Plug-ins
Brainworx bx_limiter True Peak – A Mix Real-World Review
Our reviewer finds that Brainworx's latest plug-in features a wealth of control and fine-tuning options.
Rob is a journalist, producer/engineer, musician and songwriter who started with Pro Audio Review magazine in 2007, moved with PAR to Pro Sound News in 2015 and in turn moved to Mix with PSN. Rob opened Catalyst Recording in 1993, focusing on mobile recording, winning two Emmy’s along the way towards becoming an audio Jack-of-all-trades; mixing FOH and monitors, broadcast TV A1 and A2, mixing live sporting events, mixing theatre, chief engineer at the nation's top (Fortune 500) karaoke production studio, recording/mixing radio commercials, scoring film, mastering, teaching college-level audio courses, producing audio books and mixing streams/podcasts. Today Rob mostly records/produces/remixes musical artists across the spectrum and does lots of web-based mixing and mastering (Mac, smart-plugs and analog-summing, fwiw).
Microphones
Austrian Audio OD5, OC7 and OC16 – A Mix Real-World Review
Recording pro Rob Tavaglione put a trio of Austrian Audio's latest mics to the test for his latest Real-World Review.
Monitors
SPL MTC Mk2 Monitor Controller – A Mix Real-World Review
Studio owner Rob Tavaglione spent months working with the SPL MTC Mk2 Monitor Controller for this Mix Real-World Review.
Reviews
Lalal.ai Source Separation – A Mix Real-World Review
Some may find it more useful than others, but the Lalal.ai web-based ‘un-mixing’ stem-splitting service keeps getting better—here's why.
Plug-ins
MAAT FiDef JENtwo – A Real-World Review
Studio pro Rob Tavaglione puts the psychoacoustic process of the new MAAT FiDef JENtwo stand-alone plug-in to the test.
Plug-ins
Youlean Loudness Meter 2 – A Real-World Review
Many free plug-ins only get half the job done, but reviewer Rob Tavaglione discovers the Youlean Loudness Meter 2 plug-in hits the target.
Microphones
PreSonus DM-7 Drum Mic Set – A Real-World Review
Reviewer Rob Tavaglione finds the DM-7 set to be "a steal, as I fully expected it to cost double that and still be a...
Microphones
Vanguard Audio Labs V13 gen2 Microphone – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer/studio owner Rob Tavaglione discovers "the V13 gen2 checks all the boxes of performance, affordability and quality" in this Real-World Review.
Reviews
Flare Calmer Earplugs – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione pops some Flare Calmer earplugs in and gives them a post-mix session test drive.
Plug-ins
Mastering the Mix’s Reso Plug-In – A Real-World Review
Mastering the Mix’s Reso Plug-In Offers a Clean, Intelligent Approach to Problem Resonances.
Reviews
Sound Anchors ADJ2 Speaker Stands – A Real-World Review
Studio owner Rob Tavaglione takes on Sound Anchors' ADJ2 Speaker Stands in this Real-World Review.
Reviews
Real-World Review: Argosy HaloK Workstation, Rack ’n Roll and Spire 360 Xi Speaker Stands
Studio owner Rob Tavaglione recently updated his facility, Catalyst Recording, with a new desk, rolling rack and speaker stands from Argosy. Here's how it...
Microphones
Austrian Audio CC8 Microphone — A Real-World Review
Mix's review team put the new Austrian Audio CC8 small-diaphragm condenser microphone to the test.
Plug-ins
SIR Audio Tools StandardCLIP Plug-in – A Real-World Review
Our review team put the SIR Audio Tools StandardCLIP Plug-in to the test and came away impressed—here's why.
Outboard-Gear
Sterling SHA4 Headphone Amplifier – A Real-World Review
Reviewer Rob Tavaglione finds that despite mostly typical features, the Sterling Audio SHA4 headphone amp has some cool design quirks.
Plug-ins
Baby Audio Smooth Operator – A Real-World Review
Reviewer Rob Tavaglione says the Baby Audio Smooth Operator plug-in makes makes dramatic tonal variations easily possible.
Microphones
Lauten Audio LS-308 – A Real-World Review
Studio owner/producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione put a trio of Lauten Audio LS-308 condenser mics to the test and found them to be versatile problem solvers.
Product Reviews
JZ Microphones BB29 Condenser Mic – A Real-World Review
Studio owner/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts the new BB29 Condenser Mic from JZ Microphones through the paces and finds it's a winner.
Product Reviews
SSL VHD 500 Series Mic Preamp – A Real-World Review
The VHD 500 Series Microphone Preamp provides users with an affordable way to achieve that classic SSL sound.
