From the AltWire Archives: Hardware Reviews
Polyend Tracker Mini: Our Honest Verdict Before the 10th Anniversary Limited Edition
Derek Osvaldo
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 ...
Ten Years On, And The Reface DX Still Impresses in 2025 (REVIEW)
Derek Osvaldo
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 Osvaldo
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 ...
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen Review: Pro-Level Power Made Ridiculously Simple
Derek Osvaldo
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 Osvaldo
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. ...
Midicake ARP Review: How One Man’s Dream Made For a Pretty Damn Fun 4-Track Arpeggiator
Derek Osvaldo
Let’s be honest, arpeggiators can sometimes feel like an afterthought. Many synthesizers include them, but more often than not, they’re simple, one-trick ponies with limited control and little personality. They’ll feel tacked on and ...
Chroma Console by Hologram Electronics: An Amazing Effects Console That Feels like 20 Pedals In One
Derek Osvaldo
Some effects pedals are designed to color your sound. The Chroma Console is designed to transform it. From the moment I unboxed the Chroma Console, it was clear this wasn’t just another multi-effects unit. ...
CMEPRO WIDI Master – Unleash Wireless 5-Pin MIDI and Ditch the Cable Chaos!
Derek Osvaldo
Intro – An Overview of the WIDI Master The CMEPRO WIDI Master is designed as a wireless MIDI solution that frees you from the traditional cable clutter. For bigger studios or even a smaller ...
Tiny Titans of MIDI Control: This.is.NOISE.inc’s Astonishing NM2 and NMSVE
Derek Osvaldo
Sometimes the best creative sparks come from something small. Really small. Like, fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand small. This.is.NOISE.inc, is a hardware company that’s built a reputation around ultra-portable, ultra-playful MIDI controllers that don’t just look cool — ...
Crystal Clear and Camera Ready: How the ISOVOX ISOPOP BroadCast Fixed My Sibilance In 5 Minutes
Derek Osvaldo
Pop filters are one of those accessories you don’t think much about—until they’re ruining your setup. Whether it’s an awkward arm that never stays in place, a filter so bulky it blocks your entire ...
