Phil O'Keefe

Harmony Central has been publishing Expert Reviews for some time, and occasionally we’re asked various questions about the process. We thought that it was time for an article that describes exactly what goes into them and how they’re done. We know that some of you have questions about the process, and that’s what we hope to answer here. How do you decide on what gear to review? This is where the process starts. Like you, our reviewers are all musicians, recording engineers, live sound technicians and/or otherwise deeply involved in the world of music and gear; usually with many years of professional-level experience. And like most musicians, we have our ears to the ground about exciting new announcements in the musical gear world. In fact, we have a better overview of what’s coming out than most musicians. Not only do we attend trade shows like NAMM and AES where new gear is often revealed for the first time, we also get new product announcements sent to us on a regular basis, which we pass along to you (our readers) via our site’s front page and Harmony Central News, which is updated every non-holiday weekday. We even occasionally get press releases in advance of their publication date. Such “embargoed” press releases are held in confidence until the product’s official announcement date, but the point is that we often hear about cool new things that are coming out before the general public does. Anything that catches our eye or sparks our interest is a likely review candidate. We then reach out to the product manufacturer or their marketing reps and request a review unit loaner. Sometimes the company will contact us directly and ask if we’d be interested in reviewing a new product. As with any other item, we consider its potential coolness factor - if it’s not something we’re interested in, or more importantly, if it’s not something that we think our readers will be interested in, we pass on it - after all, there’s a lot of gear released every year, and we can’t possibly cover everything, so we try to stick with things that are potentially cool and that people will want to learn more about. Why waste time and editorial space reviewing uninteresting junk, right? We figure you’re more interested in reading about the cool stuff, and the word will quickly get around about the really dreadful stuff anyway. The review begins with research Research? Yes. We consider not only the gear under review, but also what else is available in the same basic product category. While a lot of this relies on our past individual experiences, we can’t count on that for everything, so we check to see what other products are out there that may be similar or competing products. We also check into what musicians are currently saying and the questions they’re asking - are they expressing a need for something like the new product that we’re going to be covering? If the product has already been announced to the public, how’s the street buzz? What questions are people asking about it? What are they most interested in finding out about the new product? That’s all information that we’re going to want to make sure we cover in the course of our review. We also consider what the manufacturer has to say about the product in their marketing materials. Claims that they make are something we take note of, because whenever possible, those claims are something we need to check and verify for ourselves in the course of the review. So the gear arrives - then what? Once the gear is shipped to us for evaluation, we get to work. A good review will need images to illustrate various aspects of the product that we want to point out, and features that it has. Sometimes we can just use professionally-shot product photos that are provided by the manufacturer, but in many cases we’ll take photos ourselves. Measurements are also taken. No, we don’t just trust the manufacturer’s specs - whenever possible, we verify them, and occasionally we even find errors in them. If we do, we point them out to the manufacturer, which occasionally results in them updating their website and advertising materials, even before the review is published. We look for flaws - in appearance, in performance, in unmet expectations. We compare the product not only to similar products, but also to the claims that the manufacturer made about it in the release announcement and in their marketing materials. Anything that doesn’t quite live up to the manufacturer’s claims is something we want to make note of and mention in the review. While we normally won’t compare a $500 guitar to one that sells for $5,000, if the manufacturer is making claims that it’s just as good as the more expensive model, that’s fair game - we’re going to look into it, and if it doesn’t measure up, we’ll tell you. We heavily test the product - often in real-world situations, such as during live performances, on recording sessions, and also by just playing around with it at home. We don’t just play it for five minutes and make an evaluation - we work with products that are under review for a considerable amount of time in order to really get to know the product - its strengths and its limitations - and in the process, we develop our opinions. And let’s face it - reviews involve a considerable amount of personal opinion, but we strive to make those educated opinions that are based on the facts. We also try to clearly delineate between facts and the reviewer’s personal preferences and opinions. For example, I prefer guitars with slimmer necks, but I understand that many players prefer a beefier neck profile. I won't criticize a product for not matching my personal preferences, but I will note the neck profile details and let you decide whether or not it might be of interest to you. Do all of your reviews follow the same format? No, not all of them, although many do. The format of most of our reviews starts out with an (untitled) Introduction section. We’ll often give a bit of background here, whether it be historical information about similar products, the people behind the product under review, or information about how the product idea came about and what the manufacturer wanted to achieve by developing and releasing it. The next section is often titled “What You Need To Know.” This is where we try to provide all of the important information about the product. We not only cover the specific features and specifications, but you’ll also often find relevant comments about specific features and capabilities in this section too. We also include a “Limitations” section. This is where any limitations on the product’s usefulness for its intended purpose will be mentioned, as well as any areas of concern that might pose a problem for you, the potential purchaser. In the Conclusions section, we wrap everything up, and discuss our overall impressions of the item under review. While reading the complete review will give you the fullest picture of what the product is all about, if you’re in a hurry, it’s okay to skip down to the conclusions for the quick synopsis. We also include a Resources section. Here’s where you’ll find the price for the item, as well as links to the manufacturer’s web page for the product. We also include links to various retailers who carry the product in case you’re interested in purchasing it. You’ll also often find video demonstrations of the product that either describe its features, demo its sound, or both. And there will often be a link to a forum discussion thread, where you can go to read opinions from others who own the product, as well as serving as a place where you can post your own thoughts, or even ask questions you may have about the product under review. Do you get to keep the review units? In most cases, the answer is no. We request a return shipping label from the manufacturer, pack the item back in the shipping box it arrived in, and off it goes, back to where it came from. In some cases, we are allowed to keep the review unit - that’s usually for “disposable” items like strings, or personal-use items such as ear plugs. Software is usually provided with a NFR (not for resale) license. Occasionally a manufacturer will decide that it’s more trouble than its worth to restock the item, and despite multiple requests for return tags, they aren’t provided. In those cases, we’ll hang on to the review unit, but keep it ready to return as soon as we do receive those tags - in rare cases, that can sometimes take a year, or even two. Storing review units can sometimes become an issue for reviewers in those cases. What if you really like the review unit? Can you purchase it? In many cases, a reviewer will really bond with an instrument or other product under review and decide that they want to buy it. Many manufacturers will accommodate purchase requests and allow the reviewer