Showing posts with label bluetooth headphones reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bluetooth headphones reviews. Show all posts

Yamaha DGX640W Digital Piano (Walnut)

Yamaha DGX640W Digital Piano
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $1,299.00
Sale Price: $599.99
Today's Bonus: 54% Off
Buy Now

  • 88-key Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) weighted action
  • Decorative wooden stand, PA150 adapter & sustain pedal included
  • More DSP effects for more realism of all Voices
  • Backlit LCD displays lyrics, chords & notation
  • Front panel USB to Device: connect optional USB storage devices

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

First off, I'm not sure why the other reviewer gave this product only a 3/5 rating... admitting he is not a pianist and is unfamiliar with pianos in general, I hope other potentials buyers do not read his review as an expert opinion.

As a working and studying musician, I have spent a lot of time around acoustic and electronic pianos of many types/brands. I'll admit, I've never been a huge fan of some Yamaha grands, but this product was impressively different. The hammer action of the weighted keys is much fuller than other electronic keyboards I've played, the speakers are very clear and pretty powerful, and the stand and pedal set is a great compliment to the instrument! And aside from the piano sounds, the other instruments are pretty great and fun. The range of possible applications of this instrument is huge!

Also as a composer, I love the USB ports that allow you to hook up to your computer. I can input notes into my notation software with the simple press of the appropriate key, which is very helpful when creating large/long pieces.

One thing to think about when considering an electric piano is that no synthetic piano will be the same as an acoustic. While some instruments -like this one, the Yamaha DGX-640come close, nothing can replace the feel and response of a real piano. So the best advice I can offer is to, if you can, go to a store somewhere and experience the difference for yourself. Even though it can't replicate the feel of an acoustic 100%, it doesn't mean that you can't still find a quality product.

I recommend this piano to anyone! And with it's wide range of possibilities there's room for a lot of fun and productivity.

Buy Yamaha DGX640W Digital Piano (Walnut) Now

We just bought one of these because my daughter needed

a keyboard or piano that would respond to touch like a

piano for her piano lessons. Although I am a beginner

piano player myself, I think the keys behave like real

piano keys (in terms of response to force of touch)

and the sound is just incredible--I would not know

the difference between this and a real piano if I

couldn't see them. There is an amazing number of things

you can do with it, although we haven't really worked

through them yet--practice songs (although the repertoire

is not huge; maybe 20 or so songs) and play to a very large

variety of background rhythms and accompaniments, as well

as export what you've played to a computer. I'm not sure

we'll use all these features, because we really just

got it for the weighted key action and it does beautifully

at that, but they're nice to have for the future if we

do continue to play. My daughter adds, "it will keep me

busy for a long time."

It's a decent-looking machine

but is not a beautiful piece of furniture like a piano;

the "wood" portions are clearly synthetic, but seem

sturdy.

We bought it locally for about the same price listed

here and paid about $75 for delivery, but it came with

headphones and bench so I thought it was a good deal.

Read Best Reviews of Yamaha DGX640W Digital Piano (Walnut) Here

I just started learning to play the piano again. I am learning late in life and needed all of the help I could muster. So I researched, and researched and researched keyboards. Almost until the point where I was dizzy from all of the facts and figures coming back to me. And every time I started researching a new keyboard, the Yamaha DGX 640 kept winning out. I charted comparable facts. I graphed comparable facts. I mapped comparable facts. I compared and compared some more. And finally, I decided on the Yamaha DGX 640 and bought it.

Now I have used it for two months, in conjunction with a wonderful online product called "Piano For All", which I completely recommend as well with five stars too.

This is a fantastic keyboard. The voices alone are amazing. And if someone tells you that voices are not important, then consider this: When you get tired of practicing Hanon exercises or running scales, change the voice of the keyboard to a Harp, Violin, Guitar or Sitar. It will throw new life and fun times back into your practice.

I cannot recommend this keyboard more. Sure there are much prettier keyboards, and later I plan to buy another more PIANO LOOKING keyboard for the living room to entertain. But this will be the work horse of music in my house from now on.

Thank you Amazon for providing such a wonderful product with such wonderful service and speedy delivery. I am so happy I could pee!

Want Yamaha DGX640W Digital Piano (Walnut) Discount?



