Engineer Darrell Thorp Chooses Loads of Lauten for Foo Fighters Concrete & Gold Album

Darrell Thorp in his private studio with his Series Black Microphones. Photo Credit: Derek McCoy

Seven-time Grammy winning engineer and mixer, Darrell Thorp, used Lauten Audio mics, including its flagship tube mic, Eden, on new Foo Fighters album “Concrete and Gold”

San Jose, CA — Sept 19, 2017 — Engineer Darrell Thorp recently recorded the Foo Fighters new album at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles and chose to use loads of Lauten Audio microphones, including the Atlantis, Eden, Clarion, and the new Series Black LA-120, LA-220, and LA-320. The new Foo Fighters album “Concrete and Gold” (Roswell Records/RCA Records) was released on September 15, its first single, “Run,” hit the top 10 on the Rock Airplay Billboard charts in June. “We had a massive setup for recording the band,” says Thorp, “part of the challenge was we had 4 drum kits set up at once, a bass station, vocals, keys with 2 keyboards and pianos, and over 20 guitar amps, some in the live room and some in Iso-booths — I was using a lot of Lauten Audio mics.”

Discussing how and where some of the different mics were used, he explains, “For a sonic clarity difference I was having all the background vocals recorded on the Lauten Audio Eden mic, it’s a bit of a sweeter sounding mic, and I was using the ‘Forward’ switch so they would always sound breathy, and open and airy, around the lead vocal.” 

“On the song ‘Happy Ever After’ which is the quietest, most acoustic track on the record, Dave Grohl was playing this Harmony solid body acoustic guitar, which is super quiet, but it has a ‘sound’ — so I grabbed a Lauten Audio Atlantis mic and switched on the +10 dB gain switch — which is "expletive" genius!” exclaims Thorp. “I was barely rocking my mic pre, so I had plenty of level to Pro Tools and I was able to get a really good guitar sound. I was also using the Atlantis and LA-320 on guitar amps a lot, sometimes the LA-320 was on room guitar amps as well at about 15 to 20 feet from where the amps would sit in Studio One at EastWest — the room is huge and sounds amazing.”

The Series Black LA-220 mics were used for some of the main tom mics says Thorp, “They were amazing, they worked so well. I used the LA-220s on the Gretsch ‘George Lake’ kit with a 13-inch rack tom and a 16-inch floor tom.” 

  

Thorp concludes, “I really do stand behind the Lauten Audio mics, I use the products a lot! I’m not just a face on an ad and a face on the website. We just did a Foo Fighters BBC Live session and I took an Eden for a mono overhead on the drums, which sounded great. I use the mics all the time when recording!”

Darrell Thorp is a seven-time Grammy® Award winning producer, mixer, and engineer (Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Switchfoot, Molotov, Beck), with over 20 years experience and many multi-platinum records on his discography. Thorp moved to Los Angles in 1997 after a 4-year service in the U.S. Navy and started interning at smaller studios, and eventually worked his way up to an Assistant Engineer at some of L.A.’s prestigious studios such as Track Record, Conway, and finally Ocean Way Recording. He recently had the pleasure of recording and mixing the new Foo Fighters album "Concrete and Gold," and also engineering the new Beck record "Colors". 

About Lauten Audio 

Lauten Audio microphones continue to carve out a unique niche for recordists seeking microphones with an original sound. In addition to the Series Black, their product line includes their flagship “Eden” LT-386, the award-winning “Oceanus” LT-381 transformer-less tube condenser microphone, and the FC-387 “Atlantis” solid-state Multi-voicing™ large diaphragm condenser microphone. Lauten Audio microphones have received rave reviews from both experienced recording engineers and leading Pro Audio magazines around the world. Lauten Audio is located in San Jose California, for more information visit http://www.lautenaudio.com or call 1-877-721-7018.

