Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best looper pedals 2025: My favourite loop stations for every budget
Explore my pick of compact and floorboard loopers from the likes of Boss, TC Electronic, Line 6, and more
“If you’re looking to turn your guitar or bass into a completely different instrument, there’s no better way to do it than this”: Boss VG-800 V-Guitar Processor review
Boss’ most convincing guitar chameleon yet delivers mind-blowing results – at a price
I've been through Waves entire Labor Day plugin sale and these 5 gems at $34.99 each are unmissable - plus get 2 free when you buy 2
Waves' latest sale sees 200 plugins drop to just $34.99 each for Labor Day
Three of our highest-rated in-ear monitors just got a massive discount in the Thomann In-Ear Days sale - IEMs starting from just £91
Ready to level up your live show? Thomann’s latest sale delivers some excellent discounts on IEMs
Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
Get more for your money with my pick of the best value electric guitars below $500/£500
"They may be the spiritual successor to Sony’s Scheps-approved mixing cans, but they tread their own path": Sony MDR-M1 review
Sony’s new studio cans nod to the legendary MDR-7506, swapping forensic mids for balance you can wear all day
Best clip-on guitar tuners 2025: Top headstock and soundhole tuners to buy right now
Keep your tuning in check in all scenarios with the best clip-on tuners for guitar, bass and ukulele
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Years of playing and reviewing gear have taught me exactly what to look for - here's how to get a guitar to grow with
Left-handed guitarists have been overlooked for too long, but Thomann’s up to 20% off Lefty Deals sale changes that
Southpaw guitar players can finally get some decent savings on guitars, but only for a limited time
“With no smartphone app, no IR loader, and just a single knob for control, it does away with all the distractions”: Earthquaker Devices Easy Listening review
EQD's new guitar headphone amplifier aims to make things easy breezy for players with pedalboards
With guitar amps starting from just £44, Thomann’s massive Hughes & Kettner sale just made modernizing your rig a lot cheaper
With prices on Hughes & Kettner amps slashed by up to 40%, here are my top picks from the sale at Thomann
"A very capable package that will give beginners the tools they need to make good quality recordings": M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack review
This recording studio in a box from M-Audio looks to give beginners a complete home studio setup for below $/£200
Best in-ear monitors 2025: IEMs for stage and studio
Our expert guide to the best in-ear monitors for practice, performance and production, no matter your budget
Best guitar VSTs 2025: Get the best simulated guitar tones for your next production
My pick of the best guitar VST instruments will get great guitar tones for your productions, even if you’ve never played guitar before
Best Alesis electronic drum sets 2025: My pick of Alesis electronic drums for beginners to pros
My expert guide to finding the perfect Alesis electronic drum set for your budget and skill level
“It took 400 audio tracks for me to get it to throw an error, which is frankly insane”: Asus ProArt P16 review
Looking for an alternative to a MacBook? Asus might have just provided the answer for musicians everywhere
“At times it can really feel like more of a multi-effects pedal rather than just a straight reverb pedal”: Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss review
EHX brings us a reverb pedal with sliders, a screen, and all the potential to be a Strymon-killer
Best drum sets 2025: Top drum kits for beginner to pro drummers
Explore 17 of the best drum kits for the studio, stage and bedroom from Ludwig, Pearl, Tama, DW and more
Best acoustic guitar amp 2025: Amplify your acoustic with a top-rated amp
Whether you’re practicing, busking, or performing, amplify the finest qualities of your guitar with our selection of acoustic amps
Best 3/4 acoustic guitars 2025: Portable playability from Taylor, Martin, Yamaha, and more
Perfect for beginners and seasoned professionals alike, 3/4 acoustics make great songwriter guitars or for players on the go
“Will definitely please those who are a fan of the sound already, but standalone price is expensive”: Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus plugin review
The world’s most famous solid-state amp finally gets an official amp model for your DAW
"You can absolutely craft some great mixes on these": JBL 305P MkII review
JBL's budget studio monitors are priced crazy low and promise good quality mixes that don't cost the earth
Best home studio mixers 2025: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
A comprehensive look at the best home studio mixers on the market today – from compact consoles to podcasting heavyweights
