With the introduction of the PCM-D50, Sony reclaimed its rightful place on top of the affordable portable digital recorder food chain...
>>> FULL REVIEW
With more and more DJs and electronic musicians employing computers in their live rigs, emergency backup solutions have become mandatory.
>>> FULL REVIEW
Sign up now for our Newsletter! We'll keep you updated on the lastest music news, releases, events and other important issues facing electronic music (plus we send you
free stuff if you include your mailing address!) >>> FutureMusic Direct
CD Spotlight
After immersing himself into the world of film, Dennis White AKA Static Revenger has released Love Song Surprise.
White pulls out all the stops in his latest release demonstrating his talents, not only in the percussion, guitar and bass realms, but also
behind the camera directing the video for the album's first single "Satellite", a killer send up of
Kubrik's 2001: A Space Odyssey. White also
departs from his club bangers by shifting gears and dropping some fine down-tempo tracks as well...
LISTEN!
CD Spotlight
Marcus Intalex originally dropped this FabricLive: 35 release at the end of the summer, but it hasn't left our office rotation since then and certainly deserves
props for not just great track selections and sequencing, but also a soulful flow that keeps you rocking until the very end. For those of you who think that Drum 'n' Bass doesn't have
much more to offer, we challenge you not to dig this fine mix...
LISTEN!
CD Spotlight
Yoav is a provocative Londoner likes to push boundaries and buttons with his uncommon guitar playing. In his latest release Charmed & Strange on Verve, he fuses his dynamic guitar
style with pointed percussion, and then lays his dark and intimate vocals on top, almost like he's narrating what's going on in the next room while looking through a peephole.
Not for the faint of heart. LISTEN!
../ TestDrive: Sony PCM-D50 Digital Recorder
Whether or not Sony was planning to debut a more budget minded recorder, or is now responding to this vibrant sector, is unknown, however, the Japanese
company recently launched the PCM-D50, an affordable 24-bit / 96-kHz recorder with built-in condensor microphones and 4 GB of internal Flash memory.
The PCM-D50 also features a Memory Stick Pro HG-Duo slot for additional storage, S/PDIF digital I/O, high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, and standard AA
battery power, as well as many savvy and sophisticated technical features... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: RapcoHorizon LTI-1
Some companies have even developed dedicated emergency kits just in case a cable goes bad, or an adapter is needed for connectivity to the house PA.
However, if your sound card decides to take a dirt nap just prior to showtime, you're reduced to running all your audio action out of your laptop's
minijack output, which just isn't going to cut it with many of today's sophisticated club systems. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Ecler EVO5 DJ Mixer
After falling in love with Ecler's NUO4 a couple of years back, you can imagine our reaction when the Spanish concern announced that they would be debuting
a new flagship mixer. Could the new EVO5 top the excellent ergonomics, handsome design and quality sound of the NUO4? >>> FULL STORY
../ Commentary: Trying To Buy An Apple iPhone 3G
Looking back, I'm not quite sure how I become the FutureMusic iPhone 3G Guinea Pig, it's all kind of a blur right now, but here's what I can tell you.
