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I was totally unfamiliar with “Locomotive Audio” who manufactures the “Weight Tank” vari-mu tube compressor, but a fortuitous click on a banner ad took me to the Locomotive web site where I started reading about this unique processor. Everything I read about the WT-COMP made me want it, finally I could stand it no more, I ordered it. Was it worth the wait?
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| Compare level on JLM meter to level on the Neve VU meters. Both are from same source. |
I have previously covered the JLM PPM500 meter and you can find that review here.
In this review we're taking a look at the other way JLM packages their fantastic Peak and Program Meter technology, in a stand alone enclosure.
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Use an inexpensive label maker to label cables and tags. There are many to choose from but the one series that has delivered the best value for me is the Brother models that use M Tape cartridges.
You can apply these labels to almost any clean surface. I can print neatly by hand but printing with a label maker makes labels that are easier to read and more consistent in appearance. Can you really buy a good label maker for under $25?
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I've always loved good metering when I'm mixing. My ears are highly developed but they can fool me depending on how I feel. Good meters are indifferent to feelings, they just report the connected signal level.
JLM Audio is located in Australia. It's the brainchild of designer Joe Malone. They make a number of interesting DIY products, kits and boutique audio items which serve recording and pro sound industries. I used JLM kits to rebuild some analog VU meters and you can read about them here on High on Technology.
In this review we're going to take a close look at the JLM PPM500 stereo level meters which are packaged for use in 500 series racks like the API VPR500. These meters display peak and average levels simultaneously. They are totally unique and indispensable.
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A few months ago I picked up a new Ibanez™ Tube Screamer™ pedal to compare to some of my other TS style overdrive and distortion pedals. It was a fun experiment that I will now need to repeat because there's a new player and challenger, the JHS 3 Series "Screamer". How does it sound?
WHAT'S EASY, CHEAP, FAST, FLEXIBLE, AND TIME SAVING?
Recording studios are notorious places for having A LOT of connecting cables back behind the gear. The patchbay network of wires on my recording console is nuts and difficult to trouble-shoot because there are so many cables coming together in such a compact area.
Back in my Design and Installation days I used expensive cable labeling machines to print out custom labels for tagging wires at roughly 25-cents per label (material cost, $25/100). Today the last thing I need is another expensive device sitting around and besides, this article is called "Cheap". Don't fret out, the cheap solution is here.
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| Top = Single-use wire tie, Bottom = Removable wire tie (note the release lever on lower tie) |
I have been using Caig Laboratories electronic cleaners since 1985 when one of my repair techs (who also worked at the local NBC Television affiliate) left a can in our repair shop.
DeoxIT is not like other electronic spray cleaners, it contains magic (my own terminology, not theirs :-).
Seriously, I've had DeoxIT bring brand new cables to life.
The places where cables are made are typically not what you'd call "Clean Room" environments, they're kind of dirty by nature. There is smoke from soldering and there are lots of "lubricants" in use which keep connectors from sticking together when they're stored in big plastic tubs or job boxes.
OLYMPIC BARBELL (MIC STAND ) WEIGHT
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Latch Lake Music Products makes innovative and extremely heavy duty microphone stands, booms and accessories. The Latch Lake Xtra Boom provides a unique add-on boom arm that works with virtually any existing mic stand (you don’t need an expensive Latch Lake stand).
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Does the world really need another distortion pedal?
Another distortion pedal by Earthquaker Devices?
Recently I wrote a review for stompbox patch cables by EBS. I went to check prices on buying more and found these Maka cables, so I bought some to test.
They’re half the price of the EBS but are they as good? Lets compare them.
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Why are EBS patch cables so vastly superior in performance? Are they really worth $8 each?
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I have a lot of pedals and I like playing in my barefeet when I’m in the studio. Typical stompbox footswitches can be hard to push and mean to your feet.
Barefoot Buttons™ makes solid metal footswitch toppers which block viewing the LEDs on stompboxes from many angles. The other problem is the price, Barefoot Buttons™ are almost $10 EACH. I refuse to pay $10 per button because it would literally cost me over $1,000 to outfit all my footswitches with Barefoot Buttons™.
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I’ve been using the Marshall MG15R amplifier for a little over a year. It has continued to climb upwards in price since I bought mine new for $129. I refer to this as my kitchen amplifier because that is where it usually resides, right next to me under the kitchen window. I never thought I’d say a little solid state amp made in Viet Nam was one of my favorite amplifiers but it is. Lets see why.
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Way back in 1986 I owned a music store and we sold BBE Sonic Maximizer processors. They were quite popular. If you have high quality audio content (like an audio CD) and a high quality playback system the BBE Sonic Maximizer process can provide clarity and improved sonics in a unique way.
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If you like ribbon microphones or low output dynamic types such as the Shure SM-7 you’re going to love the Klark Teknik CM-1 Mic Booster. This product is simple to use, delivers a lot of performance and it’s low in cost.
