User reviews on musical instruments and audio gear

If you’re looking for a unique Distortion that bites, yet cleans up very well, Proud Addams may be the ticket. And if you wanted to add in a Filter with vocoder characteristics (for that cocked wah s…

HwaCha Distortion is a true bypass pedal by the South Korean company Pedal Mob. It derives its name from a weapon described as ‘an arm shooting many arrows at once, used from the 15th through 17th ce…

If you find this review useful, below is a link for a Crowd Funder for Hagerman Amplification’s POWER BABY Power Amp (with a big discount until Oct 11/25). I receive no remuneration or gratuity, and …

Choir Master Chorus is one of four Pedal Mob pedals (S. Korea) I plan to review. Three things that stand out with this company is pricing, simplicity and quality of standards. Pricing is very reasona…

These digital broadcast consoles can be used in traditional music recording studios with the right configuration of modules and a LOT of wiring. Mine started out life in 2002 as a 12 fader producer'…

Totally worth the money if you're still somewhere using the analog stage of recording or mastering! I see people selling this thing for 50 euros now, which is insane value for money. Me and my cou…

I bought Tascam DR-70d earlier this year (2025) second hand, but for the second time! In 2018 I bought one new. I sold it in 2024 but regretted it. I also owned Tascam DR-07. Handier, but a lot more…

The Behringer MIC500USB is a compact tube preamp that also doubles as a USB interface. It delivers warm, analog character at a very reasonable price. I love it, even if it can occasionally produce a …

Audio guy here! You're looking at a fantastic piece of gear, a digitally controlled analogue patchbay via proprietary software: just connect everything here, and then choose, at a glance of a mouse c…

I have had Ark-70 for over 10 years and still counting. It is reliable and well built to last. Compared to other brands, it will give them a good run for their money. But over the years i have been e…

Usage: In a rock band. Currently: Home studio, rehearsal room. I tested before: Korg Nautilus, Dexibell Combo J7, Kurzweil Forte 88, Kurzweil PC3 and PC4 88 instruments. PC4-7 advantages: Very d…

I bought the MFB Nanozwerg after owning a MFB 522, and when I was starting to get a bit tired of my Behringer Crave — a nice synth, but a bit too tame in character. The contrast was immediate. Wha…

I mainly use the Korg X-911 with my synths, controlled via CV/gate through a Korg SQ-1, which supports the Hz/oct standard. Occasionally, I also use it with a guitar or bass, but that’s more the exce…

The Volca Keys was my first compact analog synthesizer. I’d previously owned a Minikorg 700, and I missed it. As a big fan of Korg’s sound, I was immediately curious. I sold it a few months ago witho…

It was hard to believe how much functionality was packed into such a compact unit, especially at that price. The sound was excellent—clean, with no noise. It’s not analog, but you wouldn’t guess it f…

I’ll admit, I didn’t really need it… but when you see a synth inspired by the legendary MS-20, used by many of your favorite artists, it’s hard not to jump in. The K2 ended up surprising me, and in a…

I grabbed the Behringer Crave during a great promotion, and honestly, no regrets, no matter the price. At the time, I also had a Behringer 2600 (which I still own), and I was a bit lost in the comple…

I use Korg DS-10 either on its own or routed through effects pedals. The Nintendo DS comes with obvious limitations, and as far as I know, there’s no MIDI support. But honestly, that doesn’t stop thi…

A highly versatile amp that really needs to be paired with an attenuator to fully enjoy its potential. Great clean tone, overdrive is a joy, and distortion is very, very solid. It also responds exc…

I mustn't forget to mention that this unit also offers a spring reverb, and the two effects can be combined with a simple potentiometer! This model has much more character and grit compared to the cl…

Made in Russia in the early 2000s, it comes equipped with a 6N2P-EV tube, which I have no intention of replacing. I might consider getting an adapter to try out my European and American NOS vintage t…

I received this pedal just a few days ago, and where to start? Equipped with two Electro-Harmonix 12AX7EH tubes, it's undoubtedly the wildest pedal I've ever owned. It quickly became my favorite. I t…

The BST LM-200, manufactured in Japan in the 1970s, is a high-quality studio phaser. It features a bypass circuit that can be activated manually or via a footswitch located at the back of the unit. U…

This vintage tube amp, made in the UK, is still in excellent condition and has been well maintained by its previous owner (and me now, haha). I bought it as soon as I saw it, at a very reasonable pri…

The closest twin to the famous Moog DFAM, but MIDI compatible. I bought it on a whim, thinking it would pair well with my Behringer Crave. Joking aside, I’ve used the Crave four times, and I've lost …