
Steinberg Nuendo
Steinberg believe that now that PCs are so powerful, the days of dedicated DSP farm for professional computer-based recording systems are over. Martin Walker enters the native processing world of Nuendo.
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Steinberg believe that now that PCs are so powerful, the days of dedicated DSP farm for professional computer-based recording systems are over. Martin Walker enters the native processing world of Nuendo.

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.

SEKD pioneered the development of 24-bit/96kHz soundcards for PCs, and their lead has been followed up enthusiastically by other manufacturers. Does the new Sienna have the features to take them back to the top of the pile? Martin Walker finds out.

Cutting-edge innovation is by no means a guarantee of commercial success, but Korg have had a flair for both - although not always simultaneously. We look at how this continued to be true throughout the '90s to the present, when the company pushed the boundaries of physical modelling while refining their world-beating workstations.

Kurzweil's latest workstation is very much the product of evolution, rather than revolution. Paul Ward finds out whether it's keeping pace with the rest of the synth world...

Use of a full symphony orchestra remains a luxury afforded only to the world's top-selling artists or film composers. But with a little help from technology, the sound of convincing strings and blaring brass is achievable on a budget. John Rowcroft reports, and offers advice to anyone seeking to follow his example...

After seven years, one of the most successful digital consoles has been completely overhauled, improving the sound quality and ergonomics, and catering for new high-resolution and surround-sound formats.

Does Tascam's new digital recording console have what it takes to lure buyers away from the more established names? Paul White finds out.

The flexibility of Yamaha's popular O-series digital mixers means that there are as many ways to use them as there are owners. Paul White passes on some tips from both Yamaha insiders and professional users.

The first of Roland's eagerly awaited digital mixers, the VM3100 is an obvious spin-off from the mixer section of Roland's VS1680 digital multitracker. But it still packs a lot of functionality into a tiny space — and the basic version is the cheapest digital mixer yet!

Digidesign's latest Pro Tools MIX card offers even more power than last year's PT24, providing higher plug-in performance and improved mixing and processing capabilities — and there's a new software version with some useful enhancements. Mike Collins weighs up the pros and cons.

The SU700, Yamaha's entry into the 'groove sampler' stakes, is derived from their A3000 studio sampler and inherits some of its sibling's most impressive features — including adventurous effects and imaginative sample-manipulation facilities — while adding quite a few tricks of its own. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser go loopy.

US software and hardware innovators Opcode have come far since their first MIDI-only sequencer in the late '80s; the latest descendent of that program, Vision DSP, incorporates 24-bit audio recording and compatibility with VST plug-ins. Bob Dormon focuses on the new features in this latest Vision...

Roland's eagerly awaited new flagship VS workstation builds on the success of the VS1680 and VS1880, offering a massive range of features including 24-track, 24-bit and 96kHz recording, a 64-channel digital mixer, up to eight stereo effects processors, 24-voice phrase sampling, and an enhanced graphical output for a VGA monitor.

Despite the synth-spangled history of the company, it's been many years since a Roland product ruled the high-end keyboard roost, and 2001's Fantom workstation failed to change this. However, there's much more to the new Fantom S than one extra letter...

What if an instrument could combine the realism of a sampler with the complete control over its sounds that only a true synth can offer? That's what the long-awaited Hartmann Neuron claims to do. We put it to the test...


There are now several PC MIDI + Audio sequencers available that provide real-time EQ and effects via plug-in software — but it can be difficult to assess just what works with what, and whether your PC is powerful enough to run the plug-ins you'd like to use. Martin Walker investigates.

Elizabeth Parker is one of Britain's best-known composers of music for television, and is renowned in the business for her ability to complete projects to the tightest of deadlines. Sam Inglis visits her unique personal studio to find out how she does it...

Multi-channel PC soundcards are arriving in droves, but this one is rather different, and incorporates a potential 128 tracks, using unique hardware technology. Martin Walker channels his efforts.