The video is a recording I made of me playing this piano. I recorded it via the method I listed in the "update" at the bottom of this review. This recording has been compressed, so the actual audio quality of the piano is much better (and there is no static).

I've had this for about 2 weeks and I'm really pleased. I did a lot of research and tried out all the options (in stores) several times. It came down to this unit or the Casio Privia PX-330. Both keyboards are nice, but I liked the Yamaha better. Although it was a couple hundred more, I think it's worth it. I always played on a soft old upright piano growing up, so the Grand Piano sound coming out of this keyboard is actually better than anything I've ever owned before. So as someone who is not used to a grand piano, this sounds beautiful. The weight of the keys feels just right, and the sensitivity can actually be adjusted to play louder or softer with the same kind of force. The built-in speakers were the best of its price range, plus it sounds beautiful through headphones as well.

This keyboard has a really easy user interface to work with. There are lots of buttons and an easy-to-read display, and I like the spin wheel for easily scrolling through menus. For me, the buttons are easy to read and make sense as to where they are grouped together. I also like the number pad for keying in specific voices or styles. Overall it's just simple and intuitive to figure out. So far I've recorded several tracks and put them on a USB thumb drive, which was super simple, and I've even plugged it into my Macbook and played around on Garage Band. It works seamlessly with my laptop (can't remember if I had to download software for it or not).

One complaint is that the volume comes in really low on recordings when you listen to them on the computer, and I'm not sure if that's something I can fix or not. Also, it would be a huge help if the headphone jack were in the front, instead it's actually behind the music stand, which seems to be the most inconvenient place they could have found. I haven't bought the 3-pedal unit, mostly because I think it's just ugly, and it looks like it would sit too far forward, like you'd have to scrunch your legs up to hit it rather than stretch them out normally. The included pedal likes to slide all over the place on my wood floor, and I plan on upgrading to a half-damper pedal.

Getting it out of the box and setting up the stand was a cinch, and it's very sturdy. I got the cherry finish, and I personally quite like it. It is particle board, but it doesn't look too cheap. I saw that the Casio did not come with a stand, and if I wanted a wood frame, it would cost me another $120. So for me, between the superior user interface and the included stand, I think the Yamaha is actually a much better value. So far I'm very pleased and don't have an ounce of buyer's remorse. I will update if anything changes.

*******UPDATE*******

I was very disappointed to learn that this keyboard is unable to record songs as mp3 files, it will only do MIDI files. When I played the MIDI files back on my laptop (after loading them onto a USB drive) they are in a cheap sounding piano voice. The Grand Piano Live! voice does not transfer with the recording. I wasn't about to purchase a really expensive music program just so I could replicate the Grand Piano voice on my computer that I already paid for with the keyboard. HOWEVER, I did figure out that running an audio cable from the "headphone out" jack on the keyboard to the "microphone in" jack on my laptop and recording the audio directly into GarageBand works beautifully and can be saved as an mp3 or any other file format. Voila problem solved!

Buy Fom Amazon Now

I've had my 640 for about a month, not totally happy with this Yamaha offering. I read numerous reviews and obviously no one mentioned the following The "awesome, real piano sounds" mmmm, all the Grand Piano "voices" above middle C sounded like steel drums (using the built-in speakers or amplification) I tried to adjust the sound with the variousDSP, Harmony, Reverb setting (which is a pain) I spent endless hours trying to get the 640 to sound somewhat like a Grand Piano, in the end I settled for the E.Piano offering.

The buttons on the keyboard intro/ending button and the Auto-fill button are right next to each other, not good. I can't tell you how many times I tried to change the "auto-fill" while playing and reading, and accidentally hitting the wrong button thus ending the song. The "Weighted Keys" again mmmm, are noisy, no matter what setting you're at (3 settings)but are acceptable compared to other synth. type keys

