We respect M-Audio's technical aspirations for their EX66 monitors, however they made too many compromises, and the overall neutrality suffers.
>>> FULL REVIEW
With the GT 062, Glyph delivers an external hard drive with professional-grade components, a world-class warranty, & an innate understanding of their customers.
>>> 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
../ 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
../ 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
../ 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
../ 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 REVIEW
../ TestDrive: Freaky Beat's Essential Grooves
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
../ 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
../ TestDrive: Arturia Jupiter-8V
So before further ado, let's address the elephant in the room. The Arturia JP-8V does an excellent emulation of the famed Roland Jupiter 8,
albeit a hyper-present and ultra-clean version. However, if that's all you care about, you're missing a big part of what makes the JP-8V a
killer soft synth... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: LennarDigital Sylenth1
LennarDigital's Sylenth1 is a simple subtractive virtual analog synth with delicious warm sound that delivers immediate results once you decide to get your
hands dirty. Sylenth1 is capable of a broad range of sounds, but its obvious from the moment you begin to entertain the over 700 patches, that this synth was
designed from the ground up for electronic music with obvious nods to the Access Virus, Roland TB-303, and a wave in the Minimoog's general direction... >>> FULL STORY
../ Head2Head: IK's Stealth Plug VS. SoundTech's LightSnake
IK Multimedia's Stealth Plug and SoundTech's LightSnake square off in a Sound Card In A Cable battle royale... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Native Instruments FM8
Devotees of the of the incredibly popular Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, which single-handedly kicked analog synthesis to the curb
in the early '80s, rejoiced when Native Instruments released their original FM synthesis emulator, the FM7. Now Native is
back with FM8, the second incarnation of this unique DX7 emulator, and once again fans have something to cheer about... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Slappa CD Cases
You'd think in today's world finding a quality CD case that can stand up to the rigors of the road for a working DJ wouldn't be an impossible task. Unfortunately,
that's not the case. If you explore the market, you'll find many mediocre offerings that are extremely overpriced. Several of our readers, feeling the pain, wrote
to us asking if we run across a quality container in any of our adventures. A quick poll of the office came to the same conclusion, none of us owned a CD case that
we thought was the perfect balance of quality and value. Thus, we went on a mission to find the best possible CD case for the money, and then share our findings
with you, our esteemed readers... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700
When Audio-Technica, the esteemed Japanese manufacturer of microphones and headphones, decided to enter the professional DJ
headphone market several months ago, our expectations were quite high. Audio-Technica has developed a number of outstanding
transducer products over the years and we were hoping their new ATH-PRO700 headphones would live up to their reputation. Many
of us expected Audio-Technica to decimate the DJ headphone playing field, and in one product introduction, own the high-end
DJ market with their new PRO700's. Sadly, Audio-Technica decided to imitate, and not innovate... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: IK Multimedia CSR
IK Multimedia, a concern who has made a concerted effort to offer a wider breath of products as of late, has released their own dedicated
reverb plug-in, which has been modeled on the classic units of yore. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: iSoundCap iPod Hat
Here at Futuremusic, we're big fans of iPod hats. After getting our meaty paws on the first generation iPod Shuffle, we couldn't help but
notice that a dedicated iPod Hat would be the ultimate accessory for anyone leading an active lifestyle. A couple of snowboarders on staff
here actually designed their own Shuffle hats and took to the slopes, but when the weather warmed up, they're iPod baseball hat designs
were not nearly as inspired. Enter iSoundCap. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Ecler Nuo4 MIDI DJ Mixer
The Ecler Nuo4 MIDI DJ Mixer offers a tremendous value to the modern DJ who wants a mixer that bridges the gap between the analog and digital worlds for only $749.
You'd think that having all this analog and digital action on a DJ mixer would be a total mess, but Ecler did it right. Every one of the DJs who got their grubby
hands on the mixer lauded the company for the mixer's intelligent ergonomics... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Apple iPod Shuffle 2.0
The second incarnation of the Apple iPod Shuffle hit our offices several days before the national rollout and caused quite a sensation. The
all aluminum chassis, with a built-in clip, looked beautiful and was quite the music fashion statement when each of us sported the digital
player during our individual TestDrives. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Sony PCM-D1 Portable Recorder
When Sony first showcased the PCM-D1 at the AES trade show, I got a severe case of technolust. The sexy, beautifully designed, unit was
a true digital recorder with built-in mics, a titanium case, and no internal moving parts, save for the tasty analog level meters. As I
wiped the drool from my bottom lip, I couldn't help but think that this was the first Sony product in years that I wanted no matter what
the cost. Unfortunately, after using the unit, I think I'll save the $2000 dollars it costs for owning one. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: IK Multimedia Amplitube 2
The sound quality of Amplitube 2 is simply amazing. IK completely revamped the sound engine of Amplitube 2 with a new technology dubbed
Dynamic Saturation Modeling (DSM) which mimics each component's circuit boards, tubes, cabinets, stomp boxes and other attributes to obtain
the most accurate emulations to date. The improvement in aural quality is staggering when compared to the first incarnation of Amplitube,
and opens the doors even wider for electronic musicians to create tantalizing sonic landscapes. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro
Usually the arrival of yet another set of earphones in our mailbox doesn't cause much of a stir in our offices, but the super.fi
5 Pro earphones by Ultimate Ears caused a quite a sensation. I was the first to get my grubby hands on the sleek metal case that
