John Renwick puts Yamaha's super-computer through it's paces

MDB Window Recorder

A specialised sampler for specialised tasks — but will the arrival of cheaper sampling keyboards diminish this rack-mount unit’s appeal? Annabel Scott finds out.

With Cubase and Notator fighting it out at the top end, Steinberg appear to have left Pro24 to defend its once dominant position in the mid-priced ST sequencer market. Now reinforcements are available with the release of Cubeat, a cut-down version of Cubase. David Hughes takes it into battle.

It looks weird, it plays weird and by golly...

Tim talks to Janet Angus about his work as engineer at Marcus Studios and gives his views on microphone technique and natural ambience.

The buyer's guide with a difference, with listings, prices, specifications, and comments from E&MM's reviewing team. Polysynths, expanders and controlling keyboards are this month's subject.

With DAT poised to make the leap from the professional recording studio to the high street, David Mellor looks at the benefits of the format to home recording.

Compact Disc Recorder

Recording CDs at home reaches the "affordable" level - at under £4000, CD Recordable moves into the realm of the home studio. Tim Goodyer primes the laser.

We look at internal sampling packages for all the top micros in this definitive round up

PLI Infinity Turbo Drive

Removable hard disks represent a cost-effective solution to data backup and storage problems for sampler owners. Kendall Wrightson takes a look at the PLI Infinity Turbo Drive in use with the Akai S1000.

AmpCheck

Hugely powerful and impressively loud. Martin Brassell, that is

Polysynths, voice expanders and remote keyboard controllers are the subject of this month's no-holds-barred price guide. Don’t buy another instrument until you've read this.

With the increased use of direct-injected sound sources like drum machines on modern recordings, the role of the humble noise gate has gradually shifted from a purely corrective to a creative one. Sound engineer Dave Lockwood discovered even more creative applications when he tested this American four-channel expander/gate from US Audio.

Promoco TB1S monitors

Transmission line technology

Apple Macintosh Software

One of the leading Macintosh sequencing packages has recently undergone another of its periodic face lifts. Ian Waugh checks the state of the performing art.

Tascam DA30II

New version of DAT classic

Performer 3.5

Following hot on the heels of their MIDI Time Piece, Mark of the Unicorn release a major upgrade to Performer, the world's first 'professional' computer MIDI sequencer. Kendall Wrightson looks at what's new in an old favourite.

Mixing Desk

As more mixer manufacturers turn their attention to the home and pre-production studios, the cost-effective quality mixer becomes a reality. Tim Goodyer discovers that there's even room for luxury.

Following in the footsteps of their successful budget CZ models, Casio add touch-sensitivity for the professional user. Simon Trask evaluates the results.