How Recording Magazine Reviews Recording Gear

Updated

Recording Magazine reviews recording gear through a mix of full written reviews, expanded online review pages, and companion audio/video demonstrations. The site's own description of its review section says it "expand[s] on some of our magazine's informative reviews," inviting readers to "read the review, see how we tested the gear, and see/hear it in action for yourself." That means the review process is presented as three linked parts: the written verdict, the test methodology, and a demonstration you can listen to or watch. The current issue shown on the site (October 2026) features the Chandler Limited REDD Mixing System as its featured review, with a "READ FULL REVIEW" link.

What the reviews cover

The site organizes its editorial content by recording task, and gear reviews sit alongside those topic areas rather than in a single isolated review feed. The topic headings on the page include:

  • Immersive Audio — e.g., first steps in Dolby Atmos
  • Acoustics and Monitoring — room acoustics, monitoring, home studios
  • Mics and Miking — acoustic/electric guitar, bands, drums, percussion, bass, vocals
  • Mixing — drum mixes, mix studio, multiband dynamics, tracking
  • For Songwriters — microphones, music business, production techniques, recording demos
  • For Your Studio — maintenance, studio infrastructure

The featured review example is a high-end, studio-console product: the Chandler Limited REDD Mixing System, described as the first EMI recording console in more than 50 years, designed in partnership with Abbey Road Studios and EMI. The review notes Chandler's 25-year history of adapting classic EMI/Abbey Road designs, starting with the TG1 Limiter in 2001, and that the REDD system offers three classic EMI console "flavors" in one modular, expandable system. This tells you the review coverage is not limited to budget gear—flagship and vintage-inspired studio equipment is in scope.

How the testing is presented

The site's review section explicitly points readers to how the gear was tested, not just the conclusion. The stated flow is:

  1. Read the review — the written assessment in the magazine and on the site.
  2. See how we tested the gear — the methodology behind the verdict.
  3. See/hear it in action — a demonstration so you can judge the sound yourself.

This structure is useful if you want to check whether a reviewer's conclusions match your own ears, rather than relying only on a star rating or summary paragraph.

Connection to articles, podcast, and other content

Reviews are part of a broader editorial package rather than standalone product pages. The same site hosts:

  • Feature articles that explain techniques behind the gear, such as "Multiband Dynamics," which covers compressors, limiters, expanders, and gates and warns that these "most powerful tools in the Loudness Wars can be dangerous if misused."
  • A podcast described as interviews with top engineers, artists, producers, inventors, and innovators, plus Q&A sessions answering gear questions.
  • The print/digital magazine, with a digital subscriber login and a "Subscribe Today!" page—so some content may sit behind a subscription, and the site does not state that everything is free.

How to use a review before buying

If you are evaluating a piece of gear, treat a Recording Magazine review as one input among several:

  • Read the full review and look for the stated test setup—what room, what source material, what comparison gear.
  • Use the audio/video demonstration to form your own impression of the sound, especially for mics, monitors, and dynamics processors where character matters.
  • Cross-check the product category against the site's topic sections (miking, monitoring, mixing) to find related articles that explain how the gear is typically used.
  • Note that featured reviews may cover premium, niche products; the site's coverage spans classic-inspired studio hardware as well as practical home-studio topics.

The main limitation to keep in mind: the page evidence shows the review format and one featured example, but not a published scoring rubric or a complete list of every product tested. Use the full review and demonstration as the basis for judgment, and confirm current pricing and availability with the manufacturer or dealer, since the site's page does not list prices for reviewed gear.