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I love cheap cables as long as they work right. Unfortunately too many imported cables are substandard and bad for your fragile audio signals. Lets take a quick look at what makes a cable good, how much you should expect to spend on it and where you can buy it?
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I have always loved echo and reverb effects. When I saw this compact, American made echo pedal on sale, brand new, for around $59 I just pushed the BUY button (as it turns out it was on sale for half off the $119 suggested list price). This is my first pedal by J Rockett Audio Designs and it does not disappoint.
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The green Ibanez Tube Screamer™ distortion pedal has been around for quite a while and there are many variations of it which have varying sonic footprints depending on which opamp is used inside and how the circuit is wired.
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I’ve owned a dozen ribbon microphones over the last 20 years and I never really cared for any of them. Even the famed Royer 121 sounded dark to me (and yes I tried both sides, even the bright side sounded dark and uneven). In my last Reverb sales event I sold off all my ribbon mic’s and pretty much gave up on the genre.
A HUGE REVERB FOR A SMALL PRICE
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A NEW BENCHMARK FOR TONE AND PRICE
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When I first spotted the JHS 3 Series Phaser pedal on sale I immediately ordered one. I’ve bought every one of the JHS 3 Series pedals because I know Josh Scott cares about tone and these pedals represent an important market segment for his company.
GREAT FLANGER, INCREDIBLE PRICE
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JHS takes us back to the good ole days when under a hundred bucks would get you a killer sounding flanger pedal. This one is not only priced right but it's got a huge variety of swirly and lush flange effects while keeping noise and nasty stuff out of your life. I own all the Three Series effect pedals and this one is an instant favorite. The three knobs provide quick access to a wide variety of effects, ranging from gentle and subtle to spacey and weird, all the way to electronic and robotic, this pedal covers the gamut of core flanging effects.
TRANSFORMER EXPLORATION
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| LAST BATCH OF LAYERED AUDIO TRANSFORMERS |
My infatuation with audio-transformers grew drastically in the 1970’s. I hand wound a lot of prototypes along the way. When I first started making my own transformers I relied on my eyes to tell me when there was enough copper piled on to the core of my experiment. That is not a good way to design transformers.
Welcome to the H.o.T. Direct Recording Guide/Index to all the parts of this special Direct Recording series of articles.
This is a multi-part, deep-dive into Direct Boxes, Impulse Responses, and How to Record Direct. If you play and record electric guitar or bass in an apartment or somewhere it’s not cool to make loud rock electric guitar tones, you’re going to find new perspective and options here.
PASSIVE AND ACTIVE DIRECT BOXES EXPLAINED
At its core every direct box has one job, to accept an audio-input and transform it into something that looks and acts like the output of a low-impedance balanced microphone, for input into a sound or recording system. It sounds simple enough but there are many ways to construct a direct box and different designs deliver different sounding results.
PART 2 - WHAT IS DIRECT RECORDING?
When you connect a keyboard, electric bass or guitar directly to your DAW microphone input using a D.I. box you are recording direct. No microphone, speaker or studio space was used because you did it direct-connected, electrically. Depending on your DAW hardware you may also have an instrument-level input which can be used instead of a direct box to record directly with no microphone or instrument amplifier involved.
PART 3 - REACTIVE LOADS AND IMPULSE RESPONSES
Do you need a $1500 tube amp head with a $10 impulse-response loaded into a $600 reactive load box to record directly without waking the family? Maybe, but maybe not.
PYLE® PDC21 DIRECT BOX
Ever since the late 1970’s I’ve built dozens of direct boxes using Jensen, Crimson or my own handwound audio transformers. The key to a decent sounding direct box is having a decent transformer inside.
I’ve been using this direct box since it first came out. I’ve used it with piezo guitar pickups, electric guitar pickups, it’s my goto for electric bass guitar, this D.I. box never sounds bad.
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With so many companies making direct boxes I was surprised to see Warm Audio enter this space with not one but two new direct boxes. In this review we’ll be taking a look at the Warm Audio Active direct box.
Klark Teknik DN200 Stereo Direct Box
I discovered the Klark Teknik DN200 stereo direct box over three years ago when I was looking for a lower priced option to the stereo RNDI. The KT does not disappoint in any area. It uses proprietary transformer technology and features excellent electronics to deliver your sound. The build quality is excellent and I’ve gone on to acquire six of these for my studio. They’ve been wonderful tools for connecting my stereo instruments to the mixer inputs in the studio.
UNIVERSAL AUDIO OX AMP TOP BOX $1299 street price
Universal Audio is a popular brand of DAW technology so when they came out with the OX I wondered what it was like. The OX is physically one of the largest impulse response technology devices reviewed here. It is also one of the most technically sophisticated with the most included integrated options for shaping your sound.
MESA CABCLONE™ IR 16-ohm, $599 street price
There are two models of Mesa CabClone IR. In this review we’ll be examining the $599 model which does not have speaker attenuation included. It does include a reactive load capable of disapating 150 watts of Mesa tube amp power plus impulse response technology.
