AirTurn BT-105 HANDS-FREE PAGE TURNER In a stroke of pure genius, the AirTurn BT-105 upgraded the iPad and Android tablets from alternatives to pen and paper to must-have live performance tools with this Bluetooth foot controller. In a nutshell, the BT-105 lets you turn the pages of your lyric sheets, chord charts or musical scores without taking your hands off the instrument—making it far easier to try out new songs live, or having to cram illegible... 

Pigtronix FAT Philosopher ATTITUDE FOR YOUR PEDALBOARD The FAT Philosopher combines two widely acclaimed Pigtronix pedals into a single super-versatile tone machine capable of pumping out all the sustain and overdrive any guitarist could ask for. On the overdrive side, there are all the goodies that go with the Pigtronix FAT Drive, most notably a cascading-diode-based gain-mashing system that ranges from bluesy breakup to over-the-top metal solo... 

Vox amPhone WEAR YOUR AMP! Following the wild success of the Vox amPlug series personal amplifier emulators, the firm has introduced a line of cool new amPhone headphones. The idea behind the amPhone series is simple: Take a pair of excellent Audio-Technica headphones and marry it to a custom guitar amplifier emulator built right into the housing. In a beat, you can go from listening to your iPod to rocking out with your axe without hooking up any... 

Roland M-200i V-MIXER FOR THE MASSES The Roland M-200i dramatically drops the price for getting into the company’s V-Mix live sound technology, while raising the bar for affordable digital mixers in general. Ideal for churches, auditoriums and most midsize venues, the M-200i combines powerful onboard processing and extremely clever iPad integration with simple and effective hands-on controls. A full eight busses bolstered by four additional matrixes... 

Novation MiniNova SMALL SYNTH, BIG SOUNDS Beefy basses, searing leads, glossy strings and crazy vocal effects—all of these and more live in the freakishly versatile Novation MiniNova keyboard and vocoder. On par with even the most portable synths, the MiniNova features the full-fledged sound engine from their popular UltraNova, offering 256 presets that range from bread-and-butter to analog insanity. A 20-slot modulation matrix makes creating fun... 

Whirlwind Bass Ten TOTAL CONTROL FREQ Expect to see the new Whirlwind Bass Ten graphic equalizer pedal popping up on pedalboards everywhere. Created by Tony Gambacurta— known as the guru of the modern EQ—the Bass Ten features a sophisticated constant-Q graphic equalizer design that’s been optimized specifically for bass. No matter how you boost or cut this EQ, each band’s range remains the same, eliminating the interplay that makes typical... 

PRS SE Mark Tremonti Custom TRICKED-OUT TREMONTI It doesn’t take a Creed or Alter Bridge fan to appreciate the new PRS SE Mark Tremonti Custom. Revamped and decked out with so many upgrades it hardly resembles the original SE Tremonti, the Custom model splits the difference between PRS’s budget-friendly SE lineup and their highly revered standard series. A maple neck and body provide a powerful voice, whose snap and sparkle are captured in every... 

Focusrite Forte POWERFUL, COMPACT INTERFACE When Focusrite revived the Forte moniker they did their legacy justice, approaching this recording interface’s design with the same ingenuity they devoted to their classic consoles in bygone days. Instead of a massive mixer, this decidedly compact desktop interface sports its impressive functionality almost entirely on the inside. A touch screen and a single knob are all it takes to control every level,... 

MXR Jimi Hendrix 70th Anniversary Tribute Series HENDRIX EFFECTS MINUS THE BULK Breaking away from traditional styling, MXR’s Jimi Hendrix 70th Anniversary Tribute Series pedals provide three of rock’s most iconic guitar effects of all time into compact, pedalboard-friendly stompboxes. These pedals include a shimmering Univibe, a super-fat Octavio, and a dynamically rich Fuzzface. All three sound like spot-on remakes of their namesakes, and... 

