Eminence Red Fang 12" 30W Guitar Speaker 8 ohm Review

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(More customer reviews)I've got this speaker in my Dr. Z 1x10 cab. This is a wonderful, chimey and balanced speaker with beautiful mids, nice tight bass, and bell-like highs. Sounds like a 12" speaker - you have to hear it to believe it. No boxy sound at all. Perfect for blues, blues rock, and English rock tones.

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Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an outstanding system for demo recording and I am sure it would also be useful for live recordings with some added components.
After much research, I purchased the Tascam DP02 Portastudio instead of the Boss BR900CD. I had previously used the BR900 with much success and had my mind set on it for quiet some time. I kept my options open and the DP02 seemed to be the most comparable system. Despite some reviews stating the DP02 did not allow you to hear the effects while recording, I decided on it due to the on-board high, low, and reverb adjustment options. (I did not want to transfer to a computer for mastering) I was going to add an effects processor and pre-amp for the mic, but found all effects do play through recording.
The system has a lot of built in guitar (acoustic and electric), drum, bass, and vocal effects. It took me only a few hours to record several tracks, master them, and burn them to disk. Only being able to record to 2 tracks at once is a small drawback, but if you are doing all of your own recording shouldn't be a problem.
READ THE MANUAL!
Although it is not the easiest to follow page to page, if you know how to find what your looking for it's in the manual. For those of you that want to sit down, push record, and be on your way, you may want to look for a simpler system. Once you get it down, the DP02 is quite easy to use, but not something you can just turn on and go without some instruction. The trickiest part would would be mastering, but it is by no means difficult if you follow the directions.
All around this is a great system for a home studio and possibly more.
P.S. Thanks to Amazon for having the lowest price, and quick delivery.Just a quick update. May 29, 2010. I have put many hours onto this Portastudio and can say it has absolutely been worth it. The volume on the final track can be a little tricky, but nothing some time and patience cannot overcome. It has not given me any trouble and has never locked up as some people have said. Great piece of equipment for a very fair price.

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With a classic, well-known interface that's easy to pick up by new users, the 8-track Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio sports dedicated controls for level, pan, effects send and EQ instead of the menu-cursor interface found on most other recorders. You can make music with two hands with the DP-02--just reach and twist a knob when your creativity strikes. The DP-02 records to a 40 GB hard drive, and it includes a multi-effect processor, stereo reverb and CD burner for CD masters and song backup.
A pair of CD-quality XLR mic inputs includes phantom power for condenser mics and a direct guitar input. High and low EQ controls for level and frequency are provided for every channel. It also includes a multi-effects processor, stereo reverb, even a dedicated stereo channel for recording your mix. You can transfer tracks and mixes to a computer using USB 2.0, or burn a master disc in the CD drive.

Key Features
Two XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power for condenser microphones
Eight-track recording at uncompressed 44.1k/16-bit audio quality
Portastudio-based interface with volume fader, pan, effect send, high and low EQ controls per channel
EQ frequency button to access high and low EQ shelf frequencies
USB 2.0 interface for transferring tracks, mixes and backup files to a computer
Dedicated stereo master track for mixdown
Internal metronome and bar/beat display for song position
Headphone output
Stereo line outputs on RCA analog and S/PDIF optical digital connectors
40GB internal hard drive
Multi-effects processor with guitar, bass, vocal and drum programs
Stereo reverb processor with send/return controls for multichannel mixing
Built-in chromatic tuner
Built -in CD-RW burner for CD mastering and song backup

