SOUND ON SOUND
Soundcraft have added nearfield monitors to their product range in a continued bid for world domination. Paul White subjects them to the rigours of studio life.
The flood of quality effects units from Lexicon continues unabated. The Reflex takes the familiar Alex format, enhances its front panel editing, adds Lexicon's new Lexi II chip for improved sound quality, and tops it all off with comprehensive MIDI control facilities. Nick Magnus gets dynamic...
Paul White looks at a RAM program card from Metrasound for use in a Yamaha SY35.
Philip Rees are known for their distinctive red and black MIDI Thru and Merge boxes, which have found homes in many MIDI studios. Now they've turned their attention to tape sync, with the TS1. Derek Johnson checks it out.
Audio Technica's stylish new Midnight Blues range of microphones represent the company's latest foray into the budget dynamic mic market. Paul White gets the Blues... but is cheered up by the mics!
Derek Johnson takes a look at a new MIDI disk drive that will store and retrieve your files in a flash...
Long-time Kurzweil K2000 user Paul Ward casts a cautious eye over the latest facelift for his favourite synth's operating system, and is delighted with the results...
Alesis' Midiverb was a big hit with cost-conscious studio musicians when it was first launched back in the mid '80s. Now Paul White assesses whether the Midiverb 4 is still first among sequels...
Paul White gets behind the wheel of Tascam's new pro DAT recorder and finds it delivers a comfortable ride.
PC sequencing stalwarts Voyetra have finally ventured into the Windows sequencing market. Brian Heywood assesses whether their new £99 program was worth the wait.
Following the success of their Quasar synth last year, Quasimidi have launched the new Technox, aimed firmly at the production of electronic dance music. Paul Ward dons his backwards baseball cap and checks it out...
Vestax have made the 6-track format their trademark, but their new hard disk recorder range is a major step up in terms of sound quality, professional options and technical innovation. Paul Wiffen gives it the once-over and finds himself going back for more.
Korg's new pedal box features a novel pressure pad that lets you change performance parameters while you play. Paul White gets in his annual half-hour guitar practise session checking it out.
Roland's new MCR8 hardware controller seeks to take the strain out of parameter access synth or software editing, by offering you real-time manipulation of any MIDI values from its front panel sliders and knobs. Paul Ward checks it out.
How do you fancy a way of playing guitar patches, like a guitar, without the expense of a guitar synth system? Impossible? Derek Johnson finds out...
Yamaha's new Virtual Acoustics instruments provide the cutting edge of sophisticated synthesis technology — at a price. But what is the company doing for the mere mortal musician amongst us? Martin Russ assesses their answer, the new W-series workstations.