SOUND ON SOUND
This affordable large-diaphragm cardioid mic benefits from an open sound with a hint of transformer warmth.
Harbal enables you to shape the EQ of your mastered mixes to match any reference track, and by compensating for the loudness changes involved in doing so, it provides a truly neutral means of comparing the original and the treated master.
Roger Linn Design have updated their versatile instrument processor, which still produces an array of unusual effects not normally available from a single box, but is now claimed to be easier to use.
It's been nearly four years since Lexicon last produced an audio interface. Does their new USB-based Omega system have what it takes to challenge the likes of Digidesign, Edirol and M-Audio?
A small preamp with a deceptively classy sound.
Brief appraisals of another selection of software Plug-ins from Disco DSP, Cutter Music, Kjaerhus Audio and PSP.
Rackmount studio samplers may be pretty much a relic of the past, at least in terms of manufacturers producing new examples, but it's not quite all software and computer RAM yet — not if instruments such as this new one from Korg are anything to go by.
AMS Neve have reissued one of the most revered of the '70s Neve designs, but can it still compete in the 21st century?
M-Audio have broken a price barrier with their Firewire 410, which is easily the most affordable Firewire recording interface on the market.
The Sonar adventure continues with a new audio engine, a fresh look, new plug-ins and a surprising sampler.
The biggest music technology manufacturer in the world has stuck to hardware — until now. Do Yamaha's first plug-in processors have what it takes to compete with the big names in Mac and Windows software?
One of Yamaha's most well-known studio products receives a makeover for the 21st Century.
This Voice Modeler plug-in is designed to change the character of a recorded vocal, adding breathiness, chest resonance and 'growl', and allowing you to modify inflection and vibrato.
If you could have one VST Instrument that emulated a hardware workstation, giving you enough polyphony to produce a complete arrangement with a fairly standard computer, would you be interested? Steinberg and Wizoo think you would...
We check out: Amps & Pickups 2 **** • Post-Estonia Grand Piano **** • Brush Artistry **** • Distoteque **** • Tower Of Funk *** • Post Orchestral Instruments ***
It seems as though every audio card manufacturer is keen to promote high sample-rate audio formats. Terratec's Phase 28 and Phase 26 attempt to do this in PCI and USB formats respectively.
Few audio companies have the reputation of Solid State Logic, but their premium equipment has remained beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest project studio owners — until now! SSL's new all-in-one recording channel boasts preamplification, EQ and dynamics from the awesome XL9000K mixing console, but at a price to which mere mortals can realistically aspire.