to purchase the review unit (often at a discounted price, since it can no longer be sold as a new unit after being extensively used in the course of a review), although in some cases they may not be willing to sell the review unit. This happens most often with brand new products that are in limited supply that the manufacturer might need to have returned as soon as possible so they can pass it along to the next product reviewer at another publication. Does Harmony Central tie reviews to ad purchases? No. A company doesn’t have to advertise with Harmony Central in order for their product to be reviewed. While this isn't a universal policy in the music gear reviewing world, it's the only policy that we feel we can support. What about Harmony Central’s ownership? Is it true that HC is owner by Gibson? While it’s true that Harmony Central is a Gibson brand, and is wholly owned by Gibson, our instructions are to run the website in an editorially-neutral manner. We take that responsibility extremely seriously - from the forums to our reviews, we don’t take sides, and we don’t promote any company over any other, or at the expense of other companies. Our first and foremost responsibility is to you, our readers, and we do our best to make all reviews fair and impartial, regardless of who made the product. When reviewing products from another Gibson brand, we make sure to state that HC is also a Gibson brand in the interest of full disclosure. Where can I go to check out the Harmony Central Expert Reviews? The latest ones are posted on the front page of the site, and you can find the Expert Reviews section, with the entire collection of HC Expert Reviews, right here. What if I have a product I’d like to have reviewed, or have questions that were not covered in this article? We welcome review requests, and are always happy to answer questions from our readers. For submitting new product announcements and review requests, please email news@harmonycentral.com. For questions or comments about this article and our review process, please feel free to post them in this thread in the Sound, Stage and Studio forum. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

A tribute to a legend Humbucking pickups. We take them for granted now, but before they first started appearing in guitars in the mid to late 1950s, guitarists had no choice but to deal with the hum and noise issues that come along with single coil pickups. While there is some debate over who was first to release a humbucking guitar pickup commercially, there’s no doubt that the famous “P.A.F.” was one of, if not the first humbucking pickup widely available to the public. Designed by Seth Lover for Gibson (and it should be mentioned here that Harmony Central is a Gibson brand), it has become the pickup design that defines what a great humbucking pickup is in the minds of many guitarists. Today, a pair of vintage examples can command a five-figure price tag, so it’s no wonder that a variety of modern pickup manufacturers have released their own products that take their inspiration from the legendary originals. This review takes a closer look at one example - the Sheptone Tribute humbuckers. What You Need To Know Sheptone winds pickups in a variety of formats, with a wide range of options available. Whether you are looking for traditional humbuckers, more modern high-gain humbuckers, single coils - Sheptone has something for you. For this review, I was sent a pair of their original Tribute pickups. For testing, they were installed into a 1996 limited edition Epiphone Les Paul that has otherwise remained in its stock configuration since it was originally purchased. The Sheptone Tribute pickups are modeled after the 1957-1961 long magnet Gibson “Patent Applied For” (P.A.F.) pickups that are a big part of the tonal magic of vintage Les Paul guitars, and that remain highly prized by players and collectors. Sheptone has analyzed hundreds of pickups to determine what makes them sound the way they do, and uses their own winding process and carefully selected materials that are designed to reproduce the sound of those classic vintage pickups. The pickups arrived in a standard USPS Priority Mail shipping box, and were individually wrapped in bubble wrap. There’s no fancy packaging here… but since you’re only going to throw it in the trash anyway, I’m okay with this more environmentally responsible approach to packaging. The pickups are wrapped using 42 AWG plain enamel wire, which is what you’ll find in vintage PAF pickups. Yes, they’re scatter-wound. Rough finished, degaussed AlNiCo V magnets are used in the Tribute pickups. Various different types of AlNiCo magnets were used in the vintage originals depending on what was available, including AlNiCo V. For fans of Peter Green, the pickups can be ordered with one magnet in the set reversed for that classic “out of phase” sound. The review pickups have two-conductor wire and use a braided shield, but the Sheptone Tributes can be ordered with four-conductor wiring for use in guitars that are equipped with coil tap switches, or for those who want to explore alternate series / parallel wiring configurations. The Sheptone Tribute pickups also come with a set of mounting screws and springs. The bottom of each pickup is marked with a permanent marker to indicate the position in the guitar it was intended for - the TB stands for “Tribute - Bridge”, while the pickup marked TN is intended to be installed in the neck position. They also carry a stamped “Sheptone” moniker. DC resistance for the two review pickups measured 8.24K (bridge) and 7.8K (neck), but this can vary slightly from set to set - the Sheptone Tributes are wound based on the number of turns of wire, and not based on DC resistance measurements. Pole spacing is the same as on the pickups the Tributes are based on - it’s 49.2mm in total, from the center of the low E to high E pole pieces. The baseplate mounting “feet” or "legs" of the Tributes are the long style, which fit into my guitar just fine and with no modifications, but the short style is also available as an option if you need it. While the Tribute pickups under review came with shiny nickel covers installed, you can also order them without the covers, or with gold covers or even aged nickel covers. You can also specify your choice of black bobbins for both coils, or “zebra” (one black, one cream) or reverse zebra coil combinations. Speaking of bobbins, the Sheptone Tribute pickups use butyrate bobbins that are molded using original PAF bobbin dimensions, which differ from the bobbins many other companies use. A minor difference, but it’s careful attention to details like this that Sheptone believes makes all the difference in the overall sound of the pickups. Wax potting is not usually done on the Sheptone Tribute humbucking pickups (but is available as an option for a slight extra charge), but even when running them into a variety of different dimed tube amps from Marshall, Supro, Vox and Fender, and also in combination with various maxed-out dirt pedals, microphonic squeal was never an issue, while obtaining loads of controllable feedback was a breeze. This put a big grin on my face, and when you try it, you’ll be smiling too. Even when running with loads of gain and distortion, the tone remains clear and notes are well defined, even when playing complex chords. Sheptone pickups are covered against manufacturing defects by a one year replacement warranty. Limitations If you’re looking for super-hot pickups, then these are not for you; however, Sheptone does offer other pickups, including models with much higher output. And that’s one of the limitations of pickup swaps - you really have to try a few in order to learn what you like. No single pickup is right for everything, or for every player. Sound clips are available on the Sheptone Tribute product page (see link below) to give you a better idea of what they sound like, which can definitely help you narrow things down to what might work best for you. There’s no Patent Applied For sticker on the bottom, which may turn off vintage purists, but a replica sticker is available as an extra-cost option. Depending on their current workload, there may be a slight waiting period between when you order and when your pickups are wound and shipped to you; buying from a dealer’s stock can eliminate this, but also will limit your option selections to whatever they happen to have in stock. Conclusions It’s obvious that a lot of thought and care went into the manufacture of these pickups. The build quality is first-rate. More importantly, I really like the sound of the Sheptone Tribute pickups. They’re a significant improvement over the stock humbuckers that came installed in my 1996 Epiphone Les Paul. They’re beefier, warmer and fuller sounding, without the