Hardware Reviews
Synido TempoPad C16: A Capable 16-Pad Controller Built for Mobility
Derek Oswald
Most pad controllers follow a familiar outline. They hand you a grid, offer a few knobs, and call it a day. The Synido TempoPad C16 takes a different route. Synido fits a sixteen-pad performance ...
Embodme Erae 2 Review: Exploring A Bold New Language of Touch
Derek Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 SH-4d Current Review: With v2.0, a Robust and Satisfying All-in-One Synth Gets Even Better
Derek Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 ...
Wavy Industries MONKEY Review: A Ridiculously Small MIDI Controller, With Massive Functionality
Derek Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 Oswald
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