MXR M80 Bass D.I.+ BASS TONE TO DI FOR Live sound techs, studio engineers and bass players everywhere are talking about the new MXR M80 Bass D.I.+. This handy bass pedal delivers a solid compromise between a direct box and the sound of a conventional bass amp. The clean channel provides a touch of color, and the distortion channel allows you to add all the texture you like, plus there’s a three-band EQ onboard. Capable of sounding rude and beefy... 

Roland VT-12  PRO VOCAL TRAINING TO GO Finally, there’s a portable, handheld vocal trainer designed to offer singers the edge they need. The new Roland VT-12 features real-time vocal analysis, and an illuminated pitch meter that detects two voices at once for harmony training. There’s also a built-in metronome and onboard recorder that allows you to sing along to backing tracks. In addition to 50 lessons from the world-standard Concone classical... 

Native Instruments’ Maschine  SONGWRITER’S PLAYGROUND Although mostly adopted by the electronic music community, Native Instruments’ Maschine offers superior songwriting and arrangement tools that nearly every musician can benefit from. Both the DAW-style software environment and the purpose-built hardware controller are fairly straightforward, making it easy to lay down original backing tracks with the included virtual instruments and grooves.... 

IK Multimedia iRig Stomp  IPHONE STOMPBOX INTERFACE There are tons of gadgets that let you plug your guitar into your iOS device, but that’s typically where the signal stops. The IK Multimedia iRig Stomp is a simple stompbox-style device that passes the incoming signal to an iPhone or iPad and returns the result back to your guitar rig. It’s a great way to add iOS app-based effects to any live setup, practice with one of the looper apps on the... 

PreSonus Studio One 2  DAW DREAMS Powerhouse features such as transient detection and pitch correction make PreSonus Studio One 2 more than a match for any DAW on the market. Sheer ease of use makes it one of the best options for musicians who’ve spent more time rocking out than boning up on recording technology. With complex processes, such as tightening up multitracked drums or comping vocals, reduced to a couple of steps, Studio One 2 nicely... 

iZotope’s Alloy 2  SIX MIXING TOOLS IN ONE Packed with virtual processors that cover every major aspect of software mixing, iZotope’s Alloy 2 plug-in delivers the kind of value that seems too good to be true till you hear it. With hundreds of presets to choose from—covering everything from bass to vocals—finding the right jumping off point is a snap. Then it’s just a matter of using Alloy 2’s comprehensive in-depth controls to tweak... 

Avalon V5  PREAMP, REAMP, KILLER DI Perfect for project and pro studios alike, the Avalon V5 preamplifier offers up tons of flexible functionality. Its variable input handles anything from ribbon mics and hi-Z instrument sources to ultra-hot line-level signal like a champ. A musical tone circuit that features settings taken straight from the award-winning Avalon U5 makes dialing in the ideal sound incredibly easy. And thanks to a convenient instrument-level... 

Arturia MiniBrute  FULL-BLAST ANALOG SYNTH Between its brilliant simplicity and modest price tag, the Arturia MiniBrute is one of the most accessible pure analog synthesizers available. Packed with intuitive hands-on controls, even complete synth novices will have a blast experimenting and creating original sounds with the MiniBrute. At the same time, the MiniBrute delivers enough innovative features to satisfy the most seasoned synth player, such... 

Avid’s Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt  DITCH THE TOWER When Avid announced Pro Tools HD Native in the fall of 2010, they made huge waves in the recording world. For the first time it was possible to get the near-zero latency of Pro Tools HD, but without the added expense of DSP acceleration. The trouble was musicians still needed a tower-format computer with PCIe slots to run it. With Avid’s Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt, you can get the... 

Keith McMillen Instruments’ QuNeo  TOTAL CONTROL FREAK Keith McMillen Instruments’ QuNeo condenses more than 60 individual controls into a single device that’s roughly the size of a tablet PC. Extremely flexible and fully assignable, QuNeo lets you take command of any MIDI-controllable software. The QuNeo features 16 pads (each of which doubles as an X/Y controller), plus a handful of touch-sensitive control strips and more. For those who... 