sometimes too shrill sounding high frequencies of the stock pickups. That’s not to say that they lack high frequencies or that they are muddy sounding - rather, they have just the right amount of shimmer and sparkle, are rich in harmonics, and the combination results in a very balanced humbucker sound. Sustain is also noticeably improved compared to the stock pickups. With a wide range of user-selectable options, Sheptone pickups can be made to suit your own individual preferences in terms of wiring, baseplate feet length, bobbin colors, and covers. While these are not original P.A.F. pickups, you won’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a set of them either, and they are comparable to other premium aftermarket pickups in both sound and build quality. If you’re looking for a reasonably affordable set of humbuckers that will give your guitar a more vintage type sound, the Sheptone Tribute pickups are well worth considering. -HC- Want to discuss the Sheptone Tribute pickups or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Electric Guitar forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Sheptone Tribute Humbucker pickups ($249.00 - $279.00 "street" for a set of two pickups - some options will increase the price somewhat) Sheptone product web page https://www.sheptone.com/collections/humbuckers/products/sheptone-humbuckers-tribute-set You can purchase the Sheptone Tribute Humbuckers from: Sheptone Guitar Center Musician's Friend _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Something new in vintage-style strings P.K. Pandey had a problem. As a recording engineer and A/V systems design/build engineer, he had spent over 25 years seeking impeccable tone, and while he never intended to become a string manufacturer, he couldn’t find strings on the market that reproduced the sound and feel of the vintage strings from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s that he remembered using in his youth. So he began a three year process of experimentation and development that led to the creation of just the right formula of quality materials and meticulous manufacturing processes that resulted in strings that satisfied not only himself, but some rather famous guitar-playing friends that he had shared them with. Their enthusiastic response led to him changing his mind about selling strings to the public and putting the strings on the market, and SonoTone was born. What You Need To Know SonoTone is a small-batch manufacturer of strings - their strings are not made in mass-market, large-batch quantities. SonoTone Vintage strings are made with premium materials. The strings are designed to improve fidelity and resonance, while also improving tactile response and playing feel. An extensive three year experimentation and testing process that examined different metals, amalgams and manufacturing techniques was used to determine the ideal materials and manufacturing methods used for SonoTone strings. SonoTone hand-winds their strings, and all of their products are made in the USA. The wrap used for SonoTone Vintage strings is pure nickel. The SonoTone Vintage strings use a hex core. As a result of their stringent development process and manufacturing techniques, and the high quality materials that are used, longevity is increased and breakage greatly reduced compared to many other strings. The SonoTone Vintage Strings are available in multiple gauges, including 0.009-0.042, 0.010-0.046, 0.10-0.52, and 0.011-0.048 sets. For review, I was sent one set of light gauge (0.010 / 0.013 / 0.017 / 0.026W / 0.036 / 0.046) strings. These were installed on one of my personal Les Pauls. I’ve been playing them hard and regularly for quite a while now, and they still sound and feel terrific. Many sound demo examples are available for you to check out on the SonoTone website, but ultimately you need to try a set out for yourself on one of your own instruments to get a clearer idea of what they’re all about. SonoTone also offers their Vintage Strings in bass sets, which retail for $69.99. They also offer strings in a variety of gauges for acoustic guitars too. Limitations They’re marketed as “premium strings” and they carry a premium price tag, making them more expensive compared to most traditional string brands. Conclusions I think that the most significant challenge facing the folks at SonoTone is going to be convincing guitarists to give a pack of their strings a try for themselves. Based on the price, many will probably continue to opt for “what they’ve always used”, and that’s unfortunate because these strings really do seem to be a cut above typical, ordinary strings. Of course, endorsements from high-profile players like Joe Perry and Jeff Beck probably won’t hurt. While I’d want to try them in the summertime to see how they do under the harshest conditions (my body chemistry is famous for killing strings quickly when it’s hot and I’m sweating a lot), they have lasted noticeably longer for me than ordinary strings typically do, and without the prophylactic feel of coated strings. Furthermore, their playing feel is excellent and the tone is also quite impressive, with a clear, harmonically-rich, lively, strong and punchy sound that I found very appealing. Does all of that make them worth the higher price? Only you can decide that for yourself, but for those who want the best that they can get, and who feel price is a secondary consideration to sound quality and playing feel, auditioning a set of SonoTone Vintage strings is highly recommended. -HC- Want to discuss the SonoTone Vintage Strings or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Electric Guitar forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources SonoTone Vintage Strings ($18.99 "street" per pack) SonoTone’s product web page You can purchase SonoTone Vintage Strings from: SonoTone Amazon _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Yes, it actually uses a real tube… There are a lot of dirt pedals out there that attempt to emulate the sound of tubes that are being driven hard, and even some that use the word “tube” in their product names, but there really aren’t all that many overdrives and distortion pedals that use an actual tube in their circuitry. Sure, there are a few, but they’re rather rare. So when Fender first announced the MTG Tube Distortion pedal, I wondered if it was just another distortion pedal that emulated what a tube can bring to the table. However, it turns out that this pedal actually does use a real tube. Let’s take a closer look and see what else it has to offer. What You Need To Know Designed in cooperation with amp legend Bruce Egnater (of Egnater Amplifiers), the Fender MTG Tube Distortion was designed in California and is manufactured in China. Don’t let the name fool you - while it’s definitely capable of moderate gain distortion tones, it’s equally capable of producing less intense, overdrive-type sounds too. The Fender MTG Tube Distortion pedal uses an actual vacuum tube - specifically, a NOS 6205 tube. This is a military-grade “subminiature” type tube that was originally developed for use in military applications, such as missile guidance systems. They’re designed to handle extreme vibration, shock, and high temperature conditions that would destroy lesser tube types. Similar subminiature tubes are sometimes used in microphones and other musical electronics, and they’re highly regarded. 6205 tubes are significantly smaller than the preamp tubes (like the ones often found in guitar amps) that you’re probably familiar with, and unlike the typical 12AX7, they are not mounted into sockets, but instead, their 8 long, transistor-like wire leads are soldered directly to the board. Because of that, they’re not as readily replaceable as socket-mounted tubes, but because of their ruggedness and exceptionally long life, you probably won’t ever need to swap one out. However, they remain readily available due to the huge stockpiles of them that were created for the military, so in the unlikely event you need to have your pedal serviced, parts shouldn’t be hard to find, or expensive. Housed in a copper-ish colored anodized aluminum housing that measures 3.75” W x 4.9” D x 1.75” H, the Fender MTG Tube Distortion pedal weighs 1.2 pounds. All of the graphics and control labels are done in white silkscreen. All eight of the pedal’s control knobs feature blue lighted LED indicators, so it’s super easy to see your settings, even on a dark stage. The LED indicators can be turned off with a rear panel mounted switch. Also on the rear panel, you’ll find the power input jack. No power supply is included with the pedal, and the MTG Tube Distortion requires a fairly hefty 9V DC regulated power supply that can provide at least 290mA. The power jack uses the industry-standard 5.5mm x 2.1mm plug