In-ear monitor seems to be one of the hottest items on the market right now. Many home recording engineers and working musicians are discovering the much less expensive and much more powerful route of in-ear monitoring.

Ultimate Ears has announced the release of the Capitol Studios and Ultimate Ears collaboration, the In-Ear Reference Monitors. Designed to bring Capitol Studios-caliber monitoring to any situation by way of in-ear monitoring, these monitors pack a load of accurate clarity into a small, custom-fit package that goes anywhere.

Check out the review here.

Ultimate Ears, a longtime reader favorite and manufacturer of precision audio monitor earphones, have announced the release of their new Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor, designed (and co-branded) in collaboration with Capital Studios in Los Angeles.

The UE Reference Monitor is a stellar sounding in-ear monitor, and it's designed to replica the kind of flat, accurate, and dependable response that you'd find in a world-class studio facility such as Capital Studios in a small, relatively affordable package.

Available this month, the UE Capital Records In-Ear Reference Monitors will be priced at $999.

This week, it's been brought up that -- according to an insider -- Susan Boyle's famous audition on Britain's Got Talent was Auto-Tuned for pitch perfection in the broadcast mix. What do you think? Check it out on YouTube; I'd love to hear your opinion.

For me, she sounds very good naturally even with lots of broadcast compression, but some of her sustains and fades seem to be artificially enhanced. What do you think? Leave a comment, and join the discussion!

A few years ago, microphones were either good or cheap -- there wasn't a lot in the middle, especially for home studios and working musicians. KAM Instruments is changing the game significantly with their new microphone offerings, with exceptional performance and low price. I've been pleasantly surprised!

Check out my review of the KAM ST2, one of the nicest microphones I've used for toms, snare, and percussion. It sounds great, and has a very accessible price. Enjoy!