Lauten Audio

www.lautenaudio.com

Lauten Audio Press contact:

Paul J. de Benedictis

pauljdb@gmail.com (650)-303-2565

All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

James Gadson Adds Lauten Audio 'Series Black' to his Studio after Lauten Founder Flubs Famous Introduction

Famed Drummer/Producer/Songwriter James Gadson & Lauten Audio’s Brian Loudenslager discuss discovery and acquisition of Lauten Audio’s ‘Series Black’ microphone line.

San Jose, CA — April 10, 2017 — Famed drummer — and producer and singer and songwriter — James Gadson, “one of the most recorded drummers in R&B history” per Modern Drummer magazine, and #32 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “Greatest Drummers” of all-time, recently acquired the entire Lauten Audio ‘Series Black’ line of microphones including the LA-320 large diaphragm vacuum tube condenser, the LA-220 FET condenser, and a pair of LA-120 small diaphragm FET condensers. One could literally fill an entire page listing credits for Gadson, but to name a small fraction of his credits, he has recorded and/or performed with Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five, Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor, James Brown, Ray Charles, George Duke, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, and more recently for pop superstar Justin Timberlake as well as Beck.

"I am very excited about the Series Black microphones,” says Gadson. “They are not that expensive, but they are so great. The tracks that I have recorded came out so beautiful that I was elated! They are great microphones."

“Gadson’s comments on the ‘Series Black’ microphone line are spot-on with what I’ve heard from countless owners,” says Brian Loudenslager, Founder of Lauten Audio. “I hope it’s reassuring to current and future owners of our Series Black mics that a legend in the business is highly satisfied regardless of their price-point.”

It was late Friday evening on December 30th and Loudenslager had just finished dinner, enjoying the holidays, having stepped away from the daily routine of running his company, Lauten Audio. “I have
a distinct memory of the conversation as I accidently answered my cell, which I rarely do if I don’t recognize the number. Upon answering I didn’t catch the person’s name, but the caller was asking about the Series Black microphones and that someone had recommended them to him. Not in the working frame of mind I informed him that we don’t do any direct sales and recommended a few dealers in the L.A. area he should go to. It wasn’t until January 3rd while catching up on email that I saw and was reminded of an email from engineer Darrell Thorp informing me he had spoken to the one and only James Gadson and was sending him my way. I texted Darrell and told him “Kinda flubbed it with your buddy James Gadson…” After realizing my mistake I contacted Gadson and he informed me that he had gone to a local dealer and ordered the mics. As a former drummer myself, and knowing the plethora of records Gadson recorded on, it was one of those moments of total honor,” concludes Loudenslager.

“You simply can’t get a greater validation of a product line than having someone like James Gadson not only wanting to try them, but taking it upon himself to go to a local dealer and order them,” quips Loudenslager. “Though the younger generation today may not know the name James Gadson, I can guarantee every single producer, engineer or musician has heard Gadson on drums. Many of the beats and rhythms we hear today in modern hip-hop, R&B, and pop are the result of his writing and his original beats, sampled for other modern music mixes. Just check out a few classic selections like “Dancing Machine” by The Jackson Five, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye, and more recently Beck’s “Morning Phase,” Gadson has this magical and signature touch that comes through.”

James Gadson said,  "I called my friend and engineer Darryl Thorp, who's a seven-time Grammy winner that I've worked with on a lot of different projects, and asked him about what he said in a magazine interview I had read where he mentioned the Lauten Audio Series Black microphones, and Darryl said, 'These are the real deal.’”

Gadson continues, “So I bought the LA-120 pencil mics to use as overheads on my drums. The mics are so true! The playback sounded just like my cymbals, I had never heard of pencil mics that sounded this good. When I record cymbal crashes now they sound just like I want them to sound. They sound magnificent, they sound so natural. I use the mics flat, I didn't have to put any EQ on them. Wow, I'm happy! And the mics look great, like a model stepping out of a magazine! (laughs) and they come in a beautiful box, they are very stylish, classy looking mics."

“After that I got the LA-220 condenser mic and used it as a vocal mic, and the vocal came out just wonderful! It's so warm. The track sounded just like I was singing it. The 220s are also great on the Toms," added Gadson. "Then I got the LA-320 tube mic, and that sounded great as a room mic. I plan to try it on vocals too."

