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February 2023 Magazine Contents

SOS (US Edition) February 2023

Reviews: Freqport Freqtube FT-1 valve processor [front cover] • SOS Awards: The Results • Heritage Audio Herchild 670 compressor • Golden Age Premier ELA M251E mic • Eventide H90 Harmonizer pedal • Golden Age Premier R1A ribbon mic • Fluid Audio Image 2 monitors • Moog Moogerfooger Plug-ins • EastWest String Machine • Neumann Miniature Clip Microphone System • Arturia Augmented Grand Piano • Synchro Arts RePitch • DOCtron Instant Mastering Chain • Cherry Audio Elka-X soft synth • Meris LVX modular delay • Cableguys ShaperBox 3 effects • MetaSynth & Xx CTX • Waves Spherix • Waves BB Tubes • Elta Music Polyvox PF-3 filter • Latest sample libraries — and lots more!

Techniques + People: Producing Narration & Dialogue For VR & 360° Video • Inside Track: Meghan Trainor 'Made You Look' • Beginner’s Guide To Brass Arrangements • Blake Slatkin: Songwriter/Producer • How I Got That Sound: Bob Clearmountain (Crowded House) • Talkback: Jessica Wong • DAW workshops: Cubase, Studio One, Digital Performer, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Ableton Live — and plenty more!

Reviews

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    1010music Fireball, Lemondrop & Razzmatazz

    Desktop Synths & Sampler

    1010music’s diminutive Nanobox range has got it where it counts.

    Reviews
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    Arturia Augmented Grand Piano

    Software Instrument

    When is a piano not a piano? When it’s been ‘augmented’ by Arturia...

    Reviews
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    Bastl Softpop SP2

    Semi-modular Synthesizer

    Bastl’s Softpop SP2 reins in the chaos but is still a far from conventional synth.

    Reviews
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    Cableguys ShaperBox 3

    Multi-effects Plug-in

    Cableguys’ box of tricks is a creative processing powerhouse.

    Reviews
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    Cherry Audio Elka-X

    Software Synthesizer

    Cherry Audio recreate that rarest of beasts, the Elka Synthex.

    Reviews
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    DOCtron IMC

    Stereo EQ & VCA Compressor

    Billed as an instant mastering device for on‑stage use, the DOCtron IMC could well be an entirely new class of audio processor.

    Reviews
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    EastWest String Machine

    Virtual Instrument & Sample Library

    EastWest give the classic string machine sound a modern twist.

    Reviews
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    Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi Hardware Plugin

    Distortion Pedal & USB Audio Interface

    Want to use a real Big Muff Pi in your DAW session? With this one, you can just plug and go...

    Reviews
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    Elta Music Polyvox PF-3

    Stereo Filter

    Elta Music have put the heart of the celebrated Soviet synthesizer into a convenient desktop box.

    Reviews
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    Erica Synths-Sonic Potions LXR-2

    Drum Machine Eurorack Module

    The LXR‑2 is a six-voice, 28HP module with the same sound engine as the LXR‑02...

    Reviews
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    Eventide H90 Harmonizer

    Multi-effects Pedal

    With its astonishing array of new and cherished effects, Eventide’s ‘everything pedal’ should appeal to guitarists, synth heads and mix engineers alike.

    Reviews
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    Fluffy Audio Simple Opera Singer

    Kontakt Instrument

    Rating: 4/5 Stars. Fluffy Audio’s Simple Opera Singer may provide a compelling alto and soprano solution for your next musical needs.

    Reviews
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    Fluid Audio Image 2

    Active Monitors

    We test Fluid Audio’s most ambitious monitor yet.

    Reviews
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    Freqport Freqtube FT-1

    Plug-in Valve Processor

    Freqport’s innovative desktop box makes adding valve warmth to your DAW mixes as easy as loading a plug‑in.

    Reviews
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    Future Sound Systems FIL4 Timbral Sculptor

    Eurorack Module

    Comprised of an 18dB/octave three‑pole multi‑mode filter, a VCA, two different West Coast‑style wavefolders and a rectifier, at its mildest end the FIL4 very much does what it says on the tin: it sculpts timbre.

    Reviews
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    Golden Age Premier ELA M251E

    Valve Microphone

    Golden Age deem their take on Telefunken’s classic mic so accurate, they even gave it the same name.

    Reviews
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    Golden Age Premier R1A

    Active Ribbon Microphone

    Golden Age have given their affordable R1 the Premier treatment, with no‑expense‑spared active electronics.

    Reviews
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    Heavyocity Mosaic Pads

    Kontakt Instrument

    Rating: 5/5 Stars. The latest release in Heavyocity's Mosaic Series, how does Mosaic Pads measure up?