The unit has one auto-intro/ending style no matter what tempo or style you're playing it has this cheesy ending, no auto fade which would be a lot better, and more useful. Come on Yamaha, don't give me the excuse about price points etc replace the auto ending with auto fade. In retrospect I should have looked at other Piano Manftrs. My last 3 keyboards have been Yamaha and I own a 309 Clavinova (great machine) I bought the DGX 640 for mobility and being able to swap Midi files between the unitsthat didn't work as the "voices" sound almost totally different even though the have the same name. I suspect Yamaha WILL change the button positions they did this with the Clavinova model, and make some other necessary common-sense design adjustments. I'm surprised to see Yamaha who have all this experience making such basic errors, who test drove this unit? Don't get taken in with the Yamaha Marketing all these guys on YOUTUBE demo-ing the unit etc. Paul Barrtmans or who ever, take it from someone who uses it daily -(or not) make you're own mind up based on functionality don't get caught-up in the "nice new unit" and the sales pitch.play with the unit for awhile BEFORE considering purchase. This is my 10c worth, hope someone finds it useful-

American Dj Dura Clamp Clamp For Light Bridge One System

American Dj Dura Clamp Clamp For Light Bridge One System
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $2.95
Sale Price: $1.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
Buy Now

  • Lighting clamp designed for the Dura Truss system
  • Maximum load: 20 lbs.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Got these but they don't fit on my light bar I got from GC. So I had to send them back

Buy American Dj Dura Clamp Clamp For Light Bridge One System Now

Does the job at an affordable price! Defiantly a must have to keep around the house for a DJ like me. I have several!

Read Best Reviews of American Dj Dura Clamp Clamp For Light Bridge One System Here

I picked these clamps over many others because they fit the application better than most for a light duty application on a 3/4 inch truss frame plus the price is reasonable for the quality of the clamp. I have used them now for a few years and they have never failed or created a problem and have taken all the abuse I have put them through.

Want American Dj Dura Clamp Clamp For Light Bridge One System Discount?

great clamp to hang up my laser lighting equipment to my truss. holds tight and don't have to worry of it falling

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Good Clamp. And very good priced. Would not trust on a light 20 pounds or more if you have a light 15 pounds or more I would get a safety cable on the light/truss or what ever you are using for a light fixture.

M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface with GT-Player Express Software

M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface with GT-Player Express Software
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • USB audio interface for recording guitar and vocals on Mac or PC music software
  • Dynamic microphone input (XLR) with gain control and signal LEDs
  • Switchable 1/4-inch instrument/line input and 1/8-inch stereo headphone output
  • Drag-and-drop loop-based music creation > make great music even if it's your first time
  • Jam and record your own tracks for guitar, vocals, keyboards and more > embrace your inner rock star

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I read several reviews of this product before buying it so I knew what I was getting into. It seemed like the mix of comments were either the product was really good or really horrible. The horrible comments seemed to center around difficulty with the setttings. Hopefully what I write here will help someone else get it up and running b/c I think it really is a nice product for the $.

This product works great with my MacBook using garageband. It sounds really good too and the price is definitely right. That's the good news. The bad news is that it does take some time to fiddle with the settings to get working. Once you know what to do though, it's a snap.

First off, my mac recognized the box right off the bat since its USB compliant. I didn't have to do anything for it to recognize the box. However, two settings must be configured properly on the mac to get it to work the rest of the way: the input and output settings in the "sound" settings of the "System Properties" need to be set to "Fast Track USB." Make sure to crank the volume on the input setting all the way up (to the right). Second, you have to set your garageband settings properly...

Go into Garageband's "Preference" menu item and set the input and output to "Fast Track USB" as well. Then, plug your guitar into the 1/4" jack on the box. Finally, create a "real instrument" in garageband. You have to set the real instrument's track to read CHANNEL 2 and set the "monitor" to "on." That way you'll be able to hear the guitar through your speakers connected to the box (Incidentally, the XLR input on the box s/b considered channel 1 and the 1/4" input channel 2).

On the box, set the "mix" knob all the way to the right (full "playback" mode). Set the XLR "input" knob on the box all the way to the left. Set the "Output" knob high to the right. Now start playing your guitar. You should now be able to hear your guitar just fine through your speakers.

The extra software that comes with the box is awesome too expecially the GT effects software. This stuff has really great sounds. With this, you won't need all the effects pedals; it's all right there with GT.

Now, the manuals are really poor. You'll find no help in them. In trying to get this thing working I poured over the forum comments on m-audio's site. Review comments their gave me some idea of what to do, but not completely. I had to do a little google searching before I got the other answers to the puzzle. Therefore, I only gave the product a total of 4 stars: 4 stars for the great sound and awesome software, but a ding for the crappy manuals and website support. I would buy the product again though.

