Phil O'Keefe

Mighty modulation monster Modulation is one of the most popular types of effects for use with guitar, but there's a problem of sorts - there are a lot of different types of modulation; with such a wide variety available, you may have difficulty finding room for everything you'd like to have on your space-starved pedalboard. Another potential issue is trying to get (and keep) everything synchronized. Tap tempo-equipped pedals can help here, but there are still serious challenges getting multiple effects in sync - especially at non-standard subdivisions of the beat. Well the good folks at EHX have once again come up with a really clever solution to both of these issues with their powerful Mod Rex Polyrhythmic Modulator pedal. What You Need To Know The Mod Rex isn't just one type of modulation pedal, but offers several different types of modulation in a single pedal. Even more impressive? You can use up to four different types of modulation simultaneously. There are four sections or effects "engines" on the Mod Rex. A dedicated Mod section offers up your choice of Vibrato, Flanger, Chorus or Phaser. You can only use one of these at a time… but you also have three other sections that are always available - a standalone Tremolo, Modulated Panning, and a Modulated Filter. Tempo is a big deal with the Mod Rex, and you can define the musical tempo in a variety of ways - with a Tempo knob, with a Tap Footswitch, using an optional expression pedal, as well as by locking to incoming pulse clock, or by locking to MIDI clock from another MIDI device. Regardless of which method you use to set the tempo, all of the effects synchronize to the same master tempo. There are nine tempo subdivisions to select from for each section of the Mod Rex, and each section can have its own separate tempo subdivision. There are three different main display modes for the large four-digit LED display; it can show preset numbers - the Mod Rex comes with 20 factory presets pre-programmed, and can store / recall up to 100 presets using the dedicated Preset Select / Store knob / pushbutton. The other two display modes let you see the master tempo in BPM, while the third display mode gives you Divisions. A LED to the left of the display shows you which of the three display modes is currently active. Going between the different modes is super-easy; the pedal switches between them automatically, depending on what you're trying to do. In Divisions display mode (which is activated by turning or pressing / releasing any of the Divisions knobs on the Mod Rex), the four individual numbers in the display indicate the tempo subdivision assigned to each of the four modulation engines. 0 = Off 1 = Whole note 2 = Half note 3 = Dotted quarter note 4 = Quarter note 5 = Quarter note triplet 6 = Dotted eighth note 7 = Eighth note 8 = Eighth note triplet 9 = Sixteenth note For example, if the display reads 2704, the Mod engine would be set to a half note subdivision, the Trem would be set to a eighth note subdivision, the Pan would be turned off, while the Filter would be set to a quarter note subdivision. Changing the tempo will change the rate of all the effects simultaneously, but all of them will maintain the same ratios and subdivisions, unless you change those separately and individually, or call up a different preset. All of the subdivision values are fairly easy to remember, with the possible exception of the eighth note variants, but in case you forget, they're listed right on the front panel of the Mod Rex, immediately below the four digit display itself. Turning one of the Division knobs will cause the corresponding LED digit to blink; once you have the value you want dialed up, pressing down on the Divisions knob sets and activates the new subdivision value. Let's take a look at the controls for each effect engine. On the far left side of the pedal is the Mod engine. Like all four of the effects engines, it has a Division knob. This allows you to set the tempo subdivision. Remember: 0 = Off; it's the only way to bypass any of the effects individually, without bypassing the entire pedal. Again, depressing the Division knob's built-in pushbutton sets the selected time division. The Mod section has a Type pushbutton that lets you select between four different types of effects - VIB (vibrato), FLN (flanger), CHR (chorus) and PHS (phaser), and small Depth and Feedback knobs allow you to adjust the sound of the selected effect; the Feedback knob only works with the Phaser and Flanger options. Four LEDs shows which of the four modulation types is currently selected - green for vibrato, yellow for flange, red for chorus and white for the phaser. Two more pushbuttons are also available in this section. The R INV button inverts the polarity of the LFO on the right output channel, which gives you a stereo effect when using a mono in / stereo out configuration. When depressed, the Shape button will illuminate the currently active waveform for the section's LFO on of the four yellow waveform LEDs in the waveform shape section, which is located just below the large four digit LED numeric display. While holding Shape down, you can use the Select button in the waveform select section to pick which one of the four available LFO waveforms you want to use for that effect. This can be done separately for each of the four modulation sections on the Mod Rex, making it possible to have vibrato with a rising sawtooth LFO waveform, square wave LFO tremolo, triangle wave stereo panning, and a descending sawtooth waveform for the filter's LFO, or any combination you prefer. The next effect engine is the Trem. A Depth control lets you adjust how deep the throbbing gets, from barely noticeable to deep on/off cycling when using the square wave LFO shape. As with the Mod engine, you can select from four different waveforms for the tremolo's LFO using the Trem section's Shape button, and the Division knob lets you select the tempo subdivision you want to use with the tremolo. The third effect engine on the Mod Rex is the Pan. When using a stereo in / stereo out, or mono in / stereo out configuration the Pan functions as an auto panner, moving the sound back and forth across the stereo soundfield. As with the Trem section, you get Division, Depth and Shape controls, and they function in the same way. The modulated Filter has three different modes, which can be selected with the filter section's Mode switch. A LED indicates which one is selected - green for lowpass, yellow for highpass, and red for bandpass. As with the other effects engines, you also have a Division control to set the tempo subdivision for the filter section. The filter section's Shape button allows you to select which of the four different LFO waveforms you want to use for the filter section modulation, and a R INV switch allows you to invert the LFO polarity on the right channel output for wide stereo effects when using a mono in / stereo out setup. You also get a Depth control as well as a Res (resonance) control for the filter, so you can set it for deep and very highly resonant filter sweeps if you need to. When running all of the effects engines simultaneously, the signal path is Filter -> Mod -> Tremolo -> Pan. One other control on the Mod Rex needs to be discussed, and that's the Lock button, which is located right below the Tempo knob. This works in partnership with the Mod Rex presets. When the Lock button is depressed, recalling a preset will not recall the tempo saved within the preset, but keeps the current;y active tempo value in place instead. This allows you to use the various presets while keeping the tempo consistent. The Mod Rex is a true stereo in / out pedal. You can also use the left input alone for mono sources while still feeding two separate outputs, or even run it as a mono in / mono out pedal if you wish. The input and output jacks are mounted on the right and left sides of the pedal, respectively. On the back of the pedal, you'll find the 9V DC power jack, which uses the industry-standard 2.1mm center-negative plug and wiring configuration. A 9.6V DC 200mA power supply is included with the pedal. The Mod Rex draws 100mA of current at 9V DC. The Mod Rex is adapter-powered only, and can not run on batteries. There are no user-adjustable trim pots or switches inside the Mod Rex, so there's really no reason to ever open the case, but for the curious, here's a photo of the inside of the pedal. Also on the back of the pedal is a 5-pin DIN style MIDI input jack. The MIDI capabilities of the Mod Rex go beyond just locking the tempo to MIDI clock coming in from another device. You can also recall presets using MIDI Program Change, as well as as use MIDI Control Change (CC) messages to control any parameter on the pedal - all of which make it a powerful addition to both studio rigs and live EDM setups. The Mod Rex also includes a Clock / Foot Controller input jack. This can be used to send a pulse clock signal to the Mod Rex to control the tempo, as well as to connect an expression pedal, which can also be used for on-the-fly tempo adjustment. And finally, an optional external footswitch controller can be used to quickly scroll through and recall presets. The Mod Rex measures 4.75" D x 5.75" W x 2.5" H, so while it isn't a small pedal, it still takes considerably less space than having multiple individual modulation pedals on your board. The Mod Rex features buffered master bypass switching. Limitations Some people may feel a bit overwhelmed and confused when they first see the Mod Rex. Don't let that turn you off - It's much less confusing in actual use that it may at first appear, and despite its complexity, it can be quickly learned and mastered. It's much more intuitive in actual use than you might think. Obviously stereo panning won't work if you have the Mod Rex connected as part of a single amp / mono rig; in those cases, the Pan section functions as a second Tremolo, with the LFO wave shapes inverted relative to the Trem section. There is no MIDI out or Thru jacks on the Mod Rex, so it can not be used as the MIDI clock master to sync other devices - only as a MIDI slave. The two large blue LEDs (rate / tempo and bypass status) are annoyingly bright. The filter can not be driven to self-oscillate. I know it's asking a lot, but it would have been really cool to have panning position and / or stereo width options for each of the four effects engines. Conclusions I really like the Mod Rex a lot. The individual effects may not be quite as fully-featured as some of the ones found on other EHX modulation pedals, and they aren't going to sound quite as good as your favorite analog versions (the Mod Rex is digital) but they are still very good sounding and quite usable, and all of the features that you really need to adjust them are included. But if you're buying a Mod Rex just to add a bit of chorus to one song and some phase shifting to another one, you're kind of missing the point. Yes, it can be used like that (and it will take up a lot less pedalboard real estate than separate phaser, flanger, chorus, vibrato, auto panner, filter, and tremolo pedals would!) , but where it really comes into its own is when you're using multiple effects simultaneously, and running them at different subdivisions of the tempo. That's where the real fun kicks in, and where the Mod Rex shows off its true power. The Mod Rex makes it easy to get multiple effects to play in sync, and is capable of creating sounds that would be difficult or impossible to make, even using four high-end modulation pedals in its place. The Mod Rex will not only appeal to sonically adventurous guitarists, but also keyboardists, electronic musicians and recording aficionados too. Regardless of what electric or electronic instrument(s) you play, you'll find the Mod Rex to be a uniquely powerful addition to your effects toolkit. It's a modulation monster! -HC- Want to discuss the Electro Harmonix Mod Rex 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 Electro Harmonix Mod Rex Polyrhythmic Modulator ($333.40 MSRP, $249.00 "street") Electro Harmonix Mod Rex product web page You can purchase the Electro Harmonix Mod Rex from: Sweetwater Full Compass 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.

