Accessories / Gadgets

The market for software that emulates guitar amplifiers is pretty crowded these days, but Native Instruments have found a new angle with a modular program that comes with a dedicated hardware controller and interface.

I am having serious earthing problems which are making it difficult for me to record a clean guitar sound. All my leads are good, and I don't have this problem with any of my other equipment — just the guitar stuff. Could it be a problem with my domestic mains supply?

As the name suggests, FXpansion's utility allows VST effects and Instruments to be used in Pro Tools, but how well does it really work?

Multi-gigabyte sample libraries offer unprecedented realism and lots of potential for confusion. Redmatica's neat OS X utility allows Emagic EXS24 users to tame their unruly sample collections.

Samson's compact 'S'-series boxes solve a variety of studio problems without getting in the way. We check them out...

Ergonomic Computer Mouse from Designer Appliances QuillBook Review: Emagic Logic Tips & Tricks by Len Sasso.

This useful digital router can handle 12 channels of S/PDIF or ADAT optical digital I/O with full MIDI control.

Phase cancellation can play havoc with your sound if you're using multiple mics, or combining mic and DI signals. This clever little box offers a solution, providing powerful phase-alignment facilities which go far beyond those of most mixers and preamps.

Sonic Eye is a very simple yet useful troubleshooting gadget that will find many uses in both studios and live sound setups.

Are you paralysed with indecision as to what gear to buy? What if you could try out 49 mics, 33 preamps and 29 A-D converters, all within the comfort of your own home? Well, we can all dream, but here's the next best thing for those unrelated to King Croesus...

These three compact units offer a great deal of functionality in a remarkably small footprint.

Bearing in mind that my console does not accommodate balanced outputs and insert points (the only balanced connections on the console are at the input stages of all channels and the effects returns), can I use unbalanced patchbays, thereby simplifying the patch lead requirements?

This affordable new unit from SPL brings surround monitor control within reach of the home studio owner.

Tascam's colourful new CDGT1 lets you easily practice playing or singing alongside your favourite CD.

Now you can have gain without the pain, courtesy of a sealed speaker box designed for recording electric guitars.

Make the most of Logic's keyboard shortcuts with this dedicated QWERTY keyboard.

When 'close enough' is just not good enough, you need a strobe tuner. Too expensive? Too bulky? Not when it's this palm-sized 'virtual' strobe.

DVD-Audio offers high-resolution digital audio and surround sound, but authoring packages have been too costly for the home studio - until now.

The most reliable way of preventing ground loops is to use an audio transformer to isolate the two problematic pieces of equipment from each other, and that's exactly the approach used in the Ebtech devices reviewed here.

The Buzz MIA 1.0 is designed to solve interfacing problems between unbalanced instruments and balanced recording systems.

Digital audio is now very much a part of everyday studio life, but do you ever wonder how well your system is really working?