Buy M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface with GT-Player Express Software Now

I've got to say that this unit works perfectly with my wife's powerbook. Unlike other posters, I had NO problems with it at all on my G5 at work, my G4 at home and her powerbook. The sound is fantastic and it works really well with the Apple audio control program which recognizes it right away. My setup for mic level input includes a professional mic which is amplified by a separate mic amp. The output of that line level amp feeds right into this unit. Additionally, the sound output to my headphones is a step above what is built into my G5.

Read Best Reviews of M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface with GT-Player Express Software Here

Like one reviewer noted I too experienced an extremely high noise level plugging an electric guitar into the 1/4" jack. The direct box into the XLR input is the way to go. I hope this is limited to just our interfaces and not the whole batch produced. This product when using Windows ONLY works with XP It wouldn't install on my Millenium Edition computer. I have set up my laptop with Sonar Home Studio 4.0 and the Fast Track works great for laying down ideas on the road. Latency is minimal, and works well as an external sound card. I'm surprised that M-Audio didn't include a software mixer like other interfaces. It's a value for an interface less than $100.

Want M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface with GT-Player Express Software Discount?

I've been using this for a while now under both Mac and Windows. Setup on the Mac was dead simple, but I never did figure out how to manually set the latency in OSX. The latency in GarageBand can get a little rough when you add some effects, but that's likely more to do with my processor (a G4 PowerBook) than the interface. But overall I don't even remember setting it up on my laptop, which is probably a good sign.

On Windows I didn't have too many problems once I got the Vista drivers. I've been using CakeWalk Music Maker 4, and once you get the right audio setting in the application (which can be a bit of a pain, but again not M-Audio's fault) you're set. Though I will say that disconnecting the USB cord while the sound card is busy is the one time I've managed a blue screen in Vista! But that's not entirely unreasonable. As far as latency goes, I've got a fast enough processor that if I set the latency on the Fast Track to the minimum (this can be set through the control panel in Windows) I get no perceivable latency. Oh, and if you're not using the ASIO drivers, that's probably part of your problem.

I've been using the 1/4" jack with little problem...I have to up the input levels in my application (which is a pain in GarageBand, easier in Cakewalk) but as long as I stay away from the monitor and fluorescent lights I don't really get any considerable noise. I may try the XLR route anyway, though.

This is a perfectly serviceable item for somebody just looking to do some casual recording on the PC, or in place of an amp when traveling (also allows for a wide array of amp/effect combinations without buying hardware). If you're looking to do anything even semi-serious (such as recording multiple instruments, or record actual tracks with a band) you might want to spend a little more. But for "personal" use thing thing's great...better than anything else I've seen or sampled in the same price range.

Also I've noticed that a large number of the negative reviews seem to have more to do with setup problems (or incompatibility problems) than the actual quality of the product. Like I said, I don't even remember setting it up on a Mac and on Windows (Vista) it was relatively simple. Provided you're moderately competent with computers you should have little trouble.

Buy Fom Amazon Now



The hardware device works great with my Intel Core2 duo MacBook and an electric guitar. I was surprised how well it worked! I had mixed results with an acoustic guitar using a sound-hole external pickup, but was still usable (just really quiet) Here are some things I've learned...

*The knobs on the front of the unit are only used to control the mix and volume of the playback back to you if you are using the RCA-out for monitors or are using the headphone jack on the unit. They serve NO purpose for recording.

*The stereo mono switch is only used to separate sound in the playback. Mono will mix both signals into both speakers. Stereo will play the mic out of one speaker and the instrument out of the other. No recording use on this switch either.

*The signal LED is only for the Mic input. Don't worry if it doesn't seem to be working when you're just laying down guitar tracks.

*It is important to use the line level/guitar switch on the back correctly (this WILL affect recording)!

*In your Mac system settings make sure to set both the sound in and out to the Fasttrack.

*In GarageBand make sure both the input and output in the preferences are set to the fasttrack unit (make sure it's attached and powered up before you launch GB). Plug in your guitar and Mic. Create 2 new tracks in garageband. Make sure to assign the vocal track to channel 1 and the guitar to channel 2 or this won't work. You also want to make sure to turn the monitor setting to ON so you can hear it in your headphones you've plugged into the fasttrack.

