- Audio Interfaces
- DAW Software
- Guitar Technology
- Microphones / Miking
- Monitors / Monitoring
- Preamps / Channel Strips
- Synthesizers
The SOS team pick their favourite hardware and software from 2024.
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Studio Hardware
Cranborne Carnaby HE2
Cranborne Audio Carnaby HE2
This year, Cranborne became one of only a small handful of companies to offer a plug‑in remote‑controlled analogue outboard processor, and their Carnaby HE2 is something very special indeed. The digital control side of things is, from a user perspective, refreshingly unfussy — the plug‑in works well, and the hardware ‘feels’ analogue — but there are also some ingenious extras. Importantly, the clever analogue circuitry combines EQ with per‑band saturation to deliver effects I’ve not heard from any other manufacturer. The price isn’t ‘aspirational’ either. Definitely a winning combination! Matt Houghton
Wes Audio ngTube EQ
Wes Audio ngTube EQ
Sticking with the plug‑in remote‑controlled hardware theme, Wes Audio have achieved amazing things with their ‘ng’ processors. Every time one comes to me for review, I conclude that Wes must have taken the concept about as far as it can go — yet, next time, they always push the concept forward in imaginative ways. Their ngTube EQ is, at heart, a four‑band passive mastering EQ with a switchable valve and transformer output stage. It sounds divine. But it also showcases several novel features, including a revamped approach to plug‑in remote control, a context‑sensitive screen, and touch‑responsive controls that access many useful ‘hidden’ features. Will it be the pinnacle of Wes Audio’s achievements? Only time will tell, but when it comes to digitally controlled analogue outboard, everyone else is playing catch‑up. Matt Houghton
SSL PureDrive Octo
SSL PureDrive Octo
SSL’s PureDrive Octo rackmounting mic preamp provides superb audio specs, with an incredible 90dB gain range, and a blizzard of additional features including filtering, switchable ‘colour’ options, variable impedance, built‑in A‑D conversion and even USB interfacing. And at not much more than £200 per channel, it’s remarkable value for money. Sam Inglis
Undertone UTEQ‑500
Undertone Audio UTEQ‑500Another EQ? Really? Yep. And it’s another one that sounds great and has features that make it stand out from the crowd. With only six knobs (three being dual‑concentric) and a handful of toggle switches, the Undertone UTEQ‑500 gives you access to pretty much any curve you can imagine, including the possibility of notch filters! Speaking of curves, while you can master basic console‑style EQ’ing on this module pretty swiftly, if you’re to get the most out of it, there’s a bit of a learning curve. But get your head around it and operation becomes second nature. So much power in such a tiny package. Matt Houghton
Teaching Machines Wellspring
Teaching Machines Wellspring
The Teaching Machines Wellspring is an analogue spring reverb, but it’s also much more than just a reverb device. With its analogue delay, modulation and filter sections, it’s a box that invites and encourages you to create unusual and original effects. It can be a superb‑sounding straight‑up, luxurious spring reverb if needed, but the real fun is deciding if the world (or your client!) is ready for the sonic statement you’ve created with this excellent sounding all‑analogue stereo effects device! Neil Rogers
SSL B‑Dyn 611B
SSL B‑Dyn 611B
Plug‑ins can be so good these days that it takes something special to make me want to route a signal ‘out of the box’ when mixing. SSL’s B‑Dyn 611B is one such device, and I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed putting it through its paces this year. Yes, it’s an SSL dynamics processor (there’s both a compressor and an expander/gate on board), and with that company’s reputation you’d expect it to be decent. But having used both the E‑Dyn and plug‑in versions of both the E and B type processors before, I wasn’t expecting this module to sound quite so distinctively punchy, aggressive and in‑your‑face as it does. Not your ‘use on everything’ compressor, but a very handy tool that I love. I’ve still not been able to dial in the same effects with plug‑ins, or even get close quickly. Matt Houghton
Atomic Analog Special OP‑6
Atomic Analog Special OP‑6
You don’t need an Atomic Analog Special OP‑6. I don’t need an Atomic Analog Special OP‑6. But having tried it, I couldn’t bear to part with it. This modern recreation of RCA’s venerable valve preamp just sounds incredible — on mics, as a DI, and as a line‑level saturation processor. Sam Inglis
AEA TRP & RPQ Preamps
AEA TRP3 & RPQ3
AEA’s TRP and RPQ preamps have always been special, but the new third generation raise their performance to the true pinnacle of engineering excellence. Although originally designed for passive ribbons, the current TRP3’s capabilities reach far wider, and the latest design offers phantom power and can be used with any microphone.