Are three heads better than one? If you're into recording you'd probably love to have a large and varied mic cabinet with several high-end vintage and modern boutique models; with it comes flexibility and a wide range of sonic options. But for many recordists, financial realities mean having only a few workhorse mics, and if you can swing it, one Really Nice Mic. But picking out just one high-end mic for your collection can be a daunting task that is often full of compromises. The ideal mic for your own voice can be tough enough to find, and there's no guarantee that what sounds great on you will also sound great on other people you may want to record. And even a mic that sounds great on any one particular person isn't always going to be a great "all around" mic that will excel on other audio sources besides vocals. So what can you do? You can play the lottery and hope to win so you can afford a world-class mic collection, or you can check out the Luke Audio AL-Y56 G under review here. Why? Read on to find out… What You Need To Know The Luke Audio AL-Y56 G is a "pop top" or "bottle style" tube condenser microphone. While it uses the same mic body as the Luke Audio AL-Y56 P, it uses different capsules, and is designed as a more affordable alternative. The capsules on the AL-Y56 G microphone are not permanently attached; instead, they can be removed and swapped out with a different capsule by the user. The AL-Y56 G (or Y56 for short) comes equipped with three different cardioid capsules, each with its own distinctive sound. Luke Audio calls them the AL-A1AU, the AL-A2AU and the AL-A3AU. They are more simply labeled as A1, A2, and A3 on their stems. Each capsule was inspired by the ones you'll find in some very famous vintage microphones. The A1AU capsule is a edge-terminated dual-backplate design based on the CK-12 capsule used in the AKG C12 and Telefunken ELA M 251 mics, among others. The A1AU capsule has the brightest and most open sound of the three capsules, and can really help things cut through a busy mix without sounding harsh or brittle. The A2AU capsule features a center-terminated dual-backplate design that is based on the K67 capsule, which was used in the Neumann U67. It is very punchy and has a more midrange-forward sound. The A3AU capsule is a center-terminated single-backplate type, and is based on the K47 capsule that was used in many Neumann U47 microphones. It has a darker and warmer character that imparts a sense of fullness and girth to the sound. While the AL-Y56 mic body is made in the USA, the AL-AU series capsules are made in China to Luke Audio's specifications, and then fine-tuned by Luke Audio. All three capsules feature 3 micron diaphragms. All three capsules have a small "knob" at the top. Unlike some other "bottle" style mic capsules, these aren't intended to be removed before use; they're strictly for making it easier for you to remove them from their storage box, and should be left in place. While the capsules are "hot swappable" and can be changed out without having to power down the mic, you should always mute the channel of the board, mic preamp and/or DAW to prevent any noise or pops when doing so. Removing a capsule from the mic body is easy - a slight clockwise twist unlocks the capsule, and it can be pulled off the mic from there by lifting it straight up. Installation is just as easy - line up the groove on the base of the capsule with the pin (or "buckle") on the body, push the capsule down and twist it counter-clockwise slightly until it locks in place. The Luke Audio AL-Y56 is a beautiful looking mic. It simply oozes quality, and the attention to detail that went into its construction is readily apparent. It looks and feels like a high-end studio mic, and it sounds like three different high-end mics. With a capsule installed the AL-Y56 G measures 10.5" L x 1.97" W (266.7 mm L x 50 mm W). The head baskets that house the capsules each measure 2.56" wide x 1.65" thick (65 mm x 42 mm), not including their mounting stems. The metal body shell is finished in white powder-coat, and has a LA logo badge on the front face, and a brand, model and serial number badge screwed on to the lower part of the back of the mic. The bottom end bell and top part of the mic are both highly-polished, and the black nickel shade matches the metal base stems and outer rings of the three included capsules, which have gold grilles on the business side, and black ones on the back. All of this gives the mic and capsules a very classy appearance. The beauty of the AL-Y56 isn't just skin deep. Unscrewing the bottom end bell, sliding the white metal body shell off and looking inside shows that the attention to detail and quality construction isn't limited to just the external appearance; it's just as carefully built on the inside as it is on the outside. The AL-Y56 uses good quality, full-sized, through-hole (no SMD's here!) electronic components, including 1% resistors from PRP and Ohmite, and capacitors from Erse and WIMA. The AL-Y56 uses a Electro Harmonix 6072a tube. The tube is plugged into a ceramic tube socket, which is equipped with gold plated contacts. The Luke Audio AL-Y56 uses an overseas-sourced 11.5 :1 output transformer. It is housed in the silver-colored bell at the cable end of the mic. There is a very nice set of accessories included with the Y56. For starters, you get a large (21" x 18" x 7") locking, two-tone aluminum camera-style hard case for storage and transport. It is primarily black, and features the Luke Audio name and logo on the top in white. Inside, you'll find the mic body and one capsule, which are boxed up in a cherry-colored wood box. A second wood box contains the two additional capsules. A foam windscreen is also included. Also inside the case is the microphone's power supply. On one side are the jacks for the mic cable and an XLR output jack. The other side has a 115V / 230V AC line voltage switch, the IEC power input jack, as well as a power on / off switch. The power on indicator lamp is red, and it's really bright. An IEC power cable for the power supply is also included. A shockmount is included, and it has buckle-style tensioners to clip the mic into it. An unbranded 7-pin cable to connect the mic to the power supply is also included, and it has a very generous 33 foot length, making it easy to position the mic quite a distance from the power supply. The only cable you'll need to provide yourself is a regular XLR mic cable to connect the power supply to your mixing board, mic preamp or computer audio interface. If you're looking for a step up from the AL-Y56 G, check out the Luke Audio AL-Y56 P. It includes the same Y56 microphone body, but instead of coming with three Chinese-built capsules with 3 micron gold-sputtered mylar diaphragms, it comes with three Luke Audio USA-built capsules with 1 micron platinum-sputtered diaphragms that Luke Audio creates in their own clean room. The AL-Y56 P "streets" for only $999.00. Single gold and platinum series capsules are also offered for sale individually at $199.00 and $299.00 each, respectively, so you can add platinum capsules to a AL-Y56 G kit at a later point if you wish. Limitations Currently there are no capsules with other polar patterns besides cardioid available from Luke Audio for the AL-Y56 G, although they have stated they will be offering additional compatible capsules with other polar patterns at some point in the future. While there are other similarly-styled "pop top" or "bottle" microphones available from other manufacturers, the capsules for them are not compatible with the Luke Audio AL-Y56. Some users have reported that some Blue Bottle Cap capsules will fit (very tightly) and work with the Y56 mic body, but this isn't guaranteed; others have tried them without success. Luke Audio has stated that they may consider offering an adapter that would allow capsules from other manufacturers to work with the AL-Y56 if there's enough interest from their customers - let's hope that they do! While the AL-Y56 does include a -10dB pad, it can't be accessed from the power supply or the outside of the mic body as with most other pad-equipped mics; instead, it is located inside the mic, and requires the removal of the end bell and outer shell of the mic to access it. The shockmount of the review unit doesn't hold the mic as firmly as I prefer. In fact, the mic tends to quickly slip down once it's buckled in, and only the raised logo prevents it from falling out. I would not recommend using the mic and stock shockmount in the inverted (hanging head-down, towards the floor) position; there's too much risk of the microphone accidentally falling out of the shockmount. Conclusions It's not every day that I come across a microphone with not only this level of overall build quality and useful included accessories, but also this kind of sonic versatility. The fact that Luke Audio offers this American-built microphone package at this low price is both surprising and impressive. We really are living in the "golden age of the microphone" folks, and we all benefit from the plethora of mic options that are available on the market today. The Luke Audio AL-Y56 G is certainly one of the better ones. No, it's not perfect. I do wish the -10 dB pad switch was accessible without having to open the body of the mic, and that the shockmount held the mic more securely. I'm sure some folks will decide to explore premium cable, transformer and vintage / NOS tube swaps too, although to be fair the stock units seem to perform just fine. An adapter that would allow the use of capsules from other bottle-style microphones would also be a welcome addition. And of course, the option of adding some of Luke Audio's own USA-made platinum-series cardioid capsules is already available for owners of the AL-Y56 G. The AL-Y56 G is not an exact clone of any particular microphone, nor does it sound identical to a C12, U67 or U47, but it does offer you some similar sonic characteristics - not of only one of those legendary microphones, but of all three of them. No matter who the vocalist is, or what instrument you're going to record, chances are excellent that at least one of the three capsules that come with the Luke Audio AL-Y56 G are going to handle the job to your satisfaction and provide excellent sounding results - assuming you do your job and place the mic properly. I'm fortunate to have a large and varied mic cabinet… which includes some very high-end tube condenser models. However, if I was just starting to build my collection today, the Luke Audio AL-Y56 would be one of the first, if not the first large diaphragm tube condenser mic I'd consider purchasing. While it may not totally replace every other high-end or vintage mic, and you may run into situations where you prefer the sound of this or that high-end / boutique / vintage mic over it, it does go further than the vast majority of microphones in terms of giving you a variety of extremely useful sonic options, and nothing else I can think of comes anywhere near to this level of quality and versatility at anything close to this price point. The Luke Audio AL-Y56 is very highly recommended for recording neophytes and experienced professional engineers alike. -HC- Want to discuss the Luke Audio AL-Y56 G 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 Luke Audio AL-Y56-G tube condenser microphone system ($699.00 "street") Luke Audio's product web page You can purchase the Luke Audio AL-Y56 G from: Wave Distribution 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.