About Lauten Audio 

Lauten Audio microphones continue to carve out a unique niche for recordists seeking microphones with an original sound. In addition to the Series Black, their product line includes their flagship “Eden” LT-386, the award-winning “Oceanus” LT-381 transformer-less tube condenser microphone, and the FC-387 “Atlantis” solid-state Multi-voicing™ large diaphragm condenser microphone. Lauten Audio microphones have received rave reviews from both experienced recording engineers and leading Pro Audio magazines around the world. Lauten Audio is located in San Jose California, for more information visit http://www.lautenaudio.com or call 1-877-721-7018.

Lauten Audio
www.lautenaudio.com


Lauten Audio Press contact:
Paul J. de Benedictis
pauljdb@gmail.com (650)-303-2565

Lauten Audio Expands 'Series Black' Line with Two New Condenser Microphones

Lauten adds LA-220 Solid-state vocal condenser and LA-120 small diaphragm instrument pair to the “Series Black” microphone line aimed at budding recordists

San Jose, CA – August 2nd, 2016 – Today, Lauten Audio announced two additions to its new line of microphones aimed at budding recordists, dubbed “Series Black.” The LA-220 ($249 est. street), is a professional, solid-state, large diaphragm true-condenser studio vocal microphone, while the LA-120 ($349 est. street), is a pair of professional, solid-state, small diaphragm FET instrument condensers. Inspired by classic designs, both new microphones give users access to great sounding, yet affordable, professional quality products. The 2 new Series Black microphone models will ship starting in August and Internationally in October.

At its core the LA-220 features a U.S. made ultra-low-noise JFET amplifier, a 1-inch pressure gradient, large diaphragm, and a true-condenser capsule with cardioid polar pattern. The new mic features independent 120 Hz low-cut and 12 kHz high-cut filters, a transformer balanced output, and includes a spider-style shock mount.

The LA-120 mic package comes as a pair, and features interchangeable 17mm pressure gradient condenser cardioid and omni-directional capsules, U.S. made ultra-low-noise JFET amplifiers, 50 and 150Hz low-cut filters, 10 and 15kHz high-cut filters, and a transformer balanced output. The dual mic package ships with a wooden box and hard mounts.

Both microphones are designed to give budding recordists an affordable entry into the world of professional sound recording. “We are giving developing recordists two excellent new microphone options that complement each other, as well as the LA-320 vacuum tube condenser mic that is already available, also in the Series Black line,” says Brian Loudenslager, Founder of Lauten Audio. He continues, “Our unique high and low cut filters offered on these mics have already garnered rave reviews from users and professional reviewers. These features take into consideration common problems in home, basement or bedroom recording environments and make achieving great recording results easy for anyone.”  Both microphones feature two independent filters located on the microphone with easy to engage switches. If the room or source is boomy, or if there is low-end rumble from outside noise, recordists can turn on the low-cut filter and eliminate much of the problem. The high-cut filter can be used to roll-off high frequencies helping tame bright sources. 

Both new mic packages feature high quality components often found in much more expensive microphones. “We have again utilized our years of experience to create what we believe to be the best value of any professional microphones on the market today. With the classic inspired designs, ultra-low-noise JFETs, built-in filters, and included accessories, these microphone are sure to quickly become a popular choice for any recordists on any budget.” adds Loudenslager.

The LA-220 has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $499 and an estimated street price of $249 and the LA-120 has a suggested retail price of $599 and an estimated street price of $349. They will be available in U.S. retailers starting in August and worldwide in October. 

About Lauten Audio
Lauten Audio microphones continue to carve out a unique niche for recordists seeking microphones with an original sound. Their product line includes their flagship “Eden” LT-386, the award-winning “Oceanus” LT-381 transformer-less tube condenser microphone, and the FC-387 “Atlantis” solid-state Multi-voicing™ large diaphragm condenser microphone. Lauten Audio microphones have received rave reviews from both experienced recording engineers and leading Pro Audio magazines around the world. Lauten Audio is located in San Jose, California, for more information visit http://www.lautenaudio.com or call 1-877-721-7018.

