2008 EDITORS' CHOICE AWARDS

Jan 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By the EM Staff

EFFECTS PROCESSOR
(Hardware)

Roland VG-99
($1,399 [MSRP])

Ever since it released the VG-8, Roland has been in the forefront of guitar-modeling technology. However, the company pulled out all the stops for its VG-99 V-Guitar system and produced an outstanding and versatile new processor.

To get the most from the VG-99, you'll need a guitar with a 13-pin output (such as the optional Roland GK-3 pickup), which gives you access to two separate COSM modeling engines that can be layered together. Available models include a range of acoustic and electric guitars, synth sounds (including the GR-300), and amp emulations. You get a dual effects processor to further shape your sounds, and you can choose from a selection of alternate tuning presets or program your own.

One of the most useful features the VG-99 has that its predecessors didn't is a guitar-to-MIDI converter, which turns your 13-pin output into MIDI and allows you to trigger external instruments. And in addition to the ribbon controller, Roland has added a D-Beam controller to the VG-99, which lets you sustain notes, control the filter, create whammy-bar-style effects, and more just by waving your hand over the unit.

VG processors have always been easy to use, but what's impressive about the VG-99 is that it's still quite user friendly despite being more complex than its predecessors. Editing is made even easier with the included software-based graphical editor (Mac/Win) and USB 2.0 connectivity.

With the VG-99, Roland has exceeded the standards that it set with its previous VG products. As a result, it gets a unanimous nod for the Editors' Choice Award in this category.

FIELD RECORDER

Korg MR-1000
($1,499 [MSRP])

Handheld stereo digital recorders have been appearing at an unprecedented rate. Two of the most exciting models to come along are the Korg MR-1000 and its pint-size sibling, the MR-1 ($899 [MSRP]). Both offer capabilities you won't find in other field recorders — most notably support for 1-bit audio, the encoding scheme used by Super Audio Compact Discs (SACD) and other ultra-high-fidelity formats. They also record 16- and 24-bit Broadcast WAV files at rates as high as 192 kHz.

The MR-1000 is a compact tabletop recorder that's powered by eight AA batteries or a 12 VDC adapter and comes with a handy padded carrying case. For 1-bit recording, its maximum sampling rate is 5.64 MHz, twice that of the MR-1 and 128 times that of a standard audio CD. But we aren't awarding the MR-1000 for its specs; we're simply knocked out by its sound. With good mics and good technique, just about anything you record with the MR-1000 sounds as natural and lifelike as any recording you've ever heard, at any price.

The MR-1000's 40 GB internal hard drive holds hours of recordings, which you can easily transfer to and from your computer with the unit's built-in USB 2.0 jack and accompanying AudioGate (Mac/Win) software. With balanced XLR/TRS combo inputs, balanced XLR outputs, unbalanced RCA outputs, switchable phantom power, and an onboard limiter, the MR-1000 offers a variety of analog connectivity. A bright LCD lets you easily access the recorder's intuitive user interface, and dedicated transport buttons and level knobs control traditional recorder functions. Because it's ideal for live or field recordings, as well as for archiving recordings in any format with the highest possible accuracy, the MR-1000 gets EM's strongest recommendation.

GUITAR AMP/EFFECTS MODELER
(Software)

Line 6 GearBox Plug-In Gold 3.10
(Mac/Win, $499 [street])

Every time you turn around, someone is launching software that models guitar amps, speakers, and effects. But Line 6 has stayed on top by constantly bringing new hardware and software to the table. Over the years, the company has pioneered multi-effects pedalboards, standalone computer software, guitar and bass amplifiers and cabinets, and even acoustic and electric guitars that incorporate physical modeling to give you the most sounds in the least amount of space. Now GearBox Plug-In Gold gives you every model and tone in Line 6's extensive collection of virtual stompboxes, rackmount effects, mics, preamps, and amp and cabinet combinations.

Because you can use GearBox Plug-In within AU, RTAS, and VST hosts, all your settings are saved along with your song files. Want to put some Roland Space Echo and Vox Uni-Vibe on your solo guitar part, played through a vintage 1973 Hiwatt 100 and a 4 × 10 Fender Bassman cabinet? Not a problem — and you can save the whole rig as a user preset.

GearBox Plug-In comes with its own low-latency USB audio interface, a direct box called the TonePort DI. It also includes GearBox, a standalone application containing features the streamlined plug-in lacks, such as a rock-solid tuner, a file player, and online access to Line 6's library of tones, tunes, and lessons. Though optimized for guitar and bass, the collection supplies tons of presets suitable for keyboards, drums, vocals — in fact, any sound assigned to any audio track. GearBox Plug-In is available in two bundles, Silver and Gold, which differ in the number of models and tones they include. For the real deal, go for the Gold; it's the best amp and effects modeling software EM has tried in the past year, and it's a winner.

INSTRUMENT CONTROLLER

Kurzweil SP2X Stage Piano
($1,390 [MSRP])

Kurzweil is a name that's been synonymous with high-quality piano sounds for years, and the new SP2X Stage Piano stays true to the company's legacy. The instrument provides 64-voice polyphony alongside 16-part multitimbral operation and includes an internal USB interface with MIDI I/O for transferring data to a computer or updating its operating system.

The keyboard will be at home in your studio, onstage, or anywhere in between. At just under 50 pounds, and designed with travel in mind, it's light enough for one person to manage. Its well-designed front panel, complete with four flexible multipurpose knobs, makes it easy to adjust parameters, even in low-light situations.

The SP2X's action is well suited to both rapid staccato passages and smooth lyrical lines, and the 88-key fully weighted action offers just the right amount of response, though you can pick from any of seven Velocity sensitivity levels to configure the axe to your playing style. With a wide range of internal sounds that extends well beyond the basics, not to mention its 64 prerecorded drum grooves and large number of effects, the SP2X will be a great partner in any musical situation.

MICROPHONE

Mojave Audio MA-100
($795 [MSRP])

There were plenty of microphones in the running this year, many of which were ribbon transducers. However, it was a small-diaphragm tube condenser mic that swept the votes. Designed by David Royer, the man behind a handful of top-notch ribbon mics (including two previous Editors' Choice Award winners), the Mojave Audio MA-100 provides a modern take on a classic configuration.

The MA-100 features a 0.8-inch diaphragm and utilizes a JAN 5840 vacuum tube and a Jensen transformer. The mic's frequency response includes peaks around 200 Hz and 6 kHz, which give it a lively presence and bite without sacrificing dimensionality and depth. In fact, the MA-100's presence peak, as well as its ability to handle high SPLs, means it can cover a number of applications, according to reviewer Eli Crews, such as miking drums, electric and acoustic guitars, bowed strings, and vocals.

The MA-100 comes with a pair of interchangeable capsules — omnidirectional and cardioid — to give you additional flexibility. The result is a high-quality, all-around tube microphone with a modern sound that won't break the bank.