The unusually high input impedance minimises the load on dynamic and transformerless capacitor microphones, allowing them to deliver their best possible sound quality. And with up to 85dB of switch‑selected gain, even the least sensitive mics and the quietest of sources can be raised to a useful signal level with ease. The discrete TRP3 design boasts one of the lowest noise floors of any preamp, while also enjoying incredibly low harmonic distortion, a huge bandwidth, and generous headroom. This all translates to a phenomenally detailed and accurate, yet tonally neutral preamp — the apocryphal ‘straight wire with gain’. The RPQ3 occupies 1U of rack space instead of the half‑rack format of the TRP3, and provides a more versatile EQ facility plus a balanced insert option, but is otherwise identical in performance. Hugh Robjohns
Monitoring
Radial Nuance Select
Radial Nuance Select
Monitor controllers may be functional rather than glamorous, but the right one can make a huge difference to any control room. In terms of features, ergonomics and sound quality, the Radial Nuance Select is pretty much the perfect fit for me and my setup. It’s also built to survive anything that studio life could throw at it. I bought one! Sam Inglis
ADAM Audio A8H
ADAM Audio A8H
The A8H marks ADAM Audio’s impressive entry into the compact three‑way monitor market. Its new MLM bass and DCH midrange drivers, paired with ADAM’s signature X‑ART pleated ribbon tweeter and a tri‑power hybrid PWM and Class‑A/B amplification setup, produce a seemingly effortless wide, deep, detailed and solidly centred soundfield. ADAM’s updated A‑Control software simplifies the process of configuring the AH8, and its integration with Sonarworks’ SoundID Reference room calibration software helps deliver a flat response at your listening position. Its outstanding audio performance and attractive price point offer outstanding value for money — so much so that I bought a pair. Bob Thomas
AIAIAI Unit‑4
AIAIAI Unit‑4
I can’t quite remember how I came across the AIAIAI Unit‑4, but I’m really pleased that I did. The Unit‑4 is a compact and portable battery‑powerable monitoring system that also offers wireless connection (both between its left and right speakers and from a source device), and despite the limitations of its modest dimensions, drivers and amplification, it works well. It’s perfectly suited to monitoring on the go in hotel rooms and in those remote Scandinavian beachside summer houses we’ll all find ourselves writing melancholy pad‑based music in one day. The thing I really loved about the Unit‑4, though, is its approach to sustainability. Its enclosure is made from post‑consumer plastic and it’s designed to be fully repairable. The cabinet comes apart easily (no glue) and replacement parts can be purchased from the AIAIAI website. All other monitor manufacturers (yes, that means you), please take note. Phil Ward
Kii Audio Kii Seven
Kii SevenJust getting its foot in the door of 2024 before it slams shut is the Kii Seven. Given the extraordinary monitoring impact of the Kii Three over the last five years or so, a more compact version of the same technology from the same Bruno Putzeys brain was likely to be significant. And the Kii Seven doesn’t disappoint. In some ways, it’s perhaps a stronger overall package than the Kii Three because it’s more suited to compact studio spaces, and it’s significantly less expensive (although still unaffordable for most of us). But it has the same otherwordly ability to make mix details audible that most mortal monitors pass by completely. And the best thing, from my speaker engineer perspective, is that there’s no snake oil or magic involved in the Kii Seven’s performance, just brilliant and innovative electro‑acoustic design and engineering. Phil Ward
Microphones
Warm Audio WA-19
Warm Audio WA‑19Cloning vintage gear has always been Warm Audio’s core business, but the quality and accuracy of their reproductions has reached new heights in the last couple of years. The WA‑19 is the first ever attempt to replicate a classic moving‑coil dynamic mic — the legendary AKG D19 — and the results are impressive. Sam Inglis
BeesNeez Lulu Tube