All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Description and specifications are subject to change without notice.

###

Review - Lauten Audio Eden LT-386 Large Diaphragm Multipattern Tube Condenser

The Eden LT-386

The first review of our new Eden LT-386 multi-voicing™ vacuum tube condenser microphone is out!

Found out why Rob Tavaglione of Pro Sound News said "...I can say that this LDC is the finest, most versatile one I have ever used."

Prosound Network: Lauten Audio Eden LT-386 Large Diaphragm Multipattern Tube Condenser

COLIN HAY'S "NEXT YEAR PEOPLE" FEELS THE MAGIC OF LAUTEN'S ATLANTIS VOCAL MICROPHONE

Los Angeles, CA (March 9th, 2015) –Grammy winning recording artist, Colin Hay applies

the magic of Lauten Audio’s Multi-voicing™, Atlantis studio microphone to his latest solo release, “Next Year People”. 

Colin with one of his Atlantis microphones

Perhaps best known as a founding member of the 80’s Australian band, Men at Work, Hay has also had a very successful solo career since the early 2000’s.  Hay’s newest album, “Next Year People,” was released on February 17th.  Hay recently added a pair of Lauten Audio’s Atlantis, FC-387 Multi-voicing™, studio microphones to his studio.  “I received a demo of the Atlantis in late 2013 and it sounded stellar.  Shortly after I had ordered a new one, I asked to purchase and keep the demo unit as well.”

"I've recorded many different instruments with the Atlantis, and it's wonderful.  Vocals, acoustic guitar, tres (Cuban stringed instrument), tablas, congas, acoustic bass, etcetera.  It sounds great on everything," says Hay.  Hay used his Atlantis on the latest album, and most notably on the title track, NEXT YEAR PEOPLE.  Hay adds, “This is particularly relevant as it's primarily acoustic guitar and vocal, and both were recorded with the Atlantis.”

“I have been fortunate to know Colin for a handful of years now.  I first saw his solo show a number of years ago in San Francisco.  I was floored by the amazing timbre of his live voice as well as the extreme entertainment value he offers.  I was laughing as much as I was listening,” says Brian Loudenslager of Lauten Audio; adding, “He has that type of live voice that can give you chills.” 

The Atlantis FC-387 was a collaborative effort between Lauten Audio, and Fab Dupont. It’s a highly unique studio microphone in that is has a Multi-voicing™ feature giving recordists three distinct timbre’s to choose from with just the flip of a switch.  “The Atlantis has really brought awareness to the Lauten Audio brand,” says Brian Loudenslager of Lauten Audio.  “I hear over and over from new owners how much they appreciate the usability of the microphone.”  Hay adds, “I'm using the Atlantis a lot these days.  It sounds great on everything, very good on my voice and acoustic.  I have one next to me at all times in the control room, and can fire it up on anything at any given moment.”

Colin Hay’s, Next Year People, is available from all major outlets and he is currently on tour in the U.S.  For the latest tour stop visit www.colinhay.com. 

Lauten Audio
www.lautenaudio.com

Colin Hay
www.colinhay.com


###

Lauten Audio “Atlantis” Microphone Now Shipping

 Audio “Atlantis” Microphone Now Shipping

New FC-387 “Atlantis” solid-state large diaphragm condenser microphone available worldwide June 1, 2012

Fab Dupont with the Atlantis FC-387

San Jose, CA — May 29, 2012 — Lauten Audio has begun shipping its new microphone, the FC-387 “Atlantis” model. The new mic is a solid-state large-diaphragm condenser with three distinct personalities. Atlantis features multiple switches for three different polar patterns, gain, and unique timbre settings. The FC-387 offers a blend of full and rich low- and mid-range, as well as smooth and unique high-mid and high-frequencies - recordists seeking an incredibly diverse and useful modern FET studio microphone will like it. The Atlantis FC-387 microphone retails for $1599. US and will be available worldwide from dealers June 1, 2012.

