Product & Gear Reviews

Gear

Written by SW Hammond on 31 January 2020.

Cloudlifter Review and Sound Test with Electro-Voice RE27 N/D

Spoken word and noise floor tests comparing the EV RE27 with and without a Cloudlifter. Is lowering pre-amp gain worth the price?

Word on the street is that you don't need a Cloudlifter Mic Activator while using an Electro-Voice RE27N/D microphone. However, to get the desired input levels, I had to run the Mackie Big Knob Studio+ pre-amp at about 90-95% gain. This seemed like a lot and I was afraid I was introducing quite a bit of pre-amp noise into my recordings.

In steps the Cloudlifter. Offering a 20-25 dB increase of ultra-clean gain for dynamic and ribbon microphones, I can now lower my pre-amp gain to 50-55%. But what does that actually sound like with the EV RE27?

Written by SW Hammond on 28 January 2020.

XLR Cable Noise Test – Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad Review

GLS Audio, Monster, and Blue XLR cable noise measured against Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad XLR cable. Five mic cables go head to head to see which carries the least noise.

A review of the Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad XLR microphone cable. This test proves it–quality Quad XLR cables make a significant difference in noise reduction over standard XLR cables. Perfect for voice overs, spoken word, audiobooks, and precision recordings, the Audioblast HQ-4 XLR cable offers superior noise rejection and the lowest noise floor.

Written by SW Hammond on 02 August 2019.

M-Audio BX5 Studio Monitor Review

Great For Multi-Media Creation

A thorough review and understanding of M-Audio BX5 studio monitors. A solid choice for most of us, these 5 inch speakers offer clarity and detail that will help you create better mixes.

The three most important things to remember when buying studio monitors: acoustically treat your listening environment, make sure to be honest with yourself about what you actually need, and set your new monitors up properly by calibrating them.

Written by SW Hammond on 15 July 2019.

Manfrotto 244 Variable Magic Arm

Review and Setup

It’s awesome! Overview and assembly of the Manfrotto 244 Variable Magic Arm and how it integrates into the studio. Great for filming over-the-top product reviews, builds, and setting unique camera angles.