earthside_mixlab's Reviews

Compact and Capable

25 keys, 8 MPC-style pads, 8 MIDI-assignable knobs, on-board arpeggiator, & a joystick for X-Y manipulation all in one very portable package.

An excellent assistant control surface in the studio and on the go.

Funkin' Function.

Allow me to start by saying that this is my first hardware synthesizer. I have only used VSTs so far, but dang...I feel like I have made a perfect first choice, especially since I'm using other Roland AIRA gear. They Key Hold function makes it simple to create a fat, harmonic drone and the arpeggio function paired with the AIRA line's thematic Scatter makes instant tweaking very accessible, because manipulating the parameters the Scatter function has control of would be nigh-impossible to do manually.

That said, I feel like I have only begun to explore the sounds that this tit bit of kit is capable of generating. Now, I am only looking more hungrily at the System-1m and delving into world modular synthesis. I'm also looking forward to the Plug-Out possibilities, though I feel like the Roland Boutique line has taken a few of them away.

Acid AF.

This little box allows me to bring an old-school element to my work that was delivered by many of my favorite artists from back in the day. The classic "Acid" sound oozes out of this little guy with every note and gushes when you crank the resonance knob. I initially had reservations about the touchpad interface, but have since come to appreciate how streamlined it is, especially considering how notoriously difficult to program the original TB-303 is said to be. All said and done, the TB-3 is a lot of fun to work with and I am looking forward to hearing what I can squeeze out of it.

Huge Potential

I am very impressed by the versatility of the MX-1. Being able to tie my DAW seamlessly to the rest of my AIRA gear and pretty much any instrument with an audio output is allowing my performance and production to take great strides. With all the onboard effects and functions, it does almost everything I would want a mixer to do. The only thing I would like from this device that it doesn't deliver is a three-band EQ, but the existing EQ functionality is efficient and sufficient enough. Otherwise, a very powerful tool that has become the hub of my rig.

Clean and Intuitive

The interface and workflow of this DAW is just as good for live performance as it is for all your studio needs. A powerful audio platform for the core of your music rig. Everything is accessible and straight-forward in the clean interface, which can be further enhanced by the intuitive control of the APC40 mkII, the Push, or other compatible hardware.

Roland classics reborn!

All I have to say is that I, legit, take this thing with me all kinds of places...almost every day...just in case I have an idea for a beat.

Thank you, Roland! <3 I love this thing. <3

Workflow!

Even though this Ableton controller is great fun to use for live applications for all the obvious reasons, I'm most pleased with what it has done for my workflow in production. Being able to manipulate Ableton while recording in the way that this device allows has not only dramatically shortened the time it takes for me to arrange my work, it also makes it a much more creative and enjoyable process.

ALL THE DANG!!!

I had some very high expectations from this very unique VST and I was not let down. BT & iZotope got together to bring us a tool that can either gently accent or utterly destroy any audio from instruments, to samples, to vocals. I have used it in every project ever since I purchased it and I expect to be using it extensively in the future.

TOP NOTCH!!

...from my cold, dead hands...

A true workhorse, I will never part with them.

Dang! Just DANG!

Even though it ships with AKAI hardware as a freebie, this synth has a lot going for it. Most notable to me are the four customizable 'Morph' settings that can tweak the instrument in some very satisfying ways. Even if this wasn't a freebie from AKAI, I would see myself seeking out a synth that does exactly what the Hybrid3 does.

Aggressive sound made simple.

This plug-in does one thing and does it well, it allows you to make whatever you run through it really STAND OUT. Also, it amuses you while you crank the knobs to squeeze every last bit of juice out of that particular channel.