Can a plugin really give your DAW the sound of analog tape? Tape emulation plugins have become really popular with DAW users who would like to bring a bit of that classic "tape sound" to their digital recordings. While many of today's recordists have little to no experience using actual tape decks, I am old enough that I started out using them exclusively, and have logged countless hours operating and maintaining everything from cheap cassette decks to top of the line 16 and 24 track 2" reel to reels - I still own and occasionally use both an analog half track mixdown deck and multitrack tape deck, so not only am I well acquainted with their sound, I also know what some of the disadvantages that come along with analog recording are, and it's some of these imperfections that people actually seem to like. Analog tape imparts sonic characteristics that many people find highly desirable and pleasant. Analog tape gives you subtle (or not so subtle, if you intentionally hit it really hard) distortion - especially on transients / loud hits / peaks, wow and flutter (think "subtle pitch vibrato" and you won't be too far off), a "head bump" (increased bass; usually somewhere around 100Hz, although it varies with different machines and tape speeds), and added hiss and noise. Analog tape also provides you with some "glue" that helps tracks work and mix together more cohesively, and a bit of tape compression that can soften the sometimes overly-harsh sound of digital, especially on transients. Swedish software gurus Softube are well known to many DAW recording enthusiasts; they make some very impressive and highly regarded plugins and are considered by many to be one of the top developers on the planet, so when they turned their attention towards creating a plugin that would give DAW users some of the benefits of using analog tape without having to leave the digital domain, it was bound to generate a lot of interest. Their efforts resulted in a plugin called Tape, which is under evaluation here - the question is, how well does it give you some of those desirable analog tape-like characteristics? What You Need To Know Softube Tape is a native plugin (no UAD-2, TDM or AAX DSP versions are currently available) that is designed to give DAW tracks sonic character that closely emulates the sound of analog tape. The computer system requirements are very reasonable. On the Mac side, you'll need to be running OS 10.9 or later, and PCs need to be running a 64 bit version of Windows 7 or later - although 32 and 64 bit DAW hosts are both supported. On either platform you'll need at least 1280 x 800 screen resolution, at least 1 GB of RAM, and a Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2 or faster CPU. You'll also need Internet access to download everything. Softube tape is compatible with VST, VST 3, AU, AAX Native and Mix Engine FX hosts. Pro Tools 10.3.7 or higher is supported. Softube uses Gobbler to manage iLok plug in license activation and software downloads. Signing up for and using a Gobbler account is a bit of a pain for many people (it was not terribly hard for me, but I can see where the extra steps involved might be a bit confusing or frustrating for some users), but you don't want to deal with Gobbler you can download the installer straight from Softube's website instead. You also need a free iLok account, although owning a iLok hardware dongle isn't mandatory; the authorization can be stored on your computer. Softube Tape works fine with all modern sample rates - everything from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz is fully supported, and the plugin can operate on both mono and stereo tracks, as well as on mono and stereo busses too, making it easy to apply it to things like reverb returns and the main stereo bus. There are two main views available with the Tape user interface - when you first open the plug-in, you get a tape deck style graphic and a fairly basic and straightforward set of controls. Yes, the virtual reels automatically start spinning when you hit play on your DAW, and they stop when you hit stop. It doesn't have any impact on the actual sound, but it does further the illusion that you're using a tape deck and it's kind of cool to see. Starting from the left, there's a Meter switch that lets you use the meters to monitor signal levels, or the amount of THD (Total Harmonic Distortion), and of course a pair of meters too. Since you can use Tape on mono or stereo tracks, the functioning of the meters will depend on which you have Tape applied on. With mono tracks, both meters will still work, but they run identically - with stereo tracks or busses, they function independently. The next control is labeled Amount, and this dial works in conjunction with the three virtual Type pushbuttons that are immediately to its right. These let you control the character and amount of Color that Tape imparts, with higher Amounts giving you more obvious tape-like effects. There are three tape deck models or "Color Types" that are selected with the pushbuttons. While Softube is a bit coy about which specific tape decks they're based on, they do tell us that "Type A is an emulation of a Swiss tape machine that gained its popularity in the 60s." Type A kind of reminds me of the sound of an old Studer A80 (which many consider to be one of the best sounding tape decks of all time), although that doesn't really line up since they weren't released until circa 1970. Still, if forced to guess, that would be what I'd go with. Type B is "inspired by a machine with a transformer-based circuit." Again, this is a curious description; especially considering the fact that the Swiss-built tape decks of the 60s (as well as the 70s-era Studer A80 MkI and MkII), used transformers too. The general consensus online seems to be that this Type is probably based on the Ampex ATR-102, and it does bear some sonic similarities to that classic mixdown deck. Type C was "inspired by a British tape machine with a distinct vintage vibe." Your guess is as good as mine on this one; based on that description, I'd say it could be based on the old BTR tape decks that EMI used to make, but having no personal experience using them, I can't say if they nailed the sound or not, or even if that's what they actually based this Type on - but it does seem to be the most likely possibility. Type A is the most Hi-Fi of the three Types, with less change to the frequency response of the source material overall. Running on the 15 IPS or 30 IPS setting, it has a very polished and professional sound. Type B seems to have more effect on the sound, with a touch of smiley-curve EQ that brings up the highs and lows. This is especially noticeable in the low frequency range; I really liked using this on bass and kick drums, and on the main stereo bus to fatten up the mix overall. Type C seems to give a bit of a lift to the high frequency range, with less of the head bump and low end fullness of Type B. The Tape Speed Control has a range that goes from a cassette deck's 1 7/8 IPS (inches per second) speed to the 15 and 30 IPS of professional reel to reel recorders, and also includes the 3 3/4 IPS and 7.5 IPS settings commonly found in consumer reel to reel decks. Don't be tempted to do what you'd do with a "real" tape deck and just leave it parked at 15 or 30 IPS - instead, think of it as a partner to the Amount control that, along with the Type buttons, determines the character and amount of the effect. Experimenting with slower Tape Speed settings is highly recommended, especially if you're seeking more readily apparent tape-like sounds. Higher settings on the speed control in general give you less restriction on the audio bandwidth, less compression, less harmonic distortion, and less noise. The lower you set the Speed control, the more you'll notice a fattening in the lows, with more rolloff in the highs and a increased propensity to distort and compress the peaks in the material, and more of a lo-fi sound overall. New to Tape? Softube includes over two dozen presets from engineers Joe Chiccarelli and Howard Willing to help get you started. Or, if you're more experienced, clicking on the RC-1 bar on the right side of the plugin opens a virtual panel with even more user-adjustable controls that allow you to further change the sound of Tape. A Dry / Wet control lets you add in just a bit of Tape's effect, or run it 100% wet, or anywhere in between. The Speed Stability knob lets you give the track a bit of "wow and flutter" - a little goes a long way, but adding a touch definitely adds to the realism, and higher settings have potential creative / "effect" applications. The High Freq Trim control lets you adjust the overall high frequency response - boosting it brings more sparkle while rolling it off gives darker, warmer textures. There's also a Crosstalk knob - this only works with stereo tracks / busses (or when using the plugin with Studio One by PreSonus), but it does a good job of emulating some of the "bleed" that you get from one track to another adjacent track when using an analog tape deck. Two faders allow you to adjust the master I/O levels for the plugin. These can also be used to adjust the gain staging and how hard or soft you "hit" the tape, with higher input settings here leading to more pronounced sounding tape processing. Noise emulation is included with a virtual toggle switch allowing you to turn it on or off at will. When it's turned on, you get a very credible tape hiss type of noise. The Run and Stop buttons are fun and unexpected extras - these don't tie into or replace your DAW's transport controls, but rather simulate the effect of starting a reel to reel up from a dead stop, or stopping it in mid-playback, giving you the ability to very accurately simulate those sounds. CPU use is really quite low for a plugin of this type - Softube is really good at this! I was easily able to add Tape to every track in a 24 track Pro Tools Session, along with another instance on the stereo bus. Doing so used about 20% of the native CPU according to the meters in Pro Tools HD, and when simultaneously running Softube's excellent Console 1 on each track at the same time along with Tape, I was still only using about 33% of the native CPU, leaving plenty of CPU power to spare for other plugins. This was while using an older 3.5 GHz quad core i7 based PC. There are a couple of features included with Tape that I wasn't able to test, but if your DAW of choice is Studio One from PreSonus, then you should be aware of them. In addition to being able to use Tape as a standard plugin, it can also be added to a MixFX slot in Studio One. Doing so gives you Tape Multitrack, which includes all of the rest of the features of Tape, but also user selectable crosstalk between each track (even mono tracks), and the ability to control all of the Tape Multitrack settings for all tracks from a single interface. Tape Multitrack is included with all versions of Tape at no extra charge, but is currently only functional when running it within Studio One. Softube Tape is also NKS-ready, and will integrate well with Native Instruments hardware and software, allowing plugin presets and control settings to be adjusted