Erica Synths: EDU DIY Compressor (Eurorack module)

Erica Synths are what musicians and creators dream about with their modules and instruments made by a team of visionaries, engineers and musicians. One of their latest releases is the EDU DIY Compressor module for the eurorack format.

Teaming up with Moritz Klein, Erica Synths have developed a series of educational DIY kits under the brand name mki x es.EDU with one specific goal in mind: to teach people with little-to-no prior experience how to design analog synthesizer circuits.

This little unit will add punch and consistency to your patches, beef up your basslines, add sustain to your leads, or tame the peaks of your percussion.

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ERICA SYNTHS

EDU DIY COMPRESSOR (EURORACK MODULE)

Royer Labs 25th Anniversary R-10 Hot Rod Limited Edition

The Royer Labs 121 or 122 ribbon mics are seen in every studio around the world that’s worth their weight, and to celebrate 25 years of their R-10 — a ribbon mic that handles extremely high SPLs and is great on tonnes of audio sources — they’ve just dropped this highly affordable unit.

Finding itself sitting firmly in the loud electric guitar land, this mic will smooth out any brutal tone while capturing the nuance of your blistering riffs. We’d highly recommend using it on acoustic guitars and stringed instruments too — you might even wanna pickup a matched pair. What a workhorse!

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ROYER LABS 

25th ANNIVERSARY R-10 HOT ROD LIMITED EDITION

Fender: Adam Clayton ACB 50 Bass Amplifier

The Fender ACB 50 bass amp is a perfect blend of classic Fender design and modern features. Made to Adam Clayton’s specifications, this combo amp has preamp and output tubes, a 15” Eminence neodymium speaker, and two channels for classic and modern sounds.

Despite being an all-tube amp, it’s surprisingly lightweight, and includes a transformer-coupled balanced XLR out with a ground lift, a balanced line out, and an external speaker out. The ACB 50 is a game-changer, appealing to both seasoned pros and budding musicians alike. It’s the quintessential addition to any music gear collection.

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FENDER 

ADAM CLAYTON ACB 50 BASS AMPLIFIER

Chandler Limited – RS600 Compressor

Step back in time with the RS660 compressor, a true vintage-inspired vari-mu comp that oozes retro charm. This hefty piece of kit takes cues from both the Fairchild 660 and EMI RS124 custom compressor, and boasts a beautifully built design that is sure to catch the eye. But it’s the sound that really impresses – put any audio through it, and watch as it comes out thicker and richer than before.

While it may not be the best choice for modern material, anything requiring a vintage 60s vibe will benefit greatly from the 6386 tube-based mono compressor. With its rotary selector and big input and output controls, the RS660 is perfect for achieving a classic tone.

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CHANDLER LIMITED

RS660 COMPRESSSOR

Neumann: Neumann KH 150 Monitors

The Neumann KH 150 active studio monitors are a marvel of technological innovation. These near-field speakers are powered by class D amplifiers and DSP components, eliminating analog distortion. Nestled between the KH 120 and KH 310 models, the 2-way KH 150’s feature a 6.5″ woofer and a 25mm tweeter, providing a flat frequency response from 36Hz to 21kHz.

With built-in Automatic Monitor Alignment, these monitors can compensate for any room frequency issues. Once set up with the Neumann MA-1 alignment microphone, these speakers deliver a detailed and immersive soundstage, showcasing every genre with stunning clarity.

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NEUMANN

NEUMANN KH 150

Electro – Harmonix – Slap Back Echo

Electro-Harmonix has reissued their 1978 Slap-Back Echo in a mini pedal format, perfect for those with limited pedal board space. The all-analog pedal has 3 Time positions, a Gain knob, and a Blend knob, allowing for a range of effects.

The Gain knob adds an extra +20dB of boost, while the Blend knob enables users to smoothly blend dry to wet echo. With a modern footswitch and conveniently located input and output, this pedal is a solid investment for any musician.

