Recording - November 2017 - 6

RECORDING
Reviews
16 Trick Out Your Studio: GIK Acoustics
Impression Series Acoustic Panels.

46 Soundware Showcase:
Spectrasonics Keyscape.

Style meets substance in this beautiful range of
absorption/diffusion wall treatments.

This gorgeous collection of rare and unique
keyboards is great on its own, but you can also
blend their sounds effortlessly into the Omnisphere
2 virtual synthesizer.

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

REVIEWS BY MIKE METLAY

18 Trick Out Your Studio: Zaor Classic and
MIZA MkII Monitor Stands.

58 Trick Out Your Studio: ErgoLabs
StealthPRO Chair.

	

	

Solid construction, adjustable height, and beauty
come	together	in	floor	stands	for	your	room.
REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR.

16

REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR.

30 Trick Out Your Studio: IsoAcoustics Iso-Pucks.
	

Features
12 A Sound Studio.
	

Speaker isolation now comes in a small, modular,
low-profile	format	that's	great	on	monitors,	guitar		 	
amps, and more.
REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

32 Townsend Labs Sphere L22 Modeling Microphone.
Hardware plus software equals a whole range of
beautiful microphones... and some that have never
existed before.

36	 Grace	Design	m900	Headphone	Amplifier.
	
	

The signature Grace approach to D/A conversion and
headphone	amplification	now	comes	in	a	package		
that	goes	anywhere	and	fits	any	budget.

24 Beyond The Clap Test:
Evaluate Your Room-Part 1.
	

48 Understanding The Audio Signal Path-
Part 1.

The signal chain could be all hardware or inside
your DAW, but the principles of gain staging for
the best possible sound remain true everywhere.

38 Neumann KH 80 DSP Monitors.
42

If	you've	skipped	over	reviews	of	Neumann	speakers		
in the past because you thought they were beyond
your reach, stop here-these speakers are as affordable
as they are spectacular.
REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY

40 Trick Out Your Studio: Latch Lake
micKing 1100 Heavy-Duty Mic Stand.
	
46

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6

RECORDING November 2017

Whether on its own or tricked out with handy accessories
like	the	Spin	Grip	and	Xtra	Boom,	this	top-flight	stand		
will handle even the heaviest mics reliably and safely.

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

42 Mackie Big Knob Studio+ and Big Knob Passive.
	

Over	a	decade	after	the	original	Big	Knob	redefined		
monitor control for the small studio, two new models
offer features for the modern recording rig.
REVIEWS BY MIKE METLAY

44 Reviewed & Revisited: KRK Systems V8 S4
Powered Monitors.

The fourth generation of the V Series introduces a new
tweeter design, creating a sound that takes a step
beyond previous models.

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

There's	a	lot	more	to	understanding	room	acoustics		
than walking around clapping your hands. We
begin a look at proper room measurement, using
free tools anyone can get.
BY JAMES LINDENSCHMIDT

REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY

	

We	don't	just	mean	the	sound	you	hear,	but	"sound"		
in the sense of well-made and healthy. Take a moment
to learn about how you and your studio can go
further and do more.
BY MIKE METLAY

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

36

Any career engineer can tell you that a good chair
is	vital	to	health	and	productivity,	and	here's	one	of		
the very best you can get.

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

20 Focal Shape 40 and Shape 65 Studio Monitors.
Features usually found on much more expensive
Focal models-and some that are entirely new-give
these small speakers surprising power and clarity.

32

November 2017

BY BILL STUNT

52 Trust, But Verify-Part 1.
	
	

You	don't	have	to	have	a	laboratory	test	bench	to	learn		
useful	information	that	your	gear's	spec	sheets	don't		
tell you... and understanding your rig can be fun, too.
BY MIKE RIVERS

Regulars
4

Fade In.

9

Talkback.

10 Fast Forward.
64 Readers' Tracks.
BY MARTY PETERS

72 Fade Out.

The Børja Legacy.

GUEST EDITORIAL BY SCOTT DORSEY

65 Advertiser Index.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - November 2017