from NI's Komplete Kontrol and Maschine. Limitations Bias adjustment, noise reduction (outside of the noise on/off switch) and some other aspects of setting up and using a real analog tape deck are not included in this plugin. When you turn on the Noise switch, the noise starts, whether or not Tape is actually "rolling" or not. It would be more realistic if it only came on when you hit play, and not while the DAW is stopped. It would be fantastic to have the Tape Multitrack capabilities available when running other DAW programs. This isn't within Softube's sole control, so it's not really something we should expect to happen (at least not without other manufacturers cooperating), but it would be nice to have nonetheless. The Crosstalk control is only functional when using Tape on stereo tracks or busses, or when using it in a PreSonus Studio One MixFX slot. It won't have any effect when Tape is inserted as a plugin on mono tracks in other DAWs. Unlike some other tape emulation plugins, there are no alternative tape formulations to pick from. I suspect that each of the three tape machine Types that Softube based their emulations on may have used a different tape formulation, there's no way to use the Type A machine with an emulation of say, 456, 499, 996 / GP9 or 250 tape types. Conclusions One thing I really like about Softube Tape is the relative simplicity of it. It's easy to get it to sound good, and you can do so quickly, using just the main panel controls. Want more grit and distortion, and more impact on the low and high frequencies? Turn down the tape speed and turn up the Amount. Faster tape speeds give you a more high-fidelity tape-like sound… and of course there's the three different Types to experiment with too - each of which does have its own individual character. Going a bit deeper and accessing the RC-1 panel gives you even more power over the plugin; dialing up just a little Speed (in)Stability makes the illusion that you're hearing a tape deck even more convincing, and the Crosstalk control is equally effective at adding additional analog tape-like imperfections to your DAW's stereo tracks and busses. The High Freq(ency) Trim control lets you dial in the top end just how you like it - giving it a bit of added zing, or rolling it off as you see fit. Like the rest of the controls, it's very effective. The way Softube handles levels is also commendable - you don't get hotter levels as you adjust the Amount control, just more of the effect itself, making it easy to hear what the plugin is doing without being swayed or distracted by level changes. And if you want to change the gain structure, you can still do so with the faders in the RC-1 side panel control section. While the speed-dependent graphic rotating reels and changing reel colors with the three different machine Types are nice, I do wish that Softube offered users a choice of different tape formulations and the ability to adjust the virtual bias, but that's the engineer in me talking - for the typical user, such features would be little understood and probably rarely, if ever used, and would only compromise the plugin's ease of use and beautiful, uncluttered interface. Other things on my wish list? I really wish the noise started and stopped with the transport - having it "on" all the time is definitely something that ruins the illusion a bit, at least for me. I'd also love to have the crosstalk capabilities on mono tracks like the folks who use Studio One get, but that is largely out of Softube's hands - that kind of deep-level DAW integration would take cooperation from each of the various DAW developers. What you get with Softube Tape is impressive. While Tape is not as deeply configurable as some competing tape emulation plugins, it is one of the least complicated ones to use, and yet it's still very easy to get great results with it. If you'd rather spend more time making music than adjusting plugin parameters, then there's a good chance that Tape would be a good choice for you. But don't take my word for it. You'll need to sign up for a free Softube and Gobbler account, but once you have those, a free 20 day trial is available directly from Softube, so give it a try for yourself. I think you'll be impressed. -HC- Want to discuss Softube Tape 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 Softube Tape ($99.99 "street") Softube's product web page You can purchase Softube Tape from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video Musician's Friend Direct from Softube __________________________________________________ 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.

Will you want to park this 808 of a different color on your pedalboard? Germany's Neo Instruments probably isn't the most well-known pedal brand in North America, but they do have a rather large claim to fame - their Ventilator series of rotary sim pedals are considered by many musicians to be among the finest, it not the finest rotary simulators on the market. Branching out from there, they've recently released a new pedal called the Drive In Overdrive. The Drive In was designed by Guido Kirsch and Uli Rodenberg (of Rodenberg Amplification); Uli is also known for his hand-made boutique pedal designs, and the PCB he designed for the Drive In bears signs of influences from the Rodenberg GAS 808 Overdrive, so you know the Drive In has some TS-style overdrive influences… but it's not just another TS clone - there's more to the Drive In than that. Let's take a closer look and see what on the menu… What You Need To Know The Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive is a sturdy little pedal that measures only 2.4" W x 4.6" L x 1.2" H. It weighs 0.7 pounds. Made in Germany, it uses only high quality components and appears to be very rugged and well-made. It should withstand the rigors of the road as well as any pedal out there. The paint job is a deep and dark fire-engine red, which is coupled with high-contrast white graphics. It's very easy to read the pedal's labels. The knobs are black, with white pointers. Speaking of knobs, there are four of them on the Neo Drive In Overdrive. Starting from the top-left and working our way clockwise, the Level control sets the overall output level of the effect when the pedal is active. There's enough range here to give you a fairly sizable boost above unity gain if you want it. The Drive knob sets the overall amount of distortion and grit for the Drive In Overdrive. You can easily get light overdrive that is very responsive to how hard you play at lower settings of the Drive knob. Dig in harder and you get more dirt; ease up on your attack and things clean up nicely. Higher amounts give fairly moderate levels of added sustain and dirt, but the Drive In doesn't go into heavy distortion territory, even when the Drive control is dimed. The Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive also responds well to adjustments of your guitar's volume knob, allowing you to set the pedal for more grit, but letting you clean things up as needed just by rolling the guitar's volume back a bit. The Drive In's Tone knob is your typical treble roll-off type control; turning it down gives progressively less brightness to the overall sound, and smooths out the distortion a bit. The Color control is where the Drive In varies from the typical TS-style pedal; it adjusts the midrange and low frequencies and changes the character of the overdrive, making the Drive In sound darker and warmer at lower settings, and brighter and raspier when turned up higher. There's also a bit less overall gain available at lower settings of the Color control. The Drive In Overdrive's input and output jacks are side-mounted. The input impedance is 500 kOhm, and the output impedance is 10 kOhm. Power can be provided with either a 9V battery, or with a user-supplied 9V DC power supply. Unplugging from the input jack disconnects the battery to help increase its useful lifetime. The power jack is located at the top of the pedal, and it uses the industry-standard 5.5mm x 2.1mm plug size, and is wired center-negative. Current draw is a reasonable 10mA. The battery compartment is accessed by removing four screws and the pedal's bottom plate. There are no internal switches or trim pots, so if you use an external power supply instead of batteries, there's really no need to ever open the pedal's case. A red LED is located in between and near the bottom of the Color and Tone knobs; immediately above the pedal's Drive In logo - in fact, the LED is placed right above the letter "I" in the word "Drive" - making it appear almost like a dotted I. The LED illuminates whenever the pedal is active. Switching on the Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive is true bypass, and the internal circuitry is completely out of the signal chain when the pedal is turned off. Four stick-on rubber feet are included with the Drive In Overdrive, but they come unattached, giving users the option of not installing them and using Velcro (or bike chain links) for pedalboard mounting instead, if they prefer. Limitations The Drive In is best suited to low to moderate levels of grit and gain - it's not a uber-high gain pedal; if that's what you're seeking, you should probably look elsewhere. Depending on your tastes, turning down the Color knob may require turning up the Drive knob a bit to compensate - there's less overdrive available with lower settings on the Color knob. Conclusions The Neo Instruments Drive In is one of those fairly rare pedals that goes beyond being a mere rehashing of what previous companies have done with their overdrive pedals; while you can certainly get sounds that are reminiscent of some other TS-style overdrive pedals, the Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive gives you tonal options and a level of versatility that is matched by few other me-too TS overdrive clones. The Color control is the main key here - providing a level of control over the lows and midrange that the basic treble rolloff "Tone" controls that constitute the entire extent of the tone shaping options on many other overdrive pedals simply can't match. While the Drive In isn't really suited for extra high levels of distortion, and isn't going to be the first choice for doom or metal guitarists, its rich sound and flexibility make it a great choice for Rock and Blues, and Roots, Americana and Country players will no doubt find plenty of tones inside this pedal that will work with their music too. Ruggedly constructed and quick and easy to dial up great sounds with, it's going to further cement Neo Instruments' reputation for making first-class pedals. -HC- Want to discuss the Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive 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 Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive ($279.00 MSRP, $199.00 "street") Neo Instruments website Neo Instruments pedals are distributed in the USA and Canada by Gand Music and Distribution You can purchase the Neo Instruments Drive In Overdrive from: Sweetwater Prymaxe Electric Mojo Guitars (Canada) __________________________________________________ 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.

