Behringer B2030A Active 2-Way Reference Studio Monitor (Set of 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased these with the assumption that I was not going to get the quality sound I wanted as opposed to KRK monitors (WAAAY overpriced) for my small studio. Boy was I wrong! The sound quality is better than expected to say the least. They're HEAVY, thus you won't be too worried about knocking them over (like the smaller KRK's or M-Audio Studiophiles I've seen). Took these over to a friends house for mixdown of video's he's been working on, and adjusted the settings for his video editing hardware and room dynamics. He then changed his mind after about some 5 hours of video editing. Not the best, but I'll be putting my money into what I can use rather than a name (KRK, JBL, Tannoy, Genlec are just TOO much. . .even for just one monitor). And it'se never about what you got, it's what you do with it.
There are going to be reviews bashing them, but when I have audio engineers telling me "good choice, cuz the KRK's are sometimes WAAY too bassy", I feel I've done my job and research into finding what I can afford.
Just a quick note. . .do give these "burn in" time. meaning give them some time to run before going all out on those mixes. Similar to tube preamps for guitar heads/cabs. . .burn em in slowly so you can get the full effect later. I haven't had these long enough, but I can say they are the best part of my studio.

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Walrus Productions Guitar Chord Mini Chart Review

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(More customer reviews)Items is the size of a piece of paper in plastic coating. Small and diff to read. But made well.

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SmartScore X Midi Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this MIDI version (very unique software). It does one thing -- convert sheet / book music to MIDI format file. I then use the MIDI file in Band In A Box and that is why the SmartScore software shines in my book.
It takes some self-learning. The documentation is terrible and written by a 3rd-grade non-American using severely broken Engrish. You can figure it out if you have the persistence. It really has more settings than you need as far as I'm concerned (feature-bloat) -- seems like the settings could be done on the 'finished' MIDI side instead of making it a 'requirement' before scanning your music.
All in all -- I'm satisfied except for the documentation.

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On Stage KS8191 Double Braced X Style Keyboard Stand Review

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(More customer reviews)It was very easy to assemble. It is a little wide for the Casio PX-130 88-Key Digital Stage Piano. Folds up easily for transport or storage. The adjustable height is great using the keyboard a different heights.
Since the height adjustment knob is only on one leg, on carpet it seems to be higher on one side than the other. On the lowest setting, the pin didn't lock in completely and the stand collapsed with the keyboard falling to the floor. I wish the height adjustment was on both legs and the spring in the pin was stronger.


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Rode NT4 Stereo Condenser Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great mic. The design makes it really easy to set up for recording, and its quality gives fantastic sound. I have primarily used it for recording acoustic instruments (grand piano, 12 string guitar etc) and because I am not a sound engineer with years of experience, I find that I get great sound just by having the parameters of distance and angle to fool with. Frankly the extra parameter of distance between two mono-mics is just annoying for me. I want to play music and record it, not fool with mics all day. I can't wait to try it on live recordings of choirs etc.
Drop by the Røde website and have a listen to what engineers say about this mic.

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Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio and MIDI Interface with digital Connection - Macintosh and Windows Review

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(More customer reviews)I looked at virtually every multiple mic interface on the market and couldn't find anything to touch this in features and/or price... so I bought it.
Wow!This thing rocks! I connected up 8 microphones for Kick, Snare, Hi-hat, Tom 1, Tom 2, Tom 3, Left Overhead and Right Overhead... all those mics plug into the 8 XLR mic sockets at the front of the unit. Got some really great 20ft XLR mic cables from Amazon for only $6.95 each (Whirlwind LowZ Microphone Cable (20 Foot) I then plugged in my bass guitar into one of 2 switchable line/guitar 1/4" mono inputs on the front.
Each of the 10 front panel inputs has a volume control knob and red/green led. The drummer hits each drum individually one by one so I can adjust each vol control so that it just occasionally clips red but mostly stays green.
After adjusting the six individual drum mics I now get the drummer to play the whole set and I adjust the left and right overheads mics so they don't clip (go red). That's it! The mics are setup ready to record.
I took the main output from the back of the unit to my monitors and there's a volume control on the front of the unit to allow you to turn down the monitor while recording... then you turn it up to listen back... so in effect, the unit has it's own monitoring control.
Two headphone jacks would've been nice, but I used a Y-adapter 1/4" Headphone Splitter to split the output allowing me to plug in the two headphones for me and the drummer.
I now setup recording on my laptop (HP TX2500z) using the supplied Cubase LE4 software which is really easy to use - buy yourself the The Complete Idiot's Guide to Recording with Cubase. There's no specific book for version LE4 but this idiot's guide worked great for me.
A note about my notebook - It's a tablet PC laptop HP Pavilion tx2500z 12.1" TOUCH-SCREEN Notebook with a great touch screen - so you can arm/disarm or mute/unmute your record channels/tracks just by touching the screen buttons with your finger - it's just like a real mixing desk with real tactile switches - it's really cool!
You may need to tweak your laptop for audio recording to get the best results otherwise you will hear artifacts (odd noises) when recording if the laptop is struggling to find the necessary processing power. I tweaked my laptop and it was just amazing to see the difference in performance. You can Google "Tweak Vista for audio recording" to find the information on how to tweak.
I also replaced my 5400rpm drive with a 7200rpm drive Seagate 500 GB 7200RPM 2.5" Drive - it's real easy to do... Google "Upgrading laptop hard drive". As well as getting a faster speed drive I also made it a 500GB to replace the 320GB drive that I had - so lot's more space... and very low cost too!
RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!!
Well... Let me tell you, I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the results obtained with this unit! The Tascam 1641 is an amazing piece of gear and Amazon's price is just out of this World at only $299...
It's like having a whole recording studio in a box - the mic pre's, the mixing desk (vol controls), the signal LED's, the monoring vol control, headphone controls, etc... AND the software - all for $299 - You can't beat that!
The actual sound that I got was totally professional - I couldn't have done better if I was in a top-notch recording studio. I am 100,000% satisfied!
GO FOR IT!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!



