For a figurehead of the audio industry, Shure only have their own designs to compete with, but they’ve outdone themselves on the Shure MV7+.
The yellow cone of a KRK monitor has, over the past twenty years, become a stalwart in just about every studio, from professional recording and editing suites, right down to compact home setups. I don’t know how many of the first generation Rokit 5 speakers I have seen and heard over the years, but it is a staggeringly high number. Since then, every generation has improved on the past with subtle updates. Now, the new Rokit Generation 5 jumps well ahead with an upgraded look, new amplifier design and quite possibly the best built-in DSP in its class. These are the studio monitors that all current Rokit owners will want to upgrade to!
Let’s start with the obvious change, the look. It’s been a slight shifting of cabinet angles over the years that has defined how we see the Rokit 5, but what I’m looking at now is in a whole new league. KRK have stepped it up with an entirely new cabinet design, both internally and on the surface. We’ve gone back to more of a block shape, yet still with soft curves on the sides to keep these looking sexy, whilst allowing sound deflection to be kept to a minimum. The front porting looks to be more of an organic curve, carved out of the housing in a minimal design concept. In short, these look about five times their ticket price. On top of that, both the tweeter and woofer are now protected by a black powder coated metal grill. This still enables the yellow cone to be seen, but mutes the tone slightly. Aside from the aesthetic it offers, the grills really excite me as I am not a fan of seeing tweeter domes pushed in by enquiring fingertips.
Now, once you’ve looked over the front, I am sure any curious mind, like mine, will turn the box around to see what’s hiding out back. This is where we get an idea of everything that KRK have going on with the Rokit Generation 5 monitors. And they’re not kidding around. Like the changes we saw in Generation 4, these are designed as a set-and-forget monitor, you have a combination TRS/XLR input, a power switch, a jog wheel and an LCD screen. That’s it. Gone are the dip switches. Gone are any unnecessary inputs and outputs. Gone are the Volume and Tone knobs of older models. With the jog wheel, you are able to set the volume, adjust the tone, and control a host of onboard DSP voicings and boundary tuning features. Once you’ve set these up for your listening space, you only need to worry about the power, and everything else is left untouched.
So, what’s under the hood? The new bi-amplified design offers a separate amplifier for both tweeter and woofer, with a total of 120-watts of Class D
power. This has been designed to offer an absolute minimum of operating noise, whilst delivering more than enough volume for nearfield monitoring and critical listening. Furthermore, the separation of power between the amplifiers reduces the overall operating heat, removing the need for external heat sinks and allowing longer operating times without affecting the performance of the units.
What this all means is that you have incredible control over how your monitors operate in the space you’re using them. Firstly, the three voicings allow you to have the monitors set up for three different listening tasks. These are the Mix, Focus and Create modes that all deliver a different EQ and stereo spread to better enhance each of these stages of your music making. Whilst many will leave their monitors set to the Mix voicing, as they will be primarily used for mixing, it’s in the production, recording, editing and critical listening stages before the final mix that the other voicings will get a great many users excited. The Create mode offers a more dynamic, vibrant and lively sound reproduction so you can hear and get inspired by your music, and an ideal setting for casual listening when you just want to play your favourite music. When it comes to hearing vocals, the Focus mode emphasises the mid-range more, so they jump out in the mix. Both these modes are very handy for different situations in the production process before settling in for the precision of the Mix mode to polish it all off. In essence, this is like having three separate sets of speakers, all in the on pair of monitors. You just need to swap between the voicing mode to suit the task at hand.
The onboard DSP offers room control, so you can tame the space for that critical mix stage. There are 25 boundary and EQ combinations, to ensure you’re hearing the flattest response possible even after your immediate environment takes its toll on the sound. This is a wonderful tool for anyone setting up a home studio where the room may not be acoustically treated as well as a professional studio would. This is aided by the KRK app for mobile devices that allows you to properly tune your room so that you’re hearing the Rokit Generation 5 speakers at their very best. Think of the old KRK ERGO system that involved a reference microphone and a desktop hardware device connected to your monitor speakers at all times. Whilst a great system, it was an investment on top of your monitors and required additional hardware. The Rokit Generation 5 does away with the need for all those peripherals with the inbuilt DSP and KRK app.
The KRK Rokit Generation 5 monitors are a long way ahead of the humble origins of the original Rokit 5, which was a game changer in its own right. I think it goes without saying that you should hear a pair of these to understand that they are punching well above their weight. Get into your local KRK dealer and have a listen right away. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. And best of all, when you get your own pair home, you’ll be able to set them up in your space to deliver the same quality of sound reproduction as you would expect in any professional environment.
Time alignment is something we’ve discussed here at Mixdown before, even having reviewed Sound Radix’s Auto-Align 2 plugin previously. Time alignment can elevate a good recording to something really special, the sound really coming into its own when every transient and waveform is perfectly aligned.
Manual alignment is not impossible, but phase and waveform are fluid, at least in the sense that drums, speaker cones and singers are moving to and from the mic, albeit slightly! Even a millimetre can affect the phase relationship you’ve so delicately checked, so it makes sense to hand over the job to some more automatic technology. That’s where Sound Radix’s Auto Align 2.1 comes in, allowing the tech to analyse the input signal and optimise it more than manual, static alignment ever could. We previously reviewed Auto-Align 2, finding that manual alignment both yielded worse results and took much more time. In that sense, Auto-Align 2.1 is worth it! Auto-Align now sees an updated version in 2.1, available for free to all Auto-Align 2 licence holders.. And if that doesn't include you yet, there’s never been a better time to come on board!
Auto Align 2.1 sees updates to both visible and invisible parts of the Auto Align 2 plugin. At its most basic level, 2.1 sees an improved core algorithm for processing audio, with workflow updates as well. Group Time Alignment can now be toggled, optimising phase correlation without adding any delay and further phase issues.
Furthermore, you can now enable or disable spectral phase optimization on a per-track basis within groups. For example, when auto-aligning an entire drum kit, this can be toggled per track. Polarity can now be flipped by group if needed, allowing you to check (and double check!) optimal settings. Auto Align 2.1 also now offers four preset slots to check and compare different alignments, ensuring you’ve got the best out of your recordings and the plugin’s processing.
Auto Align 2.1 also includes refined menu navigation, improved capture indicator and clearer invalid alignment notifications to ensure you don’t miss a thing! Along with all of this, the update has fixes for miscellaneous crashes, as well as improved and more consistent interfacing with different DAWs.
Broadly and commonly used for drums, Auto Align can help to tie together the 10 or so mics on a kit (emphasis on the ‘or so’ with some of us!) The bleed and spill from different spot mics can easily be out of phase with your carefully measured overheads and room mics, ruining the overall low end thump and clarity of the kit. A well time-aligned kit has better depth, clarity, width and punch than one that might be smeared by phase and bleed issues.
To retain the effect of the impact of your room mics, i.e. the additional time it takes for sound from drums to hit the microphones, you can use Auto-Align 2.1’s next/previous option that nudges a track around to predetermined correlation points. Harness the optimisation of phase aligned mics with the space and impact of big rooms!
What a lot of people forget, however, is the potential issues between the amp signal and the DI of a guitar or bass. With a guitar, you might be plugging into a DI box and recording that, while the ‘Thru’ signal from the DI is plugged into an amplifier’s input, it travels through the circuitry, is amplified, and then moves through a speaker cable to the the speaker cone, and even then, it’s oftentimes a few inches of air before the signal reaches a microphone (with a cable, and preamplifier) before it’s recorded. While sonically this all seems to be happening instantaneously, there’s a fraction of a second between the signals, notably when blended together and while
not acutely out of phase, they can definitely be optimised! Grouping and aligning these tracks together with Auto Align, i.e. DI signal and recorded amplifier, can help to bolster the clarity and low end of your resulting sound overall. This is especially true for bass where it’s common practice to blend in a clean (or processed, you do do!) signal to an amplified and recorded sound. This can be applied to just about anything recorded with more than one signal, i.e. anything with a DI box, direct output or multiple microphones!
Auto Align 2.1 is an integral part of the engineer’s toolbox, improving on a previously manual process. Transients all landing at once improve clarity of a sound within the stereo field, while also extending the frequency response of the sound itself, and crystallising it within the space. Starting with the best possible sound only serves to improve your mixes after Auto Align has been applied.
While drums can benefit immensely (both sonically and figuratively), phase issues can also detract from other elements where it may be less obvious. Guitars, bass, vocals and keys are all often recorded with multiple mics, and the subtle shifting distances from source to mic adjust the phase relationship of these on playback. Push your mixes further when uninhibited by these issues for deeper bass and an overall clarity that can’t be achieved by any amount of EQ, compression or other tricks!
With the needs and requirements instilled upon Pro Audio equipment rapidly changing as time progresses, there has been an increasing demand for mixing and monitoring solutions for engineers and producers who are working on the go outside of the typical environment such as a commercial studio.
Whilst headphones have been a long-standing solution and we have all heard about industry legends such as Andrew Schepps ditching his $100,000 Neve console in favour of a Macbook, it seems that there has been somewhat of a void in the realm of smaller, semi-portable nearfield monitors that actually cater to the pro level demographic.
This is where Kali Audio has stepped up to the plate. Famous for their LP-8 reference monitors among other things, Kali Audio have acknowledged the call for what many modern engineers require in an era where professionals are required to be more adaptable than ever and working environments are sometimes constantly changing. The goal of the LP-UNF is to provide the user with a professional nearfield monitoring solution that is easy to set up within the confines of a desktop or similar small space. Small driver reference monitors are by no means a new concept, however, they have often been regulated to serve a more casual user demographic.
A market trajectory that has often left the pro-level engineer out in the cold.
Boasting a class-D power amp, and a maximum SPL rating of 103dB, the LP-UNF Nearfield Reference Monitors pack in the same design hallmarks that have made its bigger brothers a resounding hit amongst pro audio circles. This seal of quality is important when depending on a reference speaker to provide an accurate image, especially in an untreated room such as an office or bedroom.
In terms of power output, the LPUNF pack an impressive 40 watts per channel meaning that you will never be hankering for more grunt whilst working in your desktop or temporary studio environment. SPL rating is measured to be 85dB continuous at 8 metres with a respectable 20dB of headroom, further driving the point home that power is no issue when it comes to the Kali Audio LP-UNF Nearfield Reference Monitors.
A frequency range of 54Hz to 21kHz ensures that the Kali Audio LP-UNF are giving you an accurate impression across the whole frequency spectrum. This is especially impressive when you take into account that the speaker's subwoofer driver is a mere 4.5” wide. In turn, the LP-UNF takes care of all of the high-end detail via its
the LP-UNF Nearfield Monitors into your workflow. This is great as it means less time flipping pages in an instruction manual and more time mixing!
When unboxing the LP-UNF you will immediately be greeted with both reference monitors, their handy interconnect cable, a power supply and the local power cable. Kali Audio ensures to pack in everything you need to get started right from the get-go.
1-inch HF driver leaving no important frequency range unaccounted for.
Kali Audio have put an immense amount of thought into the design of the LP-UNF, incorporating a frontfiring port tube that utilises a special fluid dynamics shape. This design element ensures that you can place the LP-UNF close to or even against any wall without experiencing any unwanted sonic artefacts such as unwanted bass buildup, port noise or compression. All issues that can afflict some other small studio monitors when not placed correctly.
As a matter of fact, the Kali Audio LP-UNF reference monitors come with a selection of presets catered to specific placements within any given room. These include:
• On stands behind your desk
• On a desk, away from walls
• On a desk, against a wall
• On a desk, on speaker stands, away from walls
• On a desk, on speaker stands, against walls
• On a recording desk with rack units, away from walls
• On a recording desk with rack units, against walls
This plethora of options guarantees that no matter how your room is set up you can rest easy knowing that Kali Audio has you covered when it comes to providing an accurate monitoring scenario within any given space.
In terms of connectivity Kali Audio has you sorted with a plethora of options including USB-C, Bluetooth, RCA or TRS. This means that no matter what your current setup utilises you will have absolutely no issues in regards to incorporating
In terms of size, the LP-UNF pair are as small as one would expect, measuring 10 inches tall, and 6.5 inches wide. A speaker depth of 7.4 inches ensures that these reference monitors will fit quite comfortably into even the most compact of spaces. The fact that such small speakers push out such a big sound doesn't quite compute upon first firing them up and we still haven't really picked our jaws up off the floor.