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Behringer EurOlive F1220A High-Performance, Active 125-Watt Monitor Speaker System with 12 Woofer, 1 Compression Driver And Feedback Filter Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a fan of Behringer products since 2004. My first experience with them was when I'd ordered a UB2222FXPro mixer in April of 2004 despite a dire warning from one of my well-intentioned, musician friends: "You know Behringer stuff is cheap. It's flimsy and won't last long." When pressed as to how he acquired his valuable insight, he paused a moment and said, "Well, that's what I read online." And yes, I've seen similar comments in online reviews of Behringer products; but I suspect that many of these bad reviews might actually be propaganda posted by competitors.
My band plays on the average of 4 to 5 nights a week; and my Behringer mixer has continued to work flawlessly for six years now. In fact in 2008, I purchased a 2nd Behringer mixer (Xenyx 2222FX) for backup. Besides these two mixers, I've acquired a plethora of other Behringer products: Pro-XL MDX 2600 (compressor/gate/expander/peak limiter,) 212A powered PA speaker; U-Control UCA202 USB-audio interface; Minimon Mon800 Stereo Monitor Matrix Mixer; CX2310 Super-X Pro Crossover; DR100 reverb pedal; Powerplay Pro-XL HA4700 (headphone amp;) Truth B2030A Active Studio Monitors; Tube Ultragain MIC200 (mic preamp); Vintager GM110 Combo Amp; DEQ2496 Ultracurve (speaker management/digital EQ) and a ECM8000 reference mic.
All the above units have done exactly what they're supposed to do - always surpassing my expectations and always priced way below their competitors' counterparts. Out of all these items I've only had two problems:
1) I had a "dead" channel on my 2nd mixer (Xenyx 2222FX), and that was quickly resolved by a replacement unit being sent out immediately by Musician's Friend.
2) My first DEQ2496 (digital EQ) suddenly failed after nearly 4 years of almost daily use. (It turned out that it was actually cheaper to simply buy another unit as opposed to repairing the original.)
I've prefaced this review of the Behringer F1220A Active Monitor Speaker with all the above background information to let the readers know of my prior experience with Behringer products - especially in regard to product reliability.
The F1220A is a sleek-looking unit, covered with tough, durable covering. The boxes are constructed to lie on their sides on the stage floor, angled up towards the performer. These enclosures can also be stand-mounted via an integrated 35 mm pole socket. On the front panel there are controls for: level; bass, mid-range and treble EQ; sweepable feedback filter with in/out switch; mic/line input (both XLR and 1/4") and a "link output" (both XLR and 1/4") for cascading additional powered units. This monitor features a 12" driver and a 1" high-frequency driver powered by 125 watts.
So, how does it sound? Incredible! Plenty of volume and quality. We had been using Mackie SRM350s for stage monitors; and now I have noted a fuller, warmer bottom end - much easier on the ears. (And I must admit my band members and I had been very satisfied with the Mackies; but I just had to try these Behringers. And now everybody's even happier!)
Besides the band, I do a solo gig every Wednesday. So out of curiosity, I tried the F1220A as a main. I pole-mounted it (a bit tricky for one person due to the location of the socket,) and it sounded great as a PA speaker! It handled the bass of the split keyboard and the drum unit as well as the vocal and backing tracks with plenty of power and quality. As far volume, this speaker is capable of much more than I would ever use for this mid-sized venue (approx 100 people) for my Wed night gig.
Back to the band, all the guys I work with have been very impressed with these monitors. They especially like being able to adjust the volume to their liking along with tailoring the EQ to their taste. And at least two of them, without prompting, have commented on the full, low end that these monitors provide.
This monitor has a sturdy, strap handle of the top. The unit can be a bit unwieldy when carried by the handle depending which "face" of the speaker is towards your leg. If you find the unit banging against your knee, just rotate it 180 degrees, and you'll be fine.
You'll want to keep your monitor safe while transporting it. Even though it does have a tough exterior, you might consider purchasing the Gator GPA-SCVR450-515 Speaker Covers. They run about $50 and fit these monitors pretty well. They even have a cutout for the monitor's strap handle. Or you can use the bag's own handles. They are a good investment to keep your F1220A in good shape.
My verdict? Another outstanding value from Behringer!

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Akai XR20 Drum Machine Review

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(More customer reviews)I sent my XR20 midiclock, balanced its levels with some other gear, and voila! Amazing results. Funky, groovy, sounds awesome through my Korg KP3 Kaoss pad. Cool modes on this machine, too: it plays bass and synth. And one-shot FX. And there's tons and tons of samples--and you can switch drum kits on the fly. And you can switch patterns on measure boundaries only! Which keeps live jams with it from running out of control. And it does fills. And it sounds great. AND it has a microphone input, which means that I can send my voice into it! And it looks awesome. And the user interface is really well designed. And it's small. And it runs on batteries. And and and and and...

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Create beats wherever you roam with the Akai XR20 Beat Production Station, perfect for making hip-hop and R&B wherever and whenever inspiration strikes. The XR20 features sounds of standard and electronic drums, single (one-shot) hits, bass and synth sounds to easily create the maximum mix in minimal time.
More than 700 pre-loaded sounds cover a range of drums, percussion, effects and instrument samples, while an integrated effects engine includes Reverb, EQ and Compression, enabling users to make complete backing tracks. Plug in a microphone and mix vocals with your beats. In Pattern Play mode, you can trigger different patterns from each pad, so you can tailor the beats to flow with the energy on-stage. Bright blue pads light with the beat to illuminate your performances as you light up the club. The XR20 runs on wall or battery power, so it's flexible and portable.
Key Features
Over 700 sounds produced by Chronic Music
99 preset patterns and 99 user patterns
Backlit LCD
Bright, glowing, backlit pads that follow the beat
Microphone input and headphone output
Pattern Play Mode -- different patterns can be triggered from individual pads
Drum Roll / Note Repeat feature for realism and expression
Battery power capability and AC adapter

Specifications
Inputs:
One 1/4-inch mic
Two 1/4-inch footswitch
One MIDI

Outputs:
One 1/4-inch stereo pair (main)
One 1/4-inch stereo (aux)
One 1/4-inch stereo headphones
One MIDI

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Alesis SR18 Drum Machine with Effects Engine Review

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(More customer reviews)I had the SR-16 and out of all the drum machines I ever owned it was the most user friendly so when I noticed the new SR-18 I had huge expectations, basically this is the same machine but they have made some very weird changes, my first complaint is you have to save every single thing that you do, they took this to the point of being completely ridiculous,every single edit you make must be saved I am not kidding. and then something weird; I noticed that whatever tempo you decide to play a pattern in it is automatically saved, one of the least important things (to me anyway) so now every pattern has it's very own tempo, that just seems strange to me, one thing I liked about the SR-16 was when you wanted to change the length of a pattern you were give the option of taking bars off the end or the beginning, the SR-18 is like every other drum machine and you can only cut off the end, the SR-16 also had an output to dump all of your data onto a tape or cd (or whatever you prefer) so then you never run ot of memory, The SR-18 does not have this cool feature either,the sounds are good,lots of cool presets but drum machines still have a very long way to go before I will get too excited, I thought this was supposed to be an upgrade. ?