*If you are getting a lot of noise and static (like I was initially) move the fastrack unit as far away from your PC as possible. This really helped cut down on the noise. It works even better if I use a powered USB hub to get even farther away from the PC. Same for your Mic and Instrument. Although the sound transmission is digital from the Fasttrack to the Mac, the sound the FastTrack picks up is analog and it doesn't seem to be well shielded or grounded.

*The included Live Lite software is bad. Skip it all together. Even the included tutorial was awful. It kept telling me to click on things in panels that are hidden by default, with no instruction on where to find them to display them. Stick to GarageBand.

Great little unit. One of my favorite Christmas presents ever!

Roland Mobile Cube Battery-Powered Stereo Amp Bundle with AC Adapter, 10-Foot Instrument Cable, Hea

Roland Mobile Cube Battery-Powered Stereo Amp Bundle with AC Adapter, 10-Foot Instrument Cable, Headphones, Pick Card, and Polishing Cloth
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $262.00
Sale Price: $209.99
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
Buy Now

  • Unlimited uses: electric and acoustic guitar, keyboards, computer audio, MP3 or CD playback, mini-PA, field recorder playback and much more
  • Get great instrument and vocal tones with stereo sound and built-in effects: overdrive, chorus, delay and reverb
  • Truly portable amplification: fits in a briefcase and runs on batteries!
  • Play any instrument along with your favorite songs, or sing along using Center Cancel for karaoke

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I am very impressed with the quality of the amp. It has a terrific sound is and perfect for traveling. It is also versatile. I used this with a guitar and my Roland Total Percussion Pad and it worked well with both. It has a nice tonal quality. It is not the loudest amp I have ever heard, but I am impressed with how much sound comes from that size amp. I purchased this package since it appeared to be the best deal. Purchasing the amp and the the power cord alone would cost the same price so I did not expect much from the other aspects of the package. The headphones I must say are terrible. They are cheap and very uncomfortable so I did not even keep them as a spare. That being said, it is still a great value. The instrument cable is not great but is sufficient.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Monoprice 100651 50-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Plug/Jack M/F Cable, Black

Monoprice 100651 50-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Plug/Jack M/F Cable, Black
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $7.42
Sale Price: $3.75
Today's Bonus: 49% Off
Buy Now

Good cable that works, at a very good price. We use these 25' and 50' cables for everything from extending the distance between computer speakers, to extending the reach of head phones plugged into the TV for late-night viewing without disturbing others in the house. My daughter uses one of these cables for extending the reach between her earbuds and her iPod docking station when she is in her room. Sure is a lot cheaper than wireless headphones.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

cheap wire inside....worked for a while, but the wiring inside broke. I am easy on my cables, so my verdict is that the wiring is just cheap.

Buy Monoprice 100651 50-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Plug/Jack M/F Cable, Black Now

Well I'm afraid the old adage wins true here -you get what you pay for.

Although it seems nice: great extension, good fit, etc; the product simply doesnt work. The sound will be fine but if you bumb the cord be prepared to spend 10 minutes finding the orientation of moving pieces of it around until the sound comes back and the screeching stops.

I would reccomend something gold lined instead and shell out a few more bones.

Read Best Reviews of Monoprice 100651 50-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Plug/Jack M/F Cable, Black Here

Numark M3 Full-featured Scratch Mixer

Numark M3 Full-featured Scratch Mixer
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $81.98
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • Two channel tabletop DJ mixer
  • Inputs: two phono/line switchable (RCA), two line (RCA), mic (1/4")
  • Outputs: Master (RCA), Record (RCA), Headphone (1/4" stereo)
  • Three-band rotary EQ and gain on each channel
  • High, Mid, and Low Frequency Kill switches on each channel cut -35dB from frequency ranges

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I am only writing this review in response to the previous review. As a DJ instructor at Ridiculous DJ academy and an experienced mobile DJ and scratch/ hip-hop/ performance DJ, I find this mixer adequate and totally up to all of my expectations for a intro level DJ mixer. I currently use a pioneer DJM-909 as my primary mixer and I have an M3 as a backup mixer. In works fine for scratching, the fader is adequate, has curve adjust switch and is relatively loose. Kills switches are nice and feel good even if they don't kill as much as you would like. Transform switches are useless and poorly placed (i occasionally bump them with my wrist), but that is my only negative. I cannot speak to the longevity of these mixers because I haven't had mine very long. I have a couple of students who have used them without complaint.