Whilst on the topic of the LPUNF dimensions we might as well mention their weight, which is a very modest 3.2kg for the primary speaker and 3.7kg for the secondary speaker. As these reference monitors are powered this weight measurement will be very appealing to anyone who has the intention of moving the LP-UNF around on a regular basis.
In use the Kali Audio LP-UNF Nearfield reference monitors provide a phenomenally life-like stereo image, providing all the details one would expect from a professional studio monitor “but perhaps not expect from a pair this size”. This fantastic imaging is achieved via a 3D imaging waveguide, much like what is utilised in the LP-UNF larger brothers such as the LP-6 and LP-8. All in all the Kali Audio LP-UNF set a new standard when it comes to small-size nearfield monitors, offering a pro-level listening experience to any engineers who are looking to monitor in smaller spaces. As a matter of fact, the LP-UNF would also make a fantastic choice for any commercial studio looking for a small pair of monitors to incorporate into a larger monitor array for purposes such as cross-referencing.
In the shadow of Melbourne’s inner city, the suburb Collingwood has long been at the heart of Melbourne’s music scene. It’s home to radio stations 3PBS and 3CR, iconic venues, such as the Tote, The Bendigo and the Gasometer, and many recording studios. In amongst it all lies Plasma Lab. A recording studio, live venue, education facility and record label, keen to leave its mark on Collingwood’s storied history.
Plasma Lab is run by international producer, DJ and mix/mastering engineer, Ben Finocchiaro, aka Ben Safire. A music industry veteran, Ben’s resume includes in an impressive list of international performances, including; London, Berlin, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. Additionally, he has presented masterclasses at Abbey Road Institute, SAE, Official Ableton User Groups and R-Lounge, Tokyo. Under the Ben Safire moniker, he has some 30 releases. Ben has just completed works, augmenting the existing recording studio, to open a live venue: Plasma Lab Bunker. I sat down with Ben to talk about his projects and methods as a music producer.
I ask Ben about his journey so far. “I started off as a producer. I've been doing it for about 20 years now, writing drum and bass, hip hop, beats, for all kinds of different vocalists, in addition to my own projects. In the last 10 years, I moved towards mixing and mastering. Now I work pretty much full time in my studio, mixing and mastering.” Ben continues, “The venue opened a year ago, in fact, we’ve got our first birthday this weekend. We’ve had international artists and the 180 capacity is really good for sideshows. After all this, I'm trying to get back to my own production again. I mean, that's where it all stemmed from, so, it’s time to go back to the source.”
Our conversation turns to the studio side of Plasma Labs, Ben explains “There’s a studio behind the venue, and the studio connects into the venue which doubles as a live room, so we can record live acts as well. Anything from vocals only to full microphone set ups. We also have cameras and video coming into the studio, which means we can record live performances as well.”
Perhaps unusually, for the audio recording side of the studio, Ben states Plasma Labs relies on Ableton Live as the main DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Ableton is often more associated with laptop production so the choice is interesting. He combines Live with hardware, as well as other software tools, for a complete suite of production tools. For clients, he often relies on software exclusively to ensure quick revisions are possible. Ben
was a beta tester for Ableton Live 12, so we spoke about the new version and how it has impacted his workflow. “It took me a little bit of time to get going with it but, the last month or two, I’ve really been getting into it.”
Referring to Live's new generative/AI midi features, Ben continues, “The MIDI functions are probably what's changed the workflow the most. All the stuff that they've added into the piano roll; anything from the generators through to the transformers, all the key locking stuff. In terms of workflow, it has definitely changed it quite a bit. Also, I really like the LFO MIDI effects, in the sense that you can put them on anything. It makes Live like a modular synth setup now.”
We talk about the new instruments and effects in Live 12, “I've been using Meld (Ableton’s new bi-timbral synth) quite a bit.” I expressed that I found it daunting at first but Ben’s sound design experience, “I’ve released sound packs over the years for various synths”, made it easy for him to get acquainted. “I find that in combination with Raw (the new multi-band saturation/distortion effect), Meld gives me almost everything I need. Whereas, before, I needed to stack up a lot more plugins to make a sound work”. We discuss Raw further, “Raw is capable of sonic destruction or subtle enhancement. Bass sound design is what I specialise in. With Raw and Meld together, I can get good results quickly.” Rather than obsess over the infinite minutiae of tweaking complex synths, Ben values the speed and accessibility of an instrument like Meld, “If you can get something sounding good from a few tools, it really doesn't matter what you use and how it’s created. All you want to do is get the result, that's the most important thing. I think Ableton have always been good at that, because they've simplified things. Things don't have to be complex. Using the ears wisely, it's the best skill you can have.”
We discuss the culture around sound design and production. Specifically, the need for producers to be tweaking every last parameter for a sound or mix, or be forever deemed a preset-surfer. “I went through phases, where I thought that I had to program everything. I put pressure on myself to create the best thing. Since then, I've taken a little bit of a step back and go in more lightly and enjoy the process.” Ben’s approach remains flexible, however,
when working with clients, “There's definitely some engineers and producers out there that are super ‘techie’. We’ll nerd out with stuff deeply, but not everyone has to be like that. At the end of the day, it should be for everyone to have fun.” He states, “The skill is in how you control everything and bring it together. It doesn't matter how easy the (software and hardware) companies make it for you, the best producers will always be the best.” On a roll, Ben continues, “I think that's the really underrated aspect of production. Knowing when a sound is going to work. Knowing what will work against a sound. How sounds compliment each other.”
He concludes “At the end of the day, the people on the dance floor don't really care how the music was produced. They just want to have fun and dance. And, you know, as producers, sometimes we have to step out of that production mindset. I know it's hard, because we're looking at all these numbers and dials, but, sometimes you have to remind yourself that people just want to hear great music.”
BEN HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO BUILD SOME DOWNLOADABLE ABLETON PRESETS FOR YOU!
SCAN THE CODE TO ACCESS THE DOWNLOADS.
Studios 301 in Sydney are one of the oldest and mostrenowned recording studios in the world.
World-class facilities like this provide top-tier service to professional artists, but they also hold a wealth of knowledge in the recording, producing, mixing and mastering spaces. It makes sense then, for Studios 301 to be associated with the Abbey Road Institute, now with locations all around the world, to come together for the 301 Academy, an education experience unlike any other.
“We’re very integrated. We’ve all come from Studios 301, where our background is working at big studios,” says Lynley White-Smith, CEO of Abbey Road Institute Australia, and head of Partnerships at Studios 301. “When Abbey Road Institute came into the picture, we all hopped over there as well.”.
“301 is the only place where we do specialised [work],” begins Stefan du Randt, head of Audio at Studios 301 and Programs Manager at the Abbey Road Institute.
“Jack is basically a producer,” he explains, introducing us to Jack Garzonio, who also works as a facilitator at Abbey Road Institute. “And Jack does indie bands and string recording. Then Simon [Cohen] does almost exclusively vocals, a bit of pop music as well.” Stef explains. “And I do just mixing and Dolby Atmos mixing.”
we have 100 years of history in pro audio, big studio training that’s been passed down.”
This is all to say that there’s really no one in Australia more qualified for pro audio education. A long history of professional work has now been passed onto working engineers and producers, those people now facilitating teaching within the 301 Academy program as well and continuing to work every single day as world-class engineers. Studios 301 and the Abbey Road Institute provide all the practical skills we’ve discussed like microphones, signal chain workflow and mixing, but with the people skills embedded into the course to allow graduates to enter the workforce with confidence.
“When we opened Abbey Road Institute in Australia, that was off the back of the Abbey Road Studios London education program, which is now a global network of schools. It’s London, Paris, Amsterdam, Johannesburg, Miami and us.”
Lynley explains. “They also have the philosophy that the training prior to music education popping up as a specialist stream, has always been about the in-studio hierarchy, so that is what we have alway done at Studios 301.”
way of achieving that knowledge than in a place where we do it constantly.” Jack says.
We chat for a moment about giving students the space to make a mistake. I myself have brought sessions to a grinding halt when I’ve miscommunicated, misunderstood or mishandled whatever problem has been thrown my way.
“It’s an intimate space,” agrees Lynley. “It is higher stakes when it comes to your interpersonal skills and studio etiquette.”
Jack goes on to list the non-musical skills needed to run a session, like operating the air con or knowing when the coffee shop closes. All laughable, maybe, until you have a sweaty artist who needs a 3pm pickme-up to continue performing.
“Another thing we’ve got on the boiler is the intensive academies, which are a bit more niche in regards to the genre.” begins Lynley. “We’re really focusing on making the courses more collaborative, get people cooking, get them in studios.” she says.
Stef goes on to explain that while Abbey Road Institute runs an Advanced Diploma program, it is after 301’s traditional internship (intern, runner, assistant engineer etc.) identified a gap in audio education programs, regardless of where they were completed. The gap is the people-skills associated with producing music, something that has historically only been learned on the job, often at the mercy of a session, artist or other client. The Studios 301 Academy and Abbey Road Institute are moving to close that gap.
“It’s an introduction to studio etiquette et cetera.” Stef states.
Jack picks up here “I do the making of the recording and the production of the record.” he begins.
“Historically, the producer isn't the person that would mix, the mixer isn’t the person that would master the song, and that’s the way we still do it here. And so, this is the way we’ve been running the Academy so far.”
“Abbey Road Institute in Australia is co-located with Studios 301,” begins Lynley. “Studios 301 is one of the oldest recording studios in the world. 1926 is when we opened as Columbia Graphophone. Over the years it’s changed location, it’s changed ownership, it was EMI Studios after Columbia Graphophone, and then Studios 301, then we had a few shifts, but
“When people come into the studio environment,” begins Stef. “They’ve been taught how to mic a snare drum and mix a song, but not how to be a person in a recording studio, if that makes sense?”
“We have this one idea,” Stef chuckles, asking Lynley if it’s okay to continue. Lynley says yes with a laugh. “... it’s supposed to be the ‘301 Bootcamp’. Basically what we want to do is go to all the schools, and get the very best,” Stef explains. “It’s not knowing where to mic the drum, but knowing how the snare mic goes into the wall box, goes into the patchbay, how the patchbay works, how to set up a foldback for people.”
Jack continues, saying “There’s a big difference between having the theoretical knowledge of what a microphone is and what a microphone does, and the reality of running a session.”
“The pure panic of running a session.” adds Stef with a big smile.
“And in our experience,” says Jack. “
All the schools, including Studios 301, are great and are providing people with a lot of knowledge, but there’s a difference then in the actual workplace, in knowing how to run a session.”
“I personally think that it does take time, a bit of practice, and what better
“Being able to apply more of the professional development, real world practices like writing camps, collaborative sessions, working with our team who are doing this every day.”
Lynley speaks further to the wider appeal and focus of Abbey Road, offering both a one year Advanced Diploma for focused, practical pro audio study, as well as short courses and masterclasses. Abbey Road Institute is market-focused, and aim to provide what people need, but also in the format they need their education delivered in. They’re ready to be available for what their applicants need to get the most from the program. Unironically, you’d expect nothing less from an Institution so focused on providing great service to artists, clients and musicians who need the best experience possible.
We had a chance to chat to Andrew Hogarth of Unreil Studios about some of his incredibly historical gear and what inspired him to open his fantastic multi-faceted facility.
Unreil Studios, located in Rouse Hill, NSW, is a premier rehearsal space, recording studio and music store that has an incredible amount of vintage and collectable gear in its arsenal.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
I’ve been into music from a young age with my parents always playing The Beatles, Deep Purple and Uriah Heep to name a few. Then I got my first guitar in high school and have been collecting them here and there since. In starting the business, I wanted to be able to support Australian artists where I could with some of their touring and recording expenses. There is a lot that goes into making a band work and getting their songs out to the world. Through the studios my goal is to be able to help out artists with some of these expenses and support along the way.
COULD YOU GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNREIL STUDIOS? WHEN DID YOU FIRST OPEN YOUR DOORS AND HOW HAS THE JOURNEY BEEN SO FAR?
Unreil Studios is fairly new, we opened the doors on the 1st
December 2023. I did start working on the studios in mid 2022, putting some ideas together and looking for a space. The complex we moved into out at Rouse Hill is a new one and initially we were going to be open at the start of 2023 but with some delays in finishing the building off, we didn’t get in until towards the end of 2023. During 2023 while waiting for the keys we started linking up with bands explaining our goal of supporting them and then providing them with strings, sticks, picks and heads for shows and recording. The feedback has been great. Like any new business though, it does keep you on edge hoping to get the name out there and that it continues to grow, so far the support has been great and I just have to keep at it.