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The next-generation Alesis SR18 drum machine is loaded with cutting-edge drumsets, electronic drums, one-shot hits, and modern percussion sounds--from hip-hop to country and everything in between--for any cutting-edge musician's performances and compositions. It also offers an effects engine with Alesis reverb, EQ, and compression so you can output recording or performance-ready sounds. And Alesis' exclusive Dynamic Articulation feature enables a drum sound to change its tonal content as it's played harder--just like an acoustic drum--for truly realistic performances.
You can plug in an instrument, such as a guitar, and play along for setup simplicity. You can play in bass parts using the pads on the SR18 or connect a MIDI keyboard for fast, musical low end. The SR18 can be powered by AC or batteries for on-the-go composition
Key Features
Large, 32 MB sound set with percussion bank and bass synth
Over 500 drum and percussion sounds and 50 bass sounds
Built-in Alesis effects: reverbs, EQs, and compression
Pattern Play Mode enables different patterns to be triggered from the pads directly
Programmable Drum Roll function
Mute/Solo Function: mute drums, bass, and percussion or individual pads
Flexible wall (adapter included) and battery powering (six AA, not included)
Backlit LCD
100 preset patterns, 100 user locations
12 velocity sensitive pads
Tap tempo for instant beats exactly as you want them

Dynamic Articulation Discerning ears will notice that each sound is actually a series of different samples; multiple dynamic-level samples and articulations are all built in so as you play harder and softer, the drum or cymbal changes its timbre, not just its volume. This engineered realism is known as Dynamic Articulation, an Alesis exclusive.
This results in sounds that respond accurately not only to dynamic changes, but also with the appropriate timbral and color changes you'd expect from their acoustic counterparts. You can play with or without reverb for different room sounds and enjoy a wide variety of rimshots, rim clicks and different stick-placement sounds on the cymbals. The Random Sample feature also ensures you don't get the same sound twice for further creative realism.
Specifications
Sound set: 32 MB, multi-sampled
Polyphony: 32 voices
Inputs: 1/4-inch instrument (guitar)
Outputs: 1/4-inch stereo pair, 1/4-inch TRS, 1/4-inch TRS stereo headphone
MIDI: in, out/thru
Footswitch: two inputs - start/stop, count/A/B/fill

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Akai MPC1000 Music Production Center Review

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(More customer reviews)My first impressions on the newest and smallest MPC in Akais great lineup of sampler/beat machine was thatit just HAD to be a lesser equiped version of those higher numbered MPC. WRONG!!!. I've used all MPCs and can say that I am pretty skilled with the MPC-60, 60 II, 2000, 200xl, and 3000 and just begining to peak at what the MPC4000 can truly do (it is in a whole different level and not at all for the novice).
The MPC1000, in my opinion is the best of the lot (not including the MPC4000). It doesn't have the warm sound that the MPC-60/60 II has but overall it can do anything that you want it to do. It does everything that a 2000/2000xl can do. It may have a smaller number of outputs but that is not that big of a deal if you know what you are doing.
Armed with a computer (as most of us are) the MPC1000 is extremely capable of accomplising any task that its big brothers can. In fact it handles many things better than those costing much more.
The MPC1000 is set up more like an MPC4000 and will aid those who hope to step up to using the big boy. Starting with a 2000 or 3000 will hinder you, in that some of those things you will do on those machines you will have to re-learn how to do those same things on the 4000 (once you pay the big bucks to make that move).
Don't be put off by it's tiny size. Max out it's memory, get a big compact flash card (it canhandle up to a 2 gig card, WOW) and this little box will STOMP the 2000 and 3000, even the 60 (remember those aren't made anymore and are quit old).
This thing KICKS.

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Inheriting all the essential MPC series features, the Akai MPC1000 complements its larger siblings while also providing a powerful Music Production Center on its own. It features 32-voice stereo sampling, 64-track sequencing, and 16 velocity, and pressure-sensitive MPC pads--all in an affordable and compact package that weighs just 7.6 pounds. The MPC1000 is small, rugged and incredibly portable for an easy fit into a backpack or laptop bag for the traveling producer.
It comes with 16 MB of onboard memory (expandable up to 128 MB), and you can further enhance your storage with optional standard Compact Flash memory cards (up to 2 GB in size). A preloaded CF card with popular Akai Pro samples is included to get you going. When connected to a Mac or PC via its built-in USB port, you can simply drag and drop data between the computer and MPC1000's CF card.
Key Features
Pattern-based and linear 64-track sequencer with 32 MIDI channels
32-voice drum/phrase sampler with up to 128 MB RAM
Velocity and pressure-sensitive pads for expressive programming
16-level pad function maps one sound to all pads with varied level, tuning, attack, decay or filter per pad
Two Q-link sliders for real-time performance control
Built-in Compact Flash drive and USB port (Mass Storage Class)
Standard WAV files samples and MIDI-file sequences
Analog and digital I/Os, headphone output and two MIDI In/Out
Internal sounds in flash
Four-way sample layering and velocity switching per pad
Four-pole filters (two two-pole filters) filtering for each of the 32 voices
Two on-board effects processors plus main-output effect processor, all which can be used simultaneously
Outputs can be re-sampled

