SOUND ON SOUND
Effectively a drum machine in plug-in form, Steinberg's new LM4 offers the seamless integration with Cubase that is the boon of all VST instruments, as well as claiming far better timing than any MIDI device. Martin Walker pounds the PC beat, while Paul Ward delivers the Mac perspective.
With full-sized velocity-sensitive keys and versatile control capabilities, Evolution's diminutive MK125 could find many uses as a MIDI remote keyboard. Martin Walker tries one out for size.
Roland's JV1080 and 2080 have become the bread-and-butter sound sources for innumerable MIDI studios worldwide. Now the company have introduced their successors in the shape of the XV-series. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser test the new XV3080.
CEDAR Audio's Series X units offer a trio of phenomenally powerful audio restoration tools in neat, stand-alone boxes with simple user interfaces. Hugh Robjohns cleans up..
Waldorf's Q keyboard workstation definitely suffered by being released to the public before its operating system was completely finished or bug-free. Gordon Reid takes advantage of the release of the new Q Rack module to revisit the operating system and see how it's come on...
Paul White tries out AKG's versatile new back-electret, fixed cardioid microphone.
Dave Lockwood explains why a Class A valve guitar amp that can muster a mere six Watts is fully deserving of a place in the pages of Sound On Sound.
Tascam have updated their ubiquitous DTRS format with an affordable and compatible 24-bit modular digital multitrack. Hugh Robjohns tries out the DA78HR.
Koblo's software instruments are fun and easy to use, with brightly coloured, single-screen user interfaces. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser try out their latest, a virtual drum machine which can be run as a stand-alone application or alongside a MIDI + Audio sequencer.
Paul White changes his manual-gearbox compressor for an automatic model to see whether performance or economy suffer.
Paul White takes a newly reincarnated Focusrite classic for a spin in his studio and discovers that sometimes, they do make things like they used to.
Hugh Robjohns tries out Roland's updated digital monitors.
MIDI interface, audio interface, effects processor, hardware control surface for software MIDI + audio sequencers... Edirol's USB-based U8 promises to be all of these. John Walden investigates.
Back in the days when spring reverbs were all that the project studio owner could afford, nobody had a good word to say about...
When Emu launched their flagship Proteus 2000 sound module last year, they promised a further range of cheaper 'P1K' modules which would cater for special needs, but be expandable to full Proteus 2000 spec. The first of these modules to appear aims to recreate the classic Hammond tomewheel organ sound. Nick Magnus is impressed.
Derek Johnson collects £200 as he passes 'Go' on his tour of one of Korg's more obscure vintage boards.
The ability to record multitrack audio with 24/96 capability is something you'd expect from any modern MIDI + Audio sequencer. SEKD's flagship software package does this and a whole lot more besides, including 5.1 and two-channel surround mixing and direct CD burning without the need for a separate application. Martin Walker finds out how it's done.
Although it certainly does sample, Roland's breakthrough 'Variphrase Processor' is far more than just a sampler — it offers a host of 'elastic' real-time pitch-shifting and time-stretching options the like of which have never been seen before. Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser stretch the limits of sonic processong with the unique new VP9000.
Paul White tests Yamaha's new high-end CD recorder, featuring Apogee's acclaimed UV22 noise-shaped dithering technology.
In SOS June '99 we reviewed the original Tascam CD‑D4000, a 2U CD duplicator capable of replicating complete...