The engineer who had a huge ‘voice’ in the tuning and settings of Atlantis, Fab DuPont, a New York engineer and producer says, “Nobody is making a microphone for the modern recording process - everybody is making microphones as if we were still going through consoles and transformers to tape several times in the process of recording. The reality is we don’t. The reality is that we all record into a very clean preamp, into a very clean converter, into a very clean DAW, coming out a very clean D-to-A. And everything in incredibly open and bright and pristine; it’s really hard to make a modern, good sounding record because everything is too bright and everything is very wide open.” 

Fab had been speaking with Brian Loudenslager from Lauten Audio at parties and tradeshows and telling him about this predicament. Fab recalled telling Brian, who agreed to work with him on a new model of Lauten Audio microphone, “I need a microphone that can be custom tailored, for recording female vocalists, so that when they start belting on the chorus - my eyes don’t hurt!” 

Brian Loudenslager, Founder of Lauten Audio reveals, “It’s really been a pleasure and an eye opening experience working with Fab on the Atlantis. Getting what I feel was a true non-biased opinion during the development and tuning of the Atlantis has taught me a lot about how others perceive the timbre of a microphone. This microphone is just so useful, with the many different preamps, voices and sources available today; the Atlantis can work with them all. Just flip a switch, or two.”

Fab adds, “The idea was to put it all in one microphone. A microphone that would be neutral enough for modern recording, so that when you plug it into a regular preamp it’s all good and it doesn’t sound too bright and annoying. Then it would have several personalities. One personality would be the neutral one, one personality would be a mellower one for bright vocalists. And a bright setting too, even brighter than neutral—if you are recording dull instruments you can use that.”

After shipping many experimental microphone builds back and forth between California, where Lauten Audio is located, and New York, where Fab’s studio is housed, they finally agreed on the specs and the sound of the mic. “We came up with what is now the Atlantis. Which to me is my very first ‘desert island mic’ - I can do anything with it,” says Fab. “It’s probably the most versatile mic I’ve ever had because of those three different personalities.”

Multiple switches located on each side and back of the FC-387 Atlantis microphone allow the engineer to uniquely configure it. First is a polar pattern switch giving recordists the option of choosing between Cardioid, Omnidirectional or Figure-8 polar patterns. Borrowing the gain options from its sibling, the Lauten Audio ‘Clarion’ FC-357 microphone, the Atlantis features a -10db and +10dB switch. The +10dB gain switch increases versatility by allowing a choice of whether to have more character from the preamplifier gain or directly from the microphone, while the -10dB switch reduces its output and increases the maximum SPL level allowing it to record very loud sources.

What makes the Atlantis microphone truly unique is its voicing switch. This feature gives recordists three very different timbres to choose from that satisfy an extremely wide range of recorded sources. The options are: Gentle, Neutral and Forward. The ‘Gentle’ position provides maximum control of bright or peaky sources like S’s in vocal recordings. The ‘Neutral’ position offers a nice even response with good control over vocal “S” sounds and other audio peaks, while the ‘Forward’ position can help bring life to dull sources without having to use EQ, but still maintaining control over any peaks.

As are all Lauten Audio microphones, the FC-387 Atlantis is built with extreme attention to detail. From the individually hand-tuned capsule to the premium high-resolution electronics, the microphone is a high-quality precision instrument that will meet or exceed the demands of any studio recording environment. 

Fab’s experiences with the Atlantis mic in his own studio, recording on real projects, has revealed how well the mic turned out. “I have tracked a pretty impressive amount of vocals through it - that’s the mic’s main target: vocals - and it has not failed yet. It’s great on female vocalists on the ‘Gentle’ setting,” says Fab. “It’s great on quiet folk singers on the ‘Neutral’ setting. It’s really great on far away drums and stuff on the bright setting because you get no phase problems, and you get the bite that you need. It’s really quite a wonderful mic.”

