Though not necessary, it is recommended that the audio clips be downloaded and imported into a DAW session for review over a quality pair of studio monitors. The immediacy of being able to A/B in such a format reveals the character of each piece of gear more clearly.

In putting together the idea for these equipment trials, devising a list of program material that would satisfy most customers’ curiosities was challenging. The tests would need to involve a range of common applications yet be concise and easy to manage. The decision was made to use four mono tracks which consist of a male vocal, female vocal, acoustic guitar and a snare drum. For the stereo tracks we used a full rock mix, a full electronic mix and a rock drum mix. For the pre amp section we decided an acoustic guitar would give a wide range of frequency and transient content while allowing for the chosen piece to be played consistently. Pre mastered tracks were utilized to give a better feel for how the compressor / limiters react to peaks in the program material.

An effort was made to set up the controls for each piece as closely as possible to one another. This presented some challenges, particularly with EQ’s, as some models offer a wide selection of EQ points while others only a few. Another consideration was how far to turn the dials. To over exaggerate the effects of the equipment could prove counter intuitive to the exercise. Applying the gear as one might in a session seemed the obvious choice. For the tracks in question, this meant a very light treatment leaving the effect of the gear subtle but apparent.

The fact that it is not possible to set up each piece of gear exactly as the last lends itself to the individual sound as much as the manufacturers design and choice of electronic components. The tones range from bright and punchy to dark and silky with everything in between.

While we don't feel that there's any substitute for trying the gear first hand, these samples are an excellent way to get a general idea about a unit's tone. For a more in-depth trial in your own facility please contact one of our expert sales staff to arrange.

Please enjoy and hopefully these audio samples provide some answers with regard to your next equipment choice.