Reverb Opens Early Black Friday Sale and Revives Its Blacked Out Series
Derek Osvaldo
Reverb has launched its Early Black Friday Sales Event, running now through November 17 at 10:00 a.m. US Central Time. The promotion includes discounts of up to 70 percent on instruments, pedals, and studio ...
Embodme Erae 2 Review: Exploring A Bold New Language of Touch
Derek Osvaldo
I first saw the Embodme Erae series during the surprise livestream of Linkin Park’s From Zero secret concert. As a longtime fan of the band, I tuned in to the live stream, both nervous and excited about what ...
Fart Pedal 2.0 Review: A ‘Gas’-Powered Pedal That’s Pure Fun
Derek Osvaldo
When the Studio Erupts The first time I stepped on The Fart Pedal: Number Two and hit a note to test it, the monitors let out such an aggressive blast that I glanced toward ...
Small Creator Spotlight: Shiela Dixon’s Retro MIDISID 4 Morpheus Revives the Legendary SID Sound
Derek Osvaldo
Most musicians don’t look to Etsy for synthesizers. The site is better known for boutique pedals, handmade controllers, and other curiosities. Yet tucked between craft projects and circuit art lies a fun little nod ...
Woovebox Micro Music Workstation Review: A Compact Wonder Gets Even Better With Firmware 2.0
Derek Osvaldo
The Woovebox Micro Music Workstation asks a simple question: Can something smaller than a smartphone replace a 1990s studio setup? Remarkable in both its size and functionality, the Woovebox combines a 16-part synthesizer, sequencer, ...
Franklin Audio RA-100 Review: The Quiet Workhorse Your Studio Didn’t Know It Needed
Derek Osvaldo
Purchase the RA-100 here and use code ALTWIRE to get 5% off the Franklin Audio RA-100! Noise and level mismatches can derail a session before it starts. Hand-built in Sydney, the Franklin Audio RA-100 addresses this ...
Roland Announces TR-1000 Rhythm Creator: Their First True Analog Drum Machine In Nearly 40 Years
Derek Osvaldo
Roland has announced the TR-1000 Rhythm Creator, a new drum machine that combines analog circuitry, digital sound engines, and integrated sampling in a performance-focused instrument. Priced at $2,699.99 USD, the TR-1000 is available now, ...
Roland SH-4d Current Review: With v2.0, a Robust and Satisfying All-in-One Synth Gets Even Better
Derek Osvaldo
Roland calls it a synthesizer, but the SH-4d’s four synth parts, rhythm track, and sequencer give it a groovebox-like workflow. Four synth parts, a rhythm track, per-part effects, and a multitimbral sequencer enable you ...
Randomwaves DrumBoy Review: A Fun and Easy Open‑Source 24-Bit Audio Pocket Drum Machine
Derek Osvaldo
Quick take DrumBoy is a handheld, sample-based drum machine featuring a five-inch color screen, touch-sensitive pads surrounding the display, 24-bit audio, and ten layers. The sequencer reaches 1/64, and each layer features a parametric ...
Novation Circuit Tracks in 2025: Is Novation’s Easy To Use Groovebox Still a Great Buy?
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction Novation released the Circuit Tracks in 2021 as the follow-up to its first Circuit from 2015. The newer box wasn’t a total redesign, but it did add features players had asked for: more tracks, microSD ...
Novation Bass Station II in 2025: Still The Best Value Under $600
Derek Osvaldo
When Novation released the first Bass Station in 1993, it landed at the right time. Producers wanted something small, affordable, and analog to sit alongside samplers and drum machines. Designed by Chris Huggett, the ...
V-MODA M-100 Pro Review: A Trusted DJ Pair of DJ Cans Just Got Even Better
Derek Osvaldo
I’ve been a fan of VMODA’s headphones for a long while. The first V-MODAs I ever owned were a ruby red pair of LP2s. They looked incredible, sounded even better (albeit very bass-heavy), and ...
Coheed and Cambria + Taking Back Sunday at The Mann (8/27/25): An Energetic Stadium-Sized Vision on the Skyline Stage
Derek Osvaldo
A Coheed and Cambria tour is something you must experience live at least once. Few other shows compare. With Foxing’s earnest opening, Taking Back Sunday’s nostalgic set filled with Fred-era songs, and Coheed’s dazzling ...
Unison Audio Plugins Review: Powerful Tools or Overpriced Hype? MIDI Wizard 2, Drum Monkey, Bass Dragon, Chord Genie
Derek Osvaldo
Unison Audio’s plugins spark spirited debate in all corners of the music world. I tested four of them: MIDI Wizard 2, Drum Monkey, Bass Dragon, and Chord Genie. First, A Note on the Aforementioned ...
Wavy Industries MONKEY Review: A Ridiculously Small MIDI Controller, With Massive Functionality
Derek Osvaldo
A €59/approx $70 USD (Altwire’s own conversion as of 09/05/25) two-octave BLE MIDI controller, powered by a coin cell, featuring 6 MIDI effects and a 16-beat looper that layers up to 10 instruments. Quick ...
M-VAVE SMK-37 Pro Review: A Bargain DX7 Tribute That Delivers
Derek Osvaldo
Portable DX color, real sequencing, and hands-on control in a compact 37-key board. Quick Take For those looking to replicate classic DX-7 sounds on hardware, but without the complexity of an original DX-7 (or ...
Minuendo Adjustable and LIVE Earplugs: 2 Of The Best Options for Protecting Your Ears
Derek Osvaldo
Two lossless approaches to hi-fi hearing protection: adjustable precision or set-and-forget clarity. USE CODE “ALTWIRE” FOR 15% OFF. Quick Take Minuendo’s hi-fi lossless earplugs come in two flavors. Their Adjustable model offers a stepless ...
Enya Cyber-G Review: A Fun Smart Guitar with 20 Voices, But Clear Limits
Derek Osvaldo
A hybrid instrument that works well for practice and casual jams, but reliance on app control and the absence of MIDI output hold it back from professional use. Quick Take The Enya Cyber-G is ...
Lunacy Audio CUBE Review: Innovative 3D Motion-Controlled Sampling for Modern Producers
Derek Osvaldo
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 ...
Emergence Audio Infinite Collection: 10 Gorgeous Free Kontakt Player Libraries
Derek Osvaldo
TL;DR – Infinite Collection Infinite Collection is a free library for Kontakt Player and an entry point into the company’s Infinite Motion Series. It combines ten instruments with the company’s proprietary Non-Static Sampling and the ...