Specifications
Storage: Compact Flash: Type-II, support up to 2 GB card
Hard Drive (optional - req. HDM-10): any standard IDE 2.5-inch hard drive
Memory: 16 MB installed (Can be expanded to 128 MB with EXM-128)
Analog Input/Output:
(2) Balanced 1/4-inch Inputs
(6) Unbalanced 1/4-inch Outputs [Stereo L/R + 4 Assignable Outs]
(1) Headphone Output

Digital Input/Output:
(1) Coaxial S/PDIF Input [RCA]
(1) Coaxial S/PDIF Output [RCA]

MIDI Input/Output:
(2) MIDI Input [5-pin DIN]
(2) MIDI Output [5-pin DIN]

Other Input/Output:
(2) 1/4-inch Footswitch
(1) USB [Slave only]

Levels:
Analog Input = +10dBu
Analog Output = +17dBu [Stereo & Assignable Outs]

Sampler Resolution: 16bit/44.1kHz
Sampler Recording Time:
136 seconds [16 MB/MONO]
24 minutes 28 seconds [128 MB/MONO]

Sequencer Details:
100,000 notes resolving at 96ppq
99 Sequences with total 64 tracks per seq
20 Songs with total 250 steps per song

Pad Details:
16 (velocity and pressure sensitive)
4 Pad Banks [A, B, C, D]

Synchronization: MIDI Clock only
Power Options:
100v - 240v
50/60Hz
19W

Dimensions: 13 x 2.97 x 8.98 inches (WxHxD)
Weight (net): 7.6 pounds
Data Compatibility:
MPC1000 -- SEQ, WAV, PGM
MPC2000/2000XL -- SEQ (saved as MID file only), WAV, SND, PGM (Most parameters of PGM file can be loaded.)
MPC2500 -- SEQ, WAV, PGM
MPC4000 -- SEQ (saved as MID file only), WAV, AKP (DRUM program only...No Keygroups. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
MPC3000 -- SND (THRU Computer)
Z4/Z8 -- WAV, PGM (DRUM program only. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
S5000/6000 -- WAV only (THRU Computer)
S1000/3000 -- No compatibility

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Samson XP308i Portable 8 Channel PA System, 300 Watts Review

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(More customer reviews)This sounds pretty good :) Packs quite a punch, very clear for a small PA system.

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Boss DR-670 Dr. Rhythm Drum Machine Review

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(More customer reviews)As a long time user of the original Roland TR-series drum machines and a firm believer that the Roland/Boss drum sounds are truer than just about anything else on the market, I felt confident in purchasing the DR-670 model when my DR-770 gave up the ghost. My confidence was not misplaced. Although some of the operations of this machine are a little counter-intuitive for those familiar with other models, they are not necessarily confusing, and once you have programmed a few patterns and put together a few songs, the overall operation of the machine is very smooth and effective. The sounds are, as expected, very realistic and well coordinated into various drum kits. The pre-programmed patterns are diverse and practical, but one thing I did not like is that just about every pre-programmed pattern includes a bass part (I just wanted the drums). Fortunately, it easy enough to change the pitch of the bass notes or to copy the pattern over and leave the bass part out altogether (a feature that I make constant use of). This machine can handle just about any song or pattern you can imagine, including ones with esoteric time signatures and crazy mixes of sounds and effects. It would have been perfect if the individual patterns had their name displayed somewhere so you don't have to look each one up on a chart before playing it, but again, most users will find their favorites fairly quickly and will not have much difficulty using the chart occasionally when they need something different. Besides, the information displayed on the LCD screen is, by any other standard, quite generous and a lot more useful than other machines I've used in the past, so it's not a major hindrance to not have the pattern title shown. It is somewhat inconvenient, however, that an AC adapter is not included, but fortunately, I had one from another machine that works so I don't have to mess with (6 x AA) batteries. The manual is another bright spot, as it is lucid, comprehensible, and well organized, making learning this machine very easy. Overall I'm quite pleased with this machine and it reinforces my faith in the Roland/Boss make, so I will likely be using Boss machines for the foreseeable future.