During a staff meeting, I brought up the notion of performing FutureMusic TestDrives on the slew of new iPhone Music applications that have just debuted
on the Apple App Store... >>> FULL STORY
../ Mini TestDrive: Socket Sense
One of the biggest problems that project studio owners face is the dreaded "wall wart." These oversized adapters have a tendency to take up two or three plugs
on a surge protector, making them highly inefficent, and creating a tangled web of wires. Enter Socket Sense... >>> FULL STORY
../ EKS Readies OTUS MIDI DJ Controller
We discussed EKS and the new OTUS with Sulevi Seppänen, Sales Director, to find out more about this innovative controller and the company that's driving
its development. EKS is very focused on its "future-proof" brand message and applying the company's forward-thinking philosophy to not only hardware and software,
but to dance music's evolution as an art form... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: M-Audio EX66 Monitors
M-Audio recently sent over their EX66 nearfield monitors for us to TestDrive. Although the monitors have been around for about a year, the EX66's push M-Audio
beyond their budget monitoring options and into a new price point for the concern. It's obvious that M-Audio wanted to make a statement with the EX66's. Not
only do they incorporate provocative new technology and features, but they also utilize a dual woofer design that has lost favor with other manufacturers. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Glyph GT 062 External Hard Drive
After the umpteenth drive of ours decided to wet its bed, we contacted Glyph. Glyph has been around for 15 years providing hard drive solutions for
the audio and video markets, and they claim that not only are their hard drives more reliable than their competitors, but they also put their money
where their mouth is by backing it up with a device replacement and data recovery policy... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Black Lion Audio MicroClock
Black Lion Audio, a small concern known primarily for their mods of popular audio interfaces, recently released their first product, an external word
clock dubbed the MicroClock. Black Lion made the decision to develop their own dedicated master clock because they felt that most of the solutions
available were of poor quality and contained features that many project studios never used. When BLA boasted on their website that the MicroClock
"will provide a wide, separated soundstage and add smooth, neutral clarity to your digital conversion," we decided it was time for a TestDrive... >>> FULL STORY
../ Music Trends: 2008 Music Technology Report
Now that the whirlwind of CES, MacWorld and NAMM is over, we're able to look back with some perspective at the three conferences that generally shape
the technology landscape for the coming year. Being a music technology publication devoted to electronic music, we'll take a special look at the world
of digital DJing. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: JazzMutant Dexter
JazzMutant's remarkable Dexter is a compelling digital audio workstation controller that showcases the future of computer music mixing. The extremely
well-built device features several dynamic and provocative methods for working in the digital age, however there are many areas where the Dexter misses
the mark, and that this price point that shouldn't be the case... >>> FULL REVIEW
../ 2007 FutureMusic Holiday Buyers Guide
Are you having trouble scoring the perfect gift for your musically inclined special someone? Well, let us come to the rescue with the 2007 FutureMusic
Holiday Gift Guide. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: XtremeMac MicroMemo
I've always tried to come up with a snappy slang term for those people you encounter in everyday life who think their "singing" along with
their iPods, but in reality sound more like they don't have a tongue... >>> FULL STORY
Freaky has tapped a solid roster of artists including D-Formation, J. Velarde, Sergio Fernandez, David Ferrero and Roman Lieske, to provide musical
material for DJs, producers and remixers. The offerings mainly consist of drum loops, in various tribal flavors, although some of the artists,
such as J. Velarde, also provide melodic episodes... >>> FULL STORY
../ Will New Laws Force ISPs To Police File Sharing?
UK Legislators Threaten ISPs
The UK record industry's equivalent of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is trying to strong-arm the country's Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) to begin policing their networks for illegal file-trading. If successful, the results could have major ramifications for the rest of the world... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: KRK VXT8 Monitors
KRK Systems recently sent us a pair of their new VXT8 monitors for a TestDrive. The new VXT line is based on KRK's premium Exposé series
and consists of three models — the VXT4, VXT6, and VXT8... >>> FULL STORY
../ iClones Threaten Apple's iPhone Rollout In Asia
Chinese Counterfeiters Take A Bite Out Of Apple
In Taiwan, you could buy an "iPhone" six months before the official debut of the much-anticipated multimedia mobile in the United States. The iClones,
as they have become known, sell for about $250 dollars in Taiwan, and only $125 in mainland China and Hong Kong... >>> FULL STORY
../ Are High Priced Cables Worth The Money?
The Internet has been a disruptive force to many entrenched industries and market segments in its brief history. So, it was only a matter of
time before it focused its eye on the audio and video cable industry. Ever wonder why salespersons push cables so ardently at music and electronic
stores? Unknown to many, audio or video cables have the largest profit margins. Using the "don't you want the best quality" pitch, a savvy
salesperson can rack up hundreds of dollars of pure profit on cables alone when a customer buys a television, stereo, or mixer. >>> FULL STORY
../ Music Trends: MySpace Popularity Doesn't Sell Music
MySpace vixen, Tila Tequila, has failed to turn her immense popularity into sales for her much ballyhooed, but mediocre MySpace
promoted single, "I Love U." Tequila hoped to leverage her 1.7 million MySpace friends into substantial iTunes profits, but
preliminary reports indicate lackluster numbers. >>> FULL STORY