Does the world really need another chorus pedal? Hailing from the other side of the pond, Danish effects titan Carl Martin certainly knows how to make a great chorus pedal - their Chorus XII has long been a favorite of pro guitarists, and their Classic Chorus was well-liked too. And now they're released a new chorus pedal - the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus. But as they themselves ask, does the world really need yet another chorus pedal? And that is indeed a very good question. After all, there are lots of them on the market to choose from. So why has Carl Martin decided to release yet another one? Does it bring anything new or interesting to the variety of choices that we already have available, and more importantly, is it a pedal that might be a good choice for meeting your own chorus needs? Let's dive in and find out. What You Need To Know The Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus is a very stylish looking pedal, with a two-tone ocean blue and black color scheme. The graphics and control labels are done in high contrast white, making them easy to read, even in fairly low-light situations. The graphics extend to both sides of the pedal too; both of which prominently feature the Carl Martin logo. The Atlantic Chorus is a pretty small and compact unit, measuring only 4.52" L x 2.36" W x 1.97" H. It weighs in at 340g, or about .75 pound. The 1/4" input and output jacks on the Atlantic Chorus are located at the top of the pedal. Input impedance is 1M Ohm, and the output impedance is 100 Ohm. The 2.1mm center-negative 9V power jack is also located at the top of the pedal. The Atlantic Chorus draws 20mA maximum, and requires a regulated DC power supply with at least 40mA of current at 9V. As the one page "manual" for the pedal points out, an AC adapter (as opposed to DC) will probably kill the pedal, so make sure you carefully check and stick with the manufacturer's recommendations for powering the Atlantic Chorus. Having all of the jacks located at the top means that the Atlantic Chorus is not going to take up a lot of space on your pedalboard; you can place it very close to the pedals to either side of it. There are a total of four knobs; right off the bat, that makes the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus different than the typical two-knob chorus pedal with the typical speed and depth controls. As you might expect, the Speed knob controls the rate of the pedal's modulation. You get a pretty good range here, from reasonably slow to fairly fast. Depth adjusts the overall amount of the chorus effect that you'll hear. Unlike many chorus pedals,the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus features a Level control, which does exactly what you're thinking - it lets you adjust the overall output level of the pedal whenever it is active, and there's actually enough gain available to give you a pretty decent volume boost if you want it. Unity gain is somewhere around the 9 o'clock position on the knob, so start with it set low and adjust it to taste from there. The fourth knob is labeled Rate, and it's the one that I suspect is going to confuse some people - at least initially; after all, there's also a Speed control, so what exactly does the Rate knob do? According to Carl Martin, it blends in Vibrato for a deeper chorus effect. Since a chorus works by taking a copy of the input signal, delaying it slightly, then modulating the pitch of the delayed signal (creating pitch vibrato) and blending it back in along with the unmodulated (dry) signal, you might be wondering exactly what the extra knob really does. And it's a fair question. Personally, I think that the Rate knob might have been better labeled as a Blend, Mix or even as a "More" control. With it turned down all the way, you can still use the Speed and Depth knobs just as you would with any two-knob chorus pedal and get a very satisfying chorus tone. Adding in some Rate gives you an even more apparent pitch modulation, making the sound progressively more vibrato-like the higher you turn up the knob; once the Rate and Depth knobs are at maximum, the Atlantic Chorus is well into pitch vibrato territory, so essentially you're getting two types of effects - chorus and vibrato - for the price of one. The switching on the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus is true bypass, and a blue LED located between the Speed and Depth knobs illuminates to indicate when the effect is active. The Atlantic Chorus is made in China and is warranted for one year to the original purchaser, with the usual caveats regarding misuse, neglect and unauthorized modification. Limitations Powering the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus with a battery is not an option - it's AC powered only, and you'll need to provide your own 9V DC adapter since one is not included with the pedal. Unfortunately, there are no stereo outputs - this is a mono-only pedal. The Rate and Speed controls are going to initially cause some confusion for some users. Conclusions The answer to the question posed at the start of this review is certainly a matter of opinion; if you already have a chorus pedal that you really like (such as Carl Martin's own Chorus XII), then you probably don't really care that there's a new option available on the market. But for those who don't already have a good chorus, this is certainly a pedal that is worth considering and checking out for yourself. It won't take up a bunch of space on your pedalboard, and it's certainly an attractive looking pedal with its distinctive looking two-tone anodized metal body. The sound is warm and spacious, and the Level control lets you put the chorus right where you want it in the mix without suffering from level drop when you kick it on like some other chorus pedals do. Even the Rate control is quite useful and will help you get the depth of pitch modulation and the balance between traditional chorus and pitch vibrato that you're after - once you get past any initial confusion about what it actually does. Carl Martin has once again delivered a very good sounding chorus pedal, and one that will certainly find its own place in both the market and in the hearts of many guitarists. -HC- Want to discuss the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus 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 Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus ($149.95 "street") Carl Martin's product web page You can purchase the Carl Martin Atlantic Chorus from: Reverb Rogue Guitar Shop Sam Ash __________________________________________________ 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.

