SOUND ON SOUND
Tyneside-based DACS have been building high-quality equipment for people on a one-off basis for years, but now they've launched a range of equipment that anyone can buy. Hugh Robjohns explains why he'd rather buy British.
In the mid-'80s, Korg released their first sampling Grand, the SG1, a digital stage piano that doubled as a MIDI master controller keyboard. 10 years on, they've revisited the concept with the heavyweight SGproX. Paul Farrer considers whether a decade has made all the difference...
If you don't fancy struggling to get a 'PC plus soundcard' hard disk recording setup working reliably, you might be interested in a system where pre-configured external hardware shoulders all the complex processing, while your PC just stays in charge. Martin Walker explores the Soundscape solution.
With Sound Studio Gold, Evolution refuse to let budget sequencing mean budget features. Martin Walker examines a grown-up package at a baby price.
Following on from their Freebass TB303 clone, FAT's new PCP Procoder is another take on a classic instrument of the past — that mainstay of many a disco, electro, and Kraftwerk track, the analogue vocoder. Chris Carter absolutely refuses to make silly robot voices with it.
Three years since it was first announced, MOTU's Digital Timepiece is here at last. Bristling with features, it aims to become the one-stop solution for the digital project studio's AV sync needs. Mike Collins explains how to get clock-wise...
Yamaha have taken their MU90R, wired in a VL tone generator and put three-part harmoniser in the effects section. The result is the MU100R. Christopher Holder gets virtual.
Paul White tries his luck on the green and finds that where voice channels are concerned, this box is a whole in one.
Take a powerful PC. Add a clever bit of programming, a soundcard and some samples, and you have the reality software synthesizer. Not a revolutionary concept, but wait until you hear the sounds! Martin Walker picks himself up off the floor.
As PC musicians expand into the world of MIDI outside their computer casing, they'll find a few more MIDI outputs never go amiss. Martin Walker enters a parallel dimension.
Paul White studio-tests KRK's latest active monitoring package, designed to provide compact, reference-standard monitoring.
Cubase VST was the MIDI+ Audio sequencing sensation of last year on the Mac, offering built-in digital effects with no additional hardware required. Now, after much work, Steinberg have succeeded in porting VST to the PC — at the same price, and, once again, with no additional hardware required. Janet Harniman-Cook is suitably impressed.
GeneralMusic are perhaps best known for their home keyboards, but this powerful new high-end instrument is aimed more at the synthesizer workstation market, though is still includes keyboard auto-accompaniment features. Are the company mapping out a brave new world? Simon Trask explores the SK76.
Spinets, Hammonds, massed choirs? Nope. Derek Johnson takes a trip with a module that does just what it says on the tin.
Andy Keir casts a critical ear over the new Alesis rack mixer and discovers that he's in for a quiet time.
First previewed at the NAMM show in January, Roland's first foray into the world of drum modelling is now almost ready for release. Nicholas Rowland brings you an exclusive preview from the official launch party.
Enu have conjured up a combination of sampler and sample playback unit which makes the capabilities of their E4X sampler available at a significantly less-than-E4X price. Simon Trask looks for the sleight of hand...
Low‑cost patchbays are pretty much commodity items nowadays, and ever since P...
The DC16 is an assignable control surface ideal for use both with gear and software, and with digital audio systems such as Pro Tools. Mike Collins just loves being in control.