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Pyle-Pro - U-CONTROL USB-Audio Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)This products does the job of converting any analog turntable cassettes or any other analog device to digital to your computer I just got some cassettes to my computer and onto MP3 USB drive once I get an iPod I will get all up in I tunes thanks to this product I can throw out all my old cassettes

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Zoom RT223 Rhythm Trak Drum Machine Review

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(More customer reviews)Looking for a dual drum and bass machine to keep my chops on beat, the zoom machine was perfect for practice sessions. It sounds excellent pluged into my home surround sound and really gets my creative improvisational juices flowing. I play fusion, rock, blues and jazz in the style of EVH to VAI. This machine gives me a nice work out and jams in many styles. Excellent practice tool to keep you fresh and really allows you to work on your creativity.

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The RT-223 is a drum & bass machine for any kind of rhythm play. Small in size and light in weight, this low-profile unit will go with you anywhere. You can get a session going with your very own rhythm section in a flash, anywhere, anytime.


Seventy different kits from Rock Drum to Voice Percussion The range of drum kits built into the RT-223 is simply amazing. A total of 70 drum kits are built-in, with acoustic drum sounds for rock, R&B, funk, and jazz. Add an analog rhythm machine great for Techno and Hip Hop. Ethnic percussion sounds are also available. There are also five Human Voice "Beat Box" Percussion kits that are currently all the rage in Hip Hop. Create advanced rhythm tracks where kick, snare, scratch and other instrument sounds are expressed as human voices.

Create your own drum kits A drum kit consists of 13 pads x 3 banks = 39 sounds. Sound sources can be freely selected and assigned to the pads. Fine-tune parameters such as pitch, level, and panning to create your own original drum kits. The RT-223 lets you store up to 127 user-programmed kits.

Twelve built-in bass sound sources Choose from electric bass styles such as Pick, Finger, and Slap. Or select Acoustic Bass, Synthesizer Bass, or one of the other bass sources, 12 in total. To create a bass line, you can play the pads with assigned chromatic pitches just like a keyboard. A dedicated switch quickly lets you mute the bass sound at any time.

Two types of effects to control EQ and Ambience The overall EQ and tonal quality of a drum kit can be adjusted with the COMP EQ effect. The REVERB effects can be used simultaneously. These effects can also be applied to bass sounds. Up to 40 settings for each effect can be stored as patches.

440 preset patterns cover all musical styles From Rock, Jazz, and Funk to Club and House, the RT-223 comes with 440 playing patterns that can be used straight away. A large number of phrase variations including intro, fill-in, and ending patterns are also provided. By simply combining these, you can whip up a backing rhythm that delivers the goods.

Touch-sensitive pads let you build original patterns Programming your own patterns is a snap, thanks to the touch-sensitive drum pads. The RT-223 records not only your timing, but also the dynamics of your finger work. You can create and store up to 511 patterns. The process is made even easier through visual cues provided by the self-lit pads.

Quickly create original songs with FAST method You can combine any number of drum patterns in any order to create a song. In addition to step input where you select patterns one by one, the RT-223 also offers the innovative FAST (Formula Assisted Song Translator) method. With FAST, you use simple mathematical symbols such as +, -, (, and ) to specify the pattern lineup. This is especially useful for songs with repeated patterns. To play pattern number 12 eight times and then pattern 25 sixteen times, you simply enter "12 x 8 + 25 x 16". By enclosing this in brackets and adding a multiplication factor such as "( ) x 4", the entire sequence can be repeated. The RT-223 lets you store as many as 100 songs for automated backing.

Groove play mode lets you play patterns like a DJ Assigning patterns to pads allows you to trigger patterns simply by tapping the pads. This is great for live performances and for DJ use.

User-friendly design for simple operation The RT-223 is a dedicated rhythm machine designed to make rhythm programming truly easy. You can take the shortest possible route from idea to finished song. No need to boot up a PC and start DAW software, or laboriously read sound source data into a sampler. Most controls on the top panel of the RT-223 have only a single function, and there are no complicated multi-level menus. The backlit LCD shows all important information at a glance.

Total control with a foot switch Intro, pattern 1, fill-in, pattern 2, ... ending. Imagine controlling such a sequence just with a foot switch. With a Zoom FS01 Foot Switch (sold separately) you can rock out live, triggering patterns with your foot. You can also use the switch to start or stop a pattern, perform tap input to specify the tempo, trigger the bass drum sounds, switch between hi-hat open/close, and much more.

Metronome function for simple repeat practice The built-in metronome with its dedicated key is handy for simple repeat practice. In addition to the standard 2 - 8 beat, you can also use 6/8 beat, 7/8 beat, 2+3 beat, 3+4 beat and other mixed beat settings.

MIDI IN connector and external line input The MIDI IN connector allows synchronized play with an external device. By receiving note messages, the RT-223 can serve as drum sound source module in a MIDI-based system. The line input accepts the signal from a CD player or other line-level source, or from a guitar or bass via an effect. Seamlessly integrate the RT-223 into any session.

2-way power from size AA batteries or AC adaptor The unit will operate continuously for eight hours on a set of four IEC R6 (size AA) batteries. Whether on stage or during rehearsals in the studio, the RT-223 is always ready. For extended studio work, an AC adaptor (sold seperately) can also be used.