I haven't found a better mixer that you can buy NEW for $100. This is definitely better than Stanton sub $100 models and WAY WAY better than anything by Behringer.

If anybody knows a mixer in this price range that is better, please post! I would like to know about it.

THIS IS A CHEAP MIXER and is not built to last. If you are serious about DJing you should buy something that will last you longer, like Vestax PMC series, pioneer, or Numark DXM series.

Rock on.

Buy Numark M3 Full-featured Scratch Mixer Now

I bought this mixer as a backup to my main mixer. What can I say.. It works, lol. Nothing fancy about the mixer. The transform buttons are irritating as I sometimes hit them mistakenly (which cuts the song out) when moving the crossfader back and forth. They could have done with out those and added the effects module like they have on the X6 and X9. Scratching on it is decent though it is a Numark and their crossfaders will start bleeding after consistent cutting but at least they are replaceable. This is good mixer for a beginner or someone who have basic gigs (basic mixing) that don't require alot of manuvering, scratching and trick-mixing.

Read Best Reviews of Numark M3 Full-featured Scratch Mixer Here

This mixer has worked very well for me for the past 6 months. Its rugged and certainly gets the job done. Anyone who tells you different doesn't know what they're talking about. While this isn't the best mixer ever, it certainly is very good for the price point and any starting DJ.

Want Numark M3 Full-featured Scratch Mixer Discount?

BETTER, this thing sux I will probuly never buy a piece of NUMARK equiptment again. Let start by saying that I have'nt even had the mixer for 2 months and already dealing with mass bleeding of the fader and thats with me being gentle with this piece of junk I never got ruff with it but of course that sort of thing is not covered in the warrenty. Next the Transform buttons are pretty much worthless seeing that it does nothing that your fader can't do they seem to get in the way more than getting used. Basically only worth half the price, here I am with a basically brand new mixer that already needs me to dump money that I dont have into it just to bring this thing back to par. Anyone want to buy a mixer.

Golden Age Project Pre73 MKII Microphone Preamp - (New)

Golden Age Project Pre73 MKII Microphone Preamp -
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $349.99
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • Vintage Style electronics with no integrated circuits in the signal path
  • 80dB Max gain easily handles passive ribbon mics with quiet sound sources; -20 to +10dB Gain range on the Line input
  • Switchable 1200 or 300 Ohm impedance on the mic input
  • Switchable phantom power and absolute phase

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I mainly record voiceover, violin, and other acoustic instruments. To give some context, I use a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP as my primary audio interface. The Focusrite has decent pre-amps but they lack somewhat in terms of gain. And while they sound generally transparent, they often seem sort of sterile and the higher frequencies sometimes distort slightly--not obviously, but enough that the discerning ear can pick it out on an individual track. In terms of microphones, I'm working with a Rode NT1a, Rode NTG-2, SM-58, and a Golden Age R1 Mark iii active ribbon.

To further disclose, while all of this is pretty low-end gear for recording, I have worked with some slightly higher-end gear including a Universal Audio channel strip, Digi 003 interface, Neuman TLM-103 and a few boutique tube microphones. These are not my regular tools but they have given me a frame of reference.

The Golden Age Pre73 Mk ii fixes both of the issues I cited for my recording projects (gain and high frequency harshness/distortion). It definitely adds some color--nice warm lows without becoming boomy, and retains clean, clear highs without adding any harsh high frequency distortion. To my ear, this sounds as good as the UA pre-amp. And while it will not fix the deficiencies of my low-end microphones, it cleans up my signal chain quite nicely and makes working with the deficiencies of the mics easier to manage. For example, the Rode NT1a is a very harsh sounding mic in the higher frequencies and has this nasty tendency to over-emphasize higher frequency sounds (like most relatively inexpensive large diaphragm condenser mics). Those issues seem to have mellowed nicely with the Pre73, without loosing intelligibility or clarity because it handles the higher frequencies more gracefully when I keep it at -50db gain which is still on the first gain stage.