BeesNeez Lulu TubeThe Lulu Tube was my first encounter with Australian mic manufacturers BeesNeez, and I was suitably impressed. Hand‑built small‑diaphragm valve capacitor mics can often come with a hefty price tag (especially vintage models!), so it’s great to have an option that’s within reach of a small‑studio owner like myself. Great on strings, acoustic guitar, drum overheads, and even vocals, these little mics can be detailed and clean when needed while offering a nice sense of subtle tube saturation when pushed a little harder. Neil Rogers
Earthworks DM6
Earthworks DM6I probably own a dozen mics that I’d cheerfully use on snare drums or toms, but getting a decent sound from close‑miked bass drums always seems like more of a challenge. The Earthworks DM6 solves that challenge at a stroke, presenting the perfect balance of low‑end thump and transient punch with minimal processing required. Sam Inglishttps://sosm.ag/earthworks‑dm6I probably own a dozen mics that I’d cheerfully use on snare drums or toms, but getting a decent sound from close‑miked bass drums always seems like more of a challenge. The Earthworks DM6 solves that challenge at a stroke, presenting the perfect balance of low‑end thump and transient punch with minimal processing required. Sam Inglishttps://sosm.ag/earthworks‑dm6I probably own a dozen mics that I’d cheerfully use on snare drums or toms, but getting a decent sound from close‑miked bass drums always seems like more of a challenge. The Earthworks DM6 solves that challenge at a stroke, presenting the perfect balance of low‑end thump and transient punch with minimal processing required. Sam Inglis
JZ Microphones BT202
JZ Microphones BT202Latvian mic manufacturers JZ have built a great reputation in recent years for their distinctive‑looking mics that offer excellent value for money. I got to try out the BT202, their first ever small‑diaphragm capacitor mic, and found it to be one the best‑sounding mics I’ve tried on my studio upright piano. With its detailed, balanced sound and excellent transient response, it’s become a regular fixture in my studio on any of the sources where you might typically use a pencil mic. Neil Rogers
Audio Interfaces
Audient ORIA
Audient ORIA
Among all the monitor reviews of the year, it was an interface that stood out. Audient’s ORIA is the first reasonably affordable USB interface intended specifically for Atmos mix duties, and if any other interface manufacturers decide to go for the same market, they’re going to have quite a job improving on it. As well as creating an interface that looks and feels just right, Audient have equipped the ORIA with exactly what’s needed for a mid‑sized studio Atmos workflow, and made it delightfully straightforward to configure and use. Slick integration with Sonarworks multi‑channel room and monitor optimisation, and a properly sorted and usable control application, serve to make the ORIA proposition even more convincing. Phil Ward
Blackstar Polar 4
Blackstar Polar 4
The Blackstar Polar 4 has a couple of useful features to help out vocalists and guitarists. The guitar input has a switchable saturation/limit mode that prevents clipping and adds warmth as the input level is raised, while the XLR inputs can be switched to provide a vintage‑style preamp character. Alternatively you can simply use it as a straightforward USB interface with those features turned off. I like the Polar 4 in particular, because those extra ins and outs provide a means to use hardware effects to process the DAW sounds or to record small ensembles, and they also come in handy when re‑amping. There’s a very generous suite of included software, too, including the St James amplifier plug‑ins, and the price is very attractive. Paul White
Lynx Hilo 2
Lynx Hilo 2
The original Lynx Hilo was introduced way back in 2012, and incredibly, despite the passage of a dozen years, few other devices have managed to match, let alone beat, its extraordinary technical performance. However, Lynx are not a company to rest on their laurels, and this year they released an updated version — the Hilo 2 — with the same unique styling and popular feature set, while introducing several key operational improvements and, most importantly, an impressive step up in the technical performance of its converters. The latter have reestablished the Hilo 2 on the top of my converters league table, and I think it’s fair to say that this update represents a phenomenal, benchmark‑setting professional converter with stunning sound quality, superb features, great versatility, and even easier operation than its forebear. Hugh Robjohns