format, and is wired center-negative, so it’s compatible with a wide range of third-party power supplies. Just make sure yours provides enough current - it takes more than a little bit to fire up that tube! The 1/4” input and output jacks are mounted on the sides of the pedal. Input impedance is 500 kOhm, and the output load is >10 kOhm. The input and output jacks are offset, so that when using two pedals from the new Fender line together, the output of one doesn’t get in the way of the input jack of the next pedal. The controls and their layout are straight ahead and super-easy to figure out. The top row contains four EQ controls, with Treble, Middle and Bass controls, along with a fourth knob labeled “Tight.” The three traditional EQ controls are “flat” when they’re at the 12 o’clock position, and each is capable of boosting or cutting; they provide quite a bit of tonal control and allow you to shape the overall sound of the distortion to your preferences. The Tight control works on the low end, and tightens it up as you turn it higher, which can be very helpful in keeping high gain tones from becoming overly muddy or flabby sounding. The second row of knobs features a Level control for setting the overall output level of the pedal, as well as a Gain control for dialing up the amount of distortion you want. The available range is fairly broad, and the MTG is capable of serving up lower-gain overdrive tones too, as well as higher-gain distortion sounds. There’s also plenty of output available, so you can easily exceed unity gain and use the pedal to drive the input of your tube amp harder if you’d like. The two inner knobs on this row control the MTG Tube Distortion’s onboard Boost. The Level control here adjusts the output volume of the boost, while the Boost control sets the amount of added gain, allowing for louder and/or more distorted tones when the Boost circuit is engaged. This makes it very useful for getting a second, footswitchable level of dirt, and as a lead / solo boost. It’s almost like having a second, footswitchable channel, although both share the same EQ. The Bypass switching is true bypass. A second footswitch on the lower right of the pedal is included to turn the onboard Boost feature on or off, and a second, smaller LED located in between the Boost Level and Boost knobs illuminates when the Boost circuit is active. On / off status is shown with a slightly smaller, but otherwise amp-like jewel lamp located in the center of the pedal. Unlike many of the pedals in Fender’s otherwise excellent new line of pedals, the orange-colored amp jewel style on/off indicator is not nearly as bright - and that’s a good thing, since some of the pedals in their current lineup have indicators that are almost comically bright. This one is bright enough to be easily seen without blinding you. Limitations As mentioned previously the tube is not something that the user can easily swap, but due to the type of tube that Fender decided to use, you probably won’t ever need to. It’s also nice to know that 6205 tubes remain easily obtainable and affordable in the event the pedal ever does need servicing. The MTG Tube Distortion is adapter-powered only, and can not be battery powered. The boost section of the MTG Tube Distortion can not be used separately - it only functions as an addition to the main overdrive / distortion circuit, and can only be used when it’s active. Conclusions For this pedal, Fender hasn’t just utilized their own considerable in-house design talents - the MTG Tube Distortion was created in collaboration with tube amp designer Bruce Egnater. The teamwork paid off, and their combined efforts have resulted in a true tube-based dirt pedal with plenty of attitude. Fender’s latest lineup of effects pedals is by far the best collection of effects that they’ve offered in their long history, and in this reviewer’s opinion the MTG Tube Distortion is one of the stars of the series. It has most of the other cool features of the line, such as the illuminated control knobs, cool jewel style power indicator (that’s also thankfully, less annoyingly bright than some of the other pedals), and rugged anodized aluminum case. Unfortunately (but understandably, for a tube-equipped pedal) it can’t be battery powered, so it’s missing the cool front-panel hinged battery compartment of some of its stablemates, and you’ll need to provide your own power adapter. I do wish that the boost section could be used independently, but that’s a relatively minor complaint. It does provide a nice level increase for solos, or can be used to give you even more grit when the occasion calls for it. Ultimately, a distortion pedal lives or dies mainly by how reliable it is, and most importantly by how good it sounds. With the choice of a long-lasting Mil-spec tube, Fender not only took tube replacement worries away from the user, but also helped to insure long-term reliability too. While a lot of pedals try to simulate the sound of tube saturation, the Fender MTG uses the real thing, and the sonic results are undeniable - this is a great sounding overdrive / distortion pedal! -HC- Want to discuss the Fender MTG Tube Distortion pedal or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Effects forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Fender MTG Tube Distortion Pedal ($199.99 "street") Fender’s product web page You can purchase the Fender MTG Tube Distortion pedal from: Sweetwater Guitar Center Musician's Friend Fender _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Looks like a broadcast mic, but looks don’t always tell the whole story… When it comes to large diaphragm condenser microphones, the vast majority are side-address designs. In other words, you sing into the side of the head basket, and not into the “end” of it, like you would do with most dynamic and live performance mics. While there are a lot of end address condenser mics on the market, most end-address style condensers tend to be small diaphragm models, and larger mics with end address designs are most often dynamic mics. But that’s certainly not a hard and fast rule. In the case of the Lauten Audio LS-208, if you’re thinking it looks like a large diaphragm dynamic mic, or like a side address large diaphragm condenser, things are not quite as they may first appear. What You Need To Know The Lauten Audio LS-208 is part of the new Synergy series, which currently consists of two models - the LS-208 and the LS-308 (stay tuned - we’ll have a review of the LS-308 shortly). Built into in a matte black metal housing that measures 7.5” long by 1.98” in diameter, the Lauten Audio LS-208 weighs 1.05 pounds, and 1.3 or 1.75 pounds with either the hard mount or shock mount attached , so it’s not an undue weight burden on a decent mic stand. While somewhat smaller in both length and diameter, and significantly lighter in overall weight, the look of the LS-208 reminds me a bit of a legendary large diaphragm dynamic mic that’s long been a broadcast staple, but internally the LS-208 is significantly different. For starters, this is a true pressure gradient condenser mic that uses a 1” center-terminated capsule. You’ll need a 48V phantom power source (from an external power supply, mixing console or audio interface) to run it. The LS-208 uses a JFET transistor and a transformer-balanced output circuit design. The output impedance is >150 ohms. Just below the head basket assembly are two switches, each of which has three positions. One is a high-pass filter with off, 50Hz and 120Hz settings. While high-pass filters are not uncommon on condenser mics, ones with two different rolloff settings are a bit less common. What’s even less common is the low-pass filter - something that is Lauten Audio has become rather well-known for. In this case, you get both 8kHz and 10kHz options, which let you roll off some of the top end and take the edge off of overly bright sound sources. The rated 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response is of course dependent on how you have those two switches set. When both are in their off or bypassed positions the LS-208 has a wide frequency response range that is generally quite flat overall, with a very small bump near 60Hz, and a couple of slightly more pronounced presence peaks in the 7kHz and 12.5kHz regions. Dynamic range is equally impressive - the LS-208 boasts 120dB dynamic range, and relatively low self-noise (<15dB A-weighted) too, so whether you’re recording a very loud sound source or one that is soft one minute and loud the next, the LS-208 is ready to handle the task. The Lauten Audio LS-208 has very impressive high SPL handling capabilities - you don’t need a pad with this mic, even when hitting it with upwards of 135dB SPL! Close-miked drums, guitar and bass amps, screaming vocalists - the LS-208 can