November 2019 Magazine Contents

Is Terminus the final destination in your search for hits, slams, risers and falls?

After decades of development, there are now countless digital audio formats — can this black box allow them all to talk to one other?

Riffer is a randomising MIDI melody generator plug-in from AudioModern and is available as a VST/VST3/AU & AAX plug-in for Mac OS, Windows and as an iOS app.

Fresh from recreating the CS80, Black Corporation set their sights on another classic polysynth...

Boss have managed to pack plenty of expressive, yet guitarist-friendly, 'synth' sounds into this compact stompbox.

Rating: ***** 4/5 Stars. To create Randy's Prepared Piano, various objects and materials were used to alter the sound of the source instrument before it was recorded.

Can Cranborne convert you to the 500 series?

Max 8 sees Cycling '74 enhance both multi-channel audio and JavaScript support, among many other improvements.

EastWest's Hollywood Pop Brass does exactly what it says on the tin.

If your music-making workflow is centred on an iOS device, you can now pick up FabFilter's plug-in suite in app form for a fraction of the price of their desktop counterparts.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. It's perhaps not surprising that electronic keyboard sounds are a big part of the underlying sound set. However, these also include synths, ambient noises, attack sounds and various drones.

Rating: ***** 4/5 Stars. Nearly 10,000 samples of a modern 10-string E9 pedal steel were taken for this appealing virtual instrument...

Now boasting Mackie's highly regarded Onyx preamps, the newest mixers in the ProFX range offer much to tempt musicians on a budget.

X-PAN is a voltage-controlled mixer with crossfading, monophonic inputs and a stereo output.

McDSP's revolutionary APB‑16 promises to combine the sound of analogue compression with the convenience of plug-ins. Is it all too good to be true?

NI's Massive X isn't just an update, it's a whole new synth!

Origin Effects have distilled the essential features of their wonderfully versatile RevivalDrive into this single-channel Compact version.

Swiss speaker gurus PSI have never failed to impress us with their technical innovations, and their latest model is no exception!

Emerging from the mists of time comes the rejuvenated Fantom, Roland's new flagship workstation synthesizer. Available in three models: Fantom 6 (61 keys), Fantom 7 (76 keys) and the 88-key Fantom 8.

Once again, Soma bring us an instrument like no other...

With its ability to deliver anything from super-subtle saturation to downright despicable distortion, could this be the only valve preamp you'll ever need?

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Ostinato Woodwinds delivers a much more focused vocabulary of less than a dozen motifs, ideal for minimalist rhythmic beds and pads.

Voting opened on September 19th for the 10th annual SOS Awards, whose mission is to honour and celebrate the finest products in our industry. Cast your vote today!

Spitfire Audio join forces with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the celebrated Maida Vale Studios. Is this the best of British?

This ADAT-equipped preamp offers one-knob compression on every channel.

Rebranded Waveform by Tracktion, is this long-established alternative ready to become a mainstream DAW option?

Front DAW is a very affordable analogue console emulation plug-in for Mac and Windows, compatible with VST, VST3, AAX and AU hosts.

Vox's hybrid approach to electronics has yielded a natural–sounding amp that won't break your back.

Telefunken's ELA M 251 is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of vocal mics — but at 10 grand a pop, owning one is a mere aspiration for most of us. Enter Warm Audio...

Hyperrealism is the order of the day with Waves' new virtual bass instrument.

The Crucible is described as a ‘curved metal and cymbal synthesizer’ and although it is entirely digital, the sound may have you believing otherwise.

We explore the wealth of third-party chord generators available for Live.

Cakewalk's new Control Bar takes all the pain out of exporting stems.

Splitting out your stereo signals into separate Mid and Sides tracks can open up a world of creative options in your mix.

Stuck in a musical rut? Cubase Pro might just be able to provide the inspiration you need.

Studio One's Project window offers a fully fledged mastering environment.

Joe Colmenero hit the big time with Lil Tecca — and one of the smallest mixes he's ever done!

Get the most out of Logic's Amp Designer plug-in.

Our engineer weighs up the benefits and pitfalls of a 'stems-only' approach to mixing and mastering an album for a self-recording band.

Check out these audio files which accompany our SOS November 2019 Mix Rescue article about Stem-Mixing-Mastering.

Tailor the look and feel of DP to your own preferences.

We get to grips with Reason's versatile new monosynth.

The SOS team help a reader track down the source of some mysterious hums and buzzes!

You probably already have one of the best Pro Tools compressors around — but you might not know it!

Filmed at SynthFest UK 2019. Everything you always wanted to know about building a Eurorack Modular but were too afraid to...

What's the difference between using bell boosts and using a good old-fashioned high-shelving EQ?

Has anyone at SOS had any success fixing Auralex LENRD bass traps to a soundproof plasterboard wall/ceiling?

Have you noticed that whenever you buy a new guitar, a new amplifier or a different software guitar amp emulation, the end...

Dazzling harmonies, complex arrangements and ambitious production have made multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier a unique phenomenon.

Brush up on your listening skills as we examine the production of recent hits from Aitch, Lizzo, Taylor Swift, Sam Smith and a classic mix from Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta.

It wasn't until life dragged me by the scruff of the neck out of bed at an unfathomably early hour that I began to learn the value of being up before everyone else.

Fairlight CMI Owner, enthusiast and some-time restorer, Rob Puricelli (aka Failed Muso), spoke about the 40 year history...