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Moog Little Phatty - Stage II Analog Synthesizer Review

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(More customer reviews)This synth is a powerhouse! If you want to create sounds that are unique to the sound you are after that arent canned then this is the machine to accomplish this. I love this synth because its so intuitive. You will have a ton of fun playing with and experimenting with this Moog Synth.

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Pro-Ject Debut III Audiophile Turntable Black Review

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(More customer reviews)Setup isn't too hard and the sound is great. I've found new sound and depth in some very familiar records. I like the basic look and function, which make me feel like there aren't a lot of gimmicks to break down later.
I added an anti-static slip mat, as the rubber mat seems a bit harsh. Phonograph Turntable Record Player Anti Static Slip Mat
The RCA-style audio cables attached are quite short. I have my turntable off to the side of the entertainment center and had to situate it sideways (front facing to the right) in order to barely reach the receiver. A niggling issue for myself, but maybe more for you.

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Mel Bay Complete Book of Wedding Music for Flute or Violin Review

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(More customer reviews)The book has beautiful wedding music with piano accompaniment. The music is easy enough to play without a lot of practice putting the instruments together. I only wish it had more songs but it certainly has the classics.

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Korg M50 61 Key Synthesizer Workstation Review

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(More customer reviews)I really cannot offer any insight as to the positives and negatives on this keyboard. When you have this level of control and power at your hands then frankly only the musician can decide if the product is worth adding to their music set up. But I do feel the best way of showing a product like this is to just overview it and let you, the musicians, decide.
So rather than explain how amazing I think this keyboard is (and it is!) I have produced the quick video above. This is by far the best keyboard I own and I'll let the video demonstrate why. Ultimately every sound you hear was created completely live as shown, and that's despite the whole thing being recorded by the on-board mic of a cheap camera. So if you're after an amazing keyboard far surpassing your wildest desires then this is it.
Sometimes when viewing a user video showcasing a MIDI music product it's hard to make a judgment call as to whether the individual instrument is suitable for your needs when there's a lot of other equipment connected to it - all outputting great sounds at the same time. The attached video is pure M50, so please take a listen and see what you think.
Some things that I forgot or didn't have time to cover in video:
The sequencer can be played live or step by step, so if you're feeling a little rusty you can manually key in each note as you wish and change them easily.
The M50 accepted the entire pedal data from my Casio PX500L (which I also purchased on Amazon) which is shown underneath the Korg M50. That was without need for any MIDI changes or complications - it was MIDI plug-and-play as expected in this day and age of agreed midi channels. But I didn't use the pedals in the video deliberately so the recording would be pure M50, but they do work and can sustain/damper the Korg etc with ease through the Casio.
The MIDI triggers buttons, which I show on the modulation/pitch bend/joystick area can be set to ANYTHING - any MIDI trigger that you need and you can even trigger THEM with a foot switch pedal.
The song sequencer is totally editable. This may sound like a silly thing to say but it's worth stressing as it can act more like a song accompaniment than a mere playback of what you just performed. It's a recording of MIDI data of your performance and given the massive polyphonic nature of the M50 you could use the sequencer just to trigger events such as drum riffs or instrument changes and THEN play over it live. Or record multiple passes. It's not just a digital 8 track tape deck for your jamming tracks of old.
The COMBI MODE has lots of stunning string and voice combination patches. I didn't do them justice!
The M50 is much bigger than it looks in this video - in tandem with the wide angle lens on my camera, and my fairly giant-sized meat hooks, the keyboard looks quite small. It's not!
Finally there are no speakers the M50. You need an amp and speakers. I do welcome any questions in the comments section of this review and I'll do my best to answer them. Finally sorry the video cuts off so quickly - the amazon 10 minute time limit cut in quick and I was enjoying myself!