“The first thing I did with the Atlantis was the demo for the launch of the Universal Audio Apollo demo, that’s a pair of Atlantis mics on the drums. That’s also the Atlantis mic on the vocal for the Apollo demo,” explains Fab.

“I’m doing the next Cyrille Aimée record; she is the next biggest thing in Jazz. She’s totally in love with the Atlantis mic for her vocals. Everybody loves it, big engineers, small engineers. It’s not for people who go for the look of the mic or the name of the brand; it’s for people who actually listen to what’s coming out of the speakers. It’s for people who really know what the current modern recording problems are and want a solution: Atlantis is the solution.”

Technical Specifications for Atlantis FC-387:

Type: 31.25mm dual large diaphragm pressure gradient transducer microphone

Polar Patterns: Omnidirectional, Cardioid and Figure-8 selectable

Circuit: Low-noise solid-state FET

Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20Khz

Dynamic Range: 120dB minimum

Impedance: < 200 ohms

Max. SPL: 0.5%THD@1000Hz: 130dB

Self-noise Level: < 12dB(A)

Sensitivity: 16mV/Pa OR -36±2dB 0dB=1V/Pa 1000Hz

Special Features:

3-way -10 dB attenuation, 0dB and +10dB gain switch

3-way Gentle, Neutral, Forward voicing switch

3-way Polar pattern switch

Connector: 3-Pin standard XLR

Power Requirement: +48V phantom power

The Atlantis FC-387 microphone retails for $1599. US and will be available from dealers worldwide on June 1, 2012.

About Lauten Audio

Lauten Audio microphones continue to carve out a unique niche for recordists seeking microphones with an original sound. Their product line includes the award-winning “Horizon” LT-321 tube microphone, the “Oceanus” LT-381 transformer-less tube condenser microphone, the ST-221 “Torch” small diaphragm microphones, and the new FC-387 “Atlantis” solid-state multi-functional large diaphragm condenser microphone. Lauten Audio microphones have received rave reviews from both experienced recording engineers and leading Pro Audio magazines around the world. Lauten Audio is located in San Jose, California. For more information visit: http://www.lautenaudio.com or call 1-877-721-7018.

All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Description and specifications are subject to change without notice.

####

Mike Terry on Ambient Micing

Ambient micing can really help give an instrument or vocal space in a mix. Depending on how you prefer the particular part to sit in the mix, will give you an idea of which mic to choose, how to position it and how much to blend into the close mic, if you are using one.

Ambient micing can aide in placing an instrument in the 3 dimensional space of a mix, front to back. Usually when something is far away it is muffled, more dynamic, and less distinguishable, the closer it gets to you, the more detail it has, the ear will naturally begin to compress and the dynamics become less by perception. Using this line of thought, you can apply it to your ambient mics. If you want the part to seem far off, then place the mic far away, even down a long corridor with little to no compression. If you want the part to be just set back from the immediate front of the mix, try the mic backed off a little, use a little more compression, and pan it just opposite the direct mic, this approach can give nice balance and space.

Ribbon mics can be a nice choice for loud sources, such as, drums, electric guitar, etc... But for other sources a multi-pattern tube or condenser mic is a great choice. Try an Oceanus or Clarion in omni-directional, this will help you pick up the whole room and usually provide a nice balanced ambience that you can blend in to taste.

Now there are really no rules and a lot of fun and experimentation can be had. Once you get a feel for your room and how the placement of the mic or mics in the room can really change depending on the distance to walls, corners, and floors, try adding compression, EQ, or filtering, to get something that really works well for you.

Mike Terry
Lauten Audio

Lauten Audio at NAMM Hall-A, booth# 6953

It’s The NAMM Show time of year!

Come see Lauten Audio microphones at The 2009 NAMM show. We are in Hall-A, booth# 6953 listed under Summit Audio Inc. in the exhibitor directory. We moved a few doors down from where we were last year and we are in high spirits. The last two quarters of 2008 were very good to Lauten Audio and we look forward to an excellent 2009.

As usual we are sharing a booth with Summit Audio and Bricasti Design.