Mackie MC-250 Professional Closed-Back Headphones The Mackie Sound, now available in headphones by Phil O'Keefe If there's on thing every studio needs several sets of, it's good headphones. But not just any headphones will do. First, they have to offer good isolation, or you'll wind up with too much "bleed" from the headphones getting picked up by the nearby microphones. They also need to be comfortable so they don't become annoying to the musicians who are wearing them over the course of long tracking sessions, or for the engineers when using them for editing and checking mixes. They also need to be durable and serviceable, with replaceable cables - while some studios consider headphones to be "expendable" items, nobody wants to have to buy replacements any more often than necessary; just because someone rolled a heavy equipment rack over a cable and caused it to be cut or short out, you shouldn't have to toss the whole headset out. Finally, they need to sound good - nothing is more distracting to a musician than a bad headphone mix, and no matter how good the headphone mix is that you're feeding the folks in the tracking room, it's all for naught if the cans themselves don't provide an accurate representation of what you're sending them. Mackie certainly knows a thing or two about the importance of good monitoring in the studio; they have a long history of making studio monitors that have proven to be very popular in studios large and small. Now they've turned their attention towards bringing the Mackie Sound to headphones; releasing a product line that is designed to be as useful in the tracking room as it is in the control room - their new MC Series headphones. The Series currently consists of the MC-150 ($69.99 "street" https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MC150--mackie-mc-150-professional-closed-back-headphones ) and the top of the line MC-250 stereo headphone models. I was sent a pair of the later to evaluate. Let's check out the details and see how they sound. What You Need To Know Mackie's new MC-250 headphones are closed back, circumaural (sitting around the ear, as opposed to sitting on them) stereo headphones designed for studio monitoring purposes - they're equally at home in the tracking room when recording and in the control room when editing and mixing. They're also fine for everyday listening enjoyment purposes too. The Mackie MC-250 headphones come with a detachable 9.8' cable. A gold-plated 1/8" TRS plug on the cable plugs into a jack on the bottom of the left ear cup, and bayonet style lugs on the plug lock it into place with a quarter turn clockwise. A counter-clockwise turn unlocks it if you need to unplug the cable from the headphones. The other end of the cable also has a gold-plated 1/8" TRS plug, with twist-on threads to accept a 1/4" TRS adapter. The cable itself is straight, not coiled. The Mackie MC-250 headphones feature 50mm dynamic drivers. The MC-250's are made primarily from plastic (which helps keep their weight down to a nice and light 9.35 ounces / 265g), but they feel sturdy and reasonably durable - I wouldn't suggest making a habit out of dropping them though. There's quite a decent range of adjustability to the headband; it should easily accommodate most head sizes. The inside of the headband itself is well-padded too, which helps keep them comfortable. You don't get the feeling like someone is pressing down on the top of your head while wearing the MC-250's. The headband padding is covered in a comfortable black leatherette type material. The ear cups are covered in a similar material. The ear cups themselves are well-defined in shape; the size and configuration of the cups leaves plenty of room inside for your ears. I have fairly large outer ears (pinna) and I never felt like my ears were crammed into the ear cups. The seal of the ear cups around your ears and to your head isn't overly tight or compressed, which makes them quite comfortable. The MC-250's don't make you feel like you have your head locked into a vise. The downside of the lighter pressure is a slight loss in isolation. You are still getting the isolation benefits of sealed vs open-backed headphones, but they're not quite as isolating as the very best closed-backed models on the market. In other words, for general tracking / recording purposes, they're fine. The isolation is good, just not great. The frequency response of the Mackie MC-250 headphones is rated at 10Hz - 20kHz, and they definitely have a deep extension in the low bass, which I found very appealing in my listening tests. Don't misunderstand - the bass is not overly hyped; it's only slightly boosted, but mainly it just extends nice and low. Sound quality is subjective, but think the Mackie MC-250's sound very good, especially considering these are closed-back headphones - a type that can sometimes sound bloated or tubby in the low-midrange and bass. The MC-250's don't exhibit the characteristic "closed-back headphone" sound. If anything, they sound ever so slightly "polite and reserved" in the midrange. The Mackie MC-250 headphones handle low bass notes and kick drum hits effortlessly, with suitable punch when appropriate and excellent detail and note definition that is more commonly heard in open-backed headphones than in closed back models. The highs are relatively present as well, without being overly harsh. Ear fatigue from overly-bright or strident highs is not an issue with the MC-250s. While the highs seem to have a bit of a lift to them, it's nothing overly drastic, but enough to give the MC-250's an excellent sense of detail. The impedance of the Mackie MC-250 headphones is 38 Ohms. The MC-250 headphones are relatively efficient; they're rated at 100 dB / mW, with a maximum input rating of 20mW. I was able to listen using just the 1/8" output and onboard amp on my iPad mini 2, and was able to drive the headphones to comfortable listening levels, but they do even better when paired with a decent headphone amp. The Mackie MC-250 headphones can be folded to make them smaller and more compact for travel. Included accessories are limited to just the headphones, the detachable cable, a leatherette drawstring carrying bag (complete with the Mackie "running man" logo), and a gold plated screw-on 1/8" to 1/4" stereo adapter. Limitations The left / right indicators on the headphones to show proper orientation when putting them on are a bit hard to find / see - they're located on the side end of the folding pivot hinges. Or you can just remember - cable on the left ear - and you'll be all set. The 9.8' straight cable is currently the only option available from Mackie; they don't offer a optional coiled cable for use with the MC Series headphones at this time. There is also no inline microphone on the cable, so these aren't really a good set of headphones for use with your smartphone. Sure, they'll work fine for general listening purposes, and I was able to drive them just fine with both my iPhone and iPad, but you won't be able to take any incoming calls while using them. Acoustical isolation is good, not great. They should be fine for most everyday tracking purposes, although those who require very high monitoring levels may encounter some bleed issues - especially if those hot monitoring levels are combined with low levels from the instrument you're recording and high mic preamp gain settings, such as when micing up a very softly picked acoustic guitar. Conclusions These are excellent cans in their price category. I was impressed with their comfort - you can wear them for quite a while without feeling like your head is clamped into a vise or that your ears are being crushed. Their sound quality is also impressive; while not razor flat, the frequency response isn't too overtly hyped in any particular region, and the level of accuracy is high enough so you won't have to make excuses to your recording clients, or feel like you have to question what you are hearing if you decide to use them for critical listening in the control room. The removable cable is always good to have from a longevity and servicing standpoint (although it would be nice to have the option of a coiled cable, as well as one with a mic for smartphone use), and since they have a closed-back, circumaural design, they also isolate reasonably well and won't give you excessive bleed issues when you use them to track with, although you may want to opt for a less comfortable, tighter-fitting and better-isolating model for situations where someone demands extremely loud headphone monitoring levels, making bleed more problematic. With their folding design and the included storage bag the Mackie MC-250 headphones are also relatively easy to take with you - much more so than non-folding full-sized circumaural headphones. While only time will tell as to how well the plastic construction will hold up over the long haul to the inevitable bumps and knocks that they'll take in the studio (or when used out and about), they seem to be well-made and reasonably sturdy. Overall, I'm impressed. I honestly expected them to retail for $50-$100 more than their actual "street" price, so they're a good value too. I think the Mackie MC-250 headphones are definitely worth considering if you're in the market for good sounding yet affordable set of headphones, whether you want to use them for tracking, editing and mixing, or just personal listening. -HC- Want to discuss the Mackie MC-250 stereo headphones 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 Mackie MC-250 Headphones ($119.99 MSRP, $99.99 "street") Mackie's product web page You can purchase the Mackie MC-250 Headphones from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video 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.