UNREIL STUDIOS SEEMS LIKE A REAL ONE-STOP SHOP. BETWEEN THE ONLINE STORE, THE REHEARSAL SPACE, THE CYCLORAMA AND THE RECORDING STUDIO, YOU’RE COVERING A LOT OF GROUND. WAS THAT YOUR INTENTION FROM THE BEGINNING OR HAS THE BUSINESS GROWN AND DEVELOPED SINCE ITS INCEPTION?
The plan was to create a space for artists that covered a few areas and
606 for a while), Josh Homme’s Maton Mastersound guitar from around 2005, a custom Ibanez K5 that Fieldy from Korn used on tour around 2002 and a prototype Washburn baritone 7 string guitar that was made for Olly Steele of Monuments.
THE CYCLORAMA IS A REALLY COOL FEATURE OF YOUR SPACE, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO THE FOLKS AT HOME WHAT IT IS?
A cyclorama is pretty much a curved wall with no corners used as a photo or video background, giving the appearance of unlimited space and allowing for easy editing and post production. Some uses we have had for the space so far have been film clips, band promo shots, dancers doing routines and instructional videos, model shots and product shots.
also use that to support bands as best we can. I wanted to open it and have these areas ready to go for artists to come in and use from the beginning, and for the online store to have competitive pricing for customers who weren’t close enough to stop in. It is also growing as it goes along with more suppliers getting involved, allowing me to offer more gear at the studios for the bands. I have been really grateful for the support from my suppliers, who have all given me great feedback on the setup and my plan to support as many artists as possible.
DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR BUSINESS ETHOS THAT HAS DRIVEN YOU IN THIS VENTURE?
Being genuine about my goal to get behind artists and be there for them where I can. I have started out with accessories and would love to be able to expand that to include merchandise for bands, equipment and general tour and recording support. All bands have different needs and I’m someone they can call to ask for a hand, I love to be able to just get onto it for them and organise things.
YOU’VE GOT AN INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL GEAR AT UNREIL STUDIOS, A LOT OF WHICH HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY SOME BIG NAMES. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE PIECES?
Some of the stand out items for me include the Wes Borland Mesa head and cab (the amp was used to record Limp Bizkit’s Three Dollar Bill Y’all album and the cab was used at Woodstock ‘99), both the stage left and stage right Mesa rigs that Dave Grohl used with the Foo Fighters (they were also in Studio
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE EXCITING PROMOTIONS OR GIVEAWAYS COMING UP?
Yes, at the end of every month there is a major promotion draw that happens with musical equipment. I do weekly draws as well leading up to that with Unreil Studios gift cards to help make the membership go a bit further. I would like to grow the membership part of the business as it helps us to be able to support more artists with their needs while giving the members a chance at winning musical gear as well.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF UNREIL STUDIOS? ARE THERE ANY ELEMENTS OF THE BUSINESS YOU’D LIKE TO EXPAND UPON OR NEW ONES YOU’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE?
My vision for Unreil Studios is to be able to support as many Australian artists as possible by assisting them with any needs they have while on their musical journey. Setting them up with discounted rates, providing them with items at no charge here and there and linking them up with helpful contacts I’ve met throughout the music scene. It’s already a great feeling doing this on a small scale.
A modest, though functional, mixing setup is something that eludes both budding producers and professional mixers alike. Music making has historically been done in a custom-built space that’s been treated for great sound, sometimes with a console at its heart and tape machines or, more recently, racks of converters to send and receive audio around the studio.
More recently, portable computers and digital audio workstations (DAWs) have made music more portable than ever. Engineers and producers can hire big studios to record for a day, then mix in the comfort and convenience of home. An awesome idea in theory, but our spare bedroom or lounge room doesn’t always offer the best environment for the critical listening required for mixing, especially when it comes to low end control. Even with good equipment, we’re still at the mercy of plasterboard walls, windows and high ceilings—beautiful aesthetically but diabolical for your first reflections and RT60!
Thanks to some forward-thinking manufacturers, there’s a few solutions to mixing at home or even on the road, in hotel rooms or even in transit! Neumann’s MT 48 audio interface has been a hit world-wide, offering world-class conversion and the routing options usually reserved for a larger rig. Couple this with some great headphones, say the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO or HD 490 PRO Plus and the secret weapon included with them: dearVR MIX-SE.
The Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are a pro-level headphone with superior isolation, powerful drivers and a balanced, reference-quality response. Comfort is an essential part of headphone design, and the HD 490 PROs feature a particularly robust though flexible headband to ensure good isolation from the speaker cups without applying too much pressure to your head. What really sets these headphones apart is the swappable ear pads, both washable and replaceable, but with different materials offering their own sound signature, one set intended for producing and another intended for mixing. The changeable nature reduces ear fatigue and helps to pinpoint potential problem frequencies.
The HD490 PRO headphones provide a wide soundstage, with great localisation and clear depth of field, that allow you to undertake critical mixing decisions, even before running them through the dearVR MIX-SE software. Augmented with the software, you can place yourself virtually into different environments to check your mix, while also allowing you to monitor recordings if that’s what the gig calls for!
Bundled in the box with a new pair of Sennheiser HD 490 PRO headphones is a licence to Dear Reality’s dearVR MIX-SE software. Yes, you’re correct; the ‘VR’ stands for ‘virtual reality’ and Dear Reality do a stellar job of emulating different environments virtually for you to mix in using headphones.
dearVR MIX-SE contains multiple listening environments, some typical reference points like a car, a kitchen or living room, as well as places that not all of us have access to like a nightclub and stadium. Possibly most helpful of all, it includes multiple mixing environments with two control rooms, as well as an ‘Analytical Dry’ for the most clinical environment! Another feature of the dearVR MIX-SE software is that they have Headphone Compensation available for multiple models of headphones, allowing the software to work its magic from a flat and balanced starting point. While dearVR are adding more models to that list all the time, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are already included!
Recording in 2024 requires an audio interface, and while there’s a lot of portable options available, they’re not all as high-quality as the Neumann MT 48. Having already taken the world by storm, the MT 48 is a 4-in, 8-out audio interface with a multitude of routing options available via the user-interface; it can be as involved or simple as you need it to be!
For the purposes of mixing on the go, the MT 48 provides world-class A/D-D/A, while being powered via USB, so wherever your computer is, the MT 48 will work! Located on the front of the unit are two headphone outputs, which can be controlled independently if needed, with the touch
screen that serves as both a tactile surface and a colourful way to monitor and keep track of your signal while mixing.
All of this is to say that mixing on the go is a much more possible way of working thanks to products from Sennheiser and Neumann. Picture this: you’re on the go, moving between studios and an artist sends through a revision to a mix, and they’re focused on the bass.
While these kind of decisions can’t usually be made in environments where you can’t hear and feel accurate low end, the combination of worldclass conversion, balanced and deep sound from your headphones, as well as Dear Reality’s virtual mix environment have you confidently sending back a revised mix (and an invoice with it!)
Alternatively, dearVR MIX-SE also provides a controlled environment that never changes. In physical environments, furniture moves, bodies come and go from the room depending how you’re working, or you might need a fan, air conditioning or heating on one day and not the next. All of this, while subtle, affects the acoustic energy in a room, and how it’s lost or gained in varying ways. A virtual mixing room offers a controlled environment that never changes, so you can trust it.
Travelling with the pocket-sized Neumann MT 48 and the HD 490 PRO headphones has never been easier, with the Dear Reality dearVR MIX-SE software obviously taking up no physical space. A controlled environment allows us to have a point of reference, and being able to carry this with you wherever you’re working is a huge step forward in the increasingly fluid nature of making music. Confidence is key when mixing, producing and making, and a combination of these products instil that!
With the continual demand for more sophisticated EQ and saturation plugins, it’s super refreshing to see some genuine innovation of these essentials in pro audio hardware.
Relative newcomers Cranborne Audio are certainly not ones for resting on their laurels when it comes to pushing the boundaries of pro audio hardware design. Having burst out of the gate with some of the most exciting hardware the industry has seen for quite some time in the form on their revolutionary 500ADAT series expanders, the sleek Camden preamps, CAST networked audio solutions and their colourful Carnaby 500 - the brand’s latest offering the Carnaby HE2 redefines what a 2U 19” rack 2-channel Harmonic EQ can really do.
As any hybrid mix engineer or recording engineer with an ethos of committing to sounds will appreciate, a piece of outboard with genuine analogue character can be worth its weight in gold when placed in an outboard rack. Striking a balance between vintage vibe and modern studio flexibility, the Carnaby HE2 is one-of-a-kind in its approach to both EQ and saturation, marrying these two essentials of the recording and mixing process into one familiar and incredibly intuitive layout - a 3-band parametric EQ. As Simon from Cranborne Audio explains “over the last few years we've seen a genuine shift towards more Hybrid workflows for both Mixing and Mastering.”
This has been at the forefront of the HE2’s design, pushing the possibilities of integrating this piece of hardware into any studio space
even further with its dedicated plugin, making recall literally as easy as selecting a preset. But without wanting to give too much away straight off the bat, let's explore the ins and outs of the Carnaby HE2 and its rather mysterious circuit design. Seamlessly picking up from where the Carnaby 500 Harmonic EQ left off, the new HE2 takes this innovative circuit and design concept into new territory. But firstly some may be wondering what on earth a Harmonic EQ is, and you’d be forgiven for doing so. The incredibly complex circuit that lays beneath the simple and intuitive front panel of the Carnaby HE2 is one that is altogether unique. Combining the familiar tool set of a parametric equaliser and the tantalising sonic flavours saturation offers us, the HE2 effortlessly allows one to more precisely sculpt the harmonic character of the audio that passes through it - be it on a whole mix, on stems or individual sound sources when tracking, or at the mastering stage. As audio is fed into the circuit, harmonic content is extrapolated from the source material and based around the specific settings dialled in at each frequency band of the EQ, harmonics are then fed back into the signal for an enhanced, harmonically enriched end result ranging from subtle to dramatic. But unlike a traditional parametric EQ, something is always gained harmonically whether boosting or cutting at
a particular frequency due to the inherent design of the Carnaby - with its circuit naturally reacting in a far more organic, dynamic and musical way than other analogue hardware signal processors.
With such an elegant and engaging front panel, anyone even remotely familiar with an EQ (be it hardware or plugin based) should feel right at home and it’s clear this has been carefully considered by the Cranborne Audio design team. The finely stepped potentiometers are smooth, precise and easily recallable, each accompanied by an LED ring indicating the precise settings on each pot. The carefully chosen frequencies of each respective band is well chosen with plenty of cross over on both the low and mid bands as well as the mid and high bands. Both the low and high bands are shelves with a boost or cut range of +-10dB and frequency ranges of 20Hz - 420Hz and 5kHz - 25kHz respectively, whilst the mid band is a fixed Q with the same -+10dB boost/cut amount and 200Hz - 6.2kHz frequency range, making for some interesting EQ (and harmonic) shapes between crossover frequency values. Each band can be individually bypassed for lightning fast auditioning of processing applied to specific band processing and enhanced workflow. If this wasn’t enough, even more refined shaping is possible with the switchable low and and high pass filters with variable ranges of from 18Hz - 180Hz and 8kHz - 40kHz respectively.
Further integration into a hybrid mixing and analogue tracking workflow comes in the form of switchable fully balanced TRS inserts, allowing the HE2 to seamlessly connect with other outboard equipment, particularly useful when used in a rack or in a dedicated chain either before or after the HE2.
Having three dedicated modes of operation is where the HE2 stretches
its legs, being wildly flexible in its ability to be utilised in the studio in near endless ways. Dual mono is a superb option for splitting out to multiple sources or having dedicated control of each side of a stereo source or overall mix - giving being able to push that stereo image out to where it feels just right. However the mid-side mode is where the HE2 really gets exciting and talking of stereo image, operating in this mode allows one to really sculpt the centre with some low end saturation for example, whilst really being able to push the sides, adding some air and sheen to content in placed wider in the stereo field. Between these three modes, there’s pretty much endless sonic sculpting possibilities for mono and stereo sources in a multitude of approaches.
