Soyuz Microphones and Townsend Labs Announce Collaboration
By Julian David |
Two contemporary microphone brands with very different approaches to microphone design are excited to announce their collaboration. Soyuz Microphones is known for creating high-end modern classics — microphones designed and hand manufactured in the same fashion as the iconic vintage transducers of yesteryear. Townsend Labs, on the other hand, are the inventors of multi-dimensional mic…
Why Pros Like Billy Bush & Joe Chiccarelli Choose Sphere | Sphere Stories
By Julian David |
Why do top producers choose Sphere? Join us for this conversation with the multi-Grammy nominated producers/engineers Billy Bush and Joe Chiccarelli. In the video, the two explain why they go for the Sphere L22 Microphone Modeling System for their work with A-list artists like Morrissey, Garbage, and Silversun Pickups. You are invited to install the…
Sphere L22 now supports AAX DSP for Pro Tools HDX
By Julian David |
Townsend Labs is proud to announce that AAX DSP support is included in version 1.3 of the Sphere plug-in—the software component in the award-winning and best-in-class Sphere L22 microphone modeling system. Ever since its initial introduction, the Sphere plug-in has been available for all major native plug-in formats, as well as on Universal Audio’s UAD-2,…
KTEE sings her ‘Melody’ with the Sphere L22 | Sphere Stories
By Julian David |
Austrian singer KTEE has been singing since the moment she spoke her first word, so nailing a vocal performance at 2:00 am in a freezing warehouse is just up her alley. This was, in fact, the setup for this one-take acoustic live video showcasing our Sphere L22 microphone. Performing together with her producer and guitarist…
Why Microphone Axis Matters | Tech Talk
By Chris Townsend |
All microphones have a frequency response that is dependent on the direction that sound arrives from. Audio engineers have made use of this fact to adjust the tonality of recordings probably for as long as microphones have existed. Here's an in-depth look at why microphone axis matters, how Sphere’s mic modeling technology is different from…
Using Sphere With an Analog Tape Machine
By Jake Fader |
Over the past year plus, the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 has become one of the most important pieces of gear in my signal chain. I honestly would not want to record or produce without it at this point. So when the opportunity to purchase a 1979 MCI JH110A 1⁄2” 4 track machine came my way,…
Grand Piano Mic Model Comparison | Sphere Sounds
By Julian David |
What does the Sphere L22 sound like on a grand piano? Townsend Labs product expert Julian David recorded this piano performance by Christian Li with a spaced pair of Sphere L22s. Hear and compare select mic models from our included Core collection of more than 20 mics with Christian's improvisation titled "Patriot Peace". Check it…
Sphere Plug-In Basics | Inside Sphere
By Julian David |
Explore the basic controls and main features of the Sphere plug-in In our second episode of Inside Sphere, Townsend Labs product expert Julian David walks you through the basic view of the Sphere plug-in. Learn about all of the controls in the plug-in's "Single View", designed to give quick access to great sounds. You will…
Preserving the Sound of Stradivarius
By Julian David |
We are honored to be involved in a very unique, first-of-a-kind project by e-Instruments, a German company creating high-quality virtual instruments. They set out to capture and preserve the sound of a range of super rare and precious violins by Amati, Guarneri del Gesù, and Stradivari. The project was initiated by the renowned Museo del Violino in…
Horn Session at Molweni Studios
By Julian David |
Molweni Studios in Sandy Springs, GA is a collaborative space for recording artists looking for a comfortable vibe and southern hospitality. Recently, the studio hosted a horn tracking session for Grammy-nominated bass player and producer Kirk Green's new album. The session featuring several accomplished session players marked the debut of the Sphere L22 modeling microphone at Molweni…
Sphere L22 wins 2020 TEC Award
By Julian David |
Anaheim, California, January 21, 2020. Townsend Labs is honored to announce that the Sphere L22 Microphone Modeling System Version 1.3 has been awarded a prestigious TEC Award (Technical Excellence & Creativity Award) for Outstanding Technical Achievement in the Recording Microphones category at the recent 2020 NAMM show. Following previous accolades such as the Sound on…
The Making of the Ocean Way Mic Collection
By Chris Townsend |
The Ocean Way Microphone Collection has been out for a while, and I thought I’d take a moment to reminisce about the events that led to the making of that plug-in and what went into its creation. It was an exciting project for me to work on, and the response from customers has been phenomenal.…
Compare Sphere and other modeling mics to an original Sony C800G
By Julian David |
Sometimes we get asked: "How close is the modeling to the original?" - Typically, our answer is, "Which one?" Production tolerances and aging effects of capsules and components are causing vintage mics to vary substantially from one unit to the next. But we recognize that it's still a burning question for some. Fortunately, the fantastic Audio…
Sphere L22 nominated for 35th TEC Award - Vote now!
By Julian David |
We are honored to announce that the Sphere L22 with the version 1.3 update has been nominated for the 35th TEC award in the Technical Achievement category. Following previous accolades such as the Sound on Sound Editors' Choice award, the Townsend Labs L22 continues to receive public praise. The recently released version 1.3 update of…
The AES NYC 2019 Wrap-Up
By Julian David |
We had a blast at this year's AES Convention in New York. All of us had been to previous AES shows in past years, but this was the first time we had our own booth with Townsend Labs. Here's our AES 2019 wrap-up post with all the little stories, videos, and a few photos. We…
Explore the Sphere L22 on Drums | Sphere Sounds
By Julian David |
Recording drums is challenging, and for rock, pop, and urban genres, great sounding drums often make or break the song. So it's an area where much attention to detail is needed. Large-diaphragm condensers are often used to capture the drum overheads, but they can also work really well on the individual drums. We teamed up…
Optimize Your Vocal Booth with Sphere | Tech Talk
By Chris Townsend |
Let's face it: Vocal recordings often have to take place in less than ideal spaces. It's not uncommon to run into boxiness in small booths, regardless of the microphone. Recently a few Sphere L22 owners have approached us asking if our patented technology could help with that. So in this blog post, we're going to…
Meet Townsend Labs at AES NYC 2019
By Julian David |
For the first time in the company history, Townsend Labs will exhibit at the New York AES Convention this October. Whether you're a seasoned audio professional or just getting started in your home studio: AES NYC 2019, the 147th Pro Audio International Convention has you covered in one exclusively end-user focused event. With its unique…
Sphere Expanded - Townsend Labs Releases Sphere 1.4 Update Adding Ten New Mics
By Julian David |
Campbell, California, August 6, 2019: Townsend Labs is proud to announce that no less than ten new microphone models have been added to the Sphere plug-in—the software component in the award-winning and best-in-class Sphere L22 microphone modeling system. With the 1.4 update, which is free of charge, the collection now includes over 30 individual models.…
Pro Tools Expert Reviews Sphere for Audio Post
By Julian David |
With the recently added support for AAX DSP and the addition of the SD-416 shotgun microphone model, our Sphere L22 Microphone Modeling System becomes an even more attractive solution for post-production professionals and Pro Tools HDX users. So we asked our friends at Production Expert to have another look at Sphere from an audio post…