Eventide SP2016 Reverb The first effects processor with plug-ins... now available as a plug-in by Phil O'Keefe When it comes to high-end digital processors for music, few companies have a history as long and as enviable as Eventide. One of their most-loved hardware units is the vintage (circa 1982) SP2016. While it was Eventide's first reverb unit, it was capable of much more than just 'verb. It has been used by legendary engineers such as Mick Guzauski, Alan Sides, George Massenburg and Jack Douglas on numerous hit records over the years, and despite its age, it is still quite popular. It has been previously re-released in a few different forms, including as a fairly accurate Princeton Digital plug-in, as a hardware processor with modern converters (the Eventide Reverb 2016 Stereo Reverb Processor, which sells for $1,995 "street") and it was also released as the Eventide 2016 Stereo Room Reverb Plug-in ($199 "street"), which replicated one, but not all of its three main algorithms. Ever wonder where the idea for "plug-ins" began? It was with the original hardware SP2016, which used EPROM chips that could be plugged in to the unit to change what it did. The SP2016 was the first programmable digital effects processor, and each EPROM (the SP2016 had slots for eleven EPROM chips) held between one and five different program algorithms, depending on their complexity; each gave the SP2016 different "instructions" and could be used to create different types of effects - things like Stereo Synthesis, Sync'd Repeats, Long Delay, Dual Digiplex, Psycho Panner, Chorus, Flanger, etc. - and not just reverb. According to the folks at Eventide, this created a fair amount of confusion with users at the time; in retrospect, they think it might have been wiser to have just stuck with the SP2016's bread and butter reverb type effects, which have proven to be the most popular effects the unit created - and that's basically what they've done with the new plug-in version of this veritable classic. What You Need To Know The SP2016 is a modern recreation of Eventide's hardware SP2016. It was produced by the same people at the same company that made the original hardware, using the same effects algorithms. The SP2016 Reverb plug-in is compatible with computers running Mac (OS 10.7 or higher) and Windows (7 SP1 or higher) operating systems. The Eventide SP2016 is compatible with VST2, AU and AAX native plugin formats (32 and 64 bit versions are both supported), and most major DAW programs - Cubase (7+), Pro Tools (10.3.6+), Nuendo, Wavelab, Logic (8+). SONAR, Studio One, Digital Performer, Reaper, Garage Band, etc. Once installed, mono, mono to stereo and full stereo versions of the plug-in will appear as options in your DAW's plug-in menu. Copy protection is handled via iLok. You can put the authorization on your computer if you prefer - an iLok dongle is not required, but you will need a free iLok account for authorization of the plug-in. Installation was super easy for me, and I tested the SP2016 Reverb plug-in using Pro Tools on both Mac and PC computers. The CPU hit is very modest - on my 3.5 GHz quad core i7 PC, the CPU use meter in Pro Tools only went up by about 1% to 2% with each added instance I put into a session. The algorithms used are not just "based on" the original SP2016 hardware's algorithms, the vintage versions of the Room, Stereo Room and High Density Plate algorithms used in the SP2016 Reverb plug-in are exactly the same as on the original hardware unit. The same bit depth and sample rates are used in the vintage models - any subtle sonic differences that golden-eared folks might notice come down to the difference in the vintage converters used in the hardware box compared to the modern ones in your DAW. Speaking of modernity, you also get three "modern" versions of those three classic reverb algorithms. These are "brighter, more diffuse, and use a higher bit depth" according to Eventide, and that was borne out in my listening tests as well. The six available algorithms can be selected with a large red Program button, which is to the right side of the simulated alphanumeric LED display on the plug-in. The Bypass button on the opposite side completely mutes both the input and output to the plug-in. A regular plug-in Bypass button is also included. The SP2016 comes with a good sized collection of presets, including several "instrument-specific" presets. Some of these can work very well on other instruments besides the ones that are suggested, so don't be afraid to experiment! Several presets based on room or "space" size are also included. Many of the included presets have been programmed by such notable engineers and producers as Joe Chiccarelli, George Massenburg, Dave Pensado , Richard Devine, and Buda & Grandz. Don't like presets, or prefer to use them as a starting point for your own edits? Then you will appreciate just how well laid out and easy the SP2016 Reverb plug-in's interface is to use… it's very similar to the vintage hardware in both look and operation. The controls on the SP2016 Reverb plug-in are straightforward, easy to understand, and most importantly, effective. In addition to the simulated LED display and the Program and Bypass buttons I've already mentioned, the remainder of the interface consists primarily of virtual sliders that allow you to adjust various parameters for the selected algorithm. The sliders that are displayed will vary, depending on which algorithm is selected. The vintage version of the High Density Plate has some of the sliders "greyed out" and inactive. The modern version of the High Density Plate gives you access to all controls, including the ones that are disabled in the vintage version. In the Levels section you'll find Input and Output level control sliders, as well as level and peak metering that can be switched to monitor either input or output levels. A Kill switch is also included so you can remove the input signal and dry mix temporarily - this is handy when listening and making adjustments to your reverb tail length. In the Parameters section there are five sliders. Mix controls the amount of reverb vs. dry mix that is sent to the outputs, with the mix being 100% wet when the slider is all the way up. A Mix Lock button can be used to keep that ratio you select in place as you audition the various different presets. Predelay gives you a bit of delay before the onset of the reverberation. This has a wide adjustment range and can be set for up to 999 milliseconds of predelay, so it's suitable for use in creating basic delay effects too. Decay controls the reverb's RT60 or reverb decay time. Very long reverb decays can be created with the SP2016, depending on the algorithm selected and the setting of this slider. Probably my favorite control of all is the Position slider. This allows you to change the virtual location of the listener within the room and relative to the sound source. Unlike the Mix control, it doesn't just vary the wet / dry ratio, but the actual sound and character of the early reflections and reverb itself. This control is exceptionally useful in helping you "sit" processed instruments and vocals just where you want them in the mix, giving you easy control of the "front to back" aspect or "depth" of your mix elements. The Diffusion slider lets you control the character of the reverb, giving you low diffusion with harder, less dense echoes at low settings and smother, more highly diffused reverberation at higher settings, making the reverberation sound denser and thicker the higher up you move the slider. There is also a rudimentary EQ for adjusting the bandwidth of the reverberated signal. This consists of four sliders, with two assigned to the Low Frequencies, and two for the High Frequencies. Both have one knob for frequency selection, and a second to control the amount of gain. The low frequency slider can be set from 50Hz - 500 Hz, while the high frequency slider has a range from 1 kHz to 8 kHz, with a 0 to -8 dB gain adjustment range for the highs and a -8 dB to +4 dB range for the low frequencies. Limitations Unlike the original hardware unit, there's no way to add additional algorithms to the SP2016 plug-in; as of this time, no alternative algorithms are available from Eventide to expand the number and types of effects available. This would be a cool capability to add in a future software upgrade, so hopefully Eventide is listening… but considering the fact that they struggled with people not "getting" that aspect of the original SP2016, it's somewhat understandable why they stuck with the three classic cherished reverbs (and modern day updates of them) and left it at that. There is no DSP compatible versions available at this time - it works with native (host CPU) processors only; no UAD-2 or TDM / HDX compatible versions of this version of the SP2016 are available. This isn't a considerable limitation, especially given the low native CPU use of the plug-in. Conclusions Chances are better than good that you've heard this sound many times before. The SP2016 is one of those legendary processors that has been used by multiple A-list engineers and has contributed to the sound of countless hit records. Will it make your record a hit? Not on its own; but it will very accurately give you those classic SP2016 Room, Stereo Room and Plate reverb sounds in both vintage and modern form. While the original Eventide SP2016 was the recording industry's first programmable processor, the plugin version under review here does not have quite the same modification capability - there are no third party or optional Eventide plug-ins available for expansion of your effects palette, and as far as I know, no plans to add that capability to the plug-in. Still, what you get is impressive - an accurate recreation of the original hardware unit's legendary sound, coming in at a price that's much, much less than what the vintage hardware units currently sell for - if you could find a serviceable one for sale. I was really excited to hear that they were releasing a new plug-in version of the SP2016. While the SP2016 hardware unit has been recreated a few times in the past (including the hardware Eventide Reverb 2016 and the previous Princeton Digital and Eventide SP2016 Stereo Room plug-ins), this is the most accurate and complete reproduction in plug-in form yet. The Eventide SP2016 Stereo Room Reverb plug-in is very nice, and I have used it frequently, but the new Eventide plug-in goes even further by providing users with the Room and Plate algorithms that it lacks, as well as the updated, more modern versions that help bring the SP2016's sound into the 21st century. I have been a big fan of Eventide's processors for a long time. I had high hopes and expectations for the SP2016, and they didn't let me down. It sounds gorgeous and sits in the mix effortlessly. Missing add-on EPROM "plug-ins" aside, this is a excellent software representation of the first programmable studio effects processor, and one that still remains cool sounding and useful for modern productions today, some thirty-seven years after it was first introduced. Yeah, you're going to want this one… so what are you waiting for? Click one of the links below to get your own copy, or if you're still not convinced, download the free 30 day demo / trial version from Eventide's website and listen for yourself. If you're like me, you'll quickly find it to be an indispensable mixing tool. -HC- Want to discuss the Eventide SP2016 Reverb plug-in 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 Eventide SP2016 Reverb plug-in ($249.00 "street") Eventide's product web page Eventide's Vintage SP2016 page, with lots of historical information about the original hardware unit Eventide SP2016 Reverb Plug-in User Guide (PDF file) You can purchase the Eventide SP2016 Reverb plug-in from: Sweetwater B&H Photo Video Eventide SP2016 Reverb Plug-In Videos Overview Front to rear Position control adjustment demo Presets Pensado's Place Mixing Hip Hop __________________________________________________ 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.

