Sound Advice: Accessory

I’m in need of some disk space for sample libraries, and wondered if there are any obvious drawbacks to using a USB pen drive over a HDD or SSD?

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

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?

I use an ART S8 eight-channel mic splitter, a passive device, to send mic signals to two separate recording systems...

The humble speaker stand or desktop speaker platform can make a huge difference to the sound in your room.

I have a friend who has a problem. He uses two different amps on stage, one a Marshall and the other a Hughes & Kettner, with a 2x12 and 4x12 cab, respectively. Is there any way he can just use one cab for both amps?

I've noticed that a lot of companies now market a variation on the curved screen theme to go behind a vocal mic, with the...

Even if youre tightening your belt, you can still upgrade and improve your studio and methods — you just need to be a bit more crafty about how you spend your cash...

I have just started playing mandolin in a live band, and we're currently touring the UK. However, although my mandolin is...

Stage gear takes a lot more punishment than studio equipment, so investing a few quid in suitable protection for it has to be worth considering. But what do you need to know before buying?

I have a Neutrik quarter-inch jack patchbay that I'm having problems with. The unit is only a few months old but already I...

I've been coming home from gigs recently with my ears ringing and I'm worried about damaging my hearing. What kind of (preferably unobtrusive) ear protection should I be looking at?

I've recently bought a couple of bits of recording gear from the US via eBay (I'm in the UK) and wondered if I have to run them off a transformer (240V to 110V) or whether they can run off 240V?

I recently bought a large-diaphragm condenser mic which came with a foam wind shield (the kind that fits over the top of the mic). Will this do a good enough job of stopping plosive blasts?

A sound engineer said the DI box only brings a level down, and won't bring it up to produce a stronger signal. I thought what DI boxes do is increase a low signal to a high signal. Who's right?

I am having serious earthing problems which are making it difficult for me to record a clean guitar sound. All my leads are good, and I don't have this problem with any of my other equipment — just the guitar stuff. Could it be a problem with my domestic mains supply?

Bearing in mind that my console does not accommodate balanced outputs and insert points (the only balanced connections on the console are at the input stages of all channels and the effects returns), can I use unbalanced patchbays, thereby simplifying the patch lead requirements?