Presonus Studio Channel

If your on a budget and you need to start acquiring gear for your signal chain or you just simply want to just upgrade, then I have the perfect all in one wonder for you. The Presonus Studio Channel has a preamplifier, compressor, and equalizer. There is no need to purchase these three different types of audio gear where you can get it all in one and for the price of $300. The Studio Channel has a class A 12AX7 tube amplifier. MXL microphones are not the best microphones when you want to purchase a microphone, but it will get the job done for engineers starting in this career. I recorded vocals with this microphone through the Studio Channel and it sounded amazing. It changed the characteristics of the microphone by adding a wider and fuller sound. The studio channel also has a VCA compressor, which is known for its ability to manipulate the fastest transients when recording. The compressor has all your basic knobs such as threshold, attack, and release. The Studio Channel’s three band parametric equalizer is good to take out those unwanted frequencies that are disturbing your sound. It also adds a smooth and sweet type of color to the sound. Equalizing when recording is not common, but you can also you this as an insert in your postproduction. The Presonus Studio Channel is an amazing piece of gear. This was my first gear for my signal chain and it definitely transformed the quality of my recordings to reach that professional sound. For the price on the Studio Channel, you cannot possibly go wrong. This is a piece of audio gear that will upgrade your sound, especially if you are on a budget and starting in to the recording world. Below I provided links so you can read the technical specifications for the Studio Channel.

http://www.presonus.com/products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=57

http://forum.recordingreview.com/content/presonus-studio-channel-review-77/

Advanced Audio Microphones Review: Neumann U87 vs. CM-87

Neumann U87 vs. CM-87

In our current economy, it is difficult to stay on top of the recording industry, buying the latest gear or owning some of the best gear out there. For instance, the legendary microphone, which almost each known engineer has in his or her arsenal, is the Neumann U87. The price of this microphone starts at $3,000 and keeps going up as newer versions are made. Not everyone can afford to buy this type of microphone. Luckily, the patent rights expired for this microphone and Advanced Audio Microphones took advantage of this. They created an almost identical twin to the Neumann U87. They call this microphone the CM-87. You can purchase this cheap professional microphone for $380. You may think this might be a cheap knock off, but it is far from it. I compared this microphone to the original and I had a hard time trying to find differences between them. Advanced Audio Microphones even lets you add parts to customize your microphone to the sound you are looking for. The CM-87 also includes the three polar patterns like the Neumann U87, which are Cardioid, Omnidirectional, and Figure 8. As you can see by the frequency charts below, they are very similar. 

CM-87 Frequency Chart

Neumann U87 Frequency Chart

You can check the bottom links to compare the specs from the Neumann and Advanced audio Microphones website. You will find out that they are identical even with their internal parts. You might still be thinking it sounds too good to be true, but you can check the reviews on these microphones from some of pros in the industry. The CM-87 was also featured in Tape Op magazine where they give a run down on the microphone and Advanced Audio Microphone. Therefore, if you are on a budget and need to acquire a microphone that sounds amazing then you should try the CM-87. 

Sources

http://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=u87_data

http://www.aamicrophones.com/fet_mics/cm_87.htm