What's in the Box Zoom RT223 Rhythm Trak Drum Machine, User's Manual

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Tascam DP01FX 8 Track with Effects Digital Multitrack Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)My first multitrack recorder was a Fostex cassette based recorder back in the early 90's. I loved it - used it nearly daily to work out arrangements or learn new songs. When it finally quit working, I was a little heartbroken.
At that time, someone had turned me on to PC multitracking software - which was a suitable solution, until I started upgrading. I found that certain programs wouldn't work with certain operating systems, conflicts with various attached devices would cause recording errors. I felt like I spent more time troubleshooting my system than actually recording.
After much research, I settled on this unit. As a solo artist this is an excellent machine - I mostly record acoustic arrangements, with some electric guitar and drums. Although I've used this for a week, I couldn't be happier with the results...far superior to my old cassette unit, and much easier to use than software. The sound is much better than I hoped for...and the menus are easy to navigate.
The guitar effects are OK, but not great. I don't expect I'd use them at all...the sound I get when I mic my amp is far better. The vocal and drum effects, on the other hand are more useful. Overall, I expect I should be able to make very high quality demos.
You can only record two tracks at a time, but as a solo artist, that's not such a big deal. For bigger arrangements, such as with my band, I have a 14 channel Mackie mixer that I run into the unit that allows me greater flexibility.
The unit is easy to learn how to use, and the user's guide is written so that my 11 year old can figure it out. I had no trouble recording, mixing and mastering...following the instructions in the guide, I was able to successfully transfer the final mixdown of my music to the computer without any hangups.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with this unit.


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Crate TX15 Battery Powered Guitar Amp Combo, 15W Review

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(More customer reviews)This little amp is really appropriate for buskers. Plug in an acoustic (with pickup) or an electric guitar, and a mic at the same time. Mic input is XLR (low Z) or standard 1/4" (hi Z)- the flexibility is great. Website says that the tone controls (4 band) are for both channels. On mine, now about four years old, the tone controls only apply to channel two. Channel one is "straight" into the amp. They may have changed the specs since mine was made.
Overall the amp is great for the money. Good little practice amp and good for small solo/duo gigs. I've also used it as a mini-monitor if I can get an output from the bands board/mixer. I take it on vacation and play at the beach or on my tailgate. Great for taking in the backyard and plugging in an mp3 player or DVD player (using an input adapter).
PROS:
-Relatively inexpensive
-Runs on battery OR AC power
-Dual inputs
-Good tone controls
-Fairly rugged construction (good cabinet, handle, grille and fasteners, etc)
CONS
-RCA/phono inputs for a CD player are slightly out of date. A 3.5 mm phone input for mp3 player would be much more useful. Also the RCA inputs have absolutely no volume control (and no tone control) so you are dependent on the CD player (or mp3 player) to control the volume.
-Pretty flat tone. No distortion or effects. If you want any grit/breakup or reverb you'll need a pedal(s).
-Reports that SLM Electronics has sold the Crate lineup and parts are now much more difficult to get.
Update 2011-03-28:
Battery needed replacing. (it's a sealed lead-acid unit) Just occasional use around home/on the road so that was surprising. Available online from battery vendors for around $60 as I remember.
Note: the Channel one input is a combination XLR and 1/4" jack. Quite clever space-saving feature; I've never seen this before. Plug in either an XLR or 1/4". Wish it had 3.5 mm input aux and some sort of mild distortion effect onboard. The Roland Micro-Cube does a nice job in this respect but does not have the power of the Taxi. I would imagine for buskers that occasionally you are going to run out of juice. Addition of a battery pack that used D-cells would be a nice extra.

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Our original portable, battery-powered series lets you become the guitar troubadour you've always wanted to be, whether you're jammin' in Texas or Timbuktu. If you're the type of performer who requires the ultimate in portability, but refuse to sacrifice tone for mobility, the Crate TX15 was made for you.
With up to eight hours of battery power, Taxi lets you leave the wall outlets far behind. Dual channels allow you to control two instruments, or plug in your guitar and use the handy 1/4" & XLR combo input jack for a high-quality vocal mic. The specially designed 8" woofer and tweeter ensure clean, loud, full-range performance that will astound you. Perfect for solo performers who want to play and sing, or use a CD player/drum machine in remote areas, the TX15 includes a 120V charger/adapter for standard operation and recharging the battery.

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Tascam MPGT1 Portable MP3 Guitar Trainer Review

