New music tech gear of the month: review round-up (November 2014)

Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2

Every month you'll find the best reviews of music tech gear on MusicRadar and in the pages of our sister publications Computer Music and Future Music.

In this gallery we've gathered all of October's new tech reviews, froms DAWS and plugins to keyboards and interfaces.

All of the following reviews were originally published in Computer Music issue 210 and Future Music issue 284/285.

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A ridiculously versatile mono/ paraphonic synth. Without doubt a great investment."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2 review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Akai APC40 mkII

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"This is a great update to a very gig-ready unit. It makes us wish we had some gigs lined up so we could try it!"

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Akai APC40 mkII review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Akai APC40 mkII currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Waldorf Streichfett String Synth

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A fun and fantastic sounding synth at a price that makes its limitations largely forgivable."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Waldorf Streichfett String Synth review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Waldorf Streichfett String Synth currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater

Akai APC Mini

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The APC Mini pinpoints the structuralist, somebody who's more about launching lots of clips with minimal extra control."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Akai APC Mini review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Akai APC Mini currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Rode iXY Lightning

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"If you're looking to capture high-quality audio whilst filming, or want to have a high-quality field recorder always at the ready, the iXY is a winning solution."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Rode iXY Lightning review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Rode iXY Lightning currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Akai APC Key 25

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The APC Key 25 is a great little keyboard/clip/scene launching combo, that will fit in any laptop bag."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Akai APC Key 25 review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Akai APC Key 25 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Universal Audio Thermionic Culture Vulture

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A modern valve distortion and harmonic enhancer classic makes the move to virtual - an essential buy for UAD-2 users hungry for top-notch harmonic enhancement."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Universal Audio Thermionic Culture Vulture review

BUY: Universal Audio Thermionic Culture Vulture currently available from:
US: Full Compass

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

MeldaProduction MTransient

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"As simple or complicated as you like, MTransient gives you what you need for precise shaping from transient to tail."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: MeldaProduction MTransient review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

Novation Launch Control XL

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The Launch Control XL is a brilliant controller for Ableton Live and is perfectly usable for other applications, too."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Novation Launch Control XL review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

BUY: Novation Launch Control XL currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

eaReckon TransReckon

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"One of the finest transient shapers we've seen/heard, TransReckon works wonders on drums and other transient-heavy sounds."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: eaReckon TransReckon review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

Tsugi QuickAudio

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"We'd like ASIO driver support, and the price is a tad steep, but QuickAudio really does make Windows a better place for audio files."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Tsugi QuickAudio review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

DMG Audio Dualism

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Superb signal analysis suite for high-end mastering and post production, with a useful but non-essential set of stereo manipulation tools bolted on."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: DMG Audio Dualism review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

IK Multimedia SampleTank 3

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"One of the best bread-and-butter sound modules - hardware or software - that money can buy, SampleTank 3 is big and beautiful, if not particularly bold."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: IK Multimedia SampleTank 3 review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

BUY: IK Multimedia SampleTank 3 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Propellerhead A-List Electric Guitarist Power Chords

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"As an authentic, stylistically expansive library of ready-to-rock rhythm guitar loops in a fun and intuitive performance interface, EGPC is a welcome addition to the A-List roster. Just be aware that it's very 'preset' by nature."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Propellerhead A-List Electric Guitarist Power Chords review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

Sample Logic Cinematic Keys

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Cinematic Keys is indeed, well... cinematic, and we much prefer its unreal, processed sounds to the straight-up pianos, harpsichords and organs (of which there aren't many, admittedly)."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Sample Logic Cinematic Keys review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

BUY: Sample Logic Cinematic Keys currently available from:
US: Sweetwater

Toontrack EZkeys Mellotoon

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Mellotoon sure sounds pretty - and EZkeys itself is ace - but with its limited tonal palette, it could hardly be described as a must-have."

3.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Toontrack EZkeys Mellotoon review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

Liquid Sonics Mobile Convolution

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"The sound is awesome, IRs up to 60 seconds long are supported, and the negligible latency is impressive - it's absolutely worth seven quid for all that alone."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Liquid Sonics Mobile Convolution review

(Reviewed in Computer Music issue 210)

Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S Series

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A beautiful hard and soft package that just works. Hugely expensive but once you're hooked, worth it."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S Series review

BUY: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S Series currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

Rode NT-USB

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Your computer's perfect partner for recording vocals and acoustic instruments with minimal fuss."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Rode NT-USB review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Rode NT-USB currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Warm Audio WA76

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"It looks, sounds and feels like the 1176 without the vintage price and the potential maintenance issues."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Warm Audio WA76 review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Warm Audio WA76 currently available from:
UK: Thomann
US: Sweetwater

Prism Sound Titan

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A highly flexible, excellent sounding and extremely comprehensive unit."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Prism Sound Titan review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Prism Sound Titan currently available from:
UK: Thomann

Korg Triton Taktile 49

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"A well-featured controller keyboard with bonus Triton engine onboard. For the money it's hard to beat."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Korg Triton Taktile 49 review

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)

BUY: Korg Triton Taktile 49 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Fostex PX-6

MusicRadar’s verdict:

"Nicely-sized compact nearfield powered monitors - worth a listen if you are in the market for a pair."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fostex PX-6 review

BUY: Fostex PX-6 currently available from:
US: Full Compass

(Reviewed in Future Music issue 284)