I mentioned the HE2’s dedicated plugin earlier, and this is really the icing on the proverbial cake, demonstrating just how seamlessly the HE2 integrates into any hybrid workflow, with Simon adding “obviously that's where a lot of our gear sits, but across the industry as a whole there appears to be a massive increase in interest for a lot of people-getting out the box and incorporating small (or large) amounts of analogue gear into what would be otherwise exclusively digital workflows.”
Being able to pull up as many instances of the HE2’s plug-in required for any given session, settings and control of the HE2 are instantly recalled via USB or NET connections, with the HE2 hardware instantly flicking straight back to a recalled setting dictated by the selected plugin. This is absolutely massive for potential mix revision scenarios or even during the mixing processing, if needing to jump back into a printed track to tweak settings and reprint through the HE2. Doing this with traditional outboard hardware requires photos, precise manual recall of settings, which not only takes up valuable time, but doesn’t ever guarantee it will be exactly the same. The beauty and the cure of human error!
The HE2’s perfect marriage of fully analogue signal processing and digital control very much demonstrates how a modern piece of pro audio hardware can effortlessly integrate into the modern day studio workflow making it an essential part of any audio engineer’s tool set, with Simon summarising “I think we are seeing the maturation of the modern home studio happening right in front of us. It's exciting to see.”
Product: 70th Anniversary American Professional II Stratocaster
Distributed by: F ender Music Australia
RRP: $3699
Reviewed by: Paul Blomfield
Dwight Eisenhower announces the world’s first hydrogen bomb. Audrey Hepburn wins best actress at the 11th Golden Globe awards. Bill Haley and His Comets record "Rock Around the Clock". A newborn Stevie Ray Vaughan opens his eyes for the first time. The year is 1954. An ad in the April issue of the International Musician magazine announces the arrival of the new ‘Comfort Contoured’ Stratocaster by Fender, featuring revolutionary double cutaways, three single coil pick-ups and rear-spring based tremolo system.
Designed by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares, the Stratocaster would become the most popular guitar shape in the world, a title it still holds 70 years later.
I got my first real six-string, a black and white Fender Squier Stratocaster, back in the summer of 2004 (the Strat’s 50th anniversary, coincidentally). While I’m unsure of the fate of that guitar (I donated it to a friend), I clearly remember how incredible it felt to play. I’ve been through my fair share of guitars since then, some with too many spikes, some with too many strings. I’m a little older now, and it’s starting to feel like there’s a critical missing piece to my arsenal: a classic.
Sliding the ‘Inca silver’ deluxe moulded Fender case out of the box, I immediately feel I’m in possession of something of immeasurable importance and value; something to be treasured; something with gravitas. The military grade ABS outer shell makes it feel like the Fort Brand: Fender
Knox of guitar cases. The chunky ‘ergo-grip’ injected moulded handle feels so comfortable in my hands, I kind of just want to carry it around with me everywhere I go for a few days. Although the centre latch is fitted with a TSA-approved locking system, airline staff would need to pry it from my hands in order to check it into oversized baggage while I scream and beg them to let me carry it on the plane with me. Finally putting the case down, I discover that when you fold the handle sideways, it gently snaps into place like a soft-close kitchen drawer - a feature that makes me giggle with joy. And I haven’t even opened the case yet.
I half expect to be bathed in an ethereal glow as I lift the lid. The manufacture tag claims this guitar was made nine months ago, but I know she’s a much older soul. My eyes are awash with the colours of yesteryear. The case is lined in a velvety ‘Lake Placid Blue’ polyester. In the distance I hear Bobby Vinton crooning “she wore blue velvet”. The blue lining sets a striking contrast against the rich warm colours of the guitar: the oranges, reds and browns of the the flame maple top in ‘Comet Burst’ finish; the deep, swirling maroons of the tortoiseshell pickguard; the delicious caramel tones of the maple neck and headstock, the earthy Rosewood fretboard and the vintage ‘aged white’ switch tip and control knobs with gold engraved numbers. ‘New car smell’? Never heard of her. I’m here for the new guitar smell.
Picking up the Fender 70th Anniversary American Professional
II Stratocaster felt a bit like walking in the front door of my childhood home. There is a nostalgia here that predates my lifetime, and the guitar demands that I treat it with the appropriate level of respect. No sooner had I picked it up than I was overcome by the urge to keep it all as fresh and clean as I could.
Turning the guitar over, the alder wood grain gives the impression that her body has been hewn from the great central pillar of some prestigious mid-century building. As though even the raw materials are of historical significance. The feeling is reinforced by the 70th Anniversary engraving in the neck plate and the fine detail in the deluxe cast locking tuning machines. I know she’s in tune before I’ve even touched the strings.
Unplugged, the .009 - .042 gauge nickel strings sound crisp, bright, brilliant, snappy, sparkly, shimmery as they resonate through the body of the guitar.
The Fender 70th Anniversary American Professional II Stratocaster has three 70th Anniversary V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat pickups (neck, middle, bridge) and a 5-way tone selector switch. The three knobs control the master volume, neck tone and bridge tone respectively. While in the bridge or bridge-middle tone position, depressing the push/pull bridge tone knob engages the neck pickup, which adds a nice growly mid-boost.
With only the bridge pickup engaged, she is as clear as a bell, with fantastic definition in picking dynamics. I felt most comfortable
rolling back the master volume and tone slightly while playing through a clean amp. Pushing the gain into distortion is where I found the most vintage character from the pickups. I’m used to much hotter pickups, so I was exploring new territory with the more gravelly sound of the 70th Anniversary V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat pickups (for the record, this guitar does not djent).
In terms of playability, the Stratocaster is unrivalled. This guitar made me a better musician within half an hour of unboxing. Strumming a Radiohead song, I was unexpectedly surprised at how seamlessly I transitioned from a G to a C. So much so that I stopped playing the song and just played the G - C transition repeatedly for about two minutes straight. The entire experience of my left hand on the fretboard was akin to spreading softened butter on warm sourdough. In terms of craftsmanship and distinction, my old Squier was several orders of magnitude beneath the 70th Anniversary American Professional II. And even though my lifetime is merely a tiny blip compared to the scale of Fender and their Stratocaster, I highly doubt that I’ll ever find a guitar that feels more ‘right’ to play.
Yours, a newfound fan of the Stratocaster and excited to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Fender Strat.
Brand: Fender
Product: 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster
Product: Deltoluxe Concert
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
RRP: $
RRP: $479
Reviewed by: Jamie Colic
Reviewed by: Name Brand: Gretsch
The roots of the Gretsch Musical Instrument Company can be traced way back to 1883 when German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch set up shop in New York shortly after his arrival to the United States.
The following years saw Friedrich develop quite a reputation for producing high-quality musical instruments including Banjos, Drums and Tambourines, a craft he continued to perfect until he passed away in 1895.
After acquiring the company in 1916, his son Fred Gretsch Sr. upscaled the business and ramped up production. This led to Gretsch becoming one of the prominent manufacturers of electric, resonator and acoustic guitars, drums, and ukeleles worldwide.
Upon acknowledging the fact that Gretsch guitars have been slung by legends as diverse as Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, Brian Setzer, John Frusciante and Malcolm Young, accentuates the notion that Gretsch not only left a firm imprint on Americana but the world as a whole.
Fast forward to 2024 and the Gretsch Deltoluxe Concert stands out as an embodiment of the company's legacy. Modelled after the classic Rex catalogue guitars that shook the laps of legions between the 1930s and 1950s, the Deltoluxe Concert oozes retro appeal without sacrificing playability or tone.
The Deltoluxe Concert acoustic guitar features a compact concert body shape that makes it easy for players of any size or skill level
to wrangle. This means that the Deltoluxe Concert does just as well on the couch as it does in the local concert hall or open mic night.
This essence of comfort is accentuated by the guitar’s humble 24.75” scale length, a feature common amongst Gretsch Jim Dandy models “a model designation which includes this fine instrument to be clear”.
The combination of the Deltoluxe Concerts compact body and shorter scale length means that you won't break a sweat while fretting even the most demanding chord shapes. This ensures that you can focus on the performance at hand and not your underdeveloped callouses.
I found the dark walnut fretboard of the Deltoluxe to not only suit the aesthetic of the instrument brilliantly, but found that it also gives the impression that the Deltoluxe’s price tag may be far more sizable than it actually is. The marriage of this timber selection with the Deltoluxes classy pearloid inlays ensures that you won't ever be lost while navigating even the most demanding porch pickin’.
If the front of the neck wasn't pleasing enough you will be thrilled to know that the back of the Deltoluxe is just as nice. Boasting a lovely C-shaped profile that I imagine would be well suited to a variety of hands and playing styles, I never found this profile to be fatiguing over extended playing durations ensuring that you will be always drawn to picking this one up for a strum even if it's in the presence of old favourites.
But what is comfort without tone? Well, you will be pleased to know that Gretsch has you covered on all fronts. The Deltoluxe Concert’s X-braced body is crafted with a select blend of tonewoods which ensure not only durability but a warm and pleasant tone that punches well above the instrument's weight.
In this case, Gretsch has opted to utilise laminated Sapele in the build of the Deltoluxe Concert. A fantastic choice which is quite comparable to another classic tonewood, Mahogany. The primary difference is that Sapele’s increased density tends to result in a slightly brighter tone, a characteristic we found suited the Deltoluxe quite well when put to use in both solo and bandrelated scenarios.
Another feature of the Gretsch Deltoluxe concert that we found to be adaptable in a plethora of musical contexts was the Gretsch Deltoluxe Soundhole Pickup. This pickup provides a warm and versatile tone making it a perfect solution for any players who require amplification, the incorporation of FX pedals into their live set, or extended options while recording in the studio.
White the features mentioned in the previous paragraph may give the Gretsch Deltoluxe Concert a modern edge, rest assured that the guitar packs numerous period-correct features that tie in well with its charming vintage aesthetic.
The Deltoluxe has a vintage-style pinned bridge that provides fantastic transference of vibration from the bridge pins into the body of the guitar. If this wasn't enough we are
pleased to report that the fit and finish of the Deltoluxes bridge makes it an absolute pleasure to rest your hand on while chicken picking or playing intricate lead lines. The three-on-a-plate open-gear tuning machines also serve a dual purpose in providing the appropriate look for an instrument of this temperament without sacrificing functionality. Throughout our time with the Gretsch Deltoluxe Concert, we never had a problem tuning accurately without encountering any dead spots or string snags across the synthetic bone nut.
The G graphic tortoiseshell pickguard and gold/white ring rosette only work to emphasise the instrument's old-time charm. Adorning an attractive black finish that is sure to be right at home at the next jamboree or barn burner.
All in all, we found the Gretsch Deltoluxe Concert to be a fantastic option for anyone looking for a compact and playable acoustic/ electric guitar. Not only that, with the retail price coming in at less than $500 the Deltoluxe is a no-brainer for any beginner or intermediate player who has fallen victim for its gorgeous nostalgic charm.
Brand: MarkBass
Product: Guitar strings
Distributed by: CMC Music
RRP: See individual prices below
Reviewed by: Lewis Noke Edwards
Guitar strings are a seemingly unexciting prospect, but ask a guitarist and they’ll gush about the strings they’ve been playing since day dot, the balance of their tuning of choice and the gauge of their chosen pack. They’ll tell you about the trade off between uncoated strings and the tone, at least for a fresh set, as well as how the coating has become an essential part of their playing style and feel, all the while retaining clarity, tone and the response of their guitar overall. It seems that strings are actually an exciting prospect to most!
Known worldwide for amplifying the sound of strings, MarkBass have now announced their own range of guitar strings, again in varying gauges and with various coatings to satisfy even the most discerning player, and we put them to the test. We reviewed three sets, all .10-.46 and used on a guitar in E standard. A little known fact is that the region of Abruzzo in Italy is world-renowned for string making. According to MarkBass, the art of string making was born here, so what better place to go for your strings? MarkBass acquired D’Orazio strings, who are one of the historic Abruzzo string producers, and have been since 1859.
MarkBass Legacy Nickel Plated Steel
RRP: $24.95
Guitar strings are commonly made of Nickel Plated Steel, and the Legacy strings will feel familiar to all players. The 10-46 set is Legacy’s
Medium gauge, with options ranging from Light in the 9-42 pack, up to Heavy Medium with their 11-49 set.
The Legacy strings feel classic, retaining good tension, as well as allowing for bends and vibrato with enough resistance that you won’t go wailing over the edge of the fretboard. The uncoated strings provide a bright snap, though not overtly harsh or bitey per se, they’re as classic a feeling set of strings as you could hope for, all backed by MarkBass’s decades of experience in providing quality tools to working musicians who need to rely on them.
