SOUND ON SOUND
Most of the major Windows sequencers now support dual processing, and if you want the ultimate performance, machines like Red Submarine's dual Xeon PC could be the way to go.
We take a look at a new range of super-quiet power supplies, as well as explaining how to protect your data and settings in case of crashes.
Just what can you expect in a PC system costing £600? Or over £1500? We round up the likely specs and the possible pitfalls.
Echo's original Indigo was perfect for those who wanted to add a high-quality audio output to their laptop without taking up more space. The new IO version adds a stereo input and multi-client drivers, increasing its appeal even more.
Extra DSP assistance to help your PC's processor cope with effects treatments used to be the province of the pro. Now there's a wide range of DSP-equipped cards to fit all budgets — but many people don't realise the latency issues that might be involved in using some of them.
Although Centrino laptops have advantages in terms of weight and battery life, standard Pentium 4 CPUs still offer the ultimate in performance, and Nu Systems's desktop replacement machine is a processing heavyweight.
The Phase 88 is the successor to Terratec's popular eight-in/eight-out EWS 88MT PCI soundcard with breakout box.
If the established pro applications are out of your price league, then this highly affordable stereo editor might prove a genuine alternative.
This month we not only compare the hard-drive speed performance of USB and Firewire, but also take a look at a MIDI latency-testing utility and see how a handful of MIDI interfaces measure up.
M-Audio have broken a price barrier with their Firewire 410, which is easily the most affordable Firewire recording interface on the market.