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July 2016 Magazine Contents

SOS (US Edition) July 2016

Reviews: Pioneer RM07 (Cover), Tom Oberheim Two Voice Pro, Keith McMillen Instruments K-Mix, Phaedrus Audio Pharmulus, Behringer X-Touch & X-Touch Compact, Moog Model 15 App, Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates, Aston Microphones Halo.


Techniques: Recording Resonator Guitars, Mix Rescue.


Features: Classic Tracks: ABC, John Carpenter: Film Director & Composer.

Reviews

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    Acustica Audio White

    Equaliser Plug-in

    Acustica Audio’s new Acqua series of plug-ins are painstakingly ‘sampled’ from high-end hardware. Does the end justify the means?

    Reviews
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    AJH Synth MiniMod Transistor Ladder Filter

    Eurorack Filter Module

    For many, an analogue synthesizer is defined by its low-pass filter. There have been numerous notable examples of this,...

    Reviews
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    Alto Professional MixPack 10

    Powered Mixer & PA Speakers

    For some gigs, less is more — and that’s where this simple, affordable and portable all-in-one PA system comes in!

    Reviews
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    Apple 9.7-Inch iPad Pro

    Tablet Computer

    Apple recently unveiled their second model in the iPad Pro range: the smaller 9.7-inch iPad Pro with the same dual-core, 64-bit A9X system-on-chip as its big brother.

    Reviews
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    APS Klasik

    Active Nearfield Monitors

    As their name suggests, these unassuming two-way monitors employ a traditional, tried-and-tested design — and they pull it off surprisingly well.

    Reviews
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    Aston Microphones Halo

    Portable Vocal Booth

    Could this British company’s new take on the portable vocal booth be the most effective yet?

    Reviews
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    Audio-Technica BP40

    Dynamic Vocal Microphone

    If you’re looking for a mic that excels at speech intelligibility, Audio-Technica’s new broadcast model may be just what you’re after.

    Reviews
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    Behringer X-Touch & X-Touch Compact

    Control Surfaces

    Behringer’s X-Touches offer affordable DAW control and tight integration with the company’s X-Air system.

    Reviews
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    Big Fish Audio Country Guitars

    Multi-format

    Country music can come in a rough and ready hoedown format, but that’s not what BFA’s Country Guitars is about. The material is radio-friendly and absolutely ready for your next modern country rock chart assault.

    Reviews
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    Bright Sparks

    Film & Album

    This history of synthesis documentary and album presents the human stories behind the technology that changed the face of electronic music.

    Reviews
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    DMG Audio Limitless

    Mastering Limiter Plug-in

    If you’re feeling limited by your existing limiter, perhaps DMG Audio have the answer?

    Reviews
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    Electro-Harmonix Mel9

    Tape Replay Machine

    Electro-Harmonix’s Mel9 guitar effects pedal, which must qualify as their most ambitious model so far, produces a range of instantly recognisable Mellotron sounds.

    Reviews
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    Elysia Karacter 500

    Analogue Saturation Processor

    Analogue distortion devices abound, but few offer as wide a range of sounds as this one.

    Reviews
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    Eventide T-Verb

    Formats: Mac & PC VST, RTAS & AAX; Mac AU

    Emulating the setup of gates and room mics on the vocal treatment Tony Visconti used for the David Bowie track ‘Heroes’, Eventide's plug-in is more than a one-trick pony...

    Reviews
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    Fender Fortis F-12BT

    Active PA Speaker

    Fender’s smart new PA range offers ease of use, plenty of power — and built-in Bluetooth music streaming.

    Reviews
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    Gothic Instruments Dronar.

    Gothic Instruments Dronar Hybrid Module

    Kontakt Instrument

    Dronar is a Kontakt instrument that translates the everyday into the epic. When fed with a simple triad chord, it cunningly fills out the middle range, provides a building-shaking bass and inserts highs to rival the most discreet online pharmacy.

    Reviews
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    Hamstead Soundworks Signature Analogue Tremolo.

    Hamstead Soundworks Signature Analogue Tremolo

    Guitar Effects Pedal

    Combine the Artist 20’s smooth tremolo with an independent variable 0-10 dB clean gain boost, and what do you get? An effects pedal with attitude!

    Reviews
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    Hypersynth Xenophone

    Analogue Synthesizer

    In a world of reissues and recreations, the Hypersynth Xenophone is resolutely doing its own thing.