The additional gain allows me to record with dynamic mics much more gracefully. Additional color is added on the second gain stage but it still produces a very clean, warm sound.

There are several people that will also upgrade the electronic components in the Pre73 claiming an even cleaner sound though I'm hard-pressed to imagine how that could improve this stock unit. Even after listening to a lot of sample files comparing the stock and upgraded units, I'm still not hearing the difference on decent monitors (KRK Rokit 8 G2s) or good headphones (Beyerdynamics DT 770). But the option to upgrade the components always exists if I find that becomes an issue in the future.

Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase--it was worth every penny!

Buy Golden Age Project Pre73 MKII Microphone Preamp - (New) Now

I'd like to start this review by saying that this is a WONDERFUL preamp for those of us who are not made of money! You can look anywhere you want for as long as you want and I can guarantee you will not find a better quality/price match than the one you get in the Pre 73. It seriously is amazing. It has the potential to color the sound basically as much as you want, with an input knob as well as an output knob, allowing you to push the transformers inside of it as much or as little as you please.

For some reason a lot of people think this is a tube pre, but it's a transformer pre. Still gets you that classic "warm" sound if you want it to though! One final plus to this pre is that it can lay down 80 db of gain--that's enough to effectively drive an sm7b or ev re20 EASILY if your current preamps are struggling! The best part is that the gain is clean from one end of the knob all the way to the other! Go ahead and buy this. I promise you won't regret it! :)

If you've got any questions, just comment below!

Read Best Reviews of Golden Age Project Pre73 MKII Microphone Preamp - (New) Here

I got this based on all glowing reviews I found on music gear forums and here on amazon. I was not disappointed!

PROS:

I read many reviews or people saying this is the best preamp you can get for under $2000. I suppose they must be right. This thing makes my $100 AKG microphone sound 100x better than I've every been able to get it to sound before. I also have a Blue Dragonfly, and I can finally use it and feel it is being used to its full potential!

It has phantom power.

it is quite.

Has a lot of gain. Which is handy for some microphones which require a lot of gain in order to work well.

CAVEATS:

Most of the reviews I read were geared more towards rock/grunge music artist. That being said, I partly realize now why that demographic likes it so much. When you turn the gain up high on this preamp it will add a slight overdrive distortion on your low frequencies. It is a clean Overdrive, but it is an overdrive. I am not fully accustomed to how to use this to my advantage yet, but I can see where it can be a disadvantage to some people. With a moderate gain setting you can get a very rich sound without too much distortion.

CONS:

I have not found any yet, except my unit was shipped by American Musical Supply and they totally failed on the packaging. My unit was in an over sized box and it had no lining to prevent it from crashing around during shipment. It is not a product fault, but a warning if you are considering ordering from AMS. Luckily my preamp was fine, I figured it must be because they have a good build quality at GAP(or the UPS guys were concerned about the contents of the box crashing all over so they were extra careful with it:/)

Info:

I use this to record acoustic instruments and vocals in my home studio. The only external preamp I used before this was a PreSonus BlueTube, which does not even come close to this GAP.

CONS:

Want Golden Age Project Pre73 MKII Microphone Preamp - (New) Discount?

I like this pre a lot, and use it primarily on male vox, acoustic guitar, and alto sax. I also record electric guitar through the DI with great results. I purchased the MKII version a year or two ago and liked it so much that I got a second one so I can record in stereo. It gives what I would say is a vintage sound, with more depth and clarity than I've heard through other pres in this price range. I performed a DIY mod to one of my two pres replacing the input and output transformers as well as the output transistor and I can definitely hear the difference between the two. This mod fills out the depth of the sound a little more, which is noticeable on some sound sources more than others, such as voice and sax. Bottom line, however, is that both the stock and modded versions are worth every penny. I recommend both. As for me, these days I concentrate more on getting a good musical performance than worrying about my pres and recording chain. Thats the name of the game as far as I'm concerned.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

I have a few decent built in mic pre's in the audio interfaces I have. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Personus Firebox and Tascam US-144, but I really wanted to run a hardware compressor to help tame

my vocal dynamics going in to the box. So I tried the under $100. mic pre's (Art, Rolls, Samsung) and all of them were very noisy and just didn't work for any quality recordings. I didn't want to buy a $200 mic pre, just to find out that it too wouldn't be good enough, so I hunted the forums and it was almost a unanimous chorus that this Golden Age Pre was the ticket to a super high quality mic pre without going overboard. Well, the forums were right, this Mic pre is so clean and cool sounding I am a super happy with my choice. I now have a completely clean signal with no audible noise at all. It's wonderful!!!!

