SOUND ON SOUND
Want to get serious about your music? A quality master controller keyboard is a good place to start. Paul Ward looks at two machines that offer a little more than most.
Billed as the most afordable Emulator yet, the E5000 Ultra is Emu's new contender in the middleweight professional sampler stakes — and it's a force to be reckoned with.
Roland have moved into the active monitor market with a product which offers digital inputs and a 'Speaker Modelling Function' courtesy of their V-series recorders and mixers. Technology overkill or a studio necessity? Hugh Robjohns finds out...
As the car ad says, "size matters!" and AVI have proved the point with their biggest loudspeakers yet, the Gravitrons. AVI say they're built 'without compromise' and 'regardless of cost'. Hugh Robjohns will see about that...
It's shiny and colourful, it's equally at home in the MIDI studio or between the turntables in a club, and as effects processors go it's very, very clever. Paul Farrer prepares to enter Federation territory...
PC DirectX only
Not all professional‑quality plug‑ins are developed by large commercial...
The launch of yet another 8-in/8-out PCI soundcard might seem little cause for raised eyebrows, but Terratec have a few surprises up their sleeves with the EWS88 MT. Martin Walker prepares to be amazed.
TDM plug‑in for Pro Tools
Reviewed: Mac version
Lexicon's hardware reverb units...
GM synths have a reputation in hi-tech circles for being dull and samey, but they're undeniably popular — and now the specification has been updated. Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser take a look at the first of the GM2 generation.
Time moves quickly in the world of digital recording and since SOS's last sampler roundup in September 1997, a host of new models have been introduced, from 'quick-and-dirty' phrase recorders to top-of-the-range sampling workstations. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser steer you through the pre-purchase decisions, and provide a guide to all the currently available models.
TDM plug‑in for Pro Tools
Reviewed: Mac version
The Aphex Aural Exciter has become...
With more and more software synths appearing for both Mac and PC, it takes something a little special to make people sit up and take notice. Martin Walker looks at a product that should do just that.
Can these new digital interpretations of classic analogue filters and vocoders really offer something new?
Paul Sellars goes back to a time when minimalism ruled in synth design...
We get our hands on Fostex's latest affordable digital recorder — and the company's first ever stand‑alone digital mixer.
Roland's sophisticated, yet highly affordable SRV3030 is the latest contender in the competitive market for dedicated reverb units. Paul White tries it out.
Drawmer are the latest hi-tech analogue equipment manufacturers to enter the digital world of all-in-one mastering solutions. Paul White finds out how well they've pulled it off.
Despite its size, this diminutive drum machine packs in a decent sound set and some interesting guitar‑oriented features.
The updated compact mixers in Mackie's VLZ range may look the same as ever on the outside — but inside lurk new, high-grade microphone preamps. Hugh Robjohns tries out the new design.