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(More customer reviews)Ok, I will do my best to answer everyone's questions that aren't asked here yet, in which I also had before I purchased this item. This trainer is just amazing. It helps you out in so many ways. First off, this CAN be used simply as a portable amp, exactly as the "Dean Stack in the Box". I know I'm not reviewing that item, but I would like to give some information about it. The Dean stack in the box is a great portable headphone amp. It has great volume, great distortion, and most of all (in which no one else covers) it carries through great pinch harmonics great. Unlike the portable pignose amp, where it does not carry through pinch harmonics one bit. The Dean in a box though can be a pain changing the 9v battery, which can lead to the wires breaking, wich is what happened to me. It was still an amazing product though, with amazing sound, and amazing pinch harmonic carry through.
Now, with that said, it leads me to this. THIS guitar trainer, has GREAT sustain also, and carrys through pinch harmonics just like a normal amp, and jsut like dean in the box. They will not die out like the pignose amp. Also, it has a rechargeable battery in it, so there are no wires to rip off, like dean in the box while changing a battery. This is also built like a tank. Super tough and durable. Makes you want to take good care of it right away. The rechargable battery on it also lasts a long time. I would say well over many many hours.
I want to clarify what exactly the guitar cancelling feature does. It does not cancel the guitar out, so you can substitute your own. It instead pushes all other sound (vocals, drums, etc) into the background (which is dim but still heard) while the guitar in the track shines through so you can hear it clearly and study it more, note for note. Let me tell you, it works very very well. Like one reviewer said, you do hear wayyy more than you have heard before. And this is coming from me, a guitarist of many years, whom has an ear for music, and picks up on every single note and plays by ear. I was even very amazed.
I will now do the best I can to break everything down into all the positive parts of owning this trainer, as there are no disadvantages that I have found:
* This trainer CAN be used as a portable headphone amp, without any song playing in the background, and it does have many amp effects, from clean, to overdrive and distortion for metal (which I play). It has great affects like reverb, chorus, flanger, overdrive, etc.
* Is not cheap, like other portable devices, so no wires will break off changing batteries, since you simply dont have any batteries to change.
* Built very strong and durable.
* It DOES let you create sub-folders, so you can put entire folders into it and sort by artist or albums, instead of having one long list ot a thousand tracks.
* Guitar cancelling feature (as described above) works fantastic.
* While playing a track, you can adjust the volume of the track playback, and your guitar volume, so if the track volume, or guitar volume is higher than the other, you can equalize them at the same volume, or make your guitar volume louder, or the track volume louder.
* You can slow the track speed down 50%, which is amazing. You can also keep the pitch the same, so whether you speed the track up or slow it down, it wont sound like a chipmunk, or someone from a horror movie. It keeps the original tone. You can, however, turn this function off.
* You can turn the pitch up or down, so if it is in standard e tuning, you can chance the tuning of the song. Although it WILL NOT drop all the way down to drop d tuning or anything like that, it still works great.
* You can quickly pick a start and stop point for it to start looping, so if there is a solo, or any part like that, that you want to keep going over and over until you learn it, you can loop it.
* You can create a playlist, just like on an mp3 player.
* This can be used as an mp3 player (although I never would, since it's expensive, and I never want to break it.
* Has a ton of storage. About 900 MB worth (actually a hair more.
So all in all, this trainer is simply amazing! It does exactly what it says it does, and a whole lot more. Even if I didn't need it for a trainer, but was simply looking for a portable headphone amp for travelling, I would easily choose this over dean stack in the box or anything else. I was not disappointed one single bit. I love this thing.
Hope this helps! Enjoy!

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Designed specifically for musicians, the Tascam MPGT1 MP3 player/guitar trainer enables you to slow down, loop and even eliminate guitar parts to help you learn new riffs. This MP3 player can store up to 240 songs and includes a Variable Speed Audition playback feature, which slows down the speed without changing the pitch, and sections can be seamlessly looped while practicing tricky passages. Songs can even be pitched up or down to match the tuning of your guitar, so you don't have to re-tune for every song.

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Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-3 Review

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(More customer reviews)Do you play guitar but want to play with a drummer and bass player? This is the next best thing to live band mates. The drums and bass sound good through an amp or PA system. There are lots of background beats to play with including basic 12 bar blues. I haven't gotten into designing custom songs yet but it appears pretty straight forward if you read the directions. Your DR-3 mates never make a mistake and don't argue with you either. For learning to keep time it is invaluable and so much more fun than a Metronome.

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Zoom G1U Guitar Effects Pedal with USB Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking for a decent headphone amp because I live in a crowded apartment in a crowded city and my marshall stack would get me either arrested or beat up.
First of all, the zoom g1u package DOES include an AC adapter. I say this up front because all the literature I read on it indicated it did not ("optional" ac adapter, is the reference everywhere).
As far as the zoom itself, its a remarkable and very very fun piece of technology.
--the presets ("patches") are great, you get a huge variety of tones and sounds and effects pre-set so its easy to just jump in with it and start playing different genres of music. Many of the presets are explicitly modelled after famous guitarists and their famous tones (srv or randy rhoads for example) and are labelled as such. If you want to create your own tones you can do that too, obviously.
--amp and cabinet models - they sound just fine to me. I havent compared the zoom models with, say, those on the digitech rp series, but the zoom models (from distortion to clean to jazz) all sound lovely to me.
--huge set of effects are available.
--drum machine is a blast, much more fun than I expected, having never played along with a drum machine before. Most of the drum tracks I probably wont use, but I think anyone can find a few favorites to play along with. Of course preset drum tracks are not as versatile as being able to play your own drum track, though. At some point i'll probably buy a separate drum machine. Its definitely a fun thing to have included though, I think.
--includes software - zfx tools (create patches) and ableton live (record and edit your music): ability to record directly to computer via usb is a blast too, and works well.
Is it worth a hundred bucks? Absolutely, its amazing how much technology they are packing into these tiny boxes (5"x5" approximately) and it will keep you entertained for quite a while. The g1u is a great introduction to these things - drum machines, effects, amp modelling, and recording software - it makes certain things easy particularly for a beginner (like giving you presets with descriptions and not forcing you to build common tones from scratch). Similarly the recording software is simpler and easier to grasp and use than the much more complex Cubase software that you get with higher and more expensive models.
I did compare the g1u with a couple of higher models (g2.1u and digitech's rp255). These are the only other two models right now that have both usb connection AND drum machine tracks built in. Both are considerably more expensive than the g1u. The main thing both add is the 'expression pedal' (which I didnt need). Other than that they dont add much at all in features. In fact the g1u I believe has a lot more models and presets than either, and is a more recent and updated product than either.
Pretty happy with it so far. Loads of fun. I'm not missing my full size amp at all, and this box lets me play to my hearts content without bothering my neighbors. The convenience and value you get with these boxes is truly amazing.