MarkBass Longevo Nickel Plated Steel with Nano-Film Shielded Strings
RRP: $44.95
The MarkBass Longevo strings are where things really get interesting, Longevo translating loosely to long-lived, or denoting something that has a long life. The Longevo Nickel Plated Steel String set has a nano coating that, as transparently as possible, coats the strings and protects the winds from absorbing too much sweat and moisture from your hands, thus promoting longer life in your strings as there’s no build up of rust and mess over time. This gives you not only that new string sound for longer, but that new string feel.
The early attempts at coated strings, from multiple manufacturers, weren’t so successful, the coating affecting the overall snappy tonality of the string, as well as the strings themselves feeling more slippery
than the uncoated nickel and steel we were used to. As coatings got thinner, these issues dissolved, and that’s exactly the tech that MarkBass have used for their coated strings.
The Longevo Nickel Plated Steel strings provided that same fresh string feeling, and continued to for some time. I’m using past tense for the purpose of this review, but truly they’re still strung on my guitar and haven’t begun to fade yet! While I could definitely feel the difference between the coated and uncoated strings, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I felt a little less resistance friction sliding around the fretboard thanks to the coating, while fretting, vibrato and bends still felt great. Both the Longevo and Legacy strings held tuning with great accuracy, albeit with an initial good stretch when restringing. The Longevo strings remove much of the hassle of restringing, especially for those with enough guitars that some might not get played as often as they deserve!
MarkBass Solo Stainless Steel
RRP: $24.95
And now we’ve come to the Solo, and it speaks to MarkBass’ history as a company. They make products for everyone. What about those players that don’t like coated strings no matter how thin the coating is? Well, naturally corrosion-resistant stainless steel of course.
Stainless steel, unlike the nickel coated strings guitarists have used for decades, are immune to the rust, corrosion and other effects of
whatever fluids end up on your guitar over the course of a gig. This gives them the feel of an uncoated string, but boast the ability to reduce the sound, feel and life of a string that’s breaking down every time you play it.
The Solo Stainless Steel Strings, again in 10-46, felt great. The exclusive corrosion-resistant alloy steel wire gives them a bright tone, while retaining a harmonically rich sound overall. The material captures all of your playing, but helps to tie together elements of tonewood and your pickup’s own unique voice into something entirely unique and cohesive. This is all to say that they sound great, and capture the essence of whatever guitar they’re strung on, all while preventing corrosion.
MarkBass have nailed this foray into the world of guitar strings, in part because they simply feel and sound great, but they have options available for different types of players who are pursuing different types of feel. All of this on the back of decades of innovation from MarkBass and, in their own words, “made in one of the best places in Italy”.
T-JM A X -SC edalt r ain JR MAX with Soft Case
P T-JM A X -T C W
P edalt r ain JR MAX with W heeled our Case in Black Hon ey c omb Finish
PT-NPL-SC
Pedaltrain Nano+ with Soft Case
P T-PF X -SC edalt r ain PRO FX with Soft Case
PT-N24-TC
Pedaltrain Novo 24 with Tour Case
PT-M16-HC
Pedaltrain Metro 16 with Hard Case
P T-CL3-SC
P edalt r ain Cla s sic 3 with Soft Case (PT3 R ei s su e)
P T-MM A X -SC
PT-XD-SC
Replacement Tour & Soft Cases Award winning and best value!
P edalt r ain Met r o MAX with Soft Case
PT-CLJ-SC
Pedaltrain XD-18 with Soft Case
NEW DE L U XE B A GS COMING SOON ement Hoo k -and- L oop Mounting Kits
r ain Met r o MAX with Soft Case
Pedaltrain Classic JR with Soft Case
P T-NM A X -SC
P edalt r ain Nano MAX with Soft Case
P T-NM A X -SC ain Nano MAX with Soft Case
PT-JMAX-TCW
Pedaltrain JR MAX with Wheeled Tour Case in Black Honeycomb Finish
P edal Boo s t ers
R epla c ement Ha r d Cases
Distributed by:
Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey
Gretsch’s popular Jim Dandy series is back and packed with more vintage Americana charm than ever. Inspired by Gretch’s mail-order line of ‘Rex’ student models from the 30s-50s, the Jim Dandy series features plenty of quirky old word charisma and fantastic tone at an incredibly affordable price. Front and centre in this year’s enticing new lineup is a new twist on old favourite, the Deltoluxe Parlor guitar.
An excellent example of what the Jim Dandy line stands for, the new Deltoluxe Parlor is an exceptionally stylish, functional and affordable instrument that when used for its intended purposes, is virtually beyond reproach. Despite its compact size, the Deltoluxe is a powerful tool, featuring all the traditional benefits of a Parlor guitar as well as the added bonus of an expertly designed magnetic soundhole pickup.
Parlor guitars have had somewhat of a resurgence in recent years, and it's easy to see why. Popular with early Bluesmen for their suitability to fingerstyle, they have a distinctly crisp, midrange-focused sound that allows single notes to ring out and sustain with clarity. Lacking the bass repose and volume of larger acoustics like Dreadnoughts however, Parlor guitar eventually went out of fashion as ensembles grew and guitarists' need for volume increased. But, with the progression of amplification, Parlor guitars have remergered, coinciding with a priority shift away from sheer volume back to optimal tonal quality.
The new Deltoluxe is a shining example of that classic tone and, just as importantly, it’s absolutely beautiful to look at. Gretsch are renowned for their aesthetic sensibility, and the high value they place on style is evident even in their most affordable models. Featuring a sleek black top-finish, dark natural wood back and sides, a white and gold rosette and a tortoise shell pickguard, the Deltoluxe has all the retro appeal you’d expect from a Gretsch. Mirroring the tortoise shell pickguard, the Deltoluxe also features a matching binding and even a splash of tortoise shell on the soundhole pickup itself, tying the design together nicely.
Capped off with a matching black headstock and traditional, white open-gear tuning pegs, the aesthetic of this instrument is fully realised and timelessly stylish. The Nato neck, finished in a smooth semi-gloss, is a comfortable C shape and is paired with a lovely walnut fingerboard, perfectly complimenting the dark hues of the instrument’s body. Throw some simple but elegant white pearloid dot inlays into the mix and you've got a first class lesson in oldschool cool.
Apart from its very small body, one of the most notable features of the Deltoluxe, and Parlor guitars at large, is its short scale length. The Deltoluxe is an 18 fret instrument (12 to body) and has a scale length of 24”, perfect for smaller hands and open chord-oriented playing. Whilst certainly very well suited to beginners and children due to the
smaller size, shorter scale lengths offer a myriad of other benefits for new players and veterans alike. Amongst these benefits are reduced string tension (allowing for easier bending), a more focused tone and the obvious advantage of portability. Basically, Parlor guitars are just really fun to play. The small body and short neck not only give them their unique sound but naturally lend themselves to a different style of playing than one would associate with a Dreadnought, making them a great tool for when you’re sick of mindless strumming and want to change it up.
The Deltoluxe is an exciting and inspiring guitar to explore. Its generous midrange throw, tinny but pleasant top end and subtle bass response make it perfect for fingerpicking, with or without a thumbpick. Its short scale length and zingy timbre also makes it a really fun guitar for slide work, instantly tapping into that classic early blues sound. Whilst not particularly loud acoustically, the Deltoluxe combats this shortcoming of Parlor guitars with a specially designed pickup. Based on the vintage DeArmond ‘Rhythm Chief’ design, the pickup in the Deltoluxe takes the guitar to a whole new level. Expanding upon its bottom end and accentuating its warm bluesy tonality, plugged in is the state in which the Deltoluxe truly shines. Surprisingly for an acoustic, it also works exceptionally well with effects, sounding particularly at home with a bit of distortion. Adding a little drive and reverb to your signal for slide playing takes you straight to blues heaven, and there’s plenty of room for experimentation. A lot of acoustic guitars sound incredibly
muffled and artificial when plugged in, so it's a real joy to play a guitar that retains its natural woody tone and shimmering highs when amplified.
Most importantly, for a guitar with an incredibly modest price-tag, the Deltoluxe feels anything but cheap. The steel-reinforced neck is smooth, comfortable and straight, the fretwork is impeccable and the Sapele body is well constructed with X-Bracing. Whilst it's certainly not the ‘biggest’ sounding guitar in the world, that can be a huge advantage in a dense mix, making the Deltoluxe a great tool for the studio.
In a busy mix, a smaller, contained acoustic guitar sound is often more appropriate than the expansive, overwhelming range of a larger instrument. The narrower frequency range allows it to sit in a more specific pocket of the mix rather than taking it over entirely, and for that purpose the Deltoluxe really shines. In saying that, this guitar has ample volume for the price tag and many conceivable uses. For that, we can thank Gretsch’s thoughtful choice of materials, and their attention to detail when it comes to the build quality of even their most affordable instruments.
So if you’ve never tried a Parlor guitar or have been thinking about buying one, now is the time. Whether as an affordable, comfortable guitar for a budding songwriter, a conveniently compact travel companion for a road-dog, or a bluesy lo-fi weapon in a studio’s repertoire, the Gretsch Jim Dandy Deltoluxe Parlor guitar sounds great, oozes cool and gets the job done in style.
MOM is the perfect module for one or more Core 256, AX64, AX32 and DX32R units equipped with the PRO|MON|3 monitor control license. Features 10 user-programmable keys, a rotary encoder and a GPI input for an external switch.
Core 256 is designed to take up very little space. Be amazed by the power you can extract from this tiny unit. Simply the perfect interface for Dante and MADI applications for Dolby Atmos® RMU.
AX Center the third addition to the Thunder Core series, is a compact audio interface designed to be right between DAD’s Core 256 and AX64 series and offers built-in analogue I/O as well as two optional slots.
AX64 is a versatile and modular, multi-format audio A/D, D/A and D/D converter with 8 slots for the acclaimed DAD audio I/O cards known from the AX32.
Brand: Fender
Brand: Gretsch
Product: 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster
Product: Jim Dandy Dreadnought
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
Distributed by: F ender Music Australia
RRP: $
RRP: $329
Reviewed by: Name
Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey
Gretsch’s fan-favourite acoustic series, the Jim Dandy line, has been newly expanded this year to include an exciting new addition; a budget-friendly Dreadnought model. Originally launched in 2006 as the limited-run ‘Americana Series’, Gretsch’s loyal followers have loved these guitars ever since for their affordability, throwback aesthetic and balanced sound. Now, all that same Jim Dandy swagger is available in a bigger, more versatile shell; the body shape to rule them all, the Dreadnought.
Gretsch have become ever more competitive in the Acoustic world of late thanks to their dedication to making high quality instruments at every price point. The Jim Dandy series exhibits all the groovy eccentricities of Gretsch’s timeless aesthetic whilst being incredibly affordable, an exciting prospect for players at every level. By keeping unnecessary frills to a minimum and utilising more accessible, but still great sounding tonewoods, Gretsch have been able to make the Jim Dandy series incredibly affordable without sacrificing on build quality or tone.
Featuring a stunning ‘Rex Burst’ finish, the Jim Dandy Dreadnought immediately catches the eye. Named after Gretsch’s mail-order, studentoriented ‘Rex’ guitars from the 30s-50s, this beautiful ‘burst design carries plenty of old world charm from that era. Constructed from laminated Basswood, this model features dark, natural wood back and sides, a black and white Rosette and an effortlessly classy aged-white binding. Finished in a smooth semi-
gloss, this guitar’s timeless look is completed by a white pickguard and a Walnut bridge.
Constructed with X-Bracing, the Jim Dandy Dreadnought is resonant, lively and has a warm, bass-heavy tonality. This guitar has ample volume and projection thanks to its large body and Basswood construction, perfect for solo artists who are accompanying themselves with strumming-oriented arrangements. Compared to the smaller-bodied models in the Jim Dandy line, the Dreadnought is louder, has a fuller bottom end and is the most well suited to traditional rhythm playing. Whilst most guitars from the era that inspired the Jim Dandy aesthetic generally had large, cumbersome ‘baseball bat’ style necks, Gretsch have mercifully opted for a well needed update for this guitar’s neck shape. Featuring an ultracomfortable Fender/Gretsch ‘Modern C’ shape, this Dreadnought will feel very familiar to most players and is made even more playable by its smooth semi-gloss finish. Constructed with Nato, one of Gretsch’s mainstay tonewoods, the neck on this guitar is kept strong and stable by steel-reinforcement and holds its tuning well.
