Dante Fumo

Universal Audio and its affiliated brands have a longstanding reputation for producing top-tier studio hardware that has become highly sought after by engineers, even decades later. From Bill Putnam’s innovative early preamp and console designs to the famous Teletronix LA-2A and UREI 1176 compressors, these products have achieved almost mythical status, inspiring many reissues and copies. Today, Universal Audio is known for its popular interfaces, advanced DSP systems, and convincing analog emulation plugins. Continue reading →

Earthworks Audio is known throughout the industry for producing extremely accurate microphones with ruler-flat frequency response and lightning-fast transient response. Top engineers and acousticians trust their world-class measurement microphones to collect acoustical data and calibrate high-end sound systems, while their specialized instrument and vocal microphones excel at delivering sound so pure and detailed it’s like being in the room. Earthworks even offers a line of broadcast-style microphones that capture crystal-clear speech for podcasters, streamers, and video creators.  Continue reading →

For decades, the console was the heart of every studio—and for many, it still is. In a console-based studio, everything that’s recorded goes through the same set of preamps, equalizers, and output circuitry, all of which are painstakingly engineered to impart a flattering sound. If the recordings are mixed on the same console, everything goes through that same circuitry again, leaving a distinct sonic fingerprint. Some consoles add an extra touch of high-end sparkle, others reinforce the body and bass, and many impart a tinge of harmonic distortion. Each brand and model has its own signature sound, and manufacturers such as Neve, SSL, and API have become legendary in the music world. Continue reading →

While Pro Tools has evolved significantly over the years with added features and upgraded design, its core functionality as a linear editing software hasn’t changed much—until now. Today, Avid is introducing Pro Tools Sketch, a new DAW window and standalone app that enables clip-based, non-linear music creation. Sketch is available now in all versions of Pro Tools (as of update 2023.9) and as a free iPad app from the Apple App Store. Continue reading →

Neumann has been a household name in the pro audio industry pretty much since there’s been an industry. Today, the German company (founded by Georg Neumann in 1928) is known primarily for high-end condenser microphones like the U 47, U 67, and U 87; but they’re also responsible for several technical innovations that have advanced the industry by leaps and bounds.  Continue reading →

Back in 2015, Focal’s Trio6 Be (alongside the Twin6 Be and Solo6 Be) wowed the industry with its reference-quality sound, impeccable design, and innovative beryllium tweeter, quickly becoming the company’s best-selling studio monitor.  Last year, the French company updated the Twin6 and Solo6, dropping the “Be” from the name but keeping the signature beryllium tweeters while making select improvements and design tweaks. Along with the Sub12 subwoofer, these new models form Focal’s new flagship ST6 line of active monitors for professional studios.  Continue reading →

Since their introduction in 2010, Focusrite’s Scarlett audio interfaces have changed the game for home recordists, offering some of the cleanest preamps and highest-quality converters available in a consumer-level interface. Over the years, Focusrite has continued to make improvements with each successive generation of Scarletts, garnering six million users worldwide. Now, Focusrite is revamping the Scarlett range once again with three new and improved models: the fourth-generation Scarlett 4i4 ($349.99), 2i2 ($249.99), and Solo ($179.99). All three feature improved low-noise preamps, high-impedance headphone amps, and a refreshed aesthetic, along with handy new features like Auto Gain and Clip Safe that take the guesswork out of setting levels. Continue reading →

Vaudeville Sound Group is an international post-production audio house with operations in the U.K., U.S., and Canada. Focusing on film, TV, animation, and branded content, Vaudeville has provided sound design, editing, ADR, and mixing for high-profile clients including Disney, Amazon Studios, Netflix, Cadillac, LEGO, and many more. The company was also one of the first to fully commit to immersive audio production, and has now become one of the go-to creative post houses for major brands with ambitious ideas. Vaudeville has partnered with Dolby to sound design and mix immersive experiences featuring The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and others; created sound for VR experiences ranging from Ultimate Dinosaurs XR to Barbie Dreamhouse Sleepover; and mixed plenty of immersive streaming content.  Continue reading →

In the 1970s, Stevie Wonder was smack in the middle of his most critically acclaimed series of albums. Starting with 1972’s Music of My Mind and ending with Songs in the Key of Life in 1976, this “classic period”—as it has come to be known—produced many of Stevie’s biggest hits, including “Superstition,” “Higher Ground,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Sir Duke,” and...

Francesco Cameli is an analog-minded recording engineer known for working with Stone Sour, Ed Sheeran, and Avatar. A former mentee of Chris Kimsey and Glyn Johns, Cameli established the world-class Sphere Studios in London in 2001 before moving it to Los Angeles in 2016.  Continue reading →