handle all of them without flinching. Being an end-address design, there’s really no “front side”, but a raised red and silver Lauten logo badge is mounted on the side of the microphone, and the manufacturer’s name and the mic’s model number are engraved in white lettering above and below the badge, respectively. Two different stand mounts are included a hard mount, and a yoke-style shock mount. The hard mount can be adjusted over 180 degrees, and has a somewhat long lever for locking it down that’s really effective - I prefer that over the smaller knobs that are found on many stand mounts. The shock mount is fairly small as such things go, which is a big plus when you’re trying to place the mic in tight quarters. Even on a kick drum with a modest-sized hole in the front head, I was able to insert the mic as far as I wanted to, even while using the shock mount. The mount itself is 4.5” wide at its widest point, which is at the adjustment knobs on the yoke. Regardless of which one of the two stand mounts you use, they both attach to the mic in the same way - with a threaded nut on the mount that attaches to threads on the mic that surround the XLR output jack. The front head grille of the LS-208 is a bit different than a lot of other condenser mics. There’s a domed outer grille and a second, finer-meshed domed grille about a half inch behind that, followed by the capsule. Then behind the capsule is an open area that’s about an inch long, then the main body of the mic. Looking at the mic from the side, you can see that a large part of the area covered by the grille sits behind the capsule, and is basically empty space. The dual mesh grilles do a reasonably good job of keeping plosives and breath noises down, although for critical recordings, I’d still recommend using an external pop filter or a foam windscreen just to be on the safe side. Speaking of which, a nice form-fitting foam windscreen is included with the mic. Also included is a very nice hard foam-lined camera style carrying case with cutout areas for the mic and all of the accessories. Limitations The engraved labels for the high and low-pass switches are painted the same color as the mic body, making them a bit difficult to see in low-light conditions. It would be nice if they had white labels (like the brand and model name near the Lauten badge) to make them easier to see. Conclusions Since Lauten Audio is advertising the LS-208 as a mic that is well-suited for use for broadcast, voiceover work and podcasts, I tested it out on some spoken word recordings, and found it to be a more articulate sounding alternative to the old broadcast mic standard. While the mic is generally flat at six inches to a foot from the sound source, up close (3” or closer) it has a really attractive proximity boost in the low frequencies that can add weight and impact to spoken vocals - instant “announcer” voice! It also works equally well for sung vocals too. The cardioid polar pattern is very effective, and it is a bit “tighter” than what I was expecting, which helps out in multi-mic situations where you have more than one person speaking or need to keep the off-axis room sound of a less than acoustically ideal room in check. But this isn’t just a seriously good voiceover or vocal mic - and it is that - it also excels on instruments, especially high-SPL sound sources that might leave lesser mics begging for mercy. The tight polar pattern comes into play here too - the LS-208 is a really good option for when you have multiple players working together in one room, and helps to keep bleed under control. The rugged build quality suggests it would be equally appropriate for live use, where its excellent off-axis rejection would help to keep feedback at bay. The flexibility that the dual filters provides is undeniable. It really does allow you to tailor not only the low end (as you can commonly do with many other condenser mics that are equipped with high pass filters) but also lets you tame the high frequencies too, which can be very useful on a variety of otherwise overly-bright sound sources. It’s great to be able to tailor the mic to the sound source instead of having to reach for a different mic right away, and Lauten Audio is to be commended for including this rarely-seen feature on the LS-208. Whether you’re doing radio broadcasts, interviews for podcasts, going out on tour and expanding your live mic collection, tracking drums, guitars and horns, or laying down lead vocal tracks, you really should check out one of these surprisingly affordable, impressively versatile and cool sounding mics. -HC- Want to discuss the Lauten Audio LS-208 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Lauten Audio LS-208 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone ($899.00 MSRP, $599.00 "street") Lauten Audio’s product web page https://www.lautenaudio.com/ls-208 You can purchase the Lauten Audio LS-208 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone from: Sweetwater Vintage King Zen Pro Audio _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

A powerful mixer for stage and studio that can grow with your needs PreSonus is a name that should by now be familiar to just about everyone who works in pro audio. Currently celebrating their 24th year in business, this Louisiana-based company has released a wide range of products over the last quarter century - everything from mic preamps and outboard processors to computer audio interfaces, nearfield monitors, and even their own Studio One DAW. While I’ve owned a few of their products over the years, the one thing I had limited previous experience with was their line of StudioLive mixing consoles, so when I was offered an opportunity to borrow and test out one of the latest third-generation boards, I jumped at the chance. And I’m really glad I did, because this is a really cool system. What You Need To Know The StudioLive 32SC Series III is a 32 channel 32-bit floating point processor-equipped rack-mountable digital console with 40 mix channels and 26 mix busses that is powered by a dual-core FLEX DSP engine that provides a whopping 286 simultaneous processors. Measuring 17.59” W x 22.97” D x 6.51” H and weighing in at 23.15 lbs. the StudioLive 32SC packs a ton of mixing features into a relatively small and lightweight package. The construction is mostly metal, with some plastic. Weight is also kept down in part by the shape of the board, and the angled surface also makes it easier to see everything when you’re sitting in front of it. The board itself is equipped with 16 main inputs - 8 mic / line inputs on balanced combination XLR / 1/4” TRS jacks and 8 that are mic-only XLR inputs. The Class A XMAX preamps sound quite good for board preamps and offer up to 60dB of gain. They are transparent-sounding and quite clean over most of their range, although they do get a bit noisier in their highest 6 dB or so of their gain range. All the preamp settings of the board are completely storable and recallable. Other things you’ll find on the back panel include six assignable mix outputs on XLR jacks, as well as four additional ones on balanced 1/4” TRS jacks. A pair of balanced TRS 1/4” Monitor Out jacks for feeding your studio monitors are included, along with stereo Tape In and Out connectors on RCA jacks. There are also a pair of stereo Aux Inputs on 1/4” TRS jacks, as well as Mono Sum and stereo Main Outputs on XLR jacks. Both the Main and Mono Sum XLR outputs have small trim controls next to them to adjust their output levels. You also get a stereo digital output in AES format on an XLR connector. An additional XLR jack for a Talkback mic is also provided, and it supports mics that require 48V phantom power. A USB 2.0 connector, a network Control Ethernet connector and an Audio Network Ethernet connector for AVB networking are also located on the rear. An IEC power receptacle and power on/off switch are also mounted on the back panel. The 32SC can be powered by 100-230V at 50-60Hz, so it’s compatible with the electrical systems of most countries - all you need is a compatible IEC cable. A standard US-style IEC cable was included with the review unit. The user interface of the StudioLive 32SC Series III is bright and colorful, with back illumination on all the buttons. If you’re like me and like lots of lights, you’ll love it. The brightness level can be user-adjusted. The 32SC has 17 touch-sensitive, motorized 100mm faders. These can be used to access additional channels with the by now-familiar “bank” style buttons, which are labeled Prev(ious) and Next on the StudioLive Series III boards. These buttons also allow you to access the four stereo effects returns from the onboard effects processors (FX A - FX D), the two stereo Aux Inputs (Aux In A1 and A2), as well as the Tape In and even the Talkback