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Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-880 Rhythm Machine Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, the drum sounds on this things are great. They are of the quality where they will sometimes sound a bit funny when recording demos if you don't spend enough time getting your guitars and such to sound as good as the drums. The touch sensitive pads respond naturally and aren't just simply the same sounds turned down or up. The machine mimics the natural response of drums being hit harder or softer. I also noticed that when you do things like hit an open high-hat sound, it stops ringing if you hit the closed hat immediately after. Things like this are the kind of details that enable you to really mimic having an actually drummer. If you are simply looking for a hardware drum machine w/ punchy sounds and lots of control, I don't think you can do better than this.
The other features are where it comes up a bit short...
The included bass sounds are only decent. One nice feature is you can rout the bass (or anything) to a separate output so you can run the bass sounds to an actual bass amp and the drums to the PA and get a more realistic live sound that way. That being said, if there is one way a recording made w/ this thing is going to be pegged by the listener as being made by a machine, it's the bass-lines.
I also feel like this is a bit lacking in terms of some electronic drum sounds. There are a few kits but they kind of feel like an afterthought to me. If you are looking for natural sounds, they are here, but if you want great samples of 808 kicks or whatever, you will probably do better looking towards something more oriented towards dance music as this seems pretty solidly aimed at the rock musician w/ a home studio. Similarly, I really wish their were some synth sounds build in and more tracks in the sequencer for other parts. You can simulate having multiple instruments w/ the bass lines as it has great polyphony and you can shift the octaves and play chords but it's not the same as being able to add some strings or an emulated analog synth on a separate track. One of the DR-880's predecessors, the DR-5, had this feature and it is one of the things that made that such a great box despite having limited sound quality compared to newer models. I am not sure why Boss did away w/ it. It seems like this is an uncomfortable balance between being an all-in-one groovebox type deal and a simple drum machine. If I am going to have to use external synths to fill out my sound, I might as well use them for bass lines too.
That being said, one thing this excels at is being a jam-along box for guitar practice, which is pretty much what I have ended up using it for. The amp simulators in there are passable at best for recording or live performance but they are plenty good enough to jam along to the drum beats on and the included effects are fun to mess around w/. This is also where the semi-cheesy bass sounds become very useful. You can do any manner of odd time signature or tempo change you want and there is plenty of flexibility in song and pattern structure. I am not terribly keen on the step programming process for the songs but it gets the job done and you only have to do that once.
Overall, as a drum machine, it's great. There's a bit of a steep learning curve for me even though I've been using other drum machines for years but, you gotta figure each box you pick up is a whole new instrument. As a guitarist, you can't expect to really wail on mandolin the first time you pick it up and you should not have the same expectation for a new drum machine. I do feel though, that for the price, it is not unfair to expect a more full featured jambox w/ better sequencing capabilities and sounds to use as a stand alone unit.


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Yamaha QY100 Music Sequencer Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the best drum machine out there, because it's the only one I could find that allows you to substitute any yamaha keyboard sound for a drum. In other words, instead of the limit sounds you get from other drum machines (snares, kicks, symbols, and maybe bass), you get EVERY sound with this thing. So what you can do with this thing is take, for example, the kick on any preset drum loop this thing has, and replace that kick with a trumpet or guitar or strings. And obviously with such an awesome feature like that, it would be important to be able to set the "key" for those other instruments, which this thing does better than any other with its built-in miniature keyboard (look at the photos to see, it has a two octave keyboard of white and block keys) which you can use to "record" the key changes of your sequence. So you take, for example, a preset sequence/loop and you hit "record" and you begin to play along with the keys, and it records that as a song. You can then play back that song in any tempo, and it's like you got a whole band accompanying you. And more than this, this thing has a full-feature synth so you can edit every sound, make it dull, make it echo, add any effect, adjust the equalization of any sound, resonance, cut-off certain frequencies, etc. The only thing I wish this thing would do is light-up better in the dark. It can be hard to see in the dark. I had to use a book-reading light to see it in some live settings.

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