RME UFX III
RME UFX III
RME’s UFX interfaces have held the top spot as the company’s flagship products since 2011, originally offering 60 channels of simultaneous I/O, which was astonishing for the time. Various updates and related models have been introduced since then, culminating in the latest star: the UFX III. For aficionados of RME’s product range, this newest model is functionally similar to the UFX+, but boasts new and seriously impressive converters, a quartet of stunningly clean and noise‑free mic preamps, a wealth of connectivity and features, and USB 3 computer connectivity. With 12 analogue inputs (four mic and eight balanced line), and digital inputs spanning stereo AES3, dual ADAT and 64 channels of MADI, the UFX III accommodates a whopping 94 inputs in total. There are also 94 outputs, including digital, analogue and two stereo headphone feeds — 188 channels in a 1U rackmount box is an impressive feat! I couldn’t fault the UFX III in any way, and it’s impossible not to be impressed by its capabilities, sound quality, and massive connectivity. Hugh Robjohns
MOTU UltraLite Mk5
MOTU UltraLite Mk5
To judge it by its I/O count, the MOTU UltraLite Mk5 would seem pretty unremarkable. But its technical performance is outstanding, while some of its features are borrowed from MOTU’s much more expensive devices. You can remotely control its DSP from your phone, you can drive modular synths with it through its DC‑coupled line outs, and you can master through its top‑tier converters. You can even link all 10 line outs to the front‑panel monitor encoder, making it the smallest and cheapest Atmos‑capable interface around. Factor in MOTU’s excellent form for product support and driver updates, and the Mk5 should serve a lot of users very well, for a very long time. Chris Korff
DAWs
Apple Logic Pro 11
Apple Logic Pro 11
Updates to Logic are always welcome, and this time around, the jump to Logic Pro 11 has improved the auto drummer feature and also added automatic keyboard and bass players, along with new instruments for them to play. These newcomers can generate convincing parts automatically from a chord track populated by the user. Although chords can’t yet be extracted from existing performances, that ability will hopefully be added some time soon. There’s also a new stem splitter that does a fair job of splitting a mixed track into vocals, drums, bass and whatever else remains, though that particular feature only runs on Apple Silicon machines. Paul White
Harrison Mixbus 10 Pro
Harrison Mixbus 10
Harrison’s Mixbus has built its reputation on its ability to deliver both the sound and the recording/mixing workflow of a classic hardware mixing console. It undoubtedly retains those console‑style elements that have always made it unique, but it has evolved into a mature and very well‑featured environment for the recording and mixing of music in almost any style, whether in stereo or — in Mixbus 10 Pro — in Dolby Atmos. If you are looking to recreate the sound and experience of the analogue studio world, but with the convenience of a software environment, Mixbus 10 absolutely nails it. John Walden
PreSonus Studio One Pro 7
PreSonus Studio One Pro 7
PreSonus’ workstation has always felt to me like software for the modern age: fast, user‑friendly, supremely flexible and ceaselessly innovative. Studio One Pro 7 raises the bar considerably. A new Launcher environment takes Ableton’s Session View paradigm but flips it, literally, for an exquisitely fluid relationship between linear and loop‑based workflows. There’s groundbreaking integration with the vast Splice sound library, browsable in‑app, incorporating near‑instantaneous pitch and key recognition. All this, in addition to offline stem separation, cutting‑edge Dolby Atmos mixing/rendering (introduced in version 6), and a beautifully rounded feature set generally, makes this the DAW to beat, I reckon. Robin Bigwood
Synths, Keyboards & Controllers
Arturia PolyBrute 12
Arturia Polybrute 12
