Mix magazine reviews the Tascam GigaStudio 3 software sampler. “GigaStudio 3 addresses previous versions’ shortcomings while adding some great new features” such as the GigaPulse convolution reverb. This feature adds a lot of processor overhead, but “even with Giga 2, you could get a lot of mileage out of a single computer loaded with 1.5 to 2 GB of RAM. … Giga 3’s memory access has improved considerably.” A good thing too, because the convolution impulse processor is used extensively: “for example, the new GigaPiano 2 uses impulses instead of piano samples to create the pedal-down and release/staccato resonance effects.”

In fact, the reviewer is very impressed with the way the convolution processor is used in GigaStudio. Tascam cleverly wring the maximum out of the CPU to get the best-sounding effect — “these programs are just terrific”.

“The original GigaSampler revolutionized sampling, and Giga 3’s integrated convolution processor, GigaPulse, has opened up a whole new set of creative possibilities. In addition to being an efficient engine for running multiple path surround reverb programs, it can simulate anything that produces an impulse response — effects, spaces, instrument bodies, mics, amps and more — and those impulses can be integrated right into the sample programs.” Clearly, it’s the GigaPulse core that makes GigaStudio what it is.

They also go through all the incremental improvements over the previous version — basically, GigaStudio 3 has more of everything. The review concludes with a resounding recommendation: “In short, it’s the current state-of-the-art in sampling. GigaStudio 3 took a long time coming, but it was well-worth waiting for.”

Studio Reviews gave a top rating to the Tranzport wireless DAW remote controller — in fact, they gave it their 2005 Product of the Year award. They applaud everything about it — the functionality, responsiveness, build quality, even the customer support on the website forums. They love the way it simplifies everything about the recording process: “All the main controls needed to operate a DAW are at your fingertips, and the kicker is that you can walk around and work with the remote anywhere within about a 10-meter range. Even a simple task like listening back to tracks can now be done from sitting in the back of the room on the studio couch, instead of having to run up and tap on the computer keyboard.”

Even setting up this studio Nirvana was apparently painless: “Everything worked right off the bat without a hitch.” Good to see that the reviewers can mix their metaphors as well as their music.

They close on an even higher note, with their enthusiasm running to fever pitch: “Believe the hype. This is the shizzle. If you have a DAW, you should run, not walk, and order a TranzPort. The TranzPort is too cool for school. This is a no-brainer, must-have for anyone with a DAW, and an indispensable tool for the 21st-century studio.”

How portable can you get? A full-size three-octave keyboard that fits in your pocket. The iSmart “Soft USB MIDI Keyboard Controller” from Taiwanese manufacturer Ta Horng is flexible enough to roll up into a tube, and weighs less than a kilogram. It connects to a computer with USB, which also supplies power.

The iSmart has a minimal but complete set of controls: 37 keys, octave shift, program change, MIDI channel and bank switches. There’s also a velocity switch — presumably the keyboard is not itself velocity sensitive. But who cares when it looks so bizarre?

Computer Music reviews Cubase SL 3, the “lite” version of Steinberg’s sequencer and music production package. The standout new feature is the Audio Warp, which they say enables powerful timestretching and pitch shifting capabilities. Just like Acid. And it now supports the Acid file format. Interesting.

Another whizbang new feature, they say, is the Play Order track. “This allows you to divide your tune up into sections and arrange it using a pattern-based layout system.” There’s also the Audio prerecord, feature — this is great. It’s close to the Holy Grail of recording software — recording everything you do all the time, so that great, spontaneous take won’t be lost.

Now, this is the reduced version of the full Cubase SX package, so there are limitations. “If you rely heavily on virtual instruments, you may find that 32 slots (as opposed to SX’s 64) is too few. Cubase SL also lacks SX’s expandable mixer, which “gives easy access to EQ, inserts and sends.”