    Reviews
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    Heritage Audio Herchild 670

    Dual-channel Valve Compressor

    Part of their new American Heritage line, the Madrid‑based manufacturers’ latest offering is their take on the mighty Fairchild Model 670.

    Reviews
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    Inspire The Music

    50 Years Of Roland History

    Bjooks take on one of the largest and most respected brands in music technology.

    Reviews
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    Lekato Looper Station 9

    Loop Pedal

    I recently had need of another looper pedal, but as it wasn’t something I’d need very often I wanted to...

    Reviews
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    Meris LVX

    Modular Delay Pedal

    What could possibly budge your favourite ‘big box’ delay off your pedalboard? Meris might just have the answer...

    Reviews
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    Minimal Audio Bloom

    WAV

    Rating: 4/5 Stars. Bloom offers a combination of natural sounds, modular synths and classic vintage gear, such as a Serge system and a Roland Jupiter‑8.

    Reviews
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    Moog Moogerfooger Plug-ins

    Effects Plug-ins

    Moog may be better known for their synths, but their out‑of‑production Moogerfooger effects change hands for silly prices. And now they’re available in software form...

    Reviews
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    Neumann Miniature Clip Microphone System

    Electret Instrument Microphone

    Neumann’s first ever pre‑polarised mic is designed to reach the parts where their other models won’t go!

    Reviews
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    Soundevice Digital VoxDucker

    Ducking Plug-in

    VoxDucker aims to make the ducking process more intuitive, so that podcasters and the like can get consistently good results.

    Reviews
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    Synchro Arts RePitch

    Pitch-correction Plug-in

    Vocal pitch correction is fundamental to modern production styles, and now there’s a fresh alternative to the established heavyweights.

    Reviews
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    Teletone Audio Tympo

    Kontakt Instrument

    If you are working in genres such as lounge, hip‑hop, downtempo or lo‑fi, Tympo's  ‘performative drum instrument’ will be right up your street.

    Reviews
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    U&I Software MetaSynth & Xx CTX

    Software Synthesizer & Sequencer

    Now in its third decade, MetaSynth is still a synthesizer like no other, and its companion sequencer Xx follows the same path...

    Reviews
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    Waves BB Tubes

    Saturation Plug-in

    This deceptively simple plug‑in has been designed to blend ‘nice’ and ‘nasty’ saturation any way you need it.

    Reviews
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    Waves Spherix

    Compressor & Limiter Plug-in

    Designed from the ground up for processing multi‑channel Atmos sources, Spherix boasts some innovative and useful features.

    Reviews

Techniques

Sound Advice

People

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    Blake Slatkin

    Songwriter & Producer

    Songwriting today is about collaboration, capturing moments of inspiration and polishing them ’til they shine. Blake Slatkin is a master of the art.

    People
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    Don Lewis

    Don Lewis - Programming The DX7 | Podcast

    Creating The DX7 Factory Presets

    Back in November 2020 Don Lewis discussed his time programming the Yamaha DX7’s factory sounds. In the wake of Don’s passing, we decided to publish this excerpt and put on record his important contribution to this iconic synth.

    People
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    Mike Lindup - Level 42

    Mike Lindup - Level 42 And Beyond

    Talks about his new solo album: Changes 2

    Best known as the keyboardist and co-vocalist for Brit-Funk legends, Level 42, we caught up with Mike Lindup ahead of his new solo release, Changes 2.

    People
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    Modular Profile: Jan Willem Hagenbeek

    Ginkosynthese

    Based in The Hague, Netherlands, Jan Willem Hagenbeek is best known in the modular world as Ginkosynthese...

    People
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    Talkback: Jessica Wong

    Producer & Recording Engineer

    Macau‑born Jessica Wong began her production career at Boston’s prestigious Berklee School Of Music before relocating to Atlanta, where she can often be found working in the Madison Records studio in nearby Chamblee, Georgia.

    People
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    The Church Of Components?

    Leader

    Over time, accurate observations about specific things have a tendency to dissolve into dubious generalisations...

    People
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    Why I Love... Ambient Music

    Louis Sterling

    While ambient music can be stereotyped as meditative or calming, it bridges the gaps between noise and silence, helping us find solace.

    People

Music Business

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    Inside RAK Studios

    SOS FEATURE VIDEO

    In this Sound On Sound exclusive feature video, we explore the former Victorian schoolhouse and meet the people who help RAK maintain its reputation as one of the world’s premier recording venues.

    Music Business
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    Sound On Sound Awards 2023: Winners & Highly Commended

    Chosen by the readers of Sound On Sound

    This year’s SOS Awards celebrate the ‘best in class’ products launched or reviewed in the period from September 2021 through to the end of August 2022.

    Music Business
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