It’s rare that something truly innovative appears in the synthesizer world and, when it does, it’s not always the success that its inventors had hoped. But the FullTouch modes embodied in the Arturia PolyBrute 12 take us beyond aftertouch, poly‑aftertouch and even MPE, and at least one of them offers a unique method of shaping notes that can extend players’ performances in ways that we’ve not heard before. I hope enough of us take the time to master FullTouch so that it’s adopted more widely (under licence, of course) and becomes one of our standard forms of keyboard expression. Gordon Reid
Native Instruments’ S88 Mk3
Native Instruments S88 Mk3
I’m a fairly heavy Komplete/Kontakt user, and until recently my controller of choice was the original version of NI’s S61. I often found myself running out of keys, though, and although I’m certainly no pianist, was keen to switch to something with hammer‑action keys. With Native Instruments’ S88 Mk3, browsing instruments and tweaking parameters is easier than ever thanks to its large built‑in display, and both the browser system and Light Guide now work directly with Kontakt rather than relying on the Komplete Kontrol wrapper plug‑in or application. The S88 is also a rare beast in that its hammer‑action keybed boasts polyphonic aftertouch, so as well as doing a great job when paired with piano libraries, it’s also a very capable synth controller. Luke Wood
Nektar Panorama CS12
Nektar Panorama CS12
The Nektar Panorama CS12 goes beyond most singe‑fader surfaces by adding a panel of 12 rotary controls and four buttons to directly access plug‑in parameters. The parameters are displayed automatically in the main display, making it easy to see what you’re tweaking. It works very smoothly and provides direct access to all the commonly used channel functions, and features a coloured LED lighting scheme to help you navigate. It also looks pretty cool! Paul White
FlatSix ARP Of Darkness
FlatSix ARP Of Darkness
Now and again, you come across something that’s simply genius. Earlier in the year, FlatSix released an unassuming little one‑octave button keyboard that fits snugly into a 1U Eurorack space. The Slight Of Hand was useful for quick demos and drone notes, and it earned a place in my case. A while later FlatSix released new firmware and a front panel that has radically transformed my approach to almost every patch I make. The Slight Of Hand became a most unusual arpeggiator: one which you add notes to, like an X0X sequencer, but can then shift to accommodate new notes and drop out old ones. It’s instant, interactive, fabulous for live performance and jamming something on the fly. It has multiple play modes, up to 16 notes, looks amazing and has the best name in modular: the ARP Of Darkness. Robin Vincent
Software
SpectraLayers Pro 11
Steinberg SpectraLayers
SpectraLayers Pro 11 has come a remarkable distance since Steinberg acquired it from Magix in 2019. This is, in part, linked to the rapid developments in AI, and many of the improvements in SpectraLayers are built on AI technology. However, what’s just as impressive with SLP 11 is just how accessible it makes insanely complex audio editing tasks — including various types of audio unmixing — available to any level of user. Truly remarkable technology. John Walden
Best Service The Score By Sonuscore
Best Service The Score By Sonuscore
Best Service’s The Score By Sonuscore makes me smile every time I use it. It manages to combine a really good underlying orchestral sample library with an amazing performance engine that lets you sketch out sophisticated orchestral arrangements with a combination of just a few chords, a couple of keyswitches and a nudge or two of the mod wheel. Creating epic orchestral arrangements within your own DAW should not be as easy as this. With an impressive ensemble sound, and a slick workflow, this is a hugely inspiring platform for composition. The Score scores on many levels. John Walden
Cherry Audio Pro Soloist
Cherry Audio Pro Soloist
For many years I’ve been beseeching manufacturers for a softsynth that emulates the ARP Pro Soloist. Although there will be many who don’t understand why I keep banging on about this rickety old preset monosynth, it can sound wonderful, so I have to compliment Cherry Audio’s developers for their excellent job in recreating it. They’ve also extended their virtual Pro Soloist to do things far beyond the capabilities of any original ARP synthesizer. It’s eminently affordable, too. Gordon Reid