assignments and configuration. In addition to the fader, each channel also has Select, Solo and Mute buttons, as well as a small 3-LED level meter directly below the buttons, and an electronic LCD “scribble strip” & panning indicator directly above. When a channel is selected, all of the channel’s main controls are available with what PreSonus calls the “Fat Channel.” This used to confuse me when I read about it in ads, but it’s basically just one set of comprehensive controls located on the upper left side of the board that is used to edit the parameters of whatever channel you select. You can only edit one channel or bus at a time with the editing surface, but Fat Channel processing can be used on all channels and busses simultaneously, with no processing limitations. The Fat Channel control section include knobs and switches for selecting and adjusting the channel’s various parameters. You can select from four different input sources (analog input, AVB network, USB, and SD card) and multiple channels can be assigned the same source if you wish, so “multing” and parallel processing are easy. Each input channel and mix bus offers Fat Channel modeled plugins. Phantom power (48V) and phase invert are available on all input channels. Adjacent odd/even channel pairs can be linked for stereo. EQ and compression can be flipped in terms of their order in the signal path too. Dedicated controls for editing the EQ are also found in the Fat Channel section, with four buttons to select the desired band (low, low-mid, high-mid and high), and three knobs to adjust the Q, gain, and frequency of the selected EQ band. A fourth knob is dedicated to the EQ’s high pass filter, which can be set from off all the way up to over 1kHz. The high and low EQ bands can be set as either peaking or shelving filters. The EQ’s graphic on-screen display also features a really helpful RTA. The standard EQ version is the four band, full-parametric, or you can choose from two other modeled EQs - a Neve-style EQ and a “passive” Pultec-style EQ. You can also adjust the channel’s compressor. A standard compressor option is available, along with FET-style and tube-style modeled compressors. The interfaces for the later two bring to mid the classic 1176 and LA2A style units, and they offer a similar sound and response. Need an expander / gate? Yes, they’re included too. Additional plug-ins that were once available from PreSonus as options (the Fat Channel Complete Collection) are now bundled with their Series III S mixers and provide 11 additional modeled EQ and compressor processors. With names like FC-670, Alpine EQ 550, Brit Compressor and Comp 160, you’ll recognize some of the inspirations here too. These “hybrid” plugins are also compatible with Studio One, making them even more versatile. Of course, individual plugin and channel settings can be copied, saved and recalled. A more comprehensive multi-segment level meter is included in the Fat Channel section, along with individual meters for the gate and compressor, so it’s always easy to see exactly what’s going on with the selected channel and its processors. The Master fader has a pair of dedicated output meters, and the fader substitutes a GEQ button in place of the Solo button that’s found on the individual channels. This calls up the 31-band Graphic EQ screen for the main stereo outputs. Presets for the graphic EQ can also be saved and recalled. In addition to the physical Fat Channel controls, you also get a really nice 7” touch screen, and many parameters can be adjusted with it instead of using the Fat Channel knobs and buttons if you prefer. It also provides a view of the various processors and their settings. The onboard processing isn’t limited to just the Fat Channel compressors, gates and EQs. You also get a FLEX FX multi-effects processor with four slots, each of which can load a modeled reverb, delay, chorus or flanger processor. Four dedicated effects busses are also provided, so you don’t have to give up any of your main mixer channels or auxes. As with pretty much everything else on the board, presets can be saved and recalled, and a collection of presets are included to get you started. Speaking of aux sends, 16 FlexMixes are available. These can be used as aux mixes, subgroups or matrix mixes. 16 buttons for accessing each of these mixes are located along the left side of the board. Full recall is supported, including everything from the fader positions to the EQ settings to the mic preamp gain settings. Storing and recalling settings is handled through the touch screen, and the process is fast, simple and intuitive. Want to record the gig? You can do so straight to the onboard 34 channel multitrack SD card recorder. Signals are sourced immediately after the input (mic preamp) stage, and before the processors and faders, giving you a solid signal that you can later use for a band-less sound check at the next gig. But that’s not the only recording option you have. The 32SC also has a built-in 64 x 64 channel USB 2 computer audio interface - a very impressive I/O count that is unmatched by any other digital console that I’m aware of, making the board an excellent tool for recording straight into your DAW of choice, as well as a highly useful tool that can augment your DAW at mixdown. You can also record / playback 64 x 64 streams via AVB, and with the PreSonus digital patching, this can include any stream on the AVB network, including FlexMixes, etc. Speaking of DAWs, the StudioLive Series III 32SC also offers very tight integration when used with the PreSonus Studio One DAW. A license for a downloadable copy of the somewhat awkwardly-named Studio One 4 Artist software is included with the board, which can be upgraded to the full Studio One 4 Professional DAW for a reasonable additional fee. You’ll need a Mac running macOS 10.11 or higher, or a Windows PC running Windows 7 64-bit SP1 or higher to run Studio One. The StudioLive 32SC Series III can also emulate Logic MCU and HUI control protocols, so it can be used not only as an audio interface, but also as a control surface for other DAWs too, such as Logic and Pro Tools. A full set of transport controls is located below the touch screen in the Master Control section of the console. You can also store and recall scenes and DCA groups (there are 24 available) with the other controls located here. In addition to Studio One Artist, there’s other software that comes bundled with the 32SC, including PreSonus Capture 3.0 live recording multitrack software, which records up to 34 tracks. It can store StudioLive scenes with the audio, and can also be used for virtual soundchecks. You can also remotely control the StudioLive 32SC Series III mixer using UC Surface, an included app for Mac and PC computers, iOS and Android from PreSonus. Additionally, you can also let the musicians control their own monitor mixes using the bundled QMix-UC app for iOS and Android. The board and the control devices (tablets, phones, etc.) need to be logged in on the same wireless network. There is an optional rack mount kit available ( $49.95 “street” ) for mounting the StudioLive SC32 Series III console into a standard 19” rack. Other accessories for the StudioLive 32SC Series III mixer are also available. The StudioLive 32SC Series III supports the PreSonus AVB (Audio Video Bridging) Network standard. This allows you to connect multiple consoles, as well as other peripherals to expand the size and capabilities of your system. To test this for the review, I was sent a NSB 16.8 stage box, an EarMix 16M personal monitor mixer, and a PreSonus SW5E PoE AVB switch. The NSB 16.8 stage box (the smaller 8x8 NSB 8.8 stage box also available for $599.95 “street”) is a optional unit that can be added to a StudioLive 32SC Series III to increase its input and output capacity. Measuring 16.7” W x 7” D x 4.5” H and weighing 6.2 lbs. the NSB 16.8 stage box is made mostly of metal and it comes with 16 mix / line inputs on combination XLR / 1/4” TRS jacks. it connects using standard computer-type, user-supplied Cat 5e or Cat 6 RJ-45 networking cable, and is also compatible with the heavier-duty EtherCon cables. The NSB 16.8 includes a built-in 2-port AVB switch. Of course, remote-controlled XMAX preamps for each input channel are also included. Locking AVB and XLR input jacks help keep everything secure on stage. The power switch and IEC power input jack are mounted on one end of the NSB 16.8, while the other side has the two Cat6 AVB jacks. The NSB 8.8 and NSB 16.8 stage boxes can be rack mounted with optional rack ears, but they’re equally at home sitting on the stage floor or in your tracking room. If you only need to connect one stage box to your mixer, you can do so directly, but most users will want to opt for using a PreSonus SW5E PoE AVB switch, which