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Abandoning guitars for samplers, Skin became Fluke and discovered new artistic freedom. Simon Trask listens to the man/machine argument from people who've learned both sides of it.

Studiomaster were one of the first established mixer manufacturers to incorporate MIDI facilities in one of their desks and to mate it to a personal computer. Mark Badger assesses whether the marriage is successful.

Programmable Digital Delay

First of several new products from Dynacord is this rack-mounting digital delay line. Paul White managed to find time to review it.

Another acoustic drum manufacturer gives tradition the thumbs down and goes electronic. Paul White takes an in-depth look at Pearl's first futuristic percussion offering.

A new state-of-the-art guitar amplifier with integral overdrive, chorus and reverb, plus 200W output.

Paul Ireson beats a path to the door of Roland's new flagship drumbox and finds a groovy kind of love.

A set of tasty samples in a box no bigger than an FB01 comes under scrutiny. And it's not expensive.

Poly Sequencer

The ability to load new samples whilst playing is only one of many performance-related features which make the 20-voice EPS stand out from the current crowd of sampling keyboards. Craig Anderton reveals the others...

Italian-designed keyboards have received mixed success over the years. Elka's old Rhapsody string synth was a popular instrument in the seventies but their main polysynth, the Synthex, failed to set the world alight. That may well be about to change with the release of their impressive 9-voice, multi-timbral, DX7-soundalike, the EK44, and the 6-voice analogue EK22. Or is it? Mark Jenkins offers his views.

Phil Brammer runs through the pro's and cons of the Proteus Editor from Caged Artist

E-mu Systems, Inc. PROTEUS/1 16 bit Multi-timbral digital sound module

We see how the Proteus One will stand up to the competition of its already booming market

ExpanderCheck

It's FM, it's got mono-mode, it's cheap(ish), and it's wonderful. Martin Moody relates to Yamaha's new MIDI expander

Akai MX1000 Master Keyboard

Ease of programming and an optional plug-in piano sound board should ensure popularity for the Akai MX1000. Julian Colbeck explains why it makes all the difference.

Digital Sampling Keyboard

The competition is tough for Roland's upmarket sampler. Paul Wiffen discovers if 16 voices, a fine keyboard, and direct monitor connection are enough to put it at the top of the tree.

Richard Walmsley reports on an operation to smash the majors... and all other persons of rank?

Music Workstation

The problem with building the most popular keyboard in years is having to follow it. Simon Trask test drives the successor to the Korg M1 and likes what he finds.

Korg i3 Interactive Music Workstation

When is a home keyboard not a home keyboard? When it's Korg's new interactive music workstation.

Jez Ford patches things up with the audio routing system from 360 Systems

3G Flite 8

A console for concerts

Prophet 600

While Sequential's Prophet 5 will always be regarded as a milestone in synthesiser technology, their Prophet 600 is almost forgotten already. Gordon Reid attempts to correct the history books.