Sound Particles inDelay
Sound Particles inDelay
Sound Particles’ inDelay leverages the company’s proprietary 3D surround panning within a delay plug‑in that allows the repeats to be placed (or to wander around within) a surround space. Pretty much every surround format is supported right up to Dolby Atmos, but there’s also a binaural option for those who want to add a sense of space and movement to a stereo headphone mix. Up to 100 delays can be created, making it possible to set up whole clouds of delays within the virtual space. Paul White
sosm.ag/sound-particles-indelay
Accentize dxRevive Pro
Accentize dxRevive Pro
Accentize’s dxRevive Pro has quite simply been the most useful time‑saving tool in my studio this year. It’s a real‑time plug‑in (with a little latency) that cleans up dialogue, removing noise, reverb and common digital artefacts, as well as synthesizing missing high and low frequencies. This year’s update brought new algorithms that give you more options, which made it more usable on a wider range of material. Without a doubt, anyone who does any amount of work with dialogue captured in less than ideal conditions should own this plug‑in. (Now the technology’s there, if they’d only train it to do for acoustic guitar what it does for dialogue!) Matt Houghton
sosm.ag/accentize-dxrevive-pro
Dreamtonics Vocoflex
Dreamtonics’ Vocoflex
I’d never had really good results from formant‑shifting software until Dreamtonics’ Vocoflex ended up on my review to‑do list. Not only does it minimise processing artefacts but it also enables the user to import one or more voice samples and then use their formant structure to modify the voice being processed. It is easy to use, and if you import multiple voice samples, the graphical interface makes it easy to change the influence each imported voice has. There’s also a voice‑changing mode that doesn’t rely on imported voices. Paul White
Synchro Arts VocAlign Pro 6
Synchro Arts VocAlign Pro 6
Quite a lot of the projects I mix involve big stacks of vocals, and although I’ve put Revoice Pro to work on a few occasions when getting takes lined up, I hadn’t actually tried Synchro Arts’ other offerings until VocAlign Pro 6 arrived this year. The big news for Pro Tools users is ARA2 support, which speeds things up significantly and helps make VocAlign feel very much a part of the DAW itself rather than a plug‑in. Equally impressive for me, though, is the introduction of Revoice’s Process Groups function. Being able to quickly create variations of settings to suit different parts and then apply them across groups of tracks has been a huge time‑saver, and I’m already wondering how I put up with doing everything manually! Luke Wood
sosm.ag/synchro-arts-vocalign-6
Oeksound Bloom
Oeksound Bloom
It’s easy to become enamoured of a new plug‑in when you’re reviewing it, but that doesn’t always mean it enters the core arsenal of processors you use on every project. Oeksound’s ‘make it sound better’ Bloom plug‑in absolutely has, and my only reservation is that it sometimes feels like cheating! Sam Inglis
FireSonic FireSpacer
FireSonic FireSpacer
At a NAMM Show a few years back, I tried to persuade some well‑known software makers to build a ‘spectral ducker’. While a conventional ducker pulls down the level of one signal to make room for another, a spectral ducker only ducks conflicting frequencies — and that’s exactly how FireSonic’s FireSpacer works. The result sounds far more natural than a conventional ducker, and it is also very affordable. Paul White
Guitar Technology
Warm Audio Pedal76
Warm Audio Pedal76
I have a number of things that will do the sound of an 1176 very well, but sometimes the way you physically interact with a unit and the information that its control settings and displays give you is what determines how well you will work with it. Like many contemporary recreations of this classic, the Warm Audio Pedal76 is actually quieter than the ‘real thing’ in terms of self‑noise, whilst still offering plenty of the original circuit’s character when pushed, in this case courtesy of a real output transformer. But, nice as it is, it is not the sound that sets the Pedal76 apart for me. Although big by pedal standards, it is a lot smaller than even the half‑rack size of my UREI LA‑4, which means I can more easily keep it right by me when I’m recording. It might seem odd for a unit prominently featuring a footswitch, but it actually makes more sense to me placed on my desktop. Compact pedal compressors also tend not to have space for the full control set, whereas the Pedal76 not only has large, easily viewed controls, but also a real mechanical VU‑meter‑style gain reduction meter — simply the best way to read gain reduction. Dave Lockwood