supports cascading multiple consoles and can throttle non-AVB traffic to prioritize bandwidth use and insure very low audio latency, which can be an important factor when putting multiple StudioLive mixers and NSB stage boxes on a single network. The SW5E is AC powered, and an IEC power plug jack is the only connection on the rear panel. The SW5E has five locking ports on the front (four that feature Power over Ethernet), with LED indicators for PoE and link status for each port. It supports nanosecond sync accuracy, and is compatible with non-PreSonus AVB-enabled equipment too. It can be rack mounted with an optional rack tray. One of the least-loved jobs of any live sound tech or studio engineer is dialing up monitor mixes or cue feeds for the musicians. It’s not that it’s a tough job in and of itself, but musicians are rarely satisfied with whatever mix they’re given, and will often ask for adjustments. So why not let them dial up their own cue mixes? That’s the idea behind the EarMix 16M. The EarMix 16M is a 16x2 AVB-networked personal monitor mixer. Each EarMix 16M measures 9.4” W x 7.6” D x 1.8” H and weighs only 1.2 lbs. It is powered by an included 24V DC power adapter, or via PoE - Power over Ethernet - from the SW5E or other AVB switch. The top panel sports a master section with separate level controls for the line out, aux input and headphones, as well as 16 channel select buttons, and a set of buttons and rotary controls that allow the user to make changes to various parameters of the selected channel. The back of each EarMix 16M has a jack for the power input, a pair of 1/4” TRS line output jacks, a 1/8” stereo aux input, as well as a 1/4” stereo headphone jack. AVB in and AVB Thru jacks are also included. You can connect multiple EarMix 16M units (up to 24!), and let each member of the band adjust their own monitor or headphone cue mix. What really makes this cool is that you can route any 16 channels, including FlexMixes, to each EarMix 16M on the AVB network, so for instance you can send the drummer each individual drum channel but a mono vocal mix, while the vocalists get separate vocal channels but a mono drum mix, and the guitarists get just the channels they want. Then they can create their mixes from their choice of channels. While you can put it on practically any surface (such as a music stand or guitar amp), an optional microphone stand mount for the EarMix 16M is available ($59.95 “street”) which would be a great accessory for both live and studio use. Limitations This is a sophisticated, feature-rich, modern digital console, and while the user interface is very well designed and intuitive, you shouldn’t expect to use it as a replacement for your 32 channel analog board the same day you purchase it. Plan on spending some study time learning the board’s layout, features and capabilities before you try to use it at a live gig or for studio recording with paying clients. In order to use the full analog input channel count of the board, additional inputs need to be added using the AVB network. Adding a single NSB 16.8 stage box (or a pair of NSB 8.8 stage boxes) will bring the channel count up to maximum. The onboard effects, while nice sounding, are basically limited to reverb, delay, chorus and flange type effects. High sample rate operation (88.2 kHz / 96 kHz) is not supported. The headphone jack’s location at the front of the board is convienient for tabletop use, but may not be readily accessible with some rack installations. Conclusions I know this is a long review, but it could have easily been twice as long - I have only hit on some of the things that this board can do. For more details on how various aspects of the board operate, be sure to check out the multiple videos from PreSonus that are listed in the Resources section below. Having spent a few months with it now, I have to say that I am really impressed with the thought that went into the design of the PreSonus StudioLive Series III 32SC Digital Mixer. It sounds excellent - nice and clean, and while high sample rates aren’t supported, many users won’t miss that. Equally at home in a modern recording studio or on the road handling FOH and monitors for your live show, it offers a high degree of flexibility along with surprising ease of use. The USB interface, Logic MCU and Pro Tools HUI control emulation capabilities, and advanced integration with PreSonus’s own Studio One make it a great partner and control surface for your favorite DAW too. It’s packed with great sounding processors - and you have them available on every channel without having to decide which ones you want to use them on, plus you also get four stereo effects processors for reverbs and delays too. Having the ability to choose different processor types for compression and EQ on each channel provides you with lots of sonic options and there is an impressive number of processors available for your mixes - this is great for live use, but it can also take some of the load off your host DAW computer’s CPU when you’re in the studio too. The AVB network is a terrific feature, allowing the board to expand with the user’s growing needs simply by adding a NSB 16.8 or a couple of NSB 8.8 stage boxes to it, or even by networking multiple consoles. Being able to let the talent dial up their own on-stage monitor mixes (or studio cue mixes) using the EarMix 16M is a real time saver that will also make them happier - and that’s always a good thing. With tons of auxes via the FlexMixes, you’re not likely to run out of options here either. With an EarMix 16M for each band member, you won’t have to deal with disagreements over the cue mix - everyone can have their own individual monitor mix, and dial it up to suit their preferences. Since the networked devices interconnect with commonly-available Cat6 cable, wiring is simplified too. I honestly had my doubts going into this review that one board could work so well for both live and studio purposes, but I readily admit I was wrong. This really is a board that has the flexibility needed to handle both live performances as well as studio recordings. PreSonus has created a powerhouse system that you can configure to meet all of your mixing needs, no matter where you’re working. -HC- Want to discuss the PreSonus StudioLive 32SC Series III Digital Mixer or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources PreSonus StudioLive Series III 32SC rack mountable digital mixer ($2,859.95 MSRP, $2,199.95 "street") PreSonus NSB 16.8 stage box ($999.95 MSRP, $849.95 “street”) PreSonus EarMix 16M personal monitor mixer ($499.95 MSRP, $429.95 “street”) PreSonus SW5E PoE AVB switch ($599.95 MSRP, $429.95 “street”) PreSonus StudioLive 32SC Series III product web page PreSonus NSB 16.8 stage box product web page PreSonus EarMix 16M product web page PreSonus SW5E PoE AVB switch product web page You can purchase the StudioLive 32SC Series III digital mixer from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video Musician's Friend Full Compass You can purchase the PreSonus NSB 16.8 stage box from: Sweetwater Guitar Center Musician’s Friend B&H Photo Full Compass You can purchase the PreSonus EarMix 16M from: Sweetwater Guitar Center Musician’s Friend B&H Photo Full Compass You can purchase the PreSonus SW5E 5-port AVB Switch from: Sweetwater Guitar Center Musician’s Friend B&H Photo Full Compass Videos StudioLive Series III introduction StudioLive 32SC General settings Channel settings Creating a monitor mix Using scenes and mix groups DCA Groups Setting up a matrix mix Digital Patching (Soft Patching) Wirelessly controlling a PreSonus StudioLive Series III mixer PreSonus EarMix 16M setup and CueMix UC SW5E _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Little. Yellow. Different? Markbass focuses primarily on only one thing, and that is making products for bassists. From instruments to amps, effects to cabinets, they make just about anything a modern bassist might need - even cables and strings. One of their latest releases is the Italian-designed Markbass Little Mark Vintage bass amp head. Just the name raises a few questions. Is it a vintage-inspired amp? Is it little? It certainly looks cool. Let’s dig in and see if we can find the answers to those questions, and see what else it might have to offer. What You Need To Know Part of the Markbass Gold Line Series, the Markbass Little Mark Vintage uses gold plated circuit board traces and high-quality components in its construction. It’s also part of their Little Mark series of bass amp heads. And yes, it is little, measuring only 10.87” W x 9.84” D x 3.27” H, and weighing only 5.51 pounds. Don’t make the mistake of equating size with power. The Little Mark Vintage uses Mark Proprietary Technology - a proprietary power amp that provides 300W RMS when running into a 8 