PIGTRONIX KEYMASTER: MASTER YOUR TONE Call it the missing link between your pedalboard and rack gear. The Pigtronix Keymaster—part stompbox, part signal-routing super-tool—is as good a fit on your pedalboard as it is in your studio rack or live sound rig. Its extremely flexible circuitry and I/O lets you connect anything from hi-Z instrument-level gear to high-quality studio equipment. That means you can run your guitar directly through your favorite... 

NEKTAR PANORAMA P4: KEYS TO CONTROL REASON Whether you’re a serious hobbyist or a professional songwriter, if you want to get the most out of Propellerhead Reason 6 then the Nektar Panorama P4 controller keyboard is just the ticket. Every function and parameter in Reason 6 is fully controllable from the Panorama P4’s remarkably straightforward interface, offering hands-on experience that parallels Reason’s intuitive, analog-style layout. And... 

ZOOM Q2HD: LIGHTS, CAMERA, AUDIO! In the YouTube era, having the capability to produce high-quality promotional videos is essential. Enter the Zoom Q2HD —the new handy video recorder that not only makes personal video production accessible, it also allows musicians to create HD video with jaw-dropping audio. The Q2HD’s superior condenser mics are arranged in a studio-style Mid-Side configuration, offering controllable, natural-sounding stereo.... 

DYNAUDIO DBM50: BIG SOUND ON YOUR DESKTOP There are relatively few studio monitors designed for desktop use, and fewer still that are affordable. Enter the Dynaudio DBM50, which offers superior sound and a compact footprint. The DBM50 adds a slight upward tilt to the brand’s already popular near-field studio monitor design, making the pair ideal for desktop use. They provide a huge sweet spot for monitoring, and when combined with a decoupler such... 

TC–HELICON MIC MECHANIC: VOCALS DONE RIGHT Plenty of live vocal tools have hit the market recently, and many in the stompbox format. What makes the TC-Helicon Mic Mechanic unique is its back-to-basics approach. Rather than sporting dozens of superfluous effects—that are more fun than practical—the Mic Mechanic provides essential vocal processing including reverb, delay and pitch correction. It also features a unique Adaptive Tone control,... 

TASCAM IU2: FLEXIBLE I/O ON THE GO As portable as it is versatile, the Tascam iU2 lets you record two channels of clear, professional-quality audio anywhere your music takes you. One of the first of its kind, the compact iU2 features hybrid connectivity that includes both a mini USB jack and an integrated 30-pin dock cable, allowing use with both computer and iOS device. A pair of inputs lets you hook up guitars, line-level sources and microphones.... 

LINE 6 STAGESCAPE M20D: MIX MASTER Forget everything you know about conventional mixing and check out the graphic user interface provided by the Line 6 StageScape M20d. This futuristic mixing console offers EQs, effects, feedback suppression and more—all managed by a big, colorful touch screen and a handful of strategically placed controls. Instead of traditional channels and routing controls, the StageScape M20d provides graphical representations... 

UNIVERSAL AUDIO APOLLO: SUPERCHARGE YOUR DAW  You don’t need a pro-studio budget to track with pro-studio DSP-powered plug-ins anymore. The Universal Audio Apollo series interfaces combine their legendary analog sound with their award-winning UAD-2 plug-in technology. Alone, the Apollo’s sound quality and extensive I/O more than hold their own. Sporting up to four SHARC DSP chips onboard, musicians can also track, mix and master in virtually... 

LAUTEN AUDIO ATLANTIS FC-387: THREE MICS IN ONE Few microphones on the market today deliver the kind of value you get from a Lauten Audio Atlantis FC-387. That’s because Lauten Audio built the Atlantis by marrying a great-sounding capsule with three discrete FET-based circuit paths, each of which offers up a completely distinct character. Set to Neutral, the Atlantis faithfully captures any instrument. The Gentle setting is great for taming shrill... 

DANGEROUS MUSIC SOURCE: ALL-IN-ONE PORTABLE MONITORING Easily one of the most understated inventions to hit the recording world this year, the Dangerous Music Source monitoring station is a major upgrade to virtually any modest studio. Loaded with two discrete mastering-grade stereo signal paths, the Source allows one to send the main mix to monitors while delivering a separate artist mix to headphones. All switching is relay driven, so there’s... 