SUHR REACTIVE LOAD / IR $599 street price
This box features a reactive load but the impedance is not adjustable, it comes in one impedance, 8-ohms. The Suhr Reactive Load / IR feels like a very solid and sturdily constructed piece of hardware.
RADIAL JDX DIRECT-DRIVE, Amp Simulator and Direct Box, Street price: $199
The JDX is marketed as an amp simulator and direct box. With this as the last box in your pedalboard signal path you can effectively perform without an amplifier (provided you have some way of hearing yourself, with in-ear monitors, headphones, powered cab, etc.).
MEET THE "SIMPLIFIER"
The Simplifier DLX built by DSM Electronics in Santiago, Chile, is a dual channel guitar amp with zero watts of output. The name says “Simplifier” but it might better be described as the “Complicator”. The number of knobs and switches combined with all the input and output options makes this one powerful guitar preamp.
JOYO TONE CHAIN, DIRECT RECORDING GUITAR PREAMP
The Joyo Tone Chain pedal puts three very useful and useable effects into a single housing. You get an Overdrive which feeds into a Distortion, which feeds to the effects loop-send. The effects loop-return feeds into the delay section. The delay time can be set manually via a knob or you can use the tap-tempo button to set the delay time.
BEHRINGER DI21 SERIES, DELUXE DIRECT BOXES
Behringer makes three similar looking active direct boxes, each is optimized for a specific instrument. Each has modeling circuitry specific for the intended instrument application. Each pedal has an XLR output for direct feed to a mixing console as well as 1/4” input and output jacks. These pedals can be powered with internal 9-volt transister radio batteries or standard 9-volt pedal board power via an external power inlet jack.
JOYO CAB BOX, SPEAKER CABINET SIMULATOR, IR LOADER
The Cab Box is my latest Impulse Response speaker and amp simulator. This is a more expensive product offering from a company that is known for budget priced pedals. The technology in the Cab Box is quite impressive and so is the performance.
The Digitech CabDryVR Dual Cabinet Simulator pedal features 14 guitar and bass cabinet impulse responses. Processing the output of your pedal board through this pedal yields high quality cabinet emulations without the need for a real cabinet or mic or amp for that matter.
The Mooer “Radar” is a digital impulse response, cabinet simulator with some options to simulate amplifiers.
Radar features 30 memory locations for impulse responses. You can replace existing response files by connecting the pedal to a computer via USB.
If you don’t like the included impulse responses you’re going to need to connect to a computer to replace them.
TWO NOTES AUDIO ENGINEERING, TORPEDO C.A.B. M+, Street Price: $299
This pedal size box of audio-dynamite takes every feature of the Radial JDX Direct-Drive and adds a bunch of DSP horsepower to increase your options and add excitement to your sound. The CAB M+ has features to allow it to be inserted into the amp-to-speaker connection on almost any guitar amplfier. You can also use the CAB M+ as an effect pedal to add cabinet or IR simulations to any pedal-board. This pedal comes with an external power supply to power all the hungry digital circuitry contained inside.
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| CAB M+ USED FOR DIRECT RECORDING TUBE AMP WITHOUT MICROPHONE |
What is Discrete Class-A?
As you peruse the web looking at gear you’ll often see this as a major bit of marketing.
“Discrete, Class-A”
It has nothing to do with keeping your mouth shut or your social position.
Neve 1073 SPX vs Warm Audio WA-73EQ Technical Review and Comparison
In this review I’m comparing a single channel Warm Audio WA-73EQ to a new AMS Neve 1073SPX. For clarity I truncated the model names in the review. Warm Audio produces another model called WA-73 which does not have tone controls, that is NOT what is being reviewed. Whenever I mention the WA-73 I’m referring to the WA-73EQ and when I talk about the 1073 it is the 1073SPX.
NEVE 1073 SPX
When it comes to microphone preamplifiers the Neve 1073 is up at the top with legendary status for it’s classic sound and tone. Original 1073 console preamps can sell for $10,000 or more in todays vintage-equipment market.
WHAT IS THE BRICASTI REVERB?
If there is an heir apparent to the legacy of the great Lexicon reverb processors it is the Bricasti Design M7. The designers of this reverb have utilized modern components to reduce the physical size to just a single rack space package, but the sound quality is equal to or better than the physically larger classic units such as the 224, 480 and 960 by Lexicon.
REVERB FOUNDRY BRICAST M7 LINK PLUGIN SOFTWARE
STOP, BEFORE YOU BUY THIS!
Reverb Foundry recommends that you download the free demo from their web site and confirm that your midi interface and software are compatible BEFORE you purchase the program. Why not? It’s free!
WHO HERE HATES HUM?
One of my favorite guitars in the world is equipped with three single coil pickups. When I get this guitar too close to amplifiers or electrical wiring the guitar picks up hum and noise which gets magnifyed by my ampifier system. It is an age-old battle, great sound vs hum.