SOUND ON SOUND
Providing six audio inputs and eight outputs for £350, with the bonus of high-quality mic preamps, Presonus's Firebox sounds almost too good to be true. Is it?
Using a combination of dummy load and speaker simulator lets you record your favourite valve guitar amp at full tilt without disturbing your neighbours. The trouble is, none of the designs so far have managed to sound close enough to a real speaker. Could this be the one that finally nails it?
Mini-reviews of Bizune's Bizune VST • Sonalkis SV517 • Universal Audio Precision EQ • Nusofting Microrock Pro • Fabfilter Volcano
A new set of small-diaphragm mics offers solid and versatile performance at a fiercely competitive price.
The performance of Samson's new project-studio speakers shifts up a gear courtesy of brand-new ribbon-tweeter technology.
Three sample libraries get the aural review treatment from the SOS samplists: Stylus RMX SAGE Expanders***** VSL Opus 2 ***** Drum Werks Volume 5****
Hammond's 'New B3' was the best-ever digital emulation of an electro-mechanical organ, but at over £15,000 it didn't come cheap. Fortunately, the XK3 puts the New B3's sound engine into a much more affordable package...
If you place importance on the spec of your recording system's analogue-to-digital converters, then you should not overlook the quality of your D-As either. We check out a surprisingly affordable high-quality example from the States...
Midiman/M Audio have come a long way since their days as a MIDI interface company. Now they sell everything from mics to laptop bags — and Key Rig and Drum ∓ Bass Rig are their first foray into software instruments...
Like Ronseal products, EWQL's Colossus is pretty much as it's described on its container, offering the user a vast 32GB sample collection supplied on eight DVD-ROMs. Size, however, isnt everything — or is it?
Although we only reviewed this Minimoog-emulating software instrument four months ago, Arturia have now thoroughly redesigned it, taking into account many of the points made in the original SOS review. So let's take a second look...
This British multi-capsule mic brings Calrec know-how to the home studio.
This latest multitracker from Boss boasts powerful effects processing and built-in USB facilities.
Although it includes all the features of Steinberg's Cubase SX3 MIDI + Audio sequencer, Nuendo is targeted at the post-production market. To this end, the new version 3 includes features such as AAF import/export and integration with video editing systems.
Frontier Design's Tranzport might not be the most comprehensive control surface around, but it has one huge advantage — wireless operation means it's not tied to your computer.
This mixer presents a compact and elegant solution to the problem of mixing multiple stereo line sources in the home studio.
Native Instruments' Kontakt has become one of the most popular software samplers since its release in 2002, and the new version, with its many excellent new features, should keep it near the top of the heap.
Cakewalk have rethought their Project 5 loop-sequencing application, adding features such as audio recording and a Groove Matrix for triggering patterns live — not to mention a virtual Roland sound module and a powerful new synth.
Focusrite hot up the competition by offering eight channels of Platinum-series preamplification, with optional digital conversion, at a surprisingly affordable price point.
The humble sample CD-ROM is dying out, being replaced by sample collections with a virtual-instrument front-end. Wizoo's first forays into the field combine Latin and Arabic percussion loops with their own Flexgroove virtual-instrument engine...