Toontrack EZkeys, EZdrummer, and EZmix 2: EZ Does It When the muse strikes, you need instant access to tools that will feed your creativity—and that’s where Toontrack’s amazing software comes into play. EZkeys and EZdrummer provide not only great virtual instruments to play back your parts—piano and drums—but also extensive libraries of loops to build songs and arrangements. EZkeys goes further by allowing you to experiment with chord progressions... 

Mackie DL1608: iPad Mixer Imagine using your shiny new iPad to mix your band onstage. The Mackie DL1608 lets you do just that. The compact digital mixer features 16 Onyx mic preamps, built-in effects, four-band EQ and compression on each channel, 31-band graphic EQ on the output, and much more. But the really cool thing is that your trusty iPad provides the horsepower to make the thing go. Just slip it into the dock and start mixing. With the iPad... 

TASCAM PR-10: Instant Capture Back in the day, songwriters carried around mini tape recorders to capture an idea whenever inspiration struck. You just fired up the recorder and sang the idea onto tape. Later you could harvest the ideas you liked. Today’s technology makes this even easier, especially with the TASCAM PR-10 super-compact digital recorder. With no moving parts or tape and built-in stereo mics, the PR-10 is ideal for instant idea capture.... 

Apogee Mic: Recording Made Easy Sure, you need a great mic to make a great recording—but you also need a high quality signal going to your recording device. You could use a standard mic plugged into a preamp then an audio interface or A/D converter. Or, simply connect a USB cable to an Apogee Mic—yes, the same Apogee that arguably makes the best converters around—to your computer or iPad and start recording. It’s so good, we’ve heard fully... 

Zoom R8, R16 and R24: Portable Studio We’ve come a long way since the heyday of cassette tape four-track recorders. Today’s self-contained portable studios—like the Zoom R8, R16 and R24 (the big difference is the number of tracks)—offer the ability to record multiple tracks, process tracks with EQ and effects, add drum loops, do light editing, and create complete final mixes all in one simple-to-use unit. All you need is a microphone or two... 

Alesis iO Dock: Home Studio Connections  The iPad is coming on strong as the number one must-have musician tool. But with the rise of recording apps and virtual instruments for the iPad comes the need for a way to get quality audio in and out. Enter the Alesis iO Dock—which provides all the connections you need to turn your iPad into a full-fledged recording studio. You get two inputs for your microphones or guitar/bass/keyboards, MIDI in/out/thru,... 

MOTU Track 16: Big Feature, Small Package Looking to get a ton of signals into your Mac or PC without tying up all of your desk’s real estate? Then check out the brand-new MOTU Track16. The Track16 can fit in nearly any space—even a laptop bag—yet it provides up to 16 simultaneous inputs and 14 simultaneous outputs. There’s also MIDI, USB 2.0 and FireWire, and way more. Take control with the one-touch front-panel knob or via the included... 

TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play: Perfect Vocals In A Box Now you can take all that studio polish you love to hear on your voice with you when you hit the stage. The TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play is a stompbox—why should guitarists have all the fun?—designed especially for vocalists. Not only does it offer a full complement of vocal effects, such as equalizers, compressors and more, you also get an onboard intelligent harmony machine for huge-sounding... 

Roland BA-330: Big Sound On The Go Take your show on the road—any road, anytime, with or without an electrical outlet, as long as you have the Roland BA-330. The BA-330 is a portable stereo PA system capable of cranking out an amazing amount of sound while running on eight AA batteries. There are enough inputs to comfortably handle two mics and two guitars or two stereo keyboards, plus there’s an AUX in for your MP3 or CD player. Built-in effects,... 

JamHub GreenRoom: Silent Rehearsal Room Not all of us have the luxury of owning a soundproof rehearsal room. But with the JamHub GreenRoom your band can rehearse nearly anywhere and never have to deal with annoyed neighbors. The GreenRoom offers musicians and vocalists their own input channel for their instrument or microphone. Plus, you can dial up the headphone mix you want to hear, complete with effects to keep the sound from getting sterile....