RECORDING MAGAZINE APRIL Become our Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/RecordingMag Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/recordingmag Reviews 26 58 Universal Audio UAD-2 Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Plug-In Collection. 30 To Be Or Not To Be? Don't Ask-Just Do It! The new version of the classic preamp/EQ plug-in models the hardware's analog eccentricities, and we compare it to a real AMS Neve 1073N to see how it fares. REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR. 40 36 Words of wisdom from a successful songwriter who started out with nothing (but a life-threatening illness), for the songwriter just getting started with his or her own recordings. BY ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS Focusrite Forte. 38 REVIEW BY DARWIN GROSSE 42 PMC twotwo.5 Active Monitors. These unusually designed monitors speak with a voice that belies their small size. 60 REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. 44 BY MALCOLM DOAK 46 Is Zoom's newest portable a simpler version of the flagship H6 or a massive update to the well-liked H4n? A bit of both. 56 BY KATY KRASSNER 48 BY PAUL J. STAMLER From the faraway land of Tula comes a remarkable new microphone from a company with a storied past. 58 Millennia Media HV-35P & HV-32P. The clarity of Millennia preamplification is now available in two new packages that are as portable as they are affordable. First Steps. Part 4: About Microphones-I. It's time to start learning about what microphones are and how they work. We start our journey by understanding mic types and polar patterns. Soyuz Microphones SU-017 Tube Condenser Microphone. REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. What's The Buzz? Some of the hottest social media forums for musicians are well-established, while others are brand new, and still others aren't worth your time. Here's a scorecard. Zoom H5 Handy Recorder. REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY Writing At The Keyboard. Arranger keyboards have never developed the following in the USA that they have elsewhere in the world, but that doesn't make them any less powerful for the aspiring songwriter. Here are some tips on how to use an arranger to power your muse. This high-quality USB audio interface puts premium Focusrite quality on your desktop. RegulaRs 4 Fade In. 8 Talkback. 64 Readers' Tapes. REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR. 22 44 60 Once Over-Reviews In Brief. Line 6 Sonic Port VX and Mobile POD; Steinberg UR12 audio interface; touchAble 3 remote Ableton Live control software for iPad. BY MARTY PETERS COVER DESIGN BY SCOTT SIMMONDS 72 Tune Into The Magic Frequency-Not! REVIEWS BY MIKE METLAY AND DARWIN GROSSE FeatuRes 10 2015 Winter NAMM Show- A Whirlwind Tour. A quick look at some of the great new goodies we saw in Anaheim. REPORT BY MIKE METLAY AND PAUL VNUK JR. 22 Welcome To The Studio! A seasoned producer offers guidance to the song writer going in for his first big studio session, and to the engineer who'll be welcoming him. BY HALEMANU 42 Fade Out. GUEST EDITORIAL BY SCOTT DORSEY 65 Advertiser Index. 36http://www.facebook.com/RecordingMag http://www.twitter.com/recordingmag