SOUND ON SOUND
Hugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound's Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC's technical training centre.
He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too!
Recording a choir on location presents a number of unique technical and artistic challenges. Hugh Robjohns describes how he approached a recent project.
The updated compact mixers in Mackie's VLZ range may look the same as ever on the outside — but inside lurk new, high-grade microphone preamps. Hugh Robjohns tries out the new design.
Classic studio signal processors such as the vintage Urei 1176 limiting amplifier impart a unique sound while keeping levels under control, but are rare and expensive. Purple Audio have an answer in the form of the MC76 — an old idea revisited. Hugh Robjohns does the time warp again...
The Hafler brand name has been around since the '70s but isn't yet well known in the UK project studio market. All that could be about to change, courtesy of the TRM range of nearfield active monitors and subwoofers. Hugh Robjohns mixes and matches.
The fashionably vintage exterior of this US-made dual-channel preamp is matched by an all-valve interior. Hugh Robjohns gets a retro perspective.
Poor studio wiring can lead to hums and buzzes, but you can avoid the worst of these problems by following a few simple rules.
BSS are well known in the live sound market, but some of their well-specified gates, EQs and compressors are equally at home in a recording environment. The DPR944, for example, has two gates and two parametric compressors, with independent ins and outs. Hugh Robjohns is impressed.
Hugh Robjohns tries out a stylish new microphone from US manufacturers Earthworks.