Simon Allen, Author at gearnews.com

Simon is an internationally recognised Professional Sound Engineer/Producer with over a decade in the industry. Working mostly in music, his reputation as a mix engineer continues to reach new heights. Sound Engineer (Studio & Live) Freelance Record Producer Pro Audio Specialist / Consultant Pro Audio Journalist Pro Audio Trainer

TDR’s SlickEQ-M: A new mastering version of a popular plugin

14 May 2016 in Studio

Tokyo Dawn Records have gained much respect for their plugins, and have now developed a 6-band EQ mastering plugin, based on the success of SlickEQ. This should be good...

Ultrasone releases new PRO “i” Headphone range

13 May 2016 in Studio

Looking for some beautiful headphones, both sonically and aesthetically but without breaking the bank? These might be just the thing.

Acustica Audio turns PURPLE with a new family of EQ Plugins

12 May 2016 in Studio

Utilising their unique CORE8 hardware modelling technology, Acustica Audio have released two new EQ plugins for sculpting sonics in your mixes.

Universal Audio releases Sonnox Oxford Limiter v2 Plugin

11 May 2016 in Studio

Sonnox Oxford have released an update to their famous limiter plugin, but exclusively for the UAD platform. Can we expect a native version?

McDSP v6.2 update delivers 6050 Ultimate Channel Strip Plugin

09 May 2016 in Studio

Announced at the beginning of the year, this latest update for McDSP plugins finally brings their 'Ultimate' Channel Strip plugin to life. But what's the cost?

PMC new ‘twenty5’ consumer series marks 25th Anniversary

07 May 2016 in Studio

With the pedigree of PMC and their 25 years of experience, these are sure to be special speakers for the audiophile. Look closely though, and there's a new technology at play.

Empirical Labs ‘Arousor’ – the most anticipated plugin this year?

07 May 2016 in Studio

As their first ever in-house plugin, hype around this new release has been building for a while now. Now that the demo is available to try, there's certainly mixed feedback as the story continues to unfold.

Universal Audio releases Chandler Limited Curve Bender EQ plugin

05 May 2016 in Studio

Developed by Softube and available exclusively for UA, this very special mastering EQ has even been approved by Chandler Limited.

Midas Heritage-D 96 photo leak – a new X32 or Pro Series?

05 May 2016 in Live

There are a few reports on forums across the net that Midas accidentally leaked these photos on their website, but have since removed them. A new X32 perhaps?

Flux:: BitterSweet Transient Designer goes ‘Pro’

03 May 2016 in Studio

Flux::'s well-known freeware transient designer is now 'frequency dependant' in a new 'pro' form. But how will it compare to the new Sonnox plugin?

Radial BT-Pro Bluetooth Direct Box now shipping

01 May 2016 in Studio

If there could be a professional way of implementing bluetooth into your workflow then this is it.

Cakewalk SONAR 2016.04 update with exclusive new plugins

30 Apr 2016 in Studio

This months rolling update for SONAR brings some significant new features including linear-phase mastering plugins and TH3 Cakewalk amp simulator.

Wait, that looks familiar! ESI’s new U22 XT USB Audio Interface

29 Apr 2016 in Studio

With a new look for ESI, does this mark a new line of products? I wonder if the reddish exterior is a sign of quality, as it is with another well-known brand!

Zeppelin Design Labs with an alternative offering: The Cortado

27 Apr 2016 in Studio

Looking for some creative inspiration? Check out this "Balanced Buffered Piezo Contact Mic" sold as a DIY kit, or purpose built for a range of applications.

Novation’s Launch Control XL with HUI Support – Too basic?

27 Apr 2016 in Studio

Novation have brought HUI connectivity to their Launch Control XL, adding Cubase, Logic and Pro Tools support on top of it's original purpose for Ableton. But is there enough on offer?

TBProAudio release a professional dynamic EQ Plugin: dEQ6

26 Apr 2016 in Studio

This is the type of plugin I like! Excellent layout and professional features that enable it to be extremely flexible. This is a powerful tool.

Ear Trumpet Labs design another retro mic, ‘Josephine’

23 Apr 2016 in Studio

Handcrafted in Portland, OR, Ear Trumpet Labs add another product to their eclectic microphone range.

Synchroarts Revoice Pro 3.2 update provides more than just an editing tool

22 Apr 2016 in Studio

Time for Celemony and Antares to watch their backs? Revoice Pro 3 by Syncroarts just got serious, and with some party tricks.

Focusrite announce further RedNet units, the A8R and PCIeR

21 Apr 2016 in Studio

Although these might not be products for every home studio, the technology is of significant interest. The Audio-over-IP revolution is here and growing.

Lauten Audio LA-320, a new contender for a valve mic under £1k!

20 Apr 2016 in Studio

Although high-quality studio microphones at affordable prices have become abundant, the choice of valve mics is very limited for those on a budget. Enter an intriguing new valve mic with an RRP of under ...

RJR ‘standard’ hand-built BAX EQ ready to ship

19 Apr 2016 in Studio

Regular John Recording (RJR), who have been hand-building customised pro audio equipment since 2007, are now offering a limited number of off-the-shelf units.

Plugins for knobs

17 Apr 2016 in Studio

How many more 'one-knob' style plugins do we need? Who needs a professional anyway? Check out my latest 'Perfectizer' plugin!

New ‘un-hyped’ Aurora studio condenser mic from Roswell Pro Audio

17 Apr 2016 in Studio

Roswell are a new and interesting microphone manufacturer, built on plenty of R&D. Here's their latest offering, which seems to be a well-built all-rounder.