housed the super.fi Pro's and the multitude of accessories that came along for the ride... >>> FULL STORY: English | En Español
../ TestDrive: Reaktor 5
For many musicians who have been composing electronic music for several years, one thing is obvious, more than ever, many "new" songs sound
exactly alike. To get off the virtual synth preset train, imaginative writers are turning to sound design programs to distinguish themselves
from the pack... >>> FULL STORY: English | En Español
../ TestDrive: Pakatun iPod Beanie
When the iPod Shuffle first bowed, we suggested that someone make an iPod Shuffle hat to accommodate the small music player. It seemed like a perfectly
logical idea and a terrific way to manage the headphone wires when working out, snowboarding or engaging in any other energetic activity. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Ableton Live 5
There's plenty of exciting new action in Live 5 including automatic plug-in delay compensation, a browser search feature, improved track tempo
evaluation, track freeze, and a new time-stretch mode dubbed Complex which was developed for tempo changes during long DJ mixes. The plug-in
compensation works great especially when incorporating complicated delays that some of the plug-ins can create. The browser search feature is
just OK and is an area where Ableton's developers can spend some more time. The file browser area could also use a better visual paradigm; a
solution to the problem of file folders that don't get masked by the session window would be a welcome. Live's tempo evaluation algorithm has
also been greatly improved. Now when you load a track Live does a significantly better job of figuring out the tempo. Usually just a slight
manual tweak to the warp marker on the first beat of the 16th bar will make the track's downbeats line up perfectly. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Best iPod Accessories 2005
The year 2005 saw hundreds of new iPod accessories come to market, many were innovative and significantly improved the
iPod listening experience, while others were severely lacking in quality and functionality. In this special Futuremusic
report, we are going to celebrate the best products of the year. >>> FULL STORY
../ Head2Head: Shure VS. Etymotic
The Shure E5C and the Etymotic ER-4P are some of the very best earphones money can buy. Both contain high-quality components and have
expansive signal to noise ratios that reveal details in music that most never knew existed. These earphones, sometimes called "earbuds"
by the industry, are reserved strictly for audiophiles who demand the very best in listening, and at $499 for the Shure E5C, and $330
for the Etymotic ER-4P, you can see why... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Alienware Premium Backpack
The Alienware Premium Backpack is a high-quality, stylish transport for your laptop and mobile music accessories. This great-looking,
black bag comes with a cushioned interior pocket for shielding your computer from knocks and bumps, and has plenty of storage for your
peripherals. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Native Instruments Absynth 3
When Native Instruments announced a new version of Absynth, their popular software synthesizer, many of us at Futuremusic began
to noticeably drool. When Native Instruments (NI) nails a product from the get-go, like they did with Absynth, each version just
gets significantly better by taking the solid foundation to the next level. Absynth 3 is a must have for any musician with an
interest in creating provocative ambient soundscapes, film scoring and the exploration of dynamic synthesis... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Numark DXM06 DJ Mixer
The DXM06 is an economical, 2 channel DJ mixer residing in the middle of Numark's DXM Digital mixer line. It incorporates solid performance
features with basic DJ-oriented effects for a package that is definitely worth a look. For the price, the unit sounds surprisingly good and
has a comprehensive toolbox for seamless beat matching and scratching... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Alesis XGuitar
In today's market, there is no shortage of excellent software and hardware available for the guitarist interested in cutting-edge technology.
When the Alesis XGuitar found its way into the Futuremusic TestDrive Studio, I wasn't sure what was in store for me. The XGuitar is not just a
guitar; it's an axe with a bionic upgrade. Is this a parasitic or symbiotic relationship? Let's find out. >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Ableton Operator
When Ableton released an update to their latest version of Live 4, their outstanding and versatile audio loop workstation, no one thought it
was going to include a new, built-in soft synth. Instead of getting a few additional choice effects, or even an innovative way to manipulate
MIDI mathematically like many thought, we got Operator, a FM-based virtual synth. We scratched our heads and wondered if one of Live's engineers
secretly developed this compelling synth in his garage and then sprung it on CEO Gerhard Behles when he was just about to bite into a nice
piece of Kugel... >>> FULL STORY
../ Head2Head: Flash Music Players
Apple iPod Shuffle VS. Commodore MpetII
Apple's recent introduction of the iPod Shuffle caused us to re-examine the Flash music player landscape. In the past, we were less than
impressed with many of the MP3 Flash players on the market. Bulky, unreliable, poor sound quality, short battery life, and Windows integration
problems are just a few of the many problems encountered with the units that the leading manufacturers sent us for evaluation... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Arturia MiniMoog V
With our arsenal, some would say museum, of vintage synthesizers, we were very skeptical when Arturia sent us their MiniMoog V softsynth.
Coupled with my love for our beloved Model D, I was ready to be a hater and give the MiniMoog V a swift kick in its virtual oscillators.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the studio... >>> FULL STORY
../ TestDrive: Wave Arts Power Suite
Wave Arts Power Suite for Mac and PC is a bundle of their five products, TrackPlug, MasterVerb, Multidynamics, WaveSurround and FinalPlug for $499.95 US... >>> FULL STORY
../ DJ Hardware Technology Eclipsing Software
Music Trends
The MusicMisse show at Frankfurt confirmed that the music hardware industry is far ahead of the software concerns in providing cutting-edge
technology to mixologists around the globe. Two new significant launches by Allen & Heath and Mawzer (see pictures below) detailed how the
hardware manufacturers' long term horizon is much more far-sighted then the leading software developers who have just attempted to duplicate
the physical mixing experience instead of taking the model the next level. >>> FULL STORY