Atop the neck sits a beautiful Walnut fretboard that matches the bridge, tying the vintage design together with pearloid dot inlays and an aged white binding. Clocking in at 20 frets (14 to body) for maximum range and versatility, it has a modest scale length of 24.75” and a relatively tight radius of 12”, optimal for clean fretting and comfortable barre chords.
Completing the instrument’s retro look, its headstock has Gretschs’s classic 3x3 shape and is equipped with white open-gear tuning pegs.
Whilst this guitar’s ample lowend and balanced sound make it a singer-songwriter’s dream, its generous projection and bright, shimmering highs mean it will cut through just as well in an ensemble situation. Perfect for bluegrass, country, folk, blues and everything in between, this Jim Dandy’s iconic Americana look by no means limits it to any one style. Loud and bright enough to be well suited to finger picking, punchy and warm enough for big, balanced sounding rhythm playing, there’s a reason Dreadnoughts have reigned supreme for so long. Originally designed back in 1916, the Dreadnought didn't really come into its own until the Bluegrass explosion of the 1930s. With their booming, boisterous sound and excellent projection, Dreadnoughts were the perfect guitar to keep up with the notoriously loud banjos, fiddles and mandolins featured in Bluegrass ensembles. Since then, Dreadnoughts have become hugely popular across all genres, but they still sound most at home being feverishly flat-picked by new Bluegrass virtuosos like Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle.
Adding to the versatility of this particular Dreadnought however, are its sloped shoulders. Traditionally, Dreadnoughts are square shouldered guitars, but rounded-off ‘sloped’ shoulders have gradually become more popular over the years for two key reasons. Firstly, the rounder design of a sloped guitar is more comfortable against the player’s body, avoiding any sharp corners digging into the player’s ribcage. Secondly, the slightly smaller body produces
a warmer, mellower sound than traditional Dreadnoughts, giving the guitar a slightly bluesier, more versatile tonality compared to the traditionally bright, booming Bluegrass-oriented tone of the square shouldered design. This clever choice makes what is already an incredibly versatile guitar even more so, slightly softening the instrument’s shape to make it as balanced and comfortable as possible for beginners and veterans alike. This combined with its compact scale-length and smooth finish makes it an incredibly ergonomic guitar to play, especially for its staggeringly low price.
True to its ‘Rex’ inspired roots, the whole Jim Dandy line is very modestly priced, and this model is no exception. With a recommended retail price of just $329 AUD, this is a highly accessible instrument for students, beginners and even working musicians looking to add a reliable road-dog to their arsenal. Gretsch’s commitment to build quality is as evident as ever in the Jim Dandy series, rare is it for instruments in this price range to be as loud, sturdy and stable as these fantastic flat-top guitars.
From its alluring, vintage look, its booming yet balanced sound and its excellent playability, the Jim Dandy Dreadnought is a great all-rounder to suit players of all experience levels. The attention to detail within its carefully curated design, the versatility of its tone and its incredibly modest price tag are all testaments to Gretsch’s enduring legacy as masters of their craft. So whether you’re a seasoned flat-picker on the hunt for a new toy or a brand new player looking to buy your first guitar, the Jim Dandy Dreadnought is well worth a look.
Distributed by: E lectric Factory
RRP: $5999
Reviewed by: Michael
Pasahidis
Alesis has once again bridged the gap between electronic and acoustic drumming. The rhythmic powerhouse ascends back to the top of the electronic instrument industry with 2024’s Strata Prime, an electronic drum kit promising to knock the socks off any percussionist ready to take it on.
Alesis as a group has been igniting the electronics industry since the 80s, with recent models of drum kit such as the Nitro Max setting the standard for the field… but the battle between acoustic and electronic is as old as time (or at least the late 80s!) Never has an electronic kit claimed to have gotten quite as close, or dare I say to have surpassed, the appeal of a good ol’ set of shells.
To get to the crux of this (conun)drum is to take a closer look at what exactly makes the Strata Prime truly state-ofthe-art, the next big step in Bonham vs. BFDs.
‘Strata’ is derived from Latin meaning to spread out, to expand. When looking at Alesis’ Strata Prime, the sheer versatility and customisation are what immediately strike. To call it simply a 10-piece drum-kit almost seems unjust.
Featured are 8-, 10-, 12- and 14-inch toms, along with a sizey 20-inch kick drum all fitted with beautifully sleek mesh heads. The snare drum is 14 inches, with a dual zone mesh head of its own. The dual-zone mesh head, combined with a revolutionary new trigger system, gives rise to a beautifully dynamic snare that produces a spectrum of sounds in the exact way an acoustic snare would. Those drum rolls will in no way sound robotic, which is simply incredible.
The multi-tonality system doesn’t stop there. The kit features a stylish 14-
inch hi-hat, two 16-inch crashes, and an 18-inch ride, all of which features Alesis’ triple-zone, 360-degree system. This means drummers can now get the soft bell rings, big sweeping washes and anything in between from anywhere on the cymbal, facilitating more control than ever behind an electronic kit.
We’ll pause for a moment to discuss the hi-hats with the Strata Prime, their magnetic design picking up every nuance of both your pedal control and sticks, offering a world of sounds previously unavailable to the e-drummer, also being compatible with most hi-hat stands!
The list could stop there, and Alesis would have themselves an extraordinarily capable kit. But, you don’t build a name like Alesis’ by “stopping there”.
The most jaw-dropping abilities of the kit truly lie in that neatly packed little module. The brains of the kit feature an impressive 10.1-inch touch screen, a bunch of knobs, and a few extremely helpful buttons. There’s one to play, one to pause, and one to record. It’s a system that anyone can learn, yes even drummers, and a telltale sign of perfect design. In making a kit this powerful and this accessible, Alesis has struck a perfect balance.
The module also boasts a mindblowingly customisable ‘Kit Edit’ section, through which you can select any of the trigger slots, and edit which drums go where. Essentially, you’re building your own drum kit from either the vast selection of 400+ pre-loaded pieces, or whatever else you choose to add with the 128 GB internal storage. Once decided on
a desired set-up, you can alter the microphone levels on each drum using the module knobs. You can edit the overhead, top, bottom, stacks, and room microphones, giving the drumkit a genuine studio level of control.
Moving on to the ‘Trigger Edit’ menu, there are options to adjust the sensitivity of the triggers in each drum. This is where you can really make the most of the dual-tone mesh heads. The sensitivity and threshold of the triggers can be modified on both the rim and the head of each drum, meaning you can get beautiful rimshots that pop like fireworks without risking your hearing every time you hit the snare.
The advanced ‘Trigger Edit’ settings include scan time, mask time, mask decay, zone balance, and rim balance. You’re practically creating your own sound profile for each head. Gone are the days of rifling through stacks of drumheads to find the perfect sound, in this module, they are elegantly brought to your fingertips.
Drums feel unique in instrumentality. So much of a good groove can be attributed to physical proprioception, or the ability to control all four limbs. There is no instrument as physically demanding and while the Strata Prime has all the bells and whistles, drummers can surely agree that they wouldn’t mean much if the kit doesn’t ‘play’ well.
This is an area of drumming that electronic kits probably lend
themselves to. They are significantly less space-consuming, and the Strata Prime capitalises on this. The four-post steel rack feels ergonomic out of the box. It is simple to set up, features sleek, efficient and robust locking clamps, and promises to get drummers drumming as soon as possible. Moving around the kit feels easy, as would be expected of Alesis’ flagship kit.
A surprisingly successful feature is the cymbal choke. This has typically been a point of struggle for electronic kits, and the differentiation between the hit of a drumstick and the grab of a hand has left a bit to be desired. When playing, there’s nothing worse than moving around an electronic kit, feeling locked in, and keeping tight time, only for a cymbal choke to misfire and ring out like a distant call from the long-forgotten acoustic drum. The Strata Prime has all but nailed this feature. It feels sharp and instantaneous, and while probably not the biggest problem to rectify, it provides a nice reminder of exactly what Alesis has achieved with the Strata Prime; a kit that expands to cover all bases, that lives up to the ‘strata’ in its name.
All in all, the Strata Prime pushes electronic drum kits into a whole other level. While traditionally fantastic for low-volume practice in apartments, bedrooms or for writing and demoing ideas, they’ve often been used with a caveat: the feel, rebound and sound quality that has been long associated with electronic kits.
The Strata Prime bucks all this, delivering stellar drum sounds with complete control of the samples, and all with a forward thinking approach to triggering the samples that allow drummers to harness every nuance of each part of the kit like never before.
Product: AX Centre
Distributed by: CDA Pro AV
RRP: $6769
Reviewed by: Andy Lloyd-Russell
It’s rare to feel like you’ve heard music for the first time again, but Digital Audio Denmark seem to have a knack for creating some of the pristine and transparent converters available.
Digital Audio Denmark (DAD) have resided in the top-top-tier bracket of pro audio for many years, having introduced some of the world's most esteemed AD-DA converters, found in some of the most distinguished recording studios, post production and broadcast facilities on the planet, not to mentioned used by elite engineers and producers. When you have the likes of George Massenburg or the late, great Al Schmitt or singing your praises, you must be doing something right! Not only highly regarded for their preamps and converters, DAD in more recent times have become a pioneer for digital audio solutions, with their current line of products each sporting Dante AoIP integration and connectivity as standard, not to mention the myriad of other digital audio protocols including MADI, AES/EBU and ADAT/SPDIF again, coming as standard.
Their latest family of products dubbed Thunder | Core (having reviewed the Core 256 back in February) brings all of DAD’s digital connectivity plus Thunderbolt 3, opening up the realms of possibility for smaller studios and/or remote multitrack systems which don’t require HDX ports. Not only does the Thunder | Core family offer the convenience of Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, but an enormous 256 bidirectional channels over
Thunderbolt 3 running at 48kHz or 96kHz, with the channel count being halved at 192kHz and halved again at 384kHz. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The smallest and newest Thunder | Core member is the AX Centre audio interface, which I had the absolute pleasure of spending some time with in my studio recently. At its core the AX Centre is a 2x8 analogue audio interface over Thunderbolt 3, but with all of the aforementioned Thunderbolt 3 channel count, plus 256 bidirectional channels of Dante AoIP, MADI I/O (64 channels), ADAT I/O (16 channels), with the option to expand via two slots for any of the DAD I/O modules for more analogue or digital connectivity for a combination of pretty much any configuration imaginable. This makes the possible I/O total a whopping 984 channels, with AD/ DA and D/D conversion supporting sample rates of 44.1kHz through to 384kHz as well as DSD. Add to this 512x64 channels of Pro | Mon Summing and Speaker 1024 channel EQ processing and routing and monitoring control via DADman software - you’re likely starting to get the picture of how incredibly powerful the AX Centre is.
Connectivity and setup of the AX Centre is a pretty straight forward operation, being completely controlled remotely via the DADman software. Anybody remotely familiar with a cross point matrix should find DADman an absolute breeze, with routing signals from any connection to the AX Centre all too simple. Essentially a virtual patchbay, DADman offers a huge amount of
power and flexibility, from setting up a simple main monitor and cue mix for monitoring both live and DAW sound sources through more complex setups such as sending and receiving audio from numerous DAW’s simultaneously, routing to of from Dante Virtual Soundcard or utilising the wealth of I/O and SPX speaker processing power for complex immersive Dolby Atmos and multichannel systems, making light work of rendering for immersive formats, which is exactly where the AX Centre feels at home. Having numerous digital I/O as standard makes connectivity to digitally enabled monitors, signal processors and alike that much easier also, alleviating the need for additional AD/DA conversion for an effortless and streamlined signal path and workflow.
Aside from the standard connectivity of the AX Centre, integrating any of DAD’s optional I/O expansion cards enables users to quickly and easily expand and/or integrate into an existing setup. Even adding just one of the DAD analogue output card will enable a 7.1.4 immersive or Dolby Atmos setup, not to mention still having both headphone outputs available for checking binaural and/ or fold down.
Putting the AX Centre through its paces, I was genuinely floored. The lack of colouration or artefacts imprinted by its converters was absolutely remarkable, just pure and transparent joy.
