About the author
Posts by Adam Douglas
Classic Gear: Roland System-100M – Roland’s Finest Hour
26 Apr 2024 in Synths
The Roland System 100M remains a high-water mark for both the company and analogue synthesizers in general. And yet its success was far from guaranteed. Read on to find out why.
DJ Deals: Numark, Ecler, Ortofon and More!
This week’s deals on DJ gear at Thomann include great savings on products from Numark, Ecler, Ortofon, Alto and UDG.Wee Noise Makers PGB-1: Grooves in the palm of your hand
22 Apr 2024 in Synths
New kids on the block Wee Noise Makers want to put their beginner-friendly and hackable PGB-1 groovebox into your hands. The device has 19 sound engines, a sequencer and open-source code, and is crowd-sourcing ...
Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths
19 Apr 2024 in Synths
The Raspberry Pi micro computer is finding its way into more and more synthesizers. Do your synths have a slice of Pi inside? Read on to find out.
Classic Gear: Korg Poly-800 – The affordable ‘80s poly
12 Apr 2024 in Synths
The Korg Poly-800 is about as ‘80s as they come. Here’s how it broke the $1000 price barrier and became a runaway hit.
Suzuki Omnichord OM-108: Hands On With The New Omnichord!
06 Apr 2024 in Synths
Suzuki’s new Omnichord OM-108 combines the best of the old models with modern new features. And yes, you can play the Gorillaz on it.
Eurorack Synthesizers: How modular has changed synths
05 Apr 2024 in Synths
You don’t have to splash out for Eurorack to get some of its benefits. Here are some of the ways that modular has changed traditional synths for the better as well as recommendations for Eurorack ...
Audiotonix STEAM Mixer: What Is A DJ If He Can’t Solder?
Cutting, scratching and soldering: Mixing console experts Audiotonix announce USB-powered educational STEAM two-channel mixer kit.Pioneer DJ XPRS2 Series: 4 New Speakers
Two full-range speakers and two subs join the Pioneer DJ XPRS2 series, expanding the AlphaTheta arsenal to six units.Sequential Prophet X Discontinued – X no longer marks the spot
01 Apr 2024 in Synths
It’s a sad day as Sequential announces the end of the Prophet X: “We'll be waving goodbye to new Prophet X units.”
Virtual Analogue Synthesis – Is it more than just a VST in a box?
29 Mar 2024 in Synths
Virtual analogue gets a bad rap but it has plenty to offer above and beyond traditional analogue. Let’s dive into the history of VA, look at where it excels and try to dispel some myths along the way.
DJ Deals with Denon DJ, Hercules, AKG and More
Denon DJ has two standalone DJ systems on sale right now. Hercules, AKG, UDG and Decksaver get in with fantastic deals as well. Can your credit card handle it?AudioThing Dub Filter: Is that King Tubby’s Big Knob or are you just happy to see me?
26 Mar 2024 in Studio
The latest from the leftfield plugin company is AudioThing Dub Filter, an emulation of the Altec 9069B high-pass filter made famous by reggae legend King Tubby.
British Giants: The History of EMS – On the run
22 Mar 2024 in Synths
The VCS3 launched one of the most influential musical instrument companies ever, the groundbreaking EMS. This is their highly experimental story.
Classic Gear: Kawai K1 – The budget D-50 that was surprisingly popular
15 Mar 2024 in Synths
In the late-‘80s, D-50-style sample synthesis was too expensive for most. Enter the Kawai K1. Is this 8-bit oddity still relevant today?
D16 Group Sigmund 2: The four-part delay is back!
11 Mar 2024 in Studio
D16 Group Sigmund 2, the sequel to the company’s digital delay, ups the modulation count to one per delay line and beefs up the filter section in the process.
The History Of Novation – Hitting Synthesis Peaks
08 Mar 2024 in Synths
England’s Novation have been shining bright in the synthesizer firmament for 30 years. Here is the Bass Station maker's star-studded story.
Classic Gear: Roland TB-303 – Every cloud has a silver lining
03 Mar 2024 in Synths
Roland’s little silver box became a must-have synth on the used market - but was it a failure the first time? All about Roland's TB-303.
Curtis Chip Off The Old Block – Why do synths sound different?
01 Mar 2024 in Synths
A surprising number of synths use the same oscillator and filter Curtis chips. Yet they don’t sound the same. Why is that? Read on to find out.
Synth Effects! 5 Synths With Stellar Effects Sections
27 Feb 2024 in Synths
Transform your synthesis and sound design with synth effects. The modulation and delay sections in these five instruments can take your sounds into wild new territories. Are you ready for the ride?
Korg KingKorg Neo Review: More than just a glitch in the Matrix?
26 Feb 2024 in Synths
The Korg KingKorg Neo sees the underrated 2013 virtual analogue synth get a cosmetic refresh to match the company’s recent roster of digital synths. Is it worth taking a second look at it?
Classic Gear: Roland JX-3P – The synth that thinks it’s a guitar
23 Feb 2024 in Synths
The Roland JX-3P can certainly hold its own against the competition. Did you know that it actually started life as a guitar synthesizer?
British Giants: The History Of Chris Huggett
16 Feb 2024 in Synths
Chris Hugget, designer of the Wasp, pioneered a hybrid analogue/digital synthesis and perfected it in instruments for EDP, OSC, Novation and more.