Line arrays explained: how a line-source PA really works (and when to skip it)
The line array redefined concert sound, yet its principle is still widely misunderstood. Source coupling, near-field summation, curvature, vertical control and system…
Features
Like the Space Echo: 8 tape echo plugins (free and paid)
The Roland RE-201 Space Echo is still the reference for tape echo. Here are eight plugins that bring it into your DAW,…
Live sound system alignment: getting delay, phase and gain to agree
A PA system isn't tuned by ear alone. Delay, phase, gain, tonal response: here's how to align mains, subs and delays so…
Audio over IP explained: Dante, AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110
Analog cable and multicore are losing ground to the Ethernet network. But between Dante, AES67, Ravenna and SMPTE ST 2110, it's easy…
Gain staging in the digital domain: dBFS, headroom and gain structure explained
Setting the right level at every stage of the chain, from preamp to master bus, is one of the most rewarding and…
Like the Kush Omega 2: 8 harmonic saturation plugins (free and paid)
The Kush Audio Omega 2 boils harmonic saturation down to a single knob. Around that simple idea, here are eight plugins that…
Broadcast loudness explained: LUFS, EBU R128 and true peak for radio, TV and streaming
In broadcast, a peak meter tells you nothing about perceived volume. Loudness, measured in LUFS and framed by standards like EBU R128,…
East Coast vs West Coast synthesis: the two schools that shaped the synth, explained
Two men, two coasts of the United States, two opposing visions of sound. East Coast and West Coast aren't music genres but…
Like Sunset Circuits: 8 free (and often open-source) software synths worth installing right now
Dusk Audio has just packed six vintage synths into one free, open-source plugin. A good moment to sort the best free software…
Audio compression explained: threshold, ratio, attack, release and compressor types
Threshold, ratio, attack, release, knee, and the VCA, FET, opto and tube families: a clear guide to audio compression so you stop…