Universal Audio Lion ’68
Universal Audio Lion ’68
Digital modelling of guitar amps and speaker cabs has come a long way over the last few years such that even very affordable models are capable of a wide range of convincingly authentic tones. But points of difference remain, even if many of them are just in the realm of player preference. Universal Audio’s ‘one amp per pedal’ range, with its one‑size‑fits‑all hardware form factor, no MIDI and limited presets, clearly didn’t suit everyone, but to me, the sound and feel — especially the dynamic touch‑responsiveness — were a cut above anything else on the market. I doubt there’s ever been a multi‑amp modeller made that didn’t have a set of somewhat generic Marshall distortion tones, but a good non‑master‑volume example from the classic years is so much more than that. Marshalls can actually do gloriously rich, musical clean and semi‑clean tones as well as distortion, and those are beautifully represented in the UA modelling. There’s probably nowhere other than a big festival stage where I could turn up the real thing to its sweet spot volume any more, but playing through a Lion ’68 is still like being reunited with an old friend. Dave Lockwood
Fender Tone Master Pro
Fender Tone Master Pro
When the world’s oldest, most storied guitar‑amplifier manufacturer launches a digital amp and effects modelling workstation with a Mac/Windows control app, you know that the guitar world has just shifted on its axis. The Fender Tone Master Pro’s current selection of amplifiers (both their own and from other brands), and wide variety of effects pedals and cabinet IRs, will give you more than enough to be going on with. However, its performance, competitive price point, technology, eight‑core processor and the fact that it has had five updates since launch indicates that Fender are into modelling for the long haul. Bob Thomas
sosm.ag/fender-tone-master-pro
Two notes Genome
Two notes Genome
If all that Two notes’ Genome plug‑in could do is allow you to work with the company’s proprietary amp models and renowned DynIR cabinet impulse responses within your DAW, then it would be a great product. However, the plug‑in is also compatible with AI captures from NAM, Aida‑X and Proteus, and using Two notes’ Codex engine, it can even manipulate these quite extensively — and that’s what could well catapult Genome into being the software hub of choice for those wishing to combine existing collections of plug‑ins with the possibilities offered by AI‑based model captures. Bob Thomas
Positive Grid Spark Go
Positive Grid Spark Go
Positive Grid’s Spark range of phone‑controlled modelling amps keeps growing, with more and bigger models seemingly launched every month. But it’s their smallest, the Spark Go, that I’ve been enjoying the most. Having recently had a son, my ‘studio’ is starting to resemble a crèche storeroom, but the tiny, battery‑powered Spark Go lets me play electric guitar anywhere the baby isn’t sleeping, at any time and with minimal fuss. The tiny speaker punches way above its weight, while the DSP is capable of reproducing any tone you could wish for. It’s a cute gizmo, and a very useful one too. Chris Korff
IK Multimedia Tonex One
IK Multimedia Tonex One
Designed to work in tandem with IK Multimedia’s Tonex amp capture software, the Tonex One provides a means to take a favourite amp rig on the road (or into the studio), all packed in a mini stompbox format fitted with a large Drive knobs plus three small, dual‑function knobs for, EQ, compression and reverb adjustment. The idea is that you use the included Tonex software to set up your ideal amplifier, either by capturing an amp you like or by picking one of the factory options, then you transfer it to the pedal via USB. Neat! Paul White