The September 2024 Issue of RECORDING: Monitoring & Acoustics –– Hear It Right!

[Paul Vnuk Jr.]

Monitoring & Acoustics –– Hear It Right!

 

 

Honing in on the final mix of a song––the perfect balance of levels with the right blend of tonality is equal parts skill, talent and perhaps even a bit of luck. Above all, whether you are tracking, mixing or even just listening to your favorite tunes, music is about listening, and you need to hear it right. Welcome to the September issue of RECORDING with our focus on Monitoring and Acoustics.

 

Reviews

 

We have 10 products up for review this month, starting with the new Core 5 and Core Sub Compact studio monitors from Dynaudio. Also, for your ears, we listen to the new ultra-premium Composer headphones from Austrian Audio. To help get your monitoring under control we have the brand new Nuance Select monitor controller from Radial Engineering.

 

We have a pair of high-powered interfaces for this issue, starting with a focused look at the monitoring capabilities of the Neumann MT48 as well as the new Quantum HD 8 interface from PreSonus. Moving to the microphone preamp realm, we check out the affordable SOLO MPA from ART.

 

Our final hardware review this month is the unique Spectravox from Moog Music, and then we jump into plugin-land to check out the new updated offerings in the Arturia FX Collection 5 and the just-released Humanoid vocal plugin from BabyAudio.

 

Interview

 

Our interview this month is with the GRAMMY Award-winning producer and mixing engineer Elliot Scheiner. We sit down with Elliot to discuss his thoughts and advice on monitors, immersive audio, headphones and more.

 

Features

 

The September issue is packed with acoustics and monitoring-focused features, as well as the return of our popular “Family of…” roundup. This month, we check out 10 headphone models in A Family of AKG Headphones Compared––entry-level, long-time studio workhorses and high-end boutique-level cans––they are all here to help you find the right option for your ears.

 

We have multiple articles this month on the art and science of setting up your perfect monitoring environment. Aaron J. Trumm takes us back to basics with a look at Basic Studio and Monitor Setup. Then producer Mark Hornsby (along with advice from noted studio designer Russ Berger) digs into the Psychics and Acoustics of Monitoring in this month’s Inside The Studio. Our speaker set-up considerations continue with mix engineer and Dolby Atmos expert Will Kennedy, who dives into the Proper Setup for a Dolby Atmos Speaker Array.

 

In a fresh installment of RECORDING’s Field Notes, Giles Reaves shares his thoughts, opinions and considerations of tracking and mixing in a single-room studio.

 

Finally, in this month’s Studio 101, Joe Albano looks at Time and Pitch Processing and Effects. 

 

Of course, Dave Martin is back with his advice in Readers’ Tracks, and we wrap the issue with a guest editorial from Carl Tatz, who reminds us that we need to Love Our Monitoring System. Get yourself dialed into the September issue of RECORDING.