In the end, they give Cubase SL 3 a rating of 8 out of 10 — solid, but not outstanding, especially by comparison to the big SX. Still, they say, “Cubase SL 3 offers most of the key functionality of its bigger brother, and as such should be more than enough for many musicians.”

The August issue of Computer Music reviews the TranzPort, the wireless DAW controller from the Frontier Design Group. They give a good review, starting right at the beginning: “It’s an attractive piece of kit and looks worth the asking price.” They note that it’s a sturdy device, too.

They say that installing the TranzPort is “a breeze,” but this is true only if you are using one of the supported DAWs. Most of the big names are supported, but the obvious omission for me is Ableton Live. For these ones, you have to dig into MIDI to get the appropriate messages to the box. The TranzPort documentation does provide instructions on how to do this.

Other than this, they are full of praise for this nifty box. They think the LCD screen is a bit small bit well-laid out, and the choice of function buttons is logical and useful. Overall they rate it as 9 out of 10 and say: “TranzPort is compact, well built, easy to to configure and works a treat. It’s incredibly useful when you’r recording yourself playing, and as such is an ideal companion for the solo engineer or musician.”

PC Plus reviews Nuendo 3, Steinberg’s high-end music media production application. I was never really clear on the difference between Nuendo and Cubase, but now I know the main difference: price. Nuendo is very expensive. In fact, it’s out of the Laptop Studio league. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to find out what all that extra cash buys you.

First of all, “Steinberg has at last tidied up all of the dangling loose ends that afflicted earlier versions.” Sounds good so far. Nuendo 3 apparently has broader functionality in general. For example, it supports every sound format you’ve heard of and many you haven’t, and it has excellent support for a networked environment. These are the sorts of thing that a professional user would need, rather than the typical Laptop Studio user.

The conclusion agrees with this: “Unless you’re a home studio buff, Nuendo will almost certainly be too much for you, if only because of the inflated price. But if you’re serious about music, or you work with it professionally, it’s a more plausible option, especially in a sound-to-video context.”

VideoSystems review Acid Pro 5: “if you are looking for some cool new features that will make you think about using the program in new ways, then Acid Pro 5 dishes up some interesting surprises.” One such surprise is Groove Mapping, which looks to be their favourite new feature. With Groove Mapping, you can alter the “feel” of a track, rather than just the pitch or tempo. It works by automatically making tiny adjustments to the tempo all the way through a track or song, based on another track. So you can create a straight 4/4 song, and quickly use Groove Mapping to give it “the live sway of jazz or the immediate kerbump of hip hop”. Very nice.

They also especially appreciate the new media manager, and recommend investigating Sony’s loop CD collections. I can agree with that — I especially like all of the distorted, industrial sounds on CDs like Electronic Point-Blank, Extremely Abrasive Beats and Electrocution. Nowadays they sell ’em in packs like their Electronica Pack 1. They also talk about the acidplanet.com community, which features work by many Acid users around the world. Including me!

On the downside, Acid Pro 5 does not export to MP3 out of the box — you have to pay more money for this. They also think the interface wastes too much space. But overall they really like this new version: “It has a few new killer additions that keep it the powerhouse it has been, as well as lots of little touches that users have been asking for. … It’s the king for a very good reason. The program is smart and makes it very easy to be creative. Acid continues to be the leader in loop scoring. I highly recommend it for a first purchase, and the upgrade price is low enough to make it a no-brainer.”

Remix magazine reviews Cakewalk Project5 Version 2. They say, “this latest incarnation of Project5 is designed to be a complete recording, composition and performance platform that will work right out of the box with essentially infinite expansion possibilities.” The review runs through the features of this program and says that Project5 is excellent: it’s intuitive and easy to use, yet it’s very powerful and sounds great.

The only real problem they noticed is that there were performance problems running on a slower PC: “If you wish to run Project5 Version 2, you should absolutely heed the package’s advice on minimum system requirements and avoid running it on a Celeron.”