My sound recording chain is

Shure SM7B Microphone

Golden Age Project Pre73 Mic Pre

ART Pro VLA II Tube Compressor (It's dual channel, so I have them in series)

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface

Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 on my Windows 7 i7 Intel system.

My next upgrade will be a new audio interface, but it's very clean right now.

Great choice for a mid range mic pre.

Numark Mixtrack II USB DJ Controller with Trigger Pads

Numark Mixtrack II USB DJ Controller with Trigger Pads
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $299.00
Sale Price: $148.90
Today's Bonus: 50% Off
Buy Now

  • 16 backlit rubber drum pads with Loop Mode, Sample Mode, and Hot Cue Mode
  • Touch-activated illuminated platters for precise scratching and control
  • 16 dedicated effects controls to add and manipulate flanger, phaser, echo, and more

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

This is a VERY nice uniti physically, sturdy and well made BUT....YOU NEEED to have the pro version which this is NOT...it is only a controller to controll your computer it does not have a soundcard or audio OI which you WILL need to conncect headphones and a loud music system...all it has it a usb to your computer and it only comes with virtual dj LITE which lets you use this controller for 10 minutes before shutting off and not even at its full capability.

this is not worth the money even tho its cheap you will need so much more and by the time you bought everything you could have just bought the Mixtrack PRO ( this is just a mixtrack 2 NOT pro) you could have saved money

Buy Numark Mixtrack II USB DJ Controller with Trigger Pads Now

I'm currently using with DJ Player app and djay 2 for iOS, and it works great! You will need an Apple camera connection kit (CCK) adapter, which gives your iOS Device a USB Host Port, and you will also need a powered USB hub to connect your Mixtrack II. Apogee Duet 2 for iPad is another (more expensive) alternative which also powers your Mixtrack II and charges your iPad, with better sound input and output options.

Note that Mixtrack II DOES work with Algoriddim "Djay 2"! I had previously mentioned that you can only use it with DJ Player ios app, however you can midi learn your Mixtrack II (or any other Midi device for that matter) using djay for Mac (free demo version available) and then transfer the midi map to djay 2 on your iPad, etc. See more info below! Cheers!

Read Best Reviews of Numark Mixtrack II USB DJ Controller with Trigger Pads Here

Just add a laptop and some MP3s and you are ready to go. Very responsive and intuitive layout makes it easy to put out polished mixes shortly after getting it out of the box. The LE version of Virtual DJ has lots of features, but BE ADVISED it lacks some of the features included in the FREE version and the controller only works with LE or PRO..

I did add an additional USB sound card for cueing and I have done several shows with it so far and I have zero complaints..

PS: the big difference between this and the PRO is the addition of integrated sound devices and Virtual DJ vs. Soratu DJ..

Want Numark Mixtrack II USB DJ Controller with Trigger Pads Discount?

this product is good but the price is too high,you better buy numark mixtrack pro or mixtrack..they are better than this one...

Buy Fom Amazon Now

i like it but i wish i had gotten the mix track with the integrated audio inputs. i would recommend this

Traveler Guitar EG-1 Custom Electric Travel Guitar with Gig Bag (Black)

Traveler Guitar EG-1 Custom Electric Travel Guitar with Gig Bag
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $785.99
Sale Price: $549.99
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
Buy Now

  • Built-in tuner on pickup ring
  • Built-in headphone amp w/distortion
  • Aux-in for jamming with your ipod/mp3 player
  • Bound neck & body
  • Weighs 4 lbs. 13 oz.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Very nice. It fits in my suitcase and it plays well. Good balance and nice string action. I love the built in amp with standard and overdrive, also being able to plug in my iPod so I can jam to the tunes I own . I'm happy with it.

Buy Fom Amazon Now