2014
Mix Education Guide 2014
In each issue, Mix profiles established and up-and-coming producers, engineers and the like, but they didn’t just “fall” into their job. Each one of...
The 137th AES Convention: L.A. Edition
The return to Los Angeles after 12 years injected a bit of energy into the 137th AES Convention, no doubt about that. Though it...
Classic Tracks: Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good”
Linda Ronstadt, producer Peter Asher, engineer Val Garay, session player Paul Stallworth and more recall the rollercoaster process of recording her trademark hit.
Berklee College of Music, Boston
Wow. It was only a couple of years ago that Berklee College of Music opened its stunning new campus in Valencia, Spain, offering both...
October 2014
WELCOME October 2014 Editor’s Note: Every Page an L.A. Story Oct 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny It’s been 12 years since...
September 2014
September 2014 WELCOME September 2014 Editor’s Note: Immersive Sound in All Forms Sep 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny For the past...
Classic Tracks: “I Scare Myself,” Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
One of the most interesting and engaging groups to burst onto the pop music scene in the early 1970s was a San Francisco Bay...
Thermionic Culture Phoenix HG15: Classic Valve Compressor
Thermionic Culture is known for producing high-quality pro audio pieces that offer atypical sonic qualities. My first experience in using its gear amazed me...
Analogue Tube AT-1 Compressor: New/Old School Fairchild-Style Limiter
I first bumped into Simon Saywood at an AES in San Francisco when he was showing off his then-brand-new Fairchild 670 copy, the AT-101....
August 2014
August 2014 WELCOME August 2014 Editor’s Note: Talking About People Aug 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny This month’s cover represents quite...
Classic Tracks: “Life in a Northern Town,” Dream Academy
Every once in a while a song comes totally out of left field, far away from the mainstream, and for some inexplicable reason becomes...
LaChapell Audio 983S Preamp: Dual-Channel Tube Gain with Personality Plus
LaChapell Audio is a Nashville-based company comprising designer Scott LaChapell and his father, a retired senior design engineer at Lawrence Livermore Labs who brings...
Classic Tracks: ‘So Into You,’ Atlanta Rhythm Section
Success is measured in all kinds of ways, but it’s probably fair to say that when “sidemen” take the spotlight, the results are mixed;...
Great River 32EQ and PWM-501: 500 Series Processors With a Learning Curve
Great River is known for its high quality, solidly built products, the flagship being the MP-2NV 2-channel microphone preamp. It offers the personality of...
Q2 Audio ADR Compex Limiter F760X-RS: Faithful Reissue of 1960s Classic
The history of the ADR Compex Limiter F760X RS goes back to the late ’60s in England when Audio & Design Recording made the...
SPL Crimson Interface: 6×6 USB I/O, Monitor Control, Great Sound
When SPL unveils a new product, it is often built around a one-of-a-kind new circuit. The company is probably best known for its Transient...
Classic Tracks: ‘Supernova,’ Liz Phair
Chicago was a pretty happenin’ rock town in the late ’80s and early ’90s, with a thriving club scene and a whole bunch of...
Universal Audio Apollo 16 Audio Interface: Portable I/O with UAD DSP and FW or Thunderbolt Connectivity
My first introduction to Universal Audio’s Apollo came two years ago at Winter NAMM. I was thrilled at the idea of having a single-rackspace...
April 2014
April 2014 WELCOME April 2014 Editor’s Note: The Importance of Source Apr 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny A two-day visit to...
Classic Tracks: “Beds Are Burning,” Midnight Oil
Australian rock ’n’ roll band Midnight Oil broke into the U.S. charts with an explosive single from their album Diesel and Dust. “Beds Are...
Prism Sound Lyra 2 Audio Interface: Upgrade Brings Deep Features, Stellar Sound
One of the hallmarks of the Prism Sound brand has been exceptionally transparent A/D and D/A converters. Products in the company’s recent USB interface...
March 2014
March 2014 WELCOME March 2014 Editor’s Note: The Middle Child Mar 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny While the four mastering engineers...
Bettermaker and Maag Audio: Two 500 Series EQs
Over the past two years, 500 Series preamps and processors have matured in design sophistication and sonics. Processors such as the Empirical Labs DocDerr,...
Solid State Logic Sigma: 16-Channel SuperAnalogue RackMixer for Your DAW
Solid State Logic’s Sigma Summing Engine is a remote-controllable 16-channel analog summing engine with a monitor section. It uses the same SuperAnalogue technology as...
February 2014
February 2014 WELCOME February 2014 Editor’s Note: Science and Emotion Feb 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny The best thing about being...
Focusrite Red 1 500 Series Preamp: Vertical Unit Brings Legacy Topology and Sonics
In a way, the Focusrite Red 1 500 Series Mic Pre is the modern return of the microphone preamp design and sound used in...
Apogee Quartet and One Audio Interfaces: USB Audio I/O for iPad and Mac
When it comes to digital audio hardware, there seem to be two different classes: devices offering the most connections, features and best possible sample...
Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 Preamp: 500 Series Unit With the “Rupert” Touch
Rupert Neve Designs has produced a number of signature products that bring Mr. Neve’s touch to the modern age of recording. While the price...
January 2014
January 2014 WELCOME January 2014 Editor’s Note: We’re All Lucky to Be Here Jan 1, 2014 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny Back when...
Classic Track – New Riders of the Purple Sage, ‘Dirty Business’
After psychedelic music had its heyday in the late 1960s, many musicians decided to take a trip sideways down country roads. The Flying Burrito...
Grace Design m905 Reference Monitor Controller: Stereo Unit With LCD Display, Remote and USB Interface
When I first began making records, I quickly came to the understanding that everything in the signal path contributed to the quality of my...
Warm Audio TB12 ToneBeast: Versatile, Great-Sounding, High-Gain Preamp
Getting a signature sound isn’t achieved by simply running audio through an old Neve or API console; it comes from variations of cranking up...