    Reviews
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    IGS Audio Springtime

    Four-channel Spring Reverb

    We get hands-on with the most unusual device yet to spring forth from the IGS workshop.

    Reviews
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    IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo

    Audio Interface [iOS/Android/Mac/Windows]

    The iRig Pro Duo promises to be a versatile and affordable all-in-one studio for iOS, Android and desktop computers.

    Reviews
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    Keith McMillen Instruments K-Mix

    Digital Mixer, Audio Interface & DAW Controller

    The K-Mix squeezes a mixer, an audio interface and a MIDI controller into one very tactile box.

    Reviews
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    Mojotone Quiet Coil

    Noiseless Guitar Pickups

    Unlike the majority of noiseless single-coil designs, Quet Coil utilises side-by-side coils, rather than the commonly favoured stacked-coil configuration.

    Reviews
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    Moog Model 15 App

    Synthesizer App For iOS

    This four-voice polyphonic Model 15 app, which is both an educational tool as well as a musical instrument, mimics the original (primarily monophonic) Model 15, and offers much more besides.

    Reviews
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    Mutable Instruments Rings

    Eurorack Resonance Module

    Mutable Instruments’ Rings introduces the idea of virtual strings to generate its own flavour of polyphony.

    Reviews
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    Phaedrus Audio Phamulus

    Mono Vari-mu Compressor

    Can a tiny box like this really deliver the classic vari-mu sound for so little money?

    Reviews
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    Pioneer RM-07

    Nearfield Active Monitors

    Pioneer might not be the first name you’d associate with studio monitoring — but their new 'dual-coincident' creation is quite remarkable.

    Reviews
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    Polyverse I Wish

    Formats: Mac & PC VST, AAX & RTAS; Mac AU

    I Wish is a granular synthesis plug-in that uses incoming MIDI notes to play very short loops of audio.

    Reviews
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    Positive Grid Pro Series

    Compressor Modelling Plug-ins

    Positive Grid’s latest plug-ins let you craft your own boutique compressor designs without ever touching a soldering iron.

    Reviews
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    PSP B-Scanner

    Formats: Mac & PC VST, RTAS & AAX; Mac AU

    B-Scanner replicates the vibrato and offers far more scope to create effects outside the range of Hammond’s original ‘scanner’ chorus/vibrato circuit.

    Reviews
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    Samson Z55 Headphones

    Closed-back Headphones

    When you think of headphones, Samson might not be the first name that springs to mind, but their top-of-the-range Z55 might surprise you.

    Reviews
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    Sonic Farm Silk Road

    Microphone Preamplifier

    The latest preamp from Canadian company Sonic Farm is a classy and versatile affair, thanks to its wide range of tonal options.

    Reviews
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    Studio Electronics Quadnic

    Eurorack Digital Oscillator Module

    Designed in collaboration with SpaceHardware, the Quadnic packs four digital oscillators into an impressively compact 12hp...

    Reviews
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    Tom Oberheim Two Voice Pro

    Analogue Synthesizer

    Tom Oberheim hasn’t just revisited his classic Two Voice synthesizer, he’s made it even better.

    Reviews
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    Triad-Orbit

    Mic-stand System

    This beautifully engineered system reaches the parts other mic stands can’t...

    Reviews
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    Turbosound iP1000

    Column PA System

    Turbosound are no strangers to the world of big-box PA systems, but how good is their new compact column speaker?

    Reviews
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    Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates

    Formats: Mac OS & Windows VST, RTAS & AAX; Mac AU

    Waves took on the challenge of modelling four modified EMT 140 plates used at Abbey Road Studios on countless classic recordings. Did they succeed?

    Reviews
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    Waves Greg Wells Plug-ins

    Mix Bus, Piano & Vocal Processing Plug-ins [Mac OS/Windows]

    A trio of easy-to-use plug-ins from Waves aims to bottle the signature sounds of pop producer Greg Wells.

    Reviews
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    Wide Blue Sound Eclipse sample library/VI.

    Wide Blue Sound Eclipse

    Kontakt Instrument

    Eclipse is a Kontakt instrument with a lot of similarities to Orbit, Wide Blue Sound’s previous opus. The installation...

    Reviews
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    Xtant Audio Model Brass

    Kontakt Instrument

    If you are on a more modest budget, but interested in a collection of brass sounds — and perhaps something that is suitable for both general classical and jazz duties — then Xtant Audio’s Model Brass might well appeal.

