SOUND ON SOUND
Line 6 claim to have put physical modelling technology into a combo amplifier that any guitarist will feel immediately at home with. Paul White puts their claims to the test.
Many mic preamps are marketed on the strength of the sound they claim to impart to your recordings, but the Event EMP1 is designed to sit as unobtrusively in your signal path as possible, amplifying quietly to itself. Hugh Robjohns investigates...
A few famous names have been co-opted by Korg to contribute to their first extra sound set for the Z1 physical modelling synth. Derek Johnson lends an ear.
Paul White clocks on for a shift in Focusrite's Tone Factory, the first of the company's new low-cost Platinum range of processors, and discovers the anarchic side of Focusrite.
In a world brimming over with multi-effects units, will TC Electronic's new FireworX cause sparks to fly amongst the competition? Hugh Robjohns lights the blue touch-paper...
Though the FD4 doesn't have a built-in recording drive, it records to a choise of popular types, costs less than £400, and has been designed to be almost as easy to use as a cassette multitracker. David Mellor goes back to basics...
If audio performance and price are higher on your list of desirable soundcard features than bells and whistles, Midiman's Dman 2044 could be just the job. Martin Walker discovers a 4-input card that's as easy on the wallet as it is on the ear.
Paul White discovers that it is possible for a compact monitor to deliver a sound that is both accurate and tonally well-balanced.
Never ones for resting on their laurels, Steinberg have added a host of enhancements and additions to Wavelab. Martin Walker tries looping the loop, and analyses his WAV file collection.
Paul White lends an ear to TLA's latest parametric EQ, the 5013, an attractively-priced valve/solid state design that keeps up the tradition of delivering quality without the cost.
In the space of just two years, Roland have doubled the power of their hard disk multitrack concept, going from the eight tracks of the VS880 to the 16 of their latest baby. Paul Nagle admires the VS's sparkling new options.
If you fancy recording up to 64 audio tracks from the comfort of a familiar PC wave editor interface, Syntrillium Software's feature-packed Cool Edit Pro could be just the ticket. Martin Walker warms to the latest release of this popular package.
Once upon a time, all synths were like this — discrete analogue sound-generating and sound processing modules, connected in any configuration the synthesist cared to dream up. If you like that idea, Analogue Systems are providing a new alternative to expensive antique systems. Chris Carter does the time warp again...
The Spirit name stands for quality analogue mixing at affordable prices — but can their new 328 carry the company's traditional values into the digital age? Paul White takes a first hands-on look at Spirit's digital debut.
A synth company that produced as many classic and well-loved instruments as did Moog Music is surely allowed the odd turkey! Gordon Reid waxes critical over one of them.
The TLM103 is, of course, a complete impossibility — it has supposedly been designed to a project studio price whilst retaining the qualities of Neumann's top-flight, large diaphragm U87.
Paul White tries a simple but useful digital switching system that can be used with s/PDIF or ADAT-format signals.
If you feel that the average sequencer makes you take off your musician's head and put on your computer programmer's head, take a look at FreeStyle. Derek Johnson is not a number, he's a free man...
Yamaha's new flagship workstation mixes 'n' matches several of the company's existing synthesis technologies and throws in a new one for good measure. But have they over-extended themselves? Simon Trask spends some time with the EX5 to find out...
Digital multitrackers are now nothing new, but this one records to a built-in Zip drive using low-cost 100Mb cartridges. Duke Ashton carries on recording.