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Audition 3.0 Windows Review

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(More customer reviews)This is basically Audition 2.0 with midi capabilities and VSTi support. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) looks exactly like 2.0, which isn't bad, but I was expecting something more "pretty" like Cubase 4. But, hey, pretty just means the program will be a bigger memory hog, so it's all good.
I've been using this software since CoolEdit1.0! I've always loved the simplicity of it, and ever since Adobe picked it up, it has gotten better and better. You can't find a better DAW for a home studio. It's quick, fast, and powerful! While it comes with enough effects and tools to do the job, you'll definitely want to pick up some add-ons, like Reason 3.0, GuitarRig 2.0, Ampeg SVX, Absynth, Waves plug-ins, etc.
Yea, sure, you can blow a bunch of money on that memory hog, Cubase 4, and you'll get a bunch of pretty plugins, but why bother? Most of those plugins are useless, the GUI is garbage and horribly complicated to learn, and you need a stupid dongle occupying your USB port to run it. You're better off hand picking the plugins you want and adding them to Audition.
There are so many reasons why Audition 3.0 rocks (mixing and mastering is a breeze!) and I'd love to tell you about it, but I am running out of time. Download the trial and see for yourself!

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Matrix MR-800 Quartz Metronome Review

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(More customer reviews)This metronome is a great product but needs a volume control. The knocks and chimes keep perfect time, but are at full volume. There is no way to reduce the volume in situations that require it. If not for the lack of this feature I'd give it a 5.

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Ketron SD2 Orchestral Wizard Sound Module Review

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(More customer reviews)Like the prior reviewer says the acoustic instrument sounds in the SD2 are far better than similar Roland synth modules. I've been searching for the best acoustic musical instruments for many years and not other module even at 2 or 3 times the price has as many excellent sounds.
The Tenor Sax, in fact, is a wonderful breathy Tenor reminiscent of Stand Getz not only in the low register but also in the upper one, whereas I find the baritone sax to be too harsh, I prefer a more mellow Gerry Mulligan quality.
The clarinet is also excellent, especially in the upper register where it has a rich, brilliant voice -perfect for jazz.
The violin and viola recorded w natural vibrato are also top notch -with wonderful dynamics.
The Golden Trumpet is one of the smoothest trumpets you can find and the various muted Trumpets are also pretty good.
The flute is quite good, but I've got better trombone sounds elsewhere.
This synthesizer works fantastically well with a wind controller such as the EWI-4000s, the newer EWI-USB, or Yamaha models.
For the maximum fun, be sure to use it with Band-in-a-Box and you will have a wonderful combo going in no time at all. You will notice that when you enable an entire family of an instrument, you will get some instruments that obviously are outside the family. This is because the SD2 has a modified General Midi implementation, done, I'm told by the manufacturer, in order to remain compatible with some older Ketron synth modules/instruments which were designed prior to the popularity of General Midi. If you want to hear some samples of what this synth sounds like, go to the manufacturers site, or go to[...] music site and look for my Jazz2010 page.

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Electro-Harmonix Freeze Sound Retainer Compression Guitar Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)The electronics is awesome. It takes a little practice timing-wise to use it like a sustain pedal for the guitar. But it works. And it's awesome. The reason why I'm not giving it a 5-star rating is because it uses the worst switch you can image. Why would they use a switch that is so small and so loud? I could hear the switch clicks from across the room. Why does it have to make any sound at all?
Here's what I did with mine (although it probably voided the warranty): Drill a 3/8" hole on the side of the case opposite the power supply. Install a 1/4" mono jack and wire the two contacts to the original switch (no need to disconnect the original switch). If the red light flickers on and off when you plug in the power it means the wiring is backwards or the positive signal is touching the case. Fix the wiring and close up the case. And then I just plug in a nice piano-like sustain pedal. Make sure you get a pedal with the contacts normally open (N.O.). To be safe, get one with a polarity switch. The M-Audio SP2 is a good pedal for this purpose.
The Freeze pedal as-is gets a 4-star rating. With the modifications above it gets a 5-plus-star rating.
The piano has had a sustain pedal since they started making pianos. I can't believe it took until now for the guitar to have one too.

