SOUND ON SOUND
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Swiss synth manufacturers Spectral Audio continue their journey into retro space with a new analogue monosynth, the Neptune. Sam Inglis finds out if it's out of this world.
TL Audio have gained an enviable reputation for high-quality processors. Hugh Robjohns takes a look at the latest addition to their Classic range.
The latest technological advances in reverb design have yielded expensive hardware units that can 'sample' the sound of real rooms. Now Audio Ease's Altiverb brings the same convolving technology to the Mac — at a fraction of the cost.
This unique hybrid eight-bus mixing desk brings a welcome alternative to the established options.
Resynthesis promises to combine the realism of a sampler with the flexibility of a synth. A great idea, but no-one has really made it work — until now...
Hard disk recording always strtches any computer to the limit, and if you want eight simultaneous tracks or more you'll definitely need help. Martin Walker finds out whether the V8 system can come to the rescue.
If you're recording and editing MIDI + Audio on a PC, you'll want to try a piece of the latest Cakewalk. Janet Harniman-Cook reports from the kitchen.
Universal Audio's elysia alpha compressor and SPL Vitalizer recreations have been treated to an overhaul, and both benefit from enhanced performance thanks to the use of Brainworx’ Tolerance Modeling Technology, as well as some functional improvements.
Spitfire consolidate seven symphonic products into one bumper package.
These plug‑ins are all about warmth and distortion, and the flavours on offer range from gentle saturation at the subtler end of the scale through to crunching overload and squelchy obliteration.
These audio examples accompany our review in SOS January 2024 of the Universal Audio UAFX Lion ’68 Super Lead Amp stompbox.
Coil Audio’s CA‑70 valve preamp is based on classic Western Electric and RCA designs dating back as far as the 1930s.
Gainlab’s channel strip delivers high‑quality valvetube preamplification and optical compression, along with some interesting tone‑shaping options.
These audio files accompany the Multi-miking article published in SOS February 2024.
IPA 25 is said to deliver the compression character that you’d expect from its inspiration (API’s much-loved 2500), but with some added functions that include selectable circuit topologies, intelligent clipping/limiting, visual side-chain control and a modular signal flow.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars. The instrument allows users to pick any two clarinet textures from a library of 15 available textures, blending and shaping them with onboard tools.
From 28 August through to 1 September 2025, a range of the company’s UAD plug-ins will be on sale with prices starting at $39, with generous discounts also being applied to bundles.
Lauten Audio’s updated LA‑220 offers both the Yin and Yang of affordable capacitor mics!
Has the addition of Dante allowed Voyage Audio’s Ambisonic mic to realise its full potential?
These audio files accompany my article titled The Drum Squash Mic Trick, published in SOS September 2025, and demonstrate the potential benefits of adding a fifth ‘squash’ mic to a basic four-mic setup on acoustic drum kits.