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For years I did not understand why anyone would use a ribbon microphone. Old. Dated. Fragile. Why would you reach for one when you have a great condenser in the locker? Then I had a perspective shift. And the ribbon microphone became the holy grail for certain applications. I have not looked back si …

I want to share a story before I give you my recommendation on DAW computers. It will save you from making the same mistake I made. A few years ago I had a power surge that damaged the motherboard of my main studio computer — my primary income machine. I had a trusted tech come out and diagnos …

I have owned my Neumann U67 for 28 years. It has been the primary microphone at my studio for most of that time. I have tracked vocals through it on Grammy-nominated sessions, recorded acoustic guitar on major label projects, and reached for it on everything from brass to strings to room ambience wh …

Most musicians make a choice when building a dedicated space — practice room or recording studio. This project proves you don't have to choose. Pure Wave Audio recently completed a full design and install for a client who wanted a single room that could do everything. Practice with a full band …

I have been carrying SPL at Pure Wave Audio for years. In that time I have watched them do something most gear companies never pull off — consistently release products that are both technically innovative and genuinely musical. That combination is rarer than it sounds. SPL's secret is their 12 …

I recently put together a FET microphone shootout comparing three condenser microphones across male and female vocals. The three FETs in the running: the Neumann U87, the Earthworks SB33, and the Audix SCX25A. Here is how I set it up and what I found. The Setup All microphones were run in cardioid w …