Recently we had the pleasure to do a review on the FabFilter Pro-C compressor plugin. This time it’s the FabFilter Pro-Q. This is an allround EQ plug-in for mixing and mastering, with up to 24 bands and a nice and helpful interface for easy and precise editing.
Native Instruments has started to tour the new S4 KONTROL, Native’s own DJ controller for their Traktor DJ software. Yesterday the dutch importer Amptec gave an exhibition of this much anticipated controller at Bax-Shop in the Netherlands. Gearjunkies was invited to get a first ‘hands-on’ look at this new DJ controller from Native Instruments.
Now and the coming months several big electronics manufacturers are releasing their own touch tablets, all trying to get a piece of the Apple cake. Over the past two, three years the role of the iPhone and, recently, the iPad has matured from gadget to serious tool in a studio or live performance environment. Looking at the first music apps for the iPhone, I personally have to admit, I thought this was just a temporary fad, craze. But with the iPad, and because of its larger format, the HD apps are maturing fast and deserve to be taken seriously.
Fabfilter PRO-C is a compressor/limiter plugin. But what does a compressor really do? To understand this we have to go back in time when professional studio’s didn’t use any compressors. The recording engineers had to manually control the faders in order to compensate for any changes in level. This was even before mix automation. John B. Howell was the first one to come up with the idea to develop a device which could control the level of audio signals. The first (experimental) version didn’t have any variable settings and acted more like a limiter. Still recording engineers wanted it because saved them a lot of effort. Since then the compressor has been evolving till current day even in the digital realm.
The iPad has been available for a while now and as promised we are gonna try to give you an insight on the use of the iPad in the studio and on stage. As the release of the iPad in the US was much earlier (then Europe) I have gotten a good overview of apps that are available and what is about to be released. This review or maybe better said, this iPad story mainly focuses on the use of the iPad with music/audio apps in an studio/stage environment. The apps that will be discussed are just a selection of the large amount of apps available at the moment. And allthough the iPad is only just released there is already so much to discuss that there will be several parts to this story.
In part one of our Pioneer DJM-2000 review we told you how much we loved this machine. For us it is the ‘missing link’ to the CDJ-2000. When you connect the DJM-2000 with the CDJ’s through the PRODJ protocol, these devices will function as one. The DJM is packed with so many features that anyone can use/create their own style on it. Our team member Wytse Gerichhausen, who wrote the review, took the DJM by the hand and made this cool video. He made this video as a visual overview of what this ‘baby’ can do. Particularly the effects and the use of the touchscreen of this mixer. …. It was a sad day at the office when we had to return this review unit!
From mixer to instrument – At first look, the DJM-2000 looks like a small SVM-1000, (also equipped with a touchscreen), but it really isn’t a small SVM. The DJM-2000 is the missing link in a booth with CDJ-2000’s. Because you can connect the DJM-2000 with the CDJ’s through the PRODJ protocol, these devices will function as one. Almost anything becomes possible.
Last week Native Instruments released KOMPLETE 7. With 24 KOMPLETE Instruments and Effects, this 90 GB package is bursting with more than 10,000 production-ready sounds for all styles and genres. KOMPLETE 7 features renowned flagship products like KONTAKT, GUITAR RIG and the redesigned REAKTOR 5.5 plus all-new instruments and effects from Native Instruments and brands like Abbey Road and Scarbee. For some users this package can be a bit ‘over-whelming’. This bundle contains so much and is so elaborate that some users just wouldn’t be ready for this huge instrument package. They would be much more ‘at home‘ with a ready-to-roll package. And that’s where KOMPLETE 7 ELEMENTS comes in!
Before I tell you what I think of the Steinberg CI2+, let me explain how this post came about. Untill a few months ago I had my modest home studio set up with lots of software and audio through a Echo Mia pci soundcard. Lovely, never had any problems with it and the sound quality was great. But my old pc was running old and became… outdated, plus a month ago it even completely crashed. Plans for the purchase of a new system existed but now I was forced to act upon those plans!
Finally it arrived! The first official Traktor controller from Native Instruments themselves. This thing is a monster in a tight little box! Never have I used a midi/DJ controller that was so easy and quick to figure out.
A professional DJ controller with integrated, high quality soundcard. That’s a way to describe the new Allen&Heath Xone:DX. But that would be missing a whole lot of points of the digital DJ system that Allen&Heath and Serato co-developed. The Xone:DX controller in combination with Serato Itch software is a professional and robust system for the Digital DJ. As a vinyl-DJ with relative extreme little Digital DJ experience, I’ve got the opportunity to check out the Xone:DX and write up my first impressions!
The German Elysia company is known for their high-end compressors which they have been building for several years now. They have teamed up with the designers of Brainworx and used their vast knowledge of discrete components and translate them to the digital path. The result Mpressor plugin is available as VST, RTAS, TDM and AU. I’ve tested the VST version in Cubase 5.1.1. To get it right I’ve taken longer than the standard 14 day trial period you can get provided that you have an iLok dongle.
The CDJ-2000 promises to become the standard for the digital DJ. Together with Rekordbox, this could create the ideal digital DJ environment!
If you are a regular visitor of Gearjunkies you may have noticed that the past year we have started to post Reviews of new gear and software on our website. Obvious that we are continuing this for the coming year. So below is a list of the reviews we have posted till now. Just keep your eye out for up and coming reviews….
Ableton Live, from a simple sequencer to a serious Digital Audio Workstation. Ableton Live 8 Suite, also known as the XL version, is the version of Live that comes with a huge amount of instruments and library of sounds. About no less then 1600 sounds divided among ten instruments. The GUI (graphic user interface) stands out against the GUI’s of the other well known DAW’s by its simplicity. Which in fact works easier and better.