They like the interface, which is clean and efficient and allows for a smooth workflow. They also rate the MIDI implementation highly, calling it “deep and responsive”. Every area of Project5 receives praise, and the conclusion is overwhelmingly positive: “Project5 is easy to learn yet feature-deep, the instruments and effects sound rich and original, the user interface is well-laid-out and intuitive, and its stability and expandability are to be commended. However, it is like an old hot rod: It sports a large engine and consumes a lot of gas (CPU cycles). Project5 is definitely not for wimpy computers. But if you have a powerful PC workstation and want a one-size-fits-all MIDI and audio composition, synthesis, sound-design and live-performance tool, Cakewalk’s Project5 is a great way to fit the bill.”

PC Plus reviews Propellerhead Reason 3 and rate it as an excellent 87%. “Still the king of the softsynths, this is a package to be reckoned with.” They note the new Combinator, which allows instruments to be combined into, well, a combination. They also mention the new mastering tools and the improved hardware controller support. They have some issues with the sequencer (who doesn’t?) and the sound quality, as well at the unique “rack” interface, but they don’t consider them to be showstoppers. Reliability is still very good.

Overall they do like this program: “For Reason’s core home studio market, it’s a fantastic product exploding with creative potential and capable of results that can more than hold their own against much pricier musical toys at almost any level. It’s also a lot of fun. For the price, you really can’t go wrong.”

Do I really need to explain why I’m writing about this? The Big Knob is a controller from Mackie that features, well, a big knob. It looks more geared to the pro user that to people like me, but I want one anyway just so I can invite people over to my house to see my Big Knob. Oh, the hilarity.

More details from Mackie’s website: The Big Knob is a simple yet powerful desktop audio control center that lets musicians and engineers get right to the business of making music in four major ways: Level Control, Studio Monitor Selection, Input Source Selection and Talkback & Headphone Control.

Precise Level Control
Using a big, convenient volume knob, Big Knob lets you adjust volume levels the way our ancient audio ancestors (Analogus Engineerus) did – with a simple, intuitive knob, not with a mouse and screen. The end result is a higher degree of precision and much quicker level adjustments.

Monitor Selection
When it comes to mixing, pros know it’s best to get a second, and third, opinion. So Big Knob lets you quickly switch between 3 pairs of studio monitors, or 2 studio monitors and a subwoofer, or studio monitors and a home stereo, or any other combination of powered speakers.

Source Selection
On the input side, Big Knob lets you connect up to 4 stereo input sources at once. This means you can simultaneously connect to your computer/DAW outputs, CD player, cassette deck and even a turntable using the premium onboard RIAA preamp. You can even connect keyboards, guitars, drum machines, samplers – anything you’d like to hear – through your monitors. This makes Big Knob great for comparing your mixes-in-progress to your favorite CDs, for archiving your old LPs, jamming along to your favorite tune, and lots more.

Talkback Section & Headphone Control
With its built-in Talkback mic and spring-loaded activation switches, Big Knob lets you quickly communicate with musicians in both the studio and tracking room – no more hand signals through the glass! Big Knob also sports two high-powered headphone outputs with a discrete headphone mix bus, solving the communications needs of most computer-based studios.

All the Right Connections
Although its shiny silver knob is a head-turning feature, Big Knob’s rear panel is equally impressive. There you’ll find three distinct Monitor outputs with individual level control; 2-Track A and 2-Track B stereo outputs with level selection switches; a DAW stereo output for your computer; a Studio output with level control; a Phones Mix input with level selection switch; 2-Track A and 2-Track B Stereo Source inputs with level control; a DAW Mix input from your computer with level control; and even a Phono input with level control for direct connection to your turntable.

Sound Quality
Because Big Knob plays a crucial link between recording output(s) and studio monitors, we placed the utmost importance on pristine, no-compromise sound quality. For this reason, Big Knob features ultra low-noise op amps, extremely low-tolerance components and state-of-the-art surface mount technology. All of this ensures superb sound in critical listening environments and long-term reliability – even under daily, and nightly, studio use.