I’d never heard my monitors in my studio like this before, and more to the point - the music coming out of them. It’s not often that you get
to experience feeling like you’re hearing music for the first time again, and this was just that. The pristine clarity, remarkable definition and endless depth was astounding, and this was just the DA. I was excited to hear the DAD mic preamps, but I wasn’t expecting to experience what I did. Having heard a Coles 4038 countless times in a wealth of different applications and studio spaces, I felt like I was pretty accustomed to this microphone’s sound. The same for my acoustic guitar - which I’ve played and recorded with for years. Pairing both microphone and guitar and putting them through the DAD preamp was a whole other level of exciting. The front to back depth and definition was just breathtaking, with unparalleled detail and transparency of both the mic and guitar, it was truly something special. Like the DA, I’d never heard that microphone and that guitar sound like this before. Put simply, DAD’s preamp and AD/DA converters are unequivocally world class.
Having been guilty of leaning towards preamps and pro audio gear with a bit more inherent vibe and colourful character over those that present as more transparent and neutral, having spent time with the AX Centre, I’m more than happy, dare I say delighted to eat my own words. The level of depth, clarity and definition was like nothing I’ve experienced before. The AX Centre is certainly an investment in your sound but without doubt worth every cent. You get exactly what you pay for here, which is one of the most impressive audio interfaces on the market. Simple.
Distributed by: Syntec
RRP: $349
Reviewed by: Lewis Noke Edwards
What would be more useful than the beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones? A studio workhorse, production mainstay and possibly the most comfortable headphone on the market? A limited edition version of their 770 PRO X of course! From microphones to headphones in both the pro audio, gaming and consumer spaces, beyerdynamic are a trusted name in the industry for good reason. They’ve built their company on the back of loyalty from their customers, the loyalty earned from a century of world-class products.
2024 sees 100 years since Eugen Beyer began producing loudspeakers for film palaces. The celebration of a century as a market leader see beyerdynamic still proudly retaining its headquarters in Heilbronn, Germany, beyerdynamic are also still a familyowned business.
Their 990 and 770 headphones made waves in the 80s, an open back and closed-back design respectively, famed for their comfort for long studio sessions, as well as for professional level sound.
Modern iterations saw the DT 770 PRO and DT 990 PRO, and eventually the addition of the PRO X, with an improved driver design for more volume with less distortion, and unbelievably wide, crisp and accurate stereo field, all built to withstand the rigours of the stage and studio. The DT 770 PRO X’s closed back design provides both isolation for recording sessions, as well as reducing crosstalk and bleed from one headphone cup to the other, improving stereo clarity and field.
The DT 770 PRO X Ltd are celebrated this year borrowing from the 770’s closed-back design for superior studio isolation, featuring a dynamic transducer, a nominal impedance of 48Ω, responding to everything from 5Hz up to 40kHz. 40kHz might seem excessive, but this also means that the DT 770 PRO X Ltd have unparalleled headroom, offering clear, accurate and concise sound for world-class music production.
These headphones feature a STELLAR.45 driver making them a great solution for multiple playback devices without running into major issues with too little (or too much!) volume ever being available.
The DT 770 PRO X have 16dB of ambient noise isolation, ensuring you can remain focused on the signal you’re producing, mixing, recording or mastering, all with well balanced response and crystal-clear sound. The full spectrum is not only covered, but it’s accurate.
The headband itself is made from spring steel, meaning it’s robust enough for daily use without losing shape, without sacrificing comfort, the headband retaining flexibility on your head for long studio sessions.
The DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition arrive safe with a drawstring bag, as well as various cable options in a straight cable, a 3-pin mini XLR (lockable) and mini stereo jack (3.5 mm) with a screw-on adapter 3.5 mm to 1/4" (6.35 mm) stereo jack.
The DT 770 PRO X Ltd are the optimal choice for recording and mixing. It’s increasingly common for artists and producers to be making music to be working on the go, or at home, and not always in spaces that are treated acoustically for optimal sound. What makes beyerdynamic headphones special is how comfortable they are. Stellar sound aside (we’ll get to that in a moment!), you can easily wear beyerdynamic headphones for hours at a time, without feeling the pressure slowly closing in, or by the pressure of the sound of the headphones’ drivers. They’re comfy enough to forget you’re wearing them, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
Soundwise the DT 770 PRO X Ltd follow the DT 770 PRO 80ohm with a powerful sound, full ranged response and manage to toe the line between technically flat and reference-quality, while still being hugely enjoyable to listen to.
The beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X Ltd encapsulates a century of incredible audio products from Germany’s beyerdynamic. Built like a workhorse, some of their first headphones, the DT48, were the first headphones designated for the studio, the 80s saw the addition of their studio mainstays, the DT 770 and DT 990. These brought with them unparalleled comfort, coupled with robust, powerful but all the
while bringing reference quality sound to the table.
The DT headphones were superseded by the DT 770 and 990 PRO, then the PRO X, 2024 ringing in a limited edition of the famed beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X. The beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X reproduce everything from 5Hz up to 40kHz, with nominal impedance of 48Ω making them a perfect match for just about any source; a specification that not all products can claim!
The beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition offer world-class comfort, allowing you to focus on the sound and workflow, without the hindrance of discomfort or pain from the pressure of headphones. For those looking for a solution to monitoring with headphones, or for beyerdynamic devotees who are looking for another set of world-class headphones, the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition headphones are your answer.
Brand: Zoom
Product: R4 MultiTrak Recorder
Distributed by: Dynamic Music
RRP: $369
Reviewed by: Andy Lloyd-Russell
The convenience of a high quality handheld multitrack recording device cannot be understated for the modern day singer/songwriter, content creator, production sound mixer or Foley artist.
Imagine if Paul McCartney hadn’t had the ability to rush down to Abbey Road when inspiration struck, quickly picking up a guitar or jumping behind the piano, the in-house engineer hitting record and voila, another Beatles hit captured just in the nick of time! The all too familiar story of songwriters having a melody, rhythm or whole composition just appear in their mind’s ear like dealing in a radio station for the idea to as quickly vanish and not having the ability to have captured it in time. You may be thinking “heard of Voice Notes buddy?” and whilst this is indeed true, how many of us really get to trawling through those countless Voice Memos and end up recording that track? Like really …?
I for one was lucky enough to just start getting into making music just before cassette recorders were deemed lame and making beats on a laptop was the only real way to make music. The process of recording to one track and dubbing onto another, making some feeble attempt at capturing some moment of inspiration was fun, exciting and kept those who enjoyed such times inspired to keep making music. Those were indeed the days. Fast forward at least a decade, and the iconic Tascam Portastudio and alike whooshed back into vogue. And whilst the process of using these classic units is certainly creatively a joy, the awkward size, inconvenience of being tethered to mains power, not to mention the vintage price tag can render them a little redundant
when talking convenience and enhancing creative workflow.
Zoom have been an unrivalled force in field recording and modern handheld recording devices for quite some time, with their H series being the standard for many a musician, content creator and film sound recordist. Looking at a way to enhance the creative workflow of users, the recently released R4 MultiTrak 32-Bit Float Recorder hits the proverbial nail for those in need of a recording tool that not only captures high-quality audio, but also requiring the ability to bounce down and continue building a track with more layers.
Very much designed as a tactile, hands-on recorder without requiring endless menu diving for simple tasks, the R4 presents users with an innovative and easy to navigate front panel, with four individual faders dedicated for each of the four tracks you’re able to record onto. Once these four tracks are all taken up but recording isn’t quite finished, a quick balance, EQ and effects treatment (if required) of the current tracks can be done with ease to then conveniently bounce a mix to a virtual 5th track via the bounce button on the front panel. This then frees up the four tracks to continue building a song arrangement, sound design, or whatever content a user is creating. Taking a moment here to reflect on just how powerful this workflow is for a handheld device,
it’s genuinely inspired how much this opens up possibilities for users to keep fleshing out ideas for their songs or content, without needing to dive in the DAW realm or otherwise - just a handheld recorder and their instrument or sound source of choice. Which brings me onto the options available for recording into the R4.
Connectivity is simple with two combo XLR /¼” jacks available switchable between mic or line level. Channel one can also be switched to the built- in microphone if an external microphone isn’t required or unavailable. Recording instruments directly is also incredibly easy, sounding great straight off the bat, or if a bit more vibe is required, some sophisticated amp sims and preamp models are available on channel one. Add to this the built-in EQ, echo and reverb effects available on tap and you’re pretty well covered without even thinking about plugins or external processors, keeping users immersed in the creative process. If this processing power wasn’t quite enough, the built-in rhythm section of the R4 offers a wealth of 80 available drum patterns ranging from rock to funk, hip hop to heavy metal. These are ideal for simple practice or for enhancing an arrangement. The advantage of having 32-bit floating point technology on a handheld recorder is no gimmick but serves real world use and serves as a big part of the R4’s feature
set, offering users a safety net from clipping audio, in case input gain isn’t set quite correctly. This is especially helpful when recording in less than ideal environments such as outside where unexpected wind gushes and other loud and unexpected sounds have the potential to ruin a recording by exceeding the dynamic range of the recorder and clipping the audio, something that production sound mixers, location recordists and foley artists will particularly appreciate, as well as musicians and songwriters who take to inspiration in the great outdoors. This technology is of course built-in to the R4 when used as an 2-in/2-out audio interface when connected to a computer or smartphone.
The tactility, near endless potential track count (limited really only to the capacity of one’s storage device) and intuitive workflow of the R4 makes it ideal for a wide range of potential applications and user base. For those that enjoy a slightly more old school approach to recording workflow, without needing to dive into a DAW or even be near a computer, the R4 offers just the right amount of control and processing power to keep inspiration fresh and the creative process flowing. Married with high quality audio capture and the ability to mix and bounce and continue creating a fleshed out arrangement, there’s little that can be said the R4 isn’t appropriate for when looking at what a modern day handheld recorder can offer.
Brand: PreSonus
Product: Eris Pro 4
Distributed by: Link Audio
RRP: $499
Reviewed by: Lewis Noke Edwards
PreSonus make the journey from budding producer to professional mixing engineer and producer a smooth one, even when discussing the plunge into Dolby Atmos mixing and beyond. Accurate stereo sound is one thing, the PreSonus Pro series of monitors taking it all in their stride.
In the world of entry level right up to pro-sumer end of the studio space , PreSonus have a solution available, most of this being covered with the PreSonus Pro series of monitors.
Monitors aside, PreSonus are a brand to be trusted with a wide range of microphones, audio interfaces (again with varying levels of I/O count and routing options available for varying levels investment), as well as their growing range of DAW controllers in FaderPort series. All this is before mentioning StudioOne itself, PreSonus’ DAW that has just reached version 6.6 with Atmos integration. StudioLive consoles help bring the live music scene to life, or serve as a portable and powerful solution to producing music at home with a little extra tactile control.
Aside from all of this mentioned above, it’s PreSonus’ studio monitor range we’re focused on today, with an exciting expansion in the range of speakers made towards the end of last year.
Having become an icon in the home studio space, the PreSonus range of studio monitors, with
their simple, classy design and versatile connectivity, they also boast impressive power regardless of the size of speaker you’re buying or the budget you’re working with! Most important of all, the PreSonus Eris Pro 4 range of monitors are accurate.
Borrowing from their Eris family, the Pro 4 monitors share the same great design elements of the Eris range, but boast a new design element: a single point-source coaxial design. Anyone remotely familiar with the Eris family will likely notice this flash new coaxial design of the monitors, for a defined image and clear accurate sound reproduction, whilst also relieving typical phasing and time alignment issues between tweeter and woofer. The Eris Pro 4 are the smallest of the Pro range, with a 4.5” driver, the Eris Pro 6 and Pro 8 having 6.5” and 8” drivers respectively.
Not only does this new design look great, but it serves a very practical purpose in relation to sending sound around the room and into your ears. The bass port sits at the front to prevent low end being fired back into a wall, as is common in smaller, home and bedroom setups.
The Eris Pro 4 monitors are elevated further with their compact form factor and clearly very purposeful design suited for more modern day workflows and setups. More on this in a bit.
The output of the Eris Pro 4 is substantial straight off the bat, with 80-watts of power in a Class AB amplifier design pushing a 99dB peak SPL (@ 1 metre) and an equally impressive frequency response of 55Hz - 20kHz is nothing to be scoffed at from a compact 4.5” woven composite low frequency driver and 1” silk-dome tweeter powered studio monitor.