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MXL V67Q Stereo Condenser Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this microphone to record piano music, chamber music and choral concerts. This is a serious professional microphone at a very reasonable price. It is stereo, and requires phantom power, which right away limits the devices you record on. You basically have to use pro equipment. It comes with a 5 pin stereo XLR connector cable which is only 10 feet long, You can get longer 5 pin stereo XLR connectors from musiciansfriend, Amazon or B and H photo/video. I use a Marantz CDR-300 recorder, but you could also use a marantz 310, any digital multi-track recorder or pro-tool/mac/digidesign interface box setup. (just make sure the interface box has two XLR inputs). The advantage to using a stereo mike is that it only requires one stand and one cable, and this mike sounds fantastic. You do have to back up from whatever you are recording, because it is very sensitive. Watch your levels when you are recording. It records the entire frequency spectrum, very quiet mike, but also very sensitive, you will hear every sniff and cough. It is a neutral mic, warm enough, and doesn't have a digital "edge" to it. I'm very happy with it. The color scheme is a little loud (I call it my Notre Dame Leprechaun Bling-Bling microphone) but once you get past that, it's a serious piece of electronic recording hardware. My previous microphone was a $200 Sony ECM-957 and I've also used a Rode NT-4 (~$600) this is as good as the Rode, but at one third the price. The MXL V67Q is the same price as the Sony but much better, wider spectrum, more neutrl and quieter. You should get a shock mount (I use the MXL 57) and a good tripod (I have an On-stage tripod, the end of the tripod accepts the MXL 57 shock mount). In summary, you can't do much better than this if you are trying to record classical music in a live venue with a digital recorder that has phantom power and XLR connectors. Highly recommended. for more info, go to www.mxlmics.com.

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Nady Small Diaphram Condenser Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a drummer with a home studio. I was looking for a small condensor to place over my ride cymbal to gain a tad more control aside from the stereo over heads I am already using. This mic was my choice because of my past experience with Nady products and the price. It has a full clear sound with very high gain. What I actually ended up doing was using it as my Hi Hat mic and using the AKG i had over the ride with fantastic results. The only thing I can say is the mic does not have a low end roll off switch which would make it it top notch, but that was easy to remedy by just using a parametric EQ to gain the results I wanted. 2 thumbs up for the Nady condensor. Just the price alone makes it worth buying

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Akai Pro MPK61 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller Review

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(More customer reviews)I've seen only two reviews on the MPK61 having looked all over the net. Both complained of the feel of the keyboard. I'll get to that shortly.
I bought mine based on reviews of the MPK49. I also bought an On-Stage stand for it and a Behringer expression pedal. It was a quick setup - but I found almost immediately that two adjacent notes were not playing - unless I really hit them hard. So it got RMAed - no problem - the next unit was fine.
Pros:
The controls and pads were much bigger than I thought they would be - I just hadn't picked up on the size from the photo. So they are large and very smooth.
The pitch bend and mod wheels are well built (and lit up!). It doesn't look like the pitch bend would ever bias like some controllers.
The unit can run on USB power only. For all the lights on this thing you wonder how 500 milliamps manages it all. If a USB connection is not established the MPK will send controls out the MIDI connector - yet still run from USB power (say your computer is in standby but still provides USB power - actually I'm passing through a USB hub). This is useful if you just have a sound module connected to it.
If USB is established, the MIDI in connectors will pass another controller or keyboard to the computer. This keyboard actually establishes three USB MIDI connections with your computer.
Aftertouch works well.
Generally you have a lot of control over sensitivity of the keys and pads. So you can adjust things the way you like. Except....
Cons:
The guy was right about the feel of the keyboard. To be more specific - it is supposed to be a semi-weighted keyboard but the spring in the keys requires every bit of force (or more) than a fully weighted keyboard. The spring fights your fingers down and up as well. But worse, the keys are about an inch shorter than they should be - so hitting a black key requires a lot of force if you're towards the back of the key. Be prepared to learn how to play just for this keyboard. Akai should really rethink this - much less spring and longer keys.
Those two reviews also complained about the pads not working well. But I find that they work just fine as long as the sensitivity and sensitivity curve are adjusted properly - I use 14 w/curve A.
Considering I had to return the first keyboard - Akai has some quality issues.
Finally, one annoying firmware bug - a bank value of 127 for the MSB in a program change is excluded only if you try to assign it to a key. Why? For me it is a pain since all my drum kits use MSB=127.

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