Category: Mixing & Recording

  • The 4 Best Hi Hat Stands on the Market – Reviews 2026

    The stands for your drums and cymbals aren’t the sexiest part of the kit, and while it’s certainly way more exciting to shop for a new snare head or China cymbal, the truth is that without a quality stand even the best cymbals in the world won’t do you much good. This is especially true…

  • The 4 Best Condenser Mics Under $500 – Reviews 2026

    So why get the best condenser mic under 500 dollars? Well, if you’re serious about professional-level sound recording, a matched pair of condenser microphones is possibly the single most important piece of equipment you need to invest in. These versatile microphones are durable enough to handle an entire drum kit or orchestra, but still sophisticated…

  • The 4 Best Overhead Drum Mics – Reviews 2026

    Overhead drum mics can be the hardest part of a typical ensemble to buy. You need a microphone that can handle the crisp attack of a snare as well as it can capture the boom of your kick drum, a versatile microphone that won’t get worn out by consistent high decibel levels. For most recording…

  • The 4 Best Turntables for Sampling – DJ Turntable Reviews 2026

    Sampling is an important part of any DJ’s craft, and there’s no way to replicate the unique sound quality you get when you take your samples straight off a vinyl record. DJs demand far more out of their turntable than your average home listener. The unit has to be durable with a strong tonearm and…

  • The 4 Best SPL Meters – Decibel Meter Reviews 2026

    Pressure level meters—also called decibel meters—are devices that can quantify the volume and decibel level of the sound. They’re handy tools for sound engineers and venue owners, letting you gauge the crowd noise and adjust the balance accordingly. These unique devices look like a cross between a thermostat and a microphone, and are capable of…

  • The 4 Best Hi Hat Mics – Reviews 2026

    The hi-hat, with its versatile array of sounds and integral role in the overall groove, is arguably the most important cymbal on a modern drum kit, and along with the kick drum and snare is one of the most important aspects to mic correctly. There’s a school of thought that says you don’t need to…

  • The 4 Best DJ Backpacks – Reviews 2026

    Every DJ, regardless of their style, has to schlep around a lot of bulky, expensive, and potentially delicate gear. Transporting everything safely from your home to the gig requires a very specialized kind of bag, and while specialized does tend to mean “not cheap,” the amount of hassle and equipment damage a good DJ bag…

  • The Best 4 Channel Mixers – Effects for DJ’s Guide 2026

    Although improvements in technology have made reliable mixing software a possibility, for a lot of DJs and sound technicians, there’s no replicating the touch you can give to knobs and faders on a physical piece of mixing hardware. Mixers are an integral part of any studio digital audio workstation and equally as important to DJs…

  • The 4 Best Summing Mixers – Review 2026

    If you are a recording engineer or if you are a musician managing your own recordings, and if your idea of an ideal sound is raw, organic, digital-free, analog-driven vibe, you’ll probably want to consider treating yourself with a summing mixer. Summing mixer is an analog audio mixer that typically utilizes a set of four,…

  • The 4 Best Orchestral VST’s — Reviews 2026

    We live in a time where digital technology rules the audio business in many ways, and a vast array of options brought upon us by this sonic expansion can be a tad intimidating. What is the best digital audio software to us? What’s the best VST? What’s the best DAW? Questions like this keep piling…