Source Audio True Spring Reverb Is this the ultimate big wave surf machine? by Phil O'Keefe If there is any single effect that is closely associated with Surf music, it's got to be spring reverb. Surf guitar is typically drenched with it. And if there's a runner-up in the contest for most popular Surf music effect, then tremolo has to take the prize. For Surf, spring reverb and tremolo are must-have effects. But those effects are not only popular for Surf - lots of musicians love both reverb and tremolo, and you can find many classic examples of their use in a wide range of styles. Where would How Soon Is Now by the Smiths be without the iconic tremolo? Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah wouldn't be the same without the reverb on the guitar. Or how about Duane Eddy's Rebel Rouser, which used both effects? I could cite many other examples, but I'm sure you get the idea. But which type of reverb and tremolo? That's a bigger question than many people realize - there's been several classic designs for both effects, each with its own characteristic sound, which makes the decision about which pedal to get even tricker. Do you prefer Opto, Bias or Harmonic tremolo? And which spring reverb - short spring or long, or maybe something that emulates the classic 6G15 reverb units from the early '60s? Well Source Audio doesn't think you should have to limit yourself to any one type of sound, and their True Spring Reverb pedal gives you all of those options and much more in a deceptively simple looking pedal. What You Need To Know The Source Audio True Spring Reverb is deceptive. It's digital (with 24-bit converters and 56-bit DSP), but it really sounds analog. It looks simple, and if you want to approach it simply, it can be used that way, but under the hood it has many capabilities that are not readily apparent when looking at the controls. The True Spring Reverb is housed in a compact gray and black anodized aluminum case that measures 4.5" L x 2.75" W x 2" H. The pedal's graphics and logo (designed by Jamie Bulmer) are done in white silkscreen, and harken back to the logos used on some of the vintage amps that packed the effects that inspired the pedal. The True Spring can create two effects at once - reverb and tremolo - and each offers three main types, with Harmonic, Opto and Bias tremolo options, and Short, Long and Tank spring reverbs. There are two main modes of operation. You can use the True Spring Reverb as a normal stompbox, with real-time knob-based control over the various effects parameters. It can also operate in preset mode, where each of the three settings of the Effects Selector toggle switch in the center of the top panel can select a different preset; each of these can be user-configured and stored for later recall. There are four knobs on the True Spring Reverb pedal. Level controls the overall output volume of the pedal. The Mix knob adjusts the relative level of the dry and wet signals, with the 50/50 point being located at the 3 o'clock position on the knob. The Dwell knob adjusts the reverb intensity, or how hard it is being driven, while the Tone control lets you adjust the tone of the wet signal to taste. The Effects Selector toggle switch is also used to select between the effects options when running in the usual stompbox mode. Short is based on the classic Blackface style amp spring reverb, with a tighter reverb sound, relatively quick decay and smooth tails, while the Long option gives you a drippier sound with longer tails. The Tank option is the drippiest of all, with the sound being eerily reminiscent of the classic outboard reverb units. A pushbutton Control switch at the top of the pedal next to the power jack lets you use the Effect Selector toggle switch to pick which of the tremolo options you want to use - just hold the Control switch in while you adjust the toggle switch. The Short setting on the toggle switch gives you Opto tremolo that emulates the classic photocell type tremolo circuit, the Long position serves up Harmonic Tremolo (which splits the signal into high and low frequency ranges and alternately modulates them, creating a somewhat phaser-like tremolo effect) and the Tank setting calls up Bias Tremolo, which emulates tremolo circuits that modulate the bias of an amp's output tubes and gives the tremolo sound a slightly overdriven effect. The algorithms for all of these sounds are taken from the Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo pedal. The Control switch also lets you access alternative functions for the Dwell and Tone knobs so you can adjust the tremolo's Depth and Speed, respectively. Again, just hold the switch in while turning either of these knobs to make the adjustments to the tremolo. You'll also find the power jack located at the top of the pedal, as well as a mini USB jack and a 1/8" control input jack. This can be used with an optional Source Audio or third-party expression pedal The True Spring Reverb pedal comes with a Tap Tempo switch that is mounted in a separate housing. It's also available separately for $49.00 MSRP / $38.00 "street." The Tap Tempo switch lets you easily control the speed of the tremolo's undulations. The normally-open Tap Tempo switch is physically quite small - it measures only 2.5" L x 2.25" W x 2" H. It has both 1/8" and 1/4" output jacks, making it useful with a variety of pedals that can use external tap tempo switches, and not just Source Audio's pedals. Power for the True Spring Reverb is supplied by an included regulated 9V power supply, which uses industry-standard 2.1mm center negative plug wiring. While you can use your own power supply if you want, Source Audio advises caution since using the wrong type (especially an unregulated power supply) can damage the pedal. The True Spring Reverb draws 165mA. There is also a mini USB Type B port on the True Spring Reverb. This can be used to connect it to your PC or Mac for deep level editing using Source Audio's free Neuro Desktop Editor software, or to the optional Source Audio Neuro Hub. When paired with the Neuro Hub using the USB jack the True Spring Reverb's MIDI features become available. These include the ability to store and recall up to 128 presets, the ability to save multi-pedal presets (when used with other pedals from Source Audio), assignable external Expression control and Hot Hand 3 wireless control over any (or multiple) parameters, and the ability to sync the tremolo's speed to MIDI clock. The True Spring Reverb uses Source Audio's "Universal Bypass", which gives you the choice of either True Bypass or Buffered Bypass. A green LED illuminates when the pedal is active. From the factory, the pedal is set for True Bypass, but this can be changed; the buffered setting allows the reverb tails that fade out naturally, without cutting them off abruptly when you bypass the pedal. The I/O is mounted on the sides of the pedal, and there are two 1/4" inputs and two 1/4" output jacks. The True Spring's I/O can be configured and used in a wide variety of ways, including mono in / out, mono in / stereo out, stereo in / out, stereo sum to mono and external loop. By default, the pedal's I/O auto-detects and configures itself, depending on what and how you plug everything into it. Want basic mono I/O? Connect your guitar to Input 1, and Output 1 to your amp and rock out. Want to add a second amp for stereo? Connect it to Output 2 and you're good to go. Use both inputs and outputs simultaneously and it automatically adjusts for true stereo operation. Simple and easy. Another cool feature is the ability to use Output 2 and Input 2 as an external pre-effects loop for wiring in an external effect (or a chain of effects) that is bypassed and activated whenever you turn the True Spring on and off. You can also manually set the I/O in various different ways using the free Neuro Desktop Editor (which can be downloaded directly from Source Audio's website) or using their free Neuro Mobile App. Source Audio's Neuro Mobile App and Desktop Editor software programs open up all kinds of very cool and very powerful deep-level editing options for the True Spring Reverb pedal. Available through Google Play (Android) and iOS (Apple App Store) the Neuro Mobile app lets smartphone users access these features by connecting the output of their phone's headphone jack to Input 2 on the pedal using an included cable. What kind of things can you do with the editors? In addition to controlling all of the previously mentioned controls and functions, you can also call up alternative types of sounds for the spring reverb "engine", such as Hall, Trash Can Spring, Tiny Tank and Drip Machine, as well as change he virtual spring size. You can also change the pre-delay for the reverb, as well as the reverb's diffusion. You can set the time division for the tap tempo. You get the usual values, including the default quarter note as well as eighth note, dotted eighth, triplet and sixteenth note values. You can also re-assign the knobs to control different functions, and set minimum and maximum value ranges for them. You can even use the software to adjust what feeds the tremolo - the dry signal, or the reverb's Wet / Dry Mix control. You can also control each effect's stereo offset - letting you put the tremolo and reverb more towards one side or the other in the stereo field. And that's only some of the things the editors allow you to do. Very cool and very powerful indeed! Limitations You can't do firmware updates using the Neuro Mobile App - it requires a Mac or PC. You'll need to supply your own USB Mini Type B to USB Type A cable if you want to connect your True Spring Reverb pedal to your computer in order to do firmware updates or use the Neuro Desktop Editor software. There are no secondary labels to assist you insofar as the alternate functions for the Dwell (Depth) and Tone (Speed) knobs, or for the three Tremolo options on the Effects Select toggle switch. There's so many features and capabilities crammed into this pedal that some guitarists might feel overwhelmed. Don't let that put you off. You can easily access all the main features of the pedal without having to mess with the presets, the software editors, or any of the advanced MIDI and control features. Having to hold in the Control button while adjusting the tremolo controls takes two hands. If you have really large hands you may be able to do it with just one hand, but it's probably going to take some stretching. Conclusions This is a really deep pedal - both sonically and in terms of features. It's equally adept at serving up both tasty tremolo and righteous reverb, and the two together sound simply awesome. Instead of having to purchase two separate pedals (and find room for both on your crowded pedalboard) you can get both effects in one easy to use unit. And compared to the cost of individual pedals of anywhere near similar sonic quality, it's quite cost-effective too. You'd also pay extra elsewhere for the external tap footswitch and its 1/8" to 1/8" TRRS connecting cable too, which is also included, along with the cables you need in order to connect the pedal to your smartphone for deep level editing with the Neuro Mobile App, although you will need to supply your own USB cable if you'd prefer to use your computer for editing. Still, these are really thoughtful and useful extras. With the help of the easy to use software options the True Spring Reverb leaps beyond the capabilities of the typical hardware effects pedal into the realm of advanced level control and sophistication offered only by the very best rack hardware and studio plug-in effects, allowing tone tweakers the kind of adjustability that will let them to customize the pedal to their own preferences. You can even use an optional expression pedal and the Neuro Hub for even more sophistication, giving you even greater expressive control, and a boatload of presets that you can recall via MIDI. All of the different effects types sound great. The Tank Reverb and the Harmonic Tremolo are probably my personal favorites (and they sound sooo good in stereo), but none of the available options are going to let you down. No matter what your personal reverb and tremolo preferences are, you're bound to find plenty to love in the Source Audio True Spring Reverb pedal. -HC- Want to discuss the Source Audio True Spring Reverb 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 Source Audio True Spring Reverb pedal ($329.00 MSRP, $229.00 "street") Source Audio's product web page Source Audio Downloads page for the free Neuro Desktop Editor software for Mac / PC You can purchase the Source Audio True Spring Reverb pedal from: Sweetwater zZounds Amazon Video Demo Hidden Features Explained __________________________________________________ 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.