The PreSonus Eris Pro 4 series have a handy amount of acoustic tuning options have, and while they always been a feature of the Eris range, the selectable 80Hz or 100Hz low cut, is particularly handy for small rooms, with mid and high controls available as well. The additional acoustic space control is particularly helpful when monitors are placed in less ideal positions such as corners or tight up against the wall, with flat, -2dB and -4dB options. The Pro 4 range has balanced inputs that can be found in either XLR or 1/4” connections, with RCA for unbalanced signals.
The various workflows and systems are where Eris Pro 4 will really accelerate though will be in the multi channel mixing, such as immersive formats like Dolby Atmos, whether mixing in broadcast, music or otherwise. The additional wall and ceiling mounting brackets can be easily attached to the side of each speaker and appropriately manoeuvred into the ultimate
position, making light and easy work of a small or large mixing setup with multiple speakers. What’s more, the Eris Pro range more than covers the requirements of an immersive system with the sub comfortably handling LFE and the Eris Pro 4’s being an ideal candidate for any room requiring ceiling install without breaking the bank.
It’s indeed an exciting prospect to see an affordable studio monitor which works both equally well as a stereo pair or part of a larger multichannel system - with the array of speakers available in the Eris Pro range clearly reflecting an understanding of the future of music, broadcast and content creation and mixing. The coaxial design, especially when looking at the Eris Pro 4 is a smart choice for several reasons, but ergonomically it allows this monitor to be positioned and tucked away in an immersive setup without the need for elaborate mounting. The accurate performance and power are likely to be rather appealing and seemingly destined for dominance in the home studio space, with certainly the possibility to expand further afield. The Eris family of monitors from PreSonus was due an upgrade and they've certainly delivered with the Eris Pro 4.
Distributed by: Fender
Distributed by: Studio Connections
RRP: $
RRP: $4175
Reviewed by: Name
Reviewed by: Joel Taylor
The foray into immersive audio can be a daunting and expensive undertaking, the most popular format being Dolby Atmos. While Atmos is technically headphone compatible, the real benefit and immersion is said to be best achieved with at least a 7.1.4 system, i.e. 7 floor channels (front, back and side speakers) and 4 height channels (i.e. ceiling speakers) along with a subwoofer/LFE.
From the sheer number of monitors required to the logistics of bass management and monitor control, the setup can be quite complicated to get started. Audient’s new contender to wrangle this conundrum is the ORIA Immersive Interface and Monitor Controller, a 16 speaker output USB audio interface specifically designed to simplify and address issues that come with such a high channel count of monitor speakers.
Until now, early adopters of Atmos will have encountered a hurdle in the need for something as simple as changing the volume of 12+ channels of studio monitors uniformly and simultaneously. The most accessible and inexpensive version is to use a hi-fi receiver, however this option leaves the user stuck with unbalanced -10dB line-level making it a hassle to interface with +4dB line level balanced studio monitors, while the professional studio options jump quite considerably in price. The ORIA is a very welcome addition to the landscape, as it not only provides the option of a fully optimised monitor controller, but can also act as the audio interface completely, and has the added bonus of built
in equalisation, time delay and bass management for each individual channel.
The unit also features two onboard mic pres on the front of the unit, which can double as high impedance instrument inputs. If more inputs are needed there is the possibility of a further 16 inputs via ADAT, as well as an optional Dante port for even more input options. Connection to studio monitors is via TRS 6.5mm sockets on the back of the unit, of which there are 16 for full surround sound duties, plus twp additional stereo pairs for alternative L/R monitoring. Furthermore, the Oira features 16 channels of AES outputs via DB-25, perfect for plugging straight into studio monitors that feature a digital input, negating an unnecessary digital to analogue and analogue to digital round of conversion. Rounding out the I/O are two headphone ports on the front (which can each each be routed to their own discrete inputs) word clock input and output, and of course the USB-C port for connecting to a computer (which can be used as a USB-A 2.0 device) on the rear.
Pulling the unit out of the box reveals a smart, sleek unit with backlit buttons and a nice multidisplay, which won’t look out of place in any rack of gear. The unit cheerily displays “Dolby Atmos” upon startup, and then defaults to show the monitor outputs for the surround channels.
Getting started was very simple, fortunately for Mac users setup was a matter of plugging in the ORIA and loading up my selected DAW, while Windows users will need to install a
driver before getting started. Having said that, it is recommended all users install the Monitor Controller software to reap the full benefits of the system, and the real engine of the ORIA’s options for EQ, bass management and channel delay.
Upon loading up I was advised by the software to update the firmware on the device, and this was as simple as hitting the ‘OK’ button and waiting a few minutes while the update was delivered. Once that was completed I restarted the unit and we were in business!
The ORIA software gives a clear and easy overview of the studio layout, as well as easy options for different room profiles and metering, with the floating meter window option being very convenient. In the Setup page, clicking on any of the speaker icons in the “Room” screen gives the user the option to apply up to 8 parametric bands of eq plus a high and low shelf, as well as crossover point and time delay. With such a number of monitors around the listener, these options are hugely important in immersive audio, to ensure an equal distance and even panning is achievable as objects move around the listener. With the use of time alignment, one can push speakers “further away” by delaying certain channels that might otherwise be too close in a room not be perfectly shaped for Atmos’ regulations. Audient have made what can be a complicated and confusing setup quite compact and simple in the layout of this software.
Other great software features are the inclusion of solo buttons for different groups of monitors, which
is great for quickly checking what the overhead or LFE/sub channels are doing on their own, pre or post eq metering, monitor DIM and phase flip buttons.
Also included is a measurement microphone, which should be used to measure each individual channel’s frequency and time alignment to achieve maximum accuracy and optimised monitor placement, plus if the user wished to take things further there is a discount provided for the even more customizable Sonarworks Monitor EQ software.
The ORIA has really filled a hole in the dilemma of immersive audio setup, and with this box
Audient have provided both a starting from scratch audio interface, to a monitor controller that can fit with many pre-existing studio setups. With the inclusion of individual EQ, time alignment and bass management, the ORIA is a great option for taming the Atmos beast.
Brand: QSC
Product: CP12
Distributed by: Technical Audio Group
RRP: $1549
Reviewed by:
RRP: $ Reviewed by: Name
Lewis Noke EdwardsQSC are no strangers to providing solutions with plenty of power, great balanced sound for a variety of needs and environments. An increasingly common environment is a gig without old-fashioned guitar amplifiers, instead replaced with amp modellers. Modellers can, with startling accuracy, replace your pedalboard, patch cables and amplifier, instead being a one-stopshop for shaping and distorting your tone before it’s finished off with an amplifier. Sometimes sent straight to the front of house system (hopefully QSC branded as well!) with a simulated speaker cabinet, one thing that modellers can’t imitate is the air being pushed from the speaker cone.
One such solution is to use an active speaker on stage, allowing players to harness the best of both worlds: the convenience of an amp modeller and the air being pushed from a speaker cone. And with traditional guitar cabinets generally having two or four 12” speakers in cabinets, what better way to amplify your sound than with a 12” speaker like in the QSC CP12?
The CP12 from QSC is a two-way active powered personal speaker, with 1000 Watt peak power from a Class D amplifier. The main low frequency transducer is a 12” speaker, with a high frequency transducer 1.4” compression driver. It features a frequency response from approximately 50Hz up to 20kHz with a maximum rated SPL of 126dB.
Controls-wise, the QSC CP12 has two gain controls for the two inputs which are XLR/jack inputs, and a
6-way Contour Selection Switch to subtly begin to shape your tone. There’s also a handy 3.5 mm TRS (Stereo Input) for auxiliary sources, and the second input has a Mic Boost (+25dB) to switch the second input from Line to Mic if needed! SIG LEDs are available for both inputs, denoting when there’s incoming signal, and a global LIMITER LED lets you know when the QSC CP12’s internal limiter is kicking in to protect the amplifier and speaker. There’s a Mix Out via XLR, allowing you to send signal elsewhere if needed for recording, monitoring or otherwise! If the CP12 seems like overkill, QSC also offer the smaller 8” model in the CP8.
As a guitar modelling amplifier, the QSC CP12 excels for a few reasons. As mentioned before, the 12” speaker isn’t unlike the speakers usually loaded into traditional guitar cabs. The gain control also allows you to dial the overall volume back, with little effect on resulting sound thanks to the Class D amplifier. Drive the ‘tube amplifier’ emulation on
your modelling unit as hard as you like, but bring it back to bedroom rehearsal levels.
My experience with the QSC CP12 was unlike any other speaker I’ve used. Routing my signal through to the CP12 provided crystal clear sound at any volume. It’s unlike traditional head and cab setups, where the sonic character of the amplifier changes depending on volume. This is especially true for tube amplifiers, the input volume impacting the preamp tubes and the master volume pushing the power tubes harder, the CP12 allowed me to use the very best ‘tube’ emulations, pushed to saturated perfection, at any volume. The addition of the contour selector switch allowed me to shape and shift the overall tone further, to my ears moving between more traditional ‘vintage’ and ‘modern’ style guitar sounds, regardless of my amp tone.
Amplifier emulators are an increasingly popular solution to touring, writing, gigging and
performing, while their convenience makes a good case for them overall, they lack the air being pushed out of a speaker. Traditional guitar cabs have provided that air, but require a power amp and are at the mercy of the subtle shifts in overall colour and tone of the sound as the power amp and speaker are pushed harder. These subtle shifts can undo all the hard work you’ve done to perfect your tone! What’s more, the clean, clear nature of the CP12 allows you to recreate your sound more accurately night after night on tour, all the while being the same sound you’ve practised with at home and in the jam room.
The QSC CP12 ties a lot of this together, providing loud, clear and clean amplification via its Class-D amplifier, with 200W for the HF driver, and 800W LF driver. The unit responds with everything from approx. 50Hz up to 20kHz, much more than a standard guitar cabinet. While we’ve extensively discussed guitar-focused use of the CP12, it’s equally useful as a powerful PA speaker, so you’re getting two very practical products in one!
If the CP12 is more powerful than you need, QSC offer the CP8 with an 8” speaker instead of a 12”, harnessing all the same functionality of the CP12. QSC are in the business of solutions, and the CP12 is no different. It helps to bring together the practicality of amplifier emulators and the feel of blasting yourself and your adoring fans with sounds from a powerful speaker.
Kirin, thanks for speaking to us again! We know you’re pretty involved in the production process of your albums - but what are you focused on live?
Honestly, it’s changed over the years. Earlier on, I’d say playing the guitar was more natural for me, an extension of the self, whereas I wasn’t so experienced or lucky as a singer. So I worked on my singing, and it became a strength. Embracing the chaos of performance, through spontaneity and improvisation and by being under rehearsed and generally unhinged has also been my M.O. for a long while. For these upcoming shows, I’d like to improve my guitar playing, as well as placing some emphasis on other, more deliberate & often ignored elements such as the theatrics, lighting, stage aesthetic etc.
What kind of equipment are you using live?
I am building a rig at the moment that will support my guitar so that I don’t have to. I’d also like to do away with microphones, so working out how I’m gonna do that.
How does this equipment compare to what you have/had available in the studio?
It’s all about delivering a show that is original, powerful and, inevitably if you get the first two, memorable without compromising but encouraging all of the human elements, the good stuff like heart, and danger, and spontaneity, humour, vulnerability etc. These are the reasons why people attend shows, whether they know it or not! In that sense, the end goal is the same as in the studio, only via an entirely different medium. The recording artist and the performer are otherwise unrelated.
Can you give us a quick rundown of your rig?
Roland G707 Guitar x3, a Digitech Whammy 5, a Wettmar Electric Selector (incredible pedal) and a whole lotta Boss, DI’d in stereo.
Do you like to perform the songs as close to the record as possible or do you treat the live show like its own thing?
Even if I attempted to replicate the record live, the show will inevitably & always be its own thing. Even when singing along to the album it seems to become its own thing. I always invite the spirit of the moment, the spirit of the space, into the show. And allow myself the freedom to deviate at any given moment. I would encourage this as much as possible for others reading. More fun this way.
Thanks again - is there one piece of equipment you couldn’t perform without?
Honestly, no. As long as I can stand, and preferably if I can sing, then I can absolutely perform.
Strata Prime is an electronic drum kit without compromise. Every detail has been conceived to deliver a responsive and natural experience for the player.
All-mesh heads have adjustable tension; the 360-degree cymbals are free to move and respond like acoustic cymbals, & the hi-hat is laser-accurate & plays naturally with any hi-hat stand or hi-hat technique.
Under the hood, there is a truly state-of the-art sound engine that places a vast & detailed library of beautifully recorded drum kits at your finger tips.