    Reviews

Techniques

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    Classic Tracks: ABC ‘The Look Of Love’

    Producer: Trevor Horn • Engineer: Gary Langan

    1982’s ‘The Look Of Love’ paired an ambitious band with an ambitious producer, and the result was a perfect piece of pop music.

    Techniques
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    Cubase: Parallel Bus Compression

    Cubase Tips & Techniques

    With Cubase, you can implement an innovative parallel compression technique first conceived by producer Andrew Scheps.

    Techniques
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    Inside Track: Deftones 'Prayers/Triangles'

    Secrets Of The Mix Engineers: Matt Hyde

    The success of Deftones’ Gore album is reward for the band’s restless experimentation — and for the work of engineer, producer and mixer Matt Hyde.

    Techniques
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    Level Automation In Studio One

    Studio One Tips & Techniques

    Studio One offers the full gamut of automation features — but which ones are appropriate to your needs?

    Techniques
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    Live: Arrangements

    Live Tips & Techniques

    We explore some useful functionality in Ableton Live’s often-overlooked Arrangement page.

    Techniques
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    Logic: Quantisation

    Logic Tips & Techniques

    Tighten up your timing without sounding robotic, using Logic’s quantisation features.

    Techniques
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    Media Content - July 2016

    Audio files to accompany our articles

    A directory of all media pages that hold the associated media files for July 2016 audio examples.

    Techniques
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    Mix Rescue: The Southern Wild

    Our Experts Transform Your Tracks

    The Southern Wild: our engineer reminds us that you don’t have to cram every mic signal into your mix just because it’s available.

    Techniques
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    Part 2: Cloud Collaboration In Pro Tools 12.5

    Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

    In the second part of our guide to Pro Tools’ cloud collaboration features, we learn how to exchange tracks with other musicians.

    Techniques
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    Recording Resonator Guitars

    How To Capture Their Distinctive Sound

    Part six-string, part speaker cabinet, resonator guitars are like no other instruments. Here’s how to capture their distinctive sound.

    Techniques
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    Sonar: Automation

    Sonar Tips & Techniques

    Streamline your use of Sonar’s automation with these time-saving tips.

    Techniques
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    Sylvia Massy: Adventure Recording

    Sylvia Massy: Adventure Recording

    Video Feature

    Sylvia Massy shares weird recording tips

    Techniques

Sound Advice

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    Q. Can PSU voltage be ‘stepped up’?

    I’ve read so many people saying that a 9V power supply for guitar pedals means they can’t give you enough headroom, and the same for the 500-series 32V (±16V) supply. But surely there’s a way designers can ‘step up’ the voltage inside a device?

    Sound Advice
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    Q. Do I need a shockmount?

    I would just like to ask if it’s important to use shockmounts on my microphones and how effective they are?

    Sound Advice
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    Q. What’s behind Conor Maynard’s vocal sound?

    I was listening to Conor Maynard’s YouTube cover of Shawn Mendes’ ‘Stitches’ and wondered if you could provide any insight into what he used to get that huge, rich vocal tone.

    Sound Advice

People

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    John Carpenter

    Film Director & Composer

    John Carpenter is not only a cult movie-maker, but also a pioneering electronic composer. John, his son Cody and collaborators Alan Howarth and Daniel Davies explain how it’s all possible.

    People
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    Sounding Off: Royalty Revolution!

    Pete Brazier

    The process for royalty collection is laborious, complex, and at times hostile to the artist. We need a royalty revolution!

    People
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    The Mix Review

    Commercial Productions Analysed

    Music from: Zayn • Jonas Blue • Alan Walker • Kendrick Lamar and our Classic Mix is David Bowie's 'Starman'.

    People
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    Paul White

    The World’s Gone Modular

    Leader

    SOS has been reviewing modular systems since the 1990s, but this month seems like the right time to embark on a regular column covering this ever-expanding, highly popular sector.

    People

Music Business

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    Motor Museum, Liverpool

    Studio File

    Step inside Motor Museum studios, which has played a vital role in the careers of several of the most influential UK bands of the past decades.

    Music Business
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    Notes From The Deadline

    TV Music From The Inside

    Sometimes a make-or-break opportunity can make you and break you...

    Music Business
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    The Very Best Of Prince album cover.

    Off The Record: Who Owns What?

    Music & Recording Industry News

    How can we expect people to value music when we don’t keep track of who owns it?

    Music Business
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