SOUND ON SOUND
Over the last 20 years, several hardware manufacturers have tried to harness the power of additive synthesis in an accessible format. Can soft-synth designers Virsyn succeed where they didn't?
Just as Access's hardware Virus synth was followed by the snazzy Virus Indigo, so the TDM plug-in version for Pro Tools has benefited from an upgrade to Indigo status, making it more infectious than ever...
German manufacturer RME maintain their high reputation for quality A-D/D-A interfacing with this eight-channel device, which may be run at 24-bit, 96kHz operation if desired.
Kenton's affordable MIDI controllers continue to come down in price — the new entry-level rotary-control Spin Doctor offers a lot of control (and controls) for a mere £125!
These three compact units offer a great deal of functionality in a remarkably small footprint.
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...
The Pro SM6Ps see a big name in hi-fi moving into the home studio market. So should we choose to accept these Missions? This review will self-destruct in five seconds...
Native Instruments' latest plug-in combines up to 1024 bands of vocoding with frequency-domain effects and a neat granular synth.
Eventide's first foray into the world of plug-in effects sees them recreating five of their classic '70s processors. But is there still a place for them in today's studios?
Is it an effects processor? Is it a Variphrase processor? Is it a virtual analogue synth module? The truth is, Roland's VariOS can be any of these. Is this the flexible future of hardware? We find out...
M-Audio's Audiophile PCI card is already a popular choice for musicians who require high-quality audio I/O. Now those without PCI slots can access similar features, thanks to this new USB version.
One of the most prolific manufacturers in China has launched three new affordable capacitor mics.
A pedal-based stereo tube preamp for use with unbalanced line or instrument sources, including guitars and basses.
Does a standard PC take up too much space in your studio? Red Submarine's Mini-Sub system packs all the performance of a full-sized desktop PC into a diminutive Micro-ATX case.
A set of pedals offering the famous Aural Exciter and Big Bottom processes for your choice of instrument.
As recording software gets more and more complicated, French developers Intuitive Works are taking a different tack with their first product, emphasising ease of use and ergonomic design.
Among audio professionals, the electronic AES-EBU format is widely used for digital audio transfer. The SEK'D Prodif 88 soundcard equips Windows PCs with eight channels of AES in and out at up to 24-bit/96kHz.
With high-resolution digital mixers, processors and recorders now standard fare, our recordings can sometimes seem too clean and sterile. As a result, there is quite a demand for devices and plug-ins which add a little distortion or warmth to a recording. This unusual product aims to give you every tube distortion sound you could ever want!
The concept of the portable laptop-based studio is enticing, but you still need a musical input device — hence the current popularity of compact MIDI keyboards. And although it's not the cheapest, Novation's Remote 25 has much to offer...
This latest plug-in bundle from Waves combines their celebrated Renaissance Collections 1 and 2, with the added bonus of a new 'channel strip' plug-in.