Gear and Technology
Repairing Spoken-Word Recordings with iZotope Rx 8 Advanced – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione explains how he repairs spoken-word recordings with iZotope Rx 8 Advanced in this real-world review.
Product Reviews
BABY Audio Parallel Aggressor Plug-In—A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione put the BABY Audio Parallel Aggressor Plug-In to the test and found it was a winner.
Product Reviews
Shure Beta91A Condenser Boundary Microphone – A Real-World Review
Revered as kick drum mics par excellence, Shure Beta91 and Shure Beta91A microphones go head-to-head for a side-by-side and sound-by-sound comparison.
Product Reviews
Austrian Audio Hi-X50 and Hi-X55 Headphones – A Real-World Review
Producer/studio owner Rob Tavaglione puts Austrian Audio's top headphone models - the Hi-X50 and Hi-X55 - to the test to see how they fare...
Blog
How to Choose Your Next Studio Microphone – The Complete Guide
Whether you're looking for your first 'really nice' microphone or expanding your mic locker, here's PSN's guide to the five 'must have' categories, the...
Product Reviews
Dirac Live Room Calibration/Correction – A Real-World Review
Purpose-built rooms with ideal acoustic treatments may not need room correction software, but all the rest do. Producer/studio owner Rob Tavaglione takes a look...
Blog
Can a Neumann TLM 103 or AKG C 451 EB Mic Record an Entire Band?
If these two proven, classic condenser mics were the only choices, could they mic a whole band? How do they directly compare to each...
Product Reviews
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs – A Real-World Review
Having tried many models of earplugs over the last 20 years, reviewer Rob Tavaglione says that for applications where audio fidelity is crucial, he...
Product Reviews
Revive Audio ART VLA Custom Modification – A Real-World Review
Rob Tavaglione tried out Revive Audio’s mail-in modification service on an ART Pro VLA compressor and was impressed with the results, noting, “In many...
Product Reviews
Maat thEQblue 12 – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts the Maat thEQblue 12 parametric stereo equalizer plug-in to the test and declares it may be the best of its...
Product Reviews
Austrian Audio OC818 Microphone – A Real-World Review
Reviewer Rob Tavaglione finds Austrian Audio has put out a new microphone that combines the best of the old with a healthy dose of...
Product Reviews
Audio-Technica ATH-M Series Headphone Ear Pads – A Real-World Review
Several options are available for replacing the ear pads on Audio-Technica's ATH-M50x professional monitor headphones.
Product Reviews
Newfangled Audio Elevate Bundle – A Real-World Review
Rob Tavaglione evaluates the Elevate Bundle, a package that consists of the component pieces of the Elevate Mastering Limiter (Punctuate, Saturate and Equivocate) as...
Product Reviews
AKG K275 and K371 Headphones – A Real-World Review
Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts his favorite AKG headphones aside to put the company’s new K275 and K371 Headphones to the test inside his recording...
Product Reviews
Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Mic Amp – A Real-World Review
"Once I read their claims...my curiosity was piqued." Rob Tavaglione checks out the Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Mic Amp and calls it "a game-changer."
Product Reviews
KRK Audio Tools App – A Real-World Review
By Rob Tavaglione. Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione tries out KRK’s new smartphone app for setting up any studio monitors, including the company’s new G4 ROKITs.
Product Reviews
sE Electronics V Pack Arena Drum Mic Kit – A Real-World Review
The sE Electronics V Pack Arena Drum Mic Kit delivers a punchy, mids-heavy rock sound that would be great with really loud bands.
Product Reviews
Vanguard Audio Labs V1S+LOLLI Mic System – A Real-World Review
Vanguard Labs’ V1S+LOLLI studio microphone kit offers a full palette of mic options that are readily available and easy to implement.
Product Reviews
KRK ROKIT8 G4 Monitors – A Real-World Review
What do you do for an encore if you’ve already got the best-selling line of monitors in the world? Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts KRK's...
Product Reviews
Aston Stealth Microphone – A Real-World Review
By Rob Tavaglione. Producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts Aston Microphones' latest model through the paces and finds the Stealth is ready to make its presence...
Product Reviews
Focal Trio11 Be Monitors – A Real-World Review
By Rob Tavaglione. Never a fan of Focal’s SM9 studio monitors, longtime PSN reviewer producer/engineer Rob Tavaglione puts the company’s new Trio11 Be monitors...
Product Reviews
KEF LSX Monitors – A Real-World Review
By Rob Tavaglione. New LSX monitors from KEF aim squarely at the intersection between pro and consumer and satisfies both camps with app-driven operation,...
Product Reviews
Wilkinson Audio DeBleeder – A Real-World Review
By Rob Tavaglione. This plug-in intelligently suppresses drum bleed and leakage from close mics while retaining the drum's natural decay. It requires a bit...