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 ...
Coheed and Cambria Podcast: An Intimate and Honest Conversation with Josh Eppard – 2025 Tour, Good Apollo and More!
Derek Osvaldo
Few bands in modern rock have built a world as distinct and devoted as Coheed and Cambria. At the heart of it is drummer Josh Eppard, whose playing has driven the band’s sound for ...
Sonicware SmplTrek in 2025 Review: A Productive & Compact All-in-One Music Workstation
Derek Osvaldo
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. ...
Donner Essential B1 & Essential D1 Review: Budget-Friendly Acid and Beats That Work Together
Derek Osvaldo
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 Osvaldo
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 Osvaldo
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 ...
Goo Goo Dolls Release “Not Goodbye (Close My Eyes)”, Announce Summer Anthem EP, Out August 22
Derek Osvaldo
Goo Goo Dolls have announced Summer Anthem, a seven-track EP set for release August 22 via Warner Records. The launch aligns with the band’s sold-out Summer Anthem Tour.
Plinky Synth Review: A Fearless 8-Voice Polyphonic Powerhouse of Mood and Motion
Derek Osvaldo
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 ...
Brendon Small Opens Official Reverb Shop Featuring Guitars from Metalocalypse and Beyond
Derek Osvaldo
Metalocalypse creator and Dethlok guitarist Brendon Small is launching an official Reverb shop featuring stage-used guitars, rare prototypes, and instruments tied to the show’s development.
Rock Icon Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76, Weeks After Final Farewell Show
Derek Osvaldo
Ozzy Osbourne, known globally as the “Prince of Darkness” and founding vocalist of Black Sabbath died July 22 at the age of 76.
OWC Envoy Pro Elektron 4TB SSD: This Reliable SSD Speeds Up Massive Kontakt Libraries
Derek Osvaldo
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 Osvaldo
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+.
