October 2007 Magazine Contents

We find out if the most competitively priced Allen & Heath mixer yet lives up to its heritage.

Digidesign may be better known for Pro Tools, but the RM-series speakers are every bit as 'pro' as their heritage suggests.

Digidesign pioneered the integration of sampling and recording software. Sixteen years later, their Structure sampler promises to revolutionise the sampling experience for Pro Tools users.

Eight top-class preamps priced within reach of the serious project studio...

Over the years I've owned more tape echo units than I can remember, from upmarket HH and Roland units to Watkins Copicats.

The budget-priced Vienna Special Edition (SE) lets you test VSL's wares without breaking the bank. SE is an 80GB (53.5GB when installed) compilation of instruments drawn from VSL's vast sample database...

Is ‘scanned synthesis’ the best thing since sliced bread, or a triumph of hype over substance? We put Humanoid Sound Systems’ Windows soft synth on the test bench to find out.

This versatile large-diaphragm condenser offers good performance at a very reasonable price.

The DI box is a crucial but often-overlooked part of many signal chains — and, as we found out, it really is worth investing in quality.

Have Roland finally outgunned Akai's renowned MPC series in the battle for the hip-hop market?

The X-Rack system makes SSL's large console technology much more accessible - so much so that we were reluctant to send it back!

It's over 40 years since its inception, but the Mellotron has proved to be surprisingly enduring. We meet the men who resurrected the original sampler and review the most technologically sophisticated Mellotron ever, the brand-new M4000.

Is this the perfect marriage to date of guitar and MIDI?

A number of large 'all-in-one' sample library products are now available. Is Vir2's VI One the one to buy?

The new Motif XS range is top of the pile when it comes to Yamaha synth workstation technology, and thus will be going head-to-head with flagship contenders from other big-name manufacturers. Does the XS have what it takes?

In sound for picture, there's often a need to lock multiple Pro Tools rigs together. We uncover a neat way to obtain professional sync facilities for a fraction of the price of conventional systems.

It's now possible to carry out most of your audio editing exclusively in one Logic window. We take a look at the improved Arrange window functionality and discover how it can transform your editing experience.

The story of how a characteristically chaotic and unorthodox 1978 recording session took Ian Dury & The Blockheads to the top of the UK charts.

Reason 4 may be nearly upon us, but there's still plenty of experimenting to be done in version 3 - creating your own effects devices, for example...

If you're stuck in a creative rut with sample libraries, why not look for inspiration in your own home?

DP supports a wide range of plug-in and virtual instrument formats, which is great for flexibility and variety but sometimes not so good when it comes to trouble-free operation. We explain how to take the pain out of plug-in management.

We get weeding this month, to thin out a busy mix without sacrificing the big sound.

Here are links to the audio files from October 2007's MIX RESCUE article, for those readers who buy the magazine from the newsagent and don't wish to type in all the long URLs.

A recent Apple special event saw the launch of a new iMac, a new version of GarageBand and a new iWork suite — plus a new Mac Mini is waiting in the wings. Read on for more...

Working directly with 'objects', such as MIDI or audio clips of any length from a few milliseconds upwards, opens up a non-linear approach that can provide creative opportunities and also save you CPU resources.

Many of us need to regularly use virus checkers, but we don't want them interfering with PC music performance. Fortunately, there are ways to make sure that doesn't happen.

When they hired Joe Chiccarelli to record their latest album, the White Stripes set him a stiff challenge: to create a modern, punchy, heavily edited sound, without leaning on modern digital tools.

This month we play the role of studio design consultants... and leave the heavy work to the studio owners!

If you record music on a computer, you have a huge amount of irreplaceable data that needs to be backed up. However, traditional data protection strategies have been expensive or tedious to operate. The solution? RAID on...

Reverb and delay are vital tools for mixing. We explain how to get the best from Cubase's bundled plug-ins.

I am using an M-Audio Delta 1010LT to record a garage band. To capture my guitar, I run a line out of my guitar amp into...

I've always been amazed at how nice, powerful, and up-front Thom Yorke's vocals sound in Radiohead's song 'Exit Music (For...

I've had very limited success recording upright pianos. They almost always sound small and boxy compared to a concert grand...

I was told recently that EQ and filtering should be done after compression, because the compression colours the EQ...

I'm wanting to get a recording setup on my PC, but I don't want to spend a great deal of money. Ideally, I'd like a...

Reader feedack.

Former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes has turned his back on major labels and hit factory songwriters to pursue his love of electronica — with help from producer Justin Shave, a vintage Fairlight and a unique computer-based instrument.

More SOS readers offer up their recordings for written assessment (and the occasional bit of punishment)...

Richard Hawley has achieved his high profile in the 21st century by harking back to an age before the Beatles. Hawley and engineer Colin Elliot document the recording of his new album Lady’s Bridge.

DRM: Daft and Rather Meaningless?

Should we simply record another take and play it again, rather than resorting to digital copy-n-paste?