RECORDING MAGAZINE OCTOBER Become our Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/RecordingMag Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/recordingmag Features 16 58 44 Once More, With NRG. The up-and-coming maker of mics that are as stunning to look at as they are to listen to premieres its first solid-state design. A jazz session at North Hollywood's famed NRG Studios begins with mic choice and mic placement. Follow along as we delve into the details of how the magic's captured. BY ERIC FERGUSON 24 46 BY SVEN-ERIK SEAHOLM AND MIKE METLAY 48 54 46 REVIEWS BY MIKE METLAY 48 First Steps. Part 10: Beyond The Boost- Mic Preamps II. Samar Audio Design VL37 Ribbon Mic. A unique look and a sparkling new sound hint at a fresh direction for ribbon mics. REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. 50 Retro Instruments Doublewide 500 Series Tube Compressor. This variable-Mu compressor packs in so much tube goodness, they had to make it twice as wide... BY AARON TRUMM 68 Gibson Pro Audio Les Paul 4 and Les Paul 6 Reference Monitors. Behind the sexy flamed-maple fascia lurks a powerful, competent monitor worthy of any small studio. Studio Deliverables. If a band walks out of the studio with a finished track ready for a CD and nothing else, they've been cheated out of many more useful products they should be taking home. Essential reading for recording artists and studio owners alike! 50 REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. Build Your Mic Locker. Everyone has to start somewhere. Here's a buyer's guide to mics from under $100 to over $3000, broken down by mic type and application. There's a little of everything! Cathedral Pipes Saint Jean Baptiste Vintage FET Microphone. REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. 52 There's a lot more to a good preamp than adding gain to a signal; in this column, we'll go deeper and look at all the other functions preamps bring to the table. Audix HT5 and HT7 Over-Ear Condenser Microphones. Stage and speaking gigs require a mic that mixes reliable audio with unobtrusive looks and comfort. REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR. BY PAUL J. STAMLER 58 16 reviews 14 Lewitt DGT 650 and Lewitt Recorder for iOS. Many products claim to be complete USB/iOS recording solutions, but this package puts it all together in spectacular fashion. Apogee Groove. High-quality digital audio playback doesn't get much smaller or handier than this. REVIEWS BY MIKE METLAY REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY 60 54 30 ADK Custom Shop Z-MOD Z-251 and T-FET Cremona 251-T. These two solid offerings showcase the new PG ALTA line of entry-level mics. The tube Z-MOD and solid-state T-FET mics say "Yello!" with a pair of designs that echo the iconic Telefunken ELA M 251. 44 REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR. 36 Focal Trio6 Be Monitors. These 3-way monitors combine world-class performance with a hidden trick... they're also 2-way monitors! REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. 40 Shure PGA27 and PGA181 Condenser Microphones. REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR. regulars 4 Fade In. 10 Talkback. 12 Fast Forward. 62 Readers' Tapes. BY MARTY PETERS 36 40 Manley CORE Reference Channel Strip. We test out this new preamp/compressor/EQ/limiter, and interview EveAnna Manley about the design decisions that led to the CORE's combination of low cost and exceptional quality. REVIEW AND INTERVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR. 80 Fade Out. COVER DESIGN BY SCOTT SIMMONDS COVER PHOTO BY PAUL VNUK JR. The Making Of West Side Story. GUEST EDITORIAL BY SCOTT DORSEY 73 Advertiser Index.http://www.facebook.com/RecordingMag http://www.facebook.com/RecordingMag http://www.twitter.com/recordingmag http://www.twitter.com/recordingmag