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ELECTRO-HARMONIX

SLAP BACK PEDAL 

Teenage Engineering – OP-1 Field

The OP-1 Field from Teenage Engineering is a tiny powerhouse that packs a punch. It’s a drum machine, synth, 4-track tape machine, sampler, and more – all in a package about the size of a family chocolate bar. This device is perfect for musicians looking to get away from the computer and create music in nature.

With a massive 24-hour battery life, Bluetooth MIDI, USB Type-C, and FM broadcasting capabilities, the OP-1 Field is designed to take your music-making experience to the next level. So, get out into the field and start making music like never before with the OP-1 Field from Teenage Engineering.

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TEENAGE ENGINEERING

OP 1-FIELD

Tegeler – MythEQ 500

Tegeler Audio Manufaktur has brought forth the MythEQ 500, a sleek and transformer-based 4-band EQ 500 series unit. With its two custom-built Vigortronix transformers and Wima box capacitors, this unit is a direct response to their tube-based EQP-1 Pultec-style EQ, which imparts a cleaner tone while retaining warmth, without losing the aggressive bite.

The MythEQ 500 features stepped knobs for easy recall, sounds fantastic, and feels solid to operate. Plus, it comes in a beautiful wooden box that will add a touch of elegance to your studio while keeping your gear organized. Give your music a touch of mythical magic with the MythEQ 500 from Tegeler.

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TEGELER

MYTHEQ 500

Dr Alien Smith –  The Wormhole low frequency microphone

Back in the 1970s, the Cooper Time Cube with its tubing delay was a highly coveted piece of recording gear. Since then, musicians like Sylvia Massy have experimented with tubing, funnel, and vintage SM57s to capture unique reverb. Now, Dr. Alien Smith has designed the Wormhole low-frequency microphone, featuring a condenser mic inside a 1.8m hose to capture low-end rumble in any instrument.

This beautifully designed piece of kit uses the same principles as its predecessors but with a focus on sub frequencies, naturally rolling off the mids and highs. With its phantom powered electret condenser mic, the Wormhole is a new take on an old concept, and it looks and works brilliantly.

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DR ALIEN SMITH

THE WORMHOLE

Pinnacle Microphones – Fat Tops II

Pinnacle Microphones, hailing from Washington State, have the solution for those tired of digital cleanliness and harsh recordings: ribbon microphones. With a small but varied selection of short and long ribbons, transformers, and internal preamps, Pinnacle recently released the Fat Top II. This updated version of their original Fat Top ribbon microphone boasts a bobblehead design that oozes vintage charm.

The short ribbon design and Lundahl Transformer are present in all Fat Top IIs, and they come with standard or deluxe cases with the option for an Active/Passive switch. The sound, feel, accessories, build, and design are all top-notch on the Fat Top II.

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PINNACLE MICROPHONES

FAT TOP II

Boss – Space Echo 202

Behold the new Boss Space Echo RE-202, a digital sequel to the most iconic of all space-age tape delays, the 1974 Roland Space Echo RE-201. The RE-202 is the latest offering from Boss, the offshoot pedal dynasty of the Roland Corp.

All the familiar knobs from the original tape unit are digitized and condensed into a pedalboard-friendly, 3-footswitch unit. With added stereo input/output, 4 memory slots, and MIDI control, the RE-202 introduces new controls for tape age, saturation, wow and flutter, and an additional play head. It also features two new clickless footswitches for a “Warp” hold function and “Twist” oscillation effect.

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BOSS

SPACE ECHO 202

Walrus Audio – Melee: Wall Of Noise

Walrus Audio has done it again with their latest release, The Melee:Wall of Noise. This pedal is a true gem, offering a perfect combination of reverb and distortion that allows you to create a wall of sound like no other. The joystick control gives you a wide range of variation, with the ability to change distortion tone and gain, reverb length and mix/blend, and the order of effects.

The three modes for both distortion and reverb offer even more tonal options. Plus, the Sustain switch freezes the last thing you played, creating a sustained loop that you can still control. The Melee is an impressive pedal that any guitarist would be lucky to have.

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WALRUS AUDIO

MELEE: WALL OF NOISE