ohm load, and a whopping 500W RMS when pushing a 4 ohm load, which is the minimum load the amp is capable of handling. The head is mostly black, with lots of yellow graphic accents. The control lettering is also in yellow, and the contrast against the black background makes them easy to read. The knobs have an old school look to them. In fact, the whole head looks like something that wouldn’t be out of place in a 1960’s-era recording studio. The Little Mark Vintage head features a tube in the preamp section, and this is prominently displayed through a yellow-bordered clear window on the front panel. The review unit came with a Ruby Tube 12AX7 installed in a ceramic tube socket. Preamp tubes don’t typically give off a lot of light, so to make things more visually interesting, the tube is backlit with LEDs. But that’s not the only thing that glows - the front panel 1/4” input jack is also illuminated. The input impedance is 500 Kohm, and can accept a maximum input voltage of 9 Vpp. The large Gain control has a range of -46 dB to +23 dB, and a clip LED illuminates when you’re hitting things too hard on the input. Below the tube window you’ll find a fairly standard four band EQ section. The Low EQ control has a center frequency of 68 Hz. The Low Mid is centered at 400 Hz, the High Mid at 2.2 kHz, and the High EQ control is centered at 10 kHz. All four bands provide up to 16 dB of boost or cut. An EQ LED next to the High EQ control shows when the EQ section is active. The EQ can be remotely bypassed with an optional Markworld Dual Footswitch. The switch can also be used to mute the amp completely, which is great for swapping basses and silencing your rig between sets. Kudos to Markbass for putting the jack for the footswitch on the front panel. It’s located out of the way, right below the large rocker-style power switch. You can order the optional switch directly from Markbass for 39 Euros. A generic two-button footswitch can also be used. There’s more to the EQ on the Little Mark Vintage. A smaller knob to the right of the tube window provides the player with three different preset EQ choices - Flat, a setting with boosted highs and lows and cut mids (for a more modern sound) and a third setting labeled Old that engages shelving filter that rolls off the highs for a more vintage-like flavor. These all work in addition to the four main EQ controls. The three-position EQ switch is pre-EQ in the signal path, and also affects the tuner output, effects output and DI output, whether the main EQ is bypassed or not. I’d recommend setting the main EQ section flat, selecting one of the three presets (whichever one gets you closest to the sound you’re after), then adjusting the tone from there with the four main EQ controls. Taking this approach allows you to get things dialed in very quickly. We’re still not done with the front panel. On the other side of the tube window is a single knob Limiter. This is bypassed when the knob is turned down all the way, giving the amp a more vintage-like sound and feel with a bit more grit when you dig in and play hard, and it applies more limiting at progressively lower peak levels as you turn it up towards maximum. The limiter is effective at keeping things clean and taming heavy peaks (such as from popping and slapping) and I like the extra flexibility it offers over the “on or off” or “always on” limiting options of some other amps. The final front panel knob is on the left, just above the illuminated input jack, and it provides output level control for the Markbass Little Mark Vintage bass amp head’s DI (direct output) XLR jack, which is located on the rear panel. The DI has a dedicated transformer, and I thought the sound quality from it was a step above what I’ve come to expect from the inexpensive line outputs on some other bass amps. The Line Out also has two dedicated switches, and can be sourced pre or post EQ while the second switch is a hum-busting ground lift switch. Also on the back are 1/4” send and return jacks for the built-in effects loop. A dedicated 1/4” Tuner Out jack is also provided, so you can leave your tuner plugged in all the time while keeping it out of the signal path. Both a Speakon and a 1/4” output jack are provided. Again, the amp can drive an 8 ohm or 4 ohm load (or anything in-between, such as the 6 ohm load presented by the Markbass 6x10" cabinet), but you should never go below the 4 ohm limit, which means you can run two 8 ohm cabinets, or a single 6 ohm or 4 ohm cabinet. A reasonably quiet cooling fan and combo IEC power receptacle / fuse holder round out the rear panel. An IEC power cable is included with the amp. An optional Markworld amp bag is also available for storage and transporting your Little Mark Vintage head. You can even operate the amp while leaving it inside the bag. Limitations No rack ears are included, but Markbass does offer optional rack ears for the Little Mark series heads. They sell them on their e-commerce site for 13 Euros per pair. The Little Mark Vintage is designed to be used only in the country of purchase, and there’s no way to switch the line voltage for use in other countries. It’s available in various configurations for different national electrical systems, but the voltage is factory preset according to the region of sale and can’t be user-configured. There are no front panel switches for muting the amp and bypassing the EQ, although these functions are available when using the optional footswitch. Conclusions This isn’t your typical “vintage” type amp. While it’s designed to be able to recreate vintage style tones, Markbass says they wanted to create an amp that allows you to find your own ideal tone, regardless of your musical style, and the Markbass Little Mark Vintage certainly has all the tools you need to dial up a variety of great bass tones built right into it. The three-position EQ preset control and four-knob EQ offer a large degree of tonal adjustability, especially when used together, and you can coax both modern and vintage-style tones from them with ease. The Limiter control is also very useful here - bypassing it gives you a more old-school sound, diming it gives you a more modern response, and you can dial up just as much of it as you want or need for the situation at hand. The onboard transformer-equipped DI will also come in handy for many users, both in the recording studio and to feed the FOH mixer at larger musical venues, making an external DI box unnecessary. Not that you’ll have to plug it into the board to get PA assistance in many situations - with up to 500W of power on tap (depending on the speaker cabinet impedance), there’s plenty of power available here for onstage use. While the recording engineer side of me long ago tired of seeing LED-backlit “glowing tubes” on display in rack mount studio equipment, like many players I appreciate the tonal contributions and harmonics you can get from a good tube preamp, and if it looks cool to the audience by being prominently displayed, that’s just an added bonus. Regardless of your personal opinions about such displays, it’s really hard to argue with the sound of this amp. On the other hand, the lit-up input jack is not just flashy, but quite practical too, and will really be appreciated by players who need to swap basses in mid-set on a dark stage. The optional footswitch’s ability to mute the amp is also useful in such situations, although I wish a front panel switch for this purpose had also been included. The control layout, and the old-time look of the knobs also add a bit of vintage vibe to the appearance, and the large knobs are practical too - you’ll know right away where the volume control is. The light weight and compact dimensions of the Markbass Little Mark Vintage head may be far from vintage-spec, but they will still be appreciated by a wide variety of players - old-school and modern. Touring bassists will appreciate the ability to easily take along their own amp, and just ask for a backline cabinet instead of having to rely on (and dial up a decent sound on) whatever beat-up amp the venue decides to provide them with. Having the ability to take your own amp with you is very important to being able to consistently get “your” sound - and the lightweight, well-featured and powerful Markbass Little Mark Vintage bass amp head is very well equipped to help you get that job done. -HC- Want to discuss the Markbass Little Mark Vintage Bass Amp Head or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Bass forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Markbass Little Mark Vintage Bass Amp Head ($799.99 "street") Markbass product web page You can purchase the Markbass Little Mark Vintage Bass Amp Head from: Guitar Center Musician's Friend _________________________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.