Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
Tech The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
NAMM 2026
Tech NAMM 2026: rolling news from the world's biggest music-making gear show
Apple Creator Studio Logic Pro
Digital Audio Workstation “Experienced producers might feel uneasy about the focus being put so heavily on AI and the Session Players, but it’s still an instant recommendation”: Apple Logic Pro for Mac 12 and Logic Pro for iPad 3 review
A woman plays an MPC XL and synthesizer in a home studio
Tech After years of covering the NAMM cycle I've never seen flagship gear hit the shelves so quickly - here are 6 of the hottest NAMM 26 releases you can pick up right now
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
Guitars The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
Three pairs of in-ear monitors and their cases lying on top of a bundle of instrument cables
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
Universal Audio Volt 876
Audio Interfaces Best audio interface 2026: For home recording, podcasting, and streaming - tested by experts
An SSL BiG SiX mixer in a studio
Recording Best home studio mixers 2026: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
Quentin testing a Yamaha piano
Keyboards & Pianos Best digital pianos 2026: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
Arturia KeyStep mk2
Midi Controllers Best MIDI keyboards 2026: Find the perfect match for your studio workflow
An Asus ProArt P16 laptop on a desk with music production gear
Computers Best laptop for music production 2026: For home studios and mobile music-making - tested by experts
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
A boy with brown hair playing the keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
A three amp setup from the Neural DSP Archetype John Mayer X guitar plugin
Guitar Plugins "I love that you don’t have to be a Mayer mega-fan to enjoy what’s on offer here": Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X review
More
  • NAMM 2026: as it happened
  • Best NAMM tech gear
  • Joni's Woodstock
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Tech
  2. Software & Apps

New tech gear of the month: review round-up (June 2017)

News
By The MusicRadar Team ( Computer Music, Future Music ) published 5 June 2017

High-spec hardware and new plugins galore

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII

Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII

From five-star hardware to game-changing plugins, our tech team has been deluged with superb tech gear this month.

Here, we take a digested look at all of the tech gear that was reviewed on the site in May. We start with that aforementioned high-scoring hardware - the Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“With Unison preamps and full access to the UAD catalogue, the Apollo Twin MkII does more than just amazing interfacing.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Waves Electric Grand 80

Waves Electric Grand 80

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Electric Grand faithfully recreates the sound of Yamaha’s revered piano, plays beautifully and throws in a few tasty extras to boot.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Waves Electric Grand 80

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Acustica Audio Lime Crazy88

Acustica Audio Lime Crazy88

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Acustica’s best yet, Lime sounds so good you’ll have trouble believing it’s not a physical channel strip - except for that lag...”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Acustica Audio Lime Crazy88

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
XILS-lab PolyKB III

XILS-lab PolyKB III

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Despite some strange limitations, XILS’ one-of-a-kind synth sounds spectacular and programs surprisingly easily, given its esoteric nature.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: XILS-lab PolyKB III

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Parawave Audiodesign Rapid

Parawave Audiodesign Rapid

MusicRadar's verdict:

“With a vast eight-layer architecture, brilliantly designed modulators and stunning library of wavetables and samples, Rapid sounds incredible and never gets overwhelming.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Parawave Audiodesign Rapid

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Joey Sturgis Tones Toneforge Guilty Pleasure 

Joey Sturgis Tones Toneforge Guilty Pleasure 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“It might be a one-trick pony, but if you’re after classic high-gain amp tones, Guilty Pleasure comes cheap and sounds great.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Joey Sturgis Tones Toneforge Guilty Pleasure 

(Originally reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Audio-Technica AE2300

Audio-Technica AE2300

MusicRadar's verdict:

"It doesn’t come cheap, but the AE2300’s attractive design, compact footprint and supreme build quality make it an incredibly desirable instrument mic for both live and studio use."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Audio-Technica AE2300

(Originally reviewed in Future Music)

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Waldorf kb37

Waldorf kb37

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A great idea that’s nicely thought-out and well implemented, the only thing holding the kb37 back is its high price tag.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Waldorf kb37

(Originally reviewed in Future Music)

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Teenage Engineering PO-32 Tonic

Teenage Engineering PO-32 Tonic

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The PO-32 is a fun and inspiring noise-maker and the added MicroTonic compatibility broadens its sonic scope considerably.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Teenage Engineering PO-32 Tonic

(Originally reviewed in Future Music)

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Roli Blocks

Roli Blocks

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Blocks is an interesting hardware concept, but it’s currently severely underserved by poor software implementation.”

3.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Roli Blocks

(Originally reviewed in Future Music)

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Roland System-8

Roland System-8

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The System-8 covers a vast sonic territory with superb flexibility – from vintage Roland tones to futuristic sounds, it truly delivers.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Roland System-8

(Originally reviewed in Future Music)

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
The MusicRadar Team
Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects… image
Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects…
…with the latest issue of Computer Music magazine
More Info
Read more
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
 
 
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
 
 
NAMM 2026
NAMM 2026: rolling news from the world's biggest music-making gear show
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
A woman plays an MPC XL and synthesizer in a home studio
After years of covering the NAMM cycle I've never seen flagship gear hit the shelves so quickly - here are 6 of the hottest NAMM 26 releases you can pick up right now
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score big savings on music gear ahead of Christmas from the likes of UAD, Casio, Waves, PRS and more
 
 
Latest in Software & Apps
Apple Creator Studio Logic Pro
“Experienced producers might feel uneasy about the focus being put so heavily on AI and the Session Players, but it’s still an instant recommendation”: Apple Logic Pro for Mac 12 and Logic Pro for iPad 3 review
 
 
Native Instruments logo
Native Instruments is in preliminary insolvency
 
 
Harry Styles Aperture
How Harry Styles brought the sounds of minimal techno to the world of pop with new single, Aperture
 
 
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
 
 
Landr Blueprints and Layers
“A seamless start-to-finish creative workflow”: LANDR announces new “ethical” AI music-making assistants for songwriting and production, but will using them leave you feeling empty inside?
 
 
Reason Rack plugin
You can now buy Reason’s iconic Rack of virtual outboard as a standalone plugin for the first time
 
 
Latest in News
Lily Allen physical release
A dish best served cold: Lily Allen releases a version of her latest album as a novelty butt plug USB stick
 
 
Swedish singer Zara Larsson performs at the main stage of the Rock in Rio music festival at the Rio 2016 Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 14, 2024. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
The making of Zara Larsson's 2015 hit, Lush Life, and the original version you might never have heard
 
 
Napster 26 mock-up cassette tape
“We don’t think that the future of music involves the labels anymore”: Napster is back – with a new AI app
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: PinkPantheress attends The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on December 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
PinkPantheress is so Sincere as she joins MJ Cole on a new version of a UK Garage classic
 
 
Sir Brian May attends the Cirque du Soleil OVO VIP premiere
“Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment”: Brian May on why Queen won’t tour the US
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $220 off a stunning Gretsch, $150 off a unique Les Paul Custom Widow, as well as hundreds off pianos, interfaces, and headphones
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...