Reviews
Lunacy Audio CUBE Review: Innovative 3D Motion-Controlled Sampling for Modern Producers
Derek Oswald
Introduction Lunacy Audio’s CUBE takes a bold approach to sample-based synthesis. Instead of offering a traditional library of presets or another analog-style synthesizer, it introduces a 3D interface with eight parallel samplers that can ...
Sonicware SmplTrek in 2025 Review: A Productive & Compact All-in-One Music Workstation
Derek Oswald
Introduction: What is the Sonicware Smpltrek? When Sonicware first launched the SmplTrek, it was pitched as a handheld sampler and groovebox that could take you from idea to finished track without touching a computer. ...
The Fray Celebrate 20 Years of How To Save a Life at the Moody Theater
Daniel Benavides
Under the shimmering stage lights at Austin’s ACL Live at The Moody Theater, the intimate 2,750‑seat venue beloved by locals and touring acts alike, The Fray delivered a heartfelt, nostalgic journey through two decades ...
Donner Essential B1 & Essential D1 Review: Budget-Friendly Acid and Beats That Work Together
Derek Oswald
Donner has been expanding from entry-level pedals and beginner instruments into more serious production tools. The company, once best known for affordable guitar pedals and entry-level MIDI controllers, now has its sights on the ...
Donner Essential L1 Synthesizer: A Nostaglic Tribute to an Dance Music Legend
Derek Oswald
Introduction – From the SH-101 to the Essential L1 In 1982, Roland pitched the SH-101 as an affordable, portable monosynth for working musicians. Over time, its snappy envelopes, elastic bass, and resonant filter made ...
Decksaver Review: We Tried 10 Different Covers – And Their Superior Protection Stood Out
Derek Oswald
Get 10% off with the Decksaver discount code ALTWIRE by going here. “****, I Broke Something On My Synth, Now What?” …words you hope you never have to say! For any person who has ...
Plinky Synth Review: A Fearless 8-Voice Polyphonic Powerhouse of Mood and Motion
Derek Oswald
Introduction I don’t say this a lot about synthesizers I review, but with Plinky, it truly was love at first sight. There’s something so different about this device that once you’re lucky enough to ...
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron 4TB SSD: This Reliable SSD Speeds Up Massive Kontakt Libraries
Derek Oswald
Reviewing VSTs and libraries have left our laptop's internal hard drive crying for mercy. Can the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron 4TB SSD solve our woes?
Shure MV7+ Review: A Powerful Upgrade from The MV7
Derek Oswald
The Shure SM7B still sets the pro standard, yet many creators now want a mic that’s simpler, cheaper, and just as solid on sound. Enter the MV7+.
Ferrous by Landscape.fm: A New Way to Explore Sound
Derek Oswald
Landscape.fm and artist Victoria Shen's Ferrous helps you discover unfamiliar sounds via exploration, and the experience itself helps you view music in a new way, says our reviewer.
Polyend Tracker Mini: Our Honest Verdict Before the 10th Anniversary Limited Edition
Derek Oswald
The Tracker Mini is a compact music workstation built around a tracker interface: streamlined, portable, and shaped by deliberate design choices. It delivers serious production capabilities in a form that fits in the palm ...
Yamaha SEQTRAK Review: A Fast, Focused, and Fun Groovebox with Over 2,000 Sounds
Derek Oswald
Yamaha has a long history of blurring the line between groovebox, synth, and sketchpad with some of their flagship synths. But the SEQTRAK is something different. Both a purpose-built workstation and a sequencer, it’s ...
Ten Years On, And The Reface DX Still Impresses in 2025 (REVIEW)
Derek Oswald
Introduction In 2015, Yamaha introduced the Reface DX to make FM synthesis more approachable. It packs a four-operator engine, a Full-Dot LCD, and 37 mini keys. All fit into a chassis the size of ...
Timetosser MK2: Bold Time-Slicing Wizardry in a Compact Tool
Derek Oswald
Introduction The Timetosser MK2 is a compact, button-driven box built to reshape audio in real time. No screens, no saved loops—just rhythm manipulation at your fingertips. This device focuses on one thing: cutting and ...
OP–XY Review: What Would Happen if The OP-1 Field and OP-Z Had a Love Child?
Derek Oswald
Since launching the game-changing OP-1 in 2014, Teenage Engineering has carved out a reputation for marrying playful design with pro-grade functionality, from the pocket-sized OP-Z to the OP-1 Field workstation. With the OP–XY, they’ve ...
The McNally Strumstick: Why 2025 May Finally Be The Year You Get Better at Guitar
Derek Oswald
Why Strumstick? Learning the guitar can feel like a slow-motion car crash. Your fingertips go numb. Your chords sound like furniture falling down the stairs. You realize playing “Wonderwall” takes weeks, not hours. Worst ...
The Arturia MicroFreak in 2025: Still Brilliant, Still Bizarre
Derek Oswald
Sometimes the story of a synth starts before you ever turn it on. The Arturia MicroFreak isn’t new—it’s been turning heads since 2019—but somehow, I’d never pulled the trigger. Most of the gear I’ve ...
Novation Launchkey 61 MK4 Review – Powerful Features, Thoughtful Design, Modest Price
Derek Oswald
Around for over a decade, the Novation LaunchKey line has long been a preferred MIDI controller for those looking for a cost-effective way to control their DAW, especially Ableton Live users. Now in its ...
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen Review: Pro-Level Power Made Ridiculously Simple
Derek Oswald
The first time I ever plugged a microphone into an interface, it was a Scarlett Solo—the tiny red box that launched a thousand home studios. Mine included. Back then, it felt like magic: clear ...
Daydreamer Synth 1 Review: The Stunning Wooden Wonder Redefining Analog Access
Derek Oswald
First Impressions It’s not every day you stumble across a synthesizer that looks like it was carved from a tree trunk, but that’s exactly what the Daydreamer Synth 1 feels like at first glance. ...
