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2017 Gear in Review: A Few of Our Top Picks

Date:2020/2/12 17:23:14 Hits:

To say that 2017 was an incredible year for cool new music gear is a definite understatement! In my gig as Editorial Director and content creator here at Sweetwater, I come into contact with a huge array of new products, many of which I or the other members of our Content Team get to check out for Sweetwater’s videos and articles. Each year, I put together a list of the standout products introduced during the past 12 months. It’s a difficult task choosing the best products each year, but 2017 was especially tough. I could make a list a mile long — though a list that long would certainly be a challenge to read! Instead, I’ve hunkered down and assembled the following list — in no particular order — of some of the products that really jumped out at me from 2017, because they were innovative, useful, category-defining, or just plain fun and cool! To keep this from becoming my personal wish list, I also consulted with members of the Sweetwater Content Team: Daniel Fisher, Nick Bowcott, Don Carr, Erskine Hawkins, Lynn Fuston, and Nick D’Virgilio. (Note: I admit it; I just couldn’t choose among the myriad stompbox and software releases in 2017, so I created special categories for them at the end of the list.)

iZotope Spire Studio
When iZotope first showed me the Spire Studio and asked me to test it for them, I was blown away. It’s a portable iOS audio interface, with two built-in Grace Design preamps, headphone output, built-in effects, and a 4-hour rechargeable battery, that communicates via Wi-Fi with your iPhone. You can record eight tracks (two simultaneously) with simple one-click operation, then edit and mix down using a cool graphic app. Export to your DAW, share and collaborate with bandmates, even upload directly to social media. Best of all, it sounds incredible and is truly a fun solution for capturing ideas, songwriting, and even full-on productions.

Friedman Tour Pro Pedalboards
With two tiers, super-rugged design, movable wah/volume platforms, optional power supplies, and buffer-I/O models, Friedman put years of experience to work to design the ultimate pedalboards. Both of my personalTour Pro ‘boards are Platinum Packs, which include Friedman’s awesome Buffer Bay 6 and Power Grid 10 power supply.

Yamaha MX88
The MX88 88-key synth/controller synth/controller includes full-size Graded Hammer Standard keys, 1,000 MOTIF XS sounds, Yamaha’s VCM effects engine, bundled software, USB, 128-note polyphony, real-time DAW control, and so much more.

Line 6 Helix LT
The same sound-processing and modeling engine as the super-popular and super-powerful Line 6 Helix, just with fewer ins and outs, all at 2/3 the price! More than just a multi-effects processor and amp modeler, the Helix LT can serve as the hub for your guitar or bass rig onstage, in the studio, at rehearsal, and in the practice room.

Sensory Percussion Drum Sensors and Software
The Sensory Percussion drum sensors and software are simple-to-mount-and-use drum triggers that connect right into your audio interface to drive an incredible virtual instrument. The sensor turns each drum into a 10-zone multi-pad, and it works with regular or mesh heads. The companion software includes a super-powerful sampler for unlimited sonic possibilities as well as onboard effects. For the best deal, choose one of our ready-to-go packages, which include an audio interface and even cables!

sE Electronics X1 S
If you’re looking for a versatile large-diaphragm condenser microphone that can hang with the “big boys” in terms of quality, but that comes in at a ridiculously low price, the sE Electronics X1 S should be at the top of your list.

Chandler Limited REDD Mic
Chandler worked with Abbey Road Studios for years to create this high-end microphone masterpiece. The REDD mic features the REDD.47 preamp that re-creates the original tube line amps developed by EMI for Abbey Road’s custom REDD.51 console. (As used in Studio 2 by the Beatles and many others.) Vintage tone and styling with modern features and reliability.

Rivera Modified ’68 Deluxe
The amps Paul Rivera modded back in the day are the stuff of legend. You’ve heard them a bazillion times, from players such as studio cats Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Dean Parks, Paul Jackson Jr.; rockers such as Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick and Kerry Livgren of Kansas; and even Mister Guitar, Chet Atkins, plus many more. Now Paul’s “Stage 2” modded amps are available once again, exclusively from Sweetwater! I’ve been gigging and recording with a Rivera Modified ’68 Deluxe since they came out, and I can tell you it’s a to-die-for amplifier.

Darkglass Microtubes 500
The Darkglass Microtubes 500 is a 500-watt bass head that fits in the palm of your hand, offers onboard Microtubes Engine-based overdrive, versatile 4-band active EQ, an effects loop, and more? Yes, please!

Epiphone Masterbilt De Luxe Classic
Not just a fun alternative to solidbody basses, but a new voice for bass players. These acoustic-electric instruments feature a hollowbody design, under-saddle pickup, rounded “C” neck profile, vintage looks, nylon tapewound strings, and a thick, rich, resonant tone.

QSC K.2 Family
My band has been using K10 and K12 powered speakers as mains and monitors for gigs for several years for their power, coverage, portability, ruggedness, and awesome sound. Now the K family is even better with the upgraded K.2-series speakers. Increased power, increased SPL, lower bass extension, improved DSP, and other improvements. In a word, “more.”

Yamaha EAD10 Drum Module
Yamaha’s Electronic Acoustic Drums module may just be the easiest way yet to mic up your drums to feed them to a PA system or to record them — or to trigger new sounds. You get 250 scenes with 757 sounds and 36 effects. Record to USB or your iOS device, share to YouTube, and much more.

Boss MS-3
Not just a killer multi-effects processor for guitar and bass with 112 onboard effects, but also a loop switcher for up to three external pedals, an amp controller, and more. The MS-3 even has a built-in tuner, making it a one-stop solution for gigging guitarists. I love mine.

Fender Brad Paisley Telecaster and Ed O’Brien Stratocaster
This is a two-for-one pick! They couldn’t be different players (or guitars), but both Brad and Ed have created signature models that push the boundaries of tone, capability, and playability at great prices. What I love is that each artist truly wanted to put these out there to see what other players would do with the guitars.

Grace Design m900
Grace’s m900 can be USB bus powered, which means you can upgrade the built-in output from your Mac or PC with a killer studio-grade DAC/headphone amp/monitor controller at home, in the studio, at the gig, and on the go. Supports up to 24-bit/384kHz PCM as well as up to 256x DSD.

Novation Peak
Three versatile state-of-the-art oscillators; massive modulation capabilities; onboard distortion and effects; 8-voice polyphony; MIDI and CV; hands-on, real-time control; “Animate” function; and much more — Peak is the modern keyboardist’s/electronic musician’s dream.

Behringer X-Live
Behringer’s X32 digital mixer family is one of the most popular out there, and now you can take your mixer to the next level with the X-Live expansion card, which adds 32 channels of recording and playback via USB 2.0 or SD/SDHC cards, along with remote control over mixer functions from computer/Android/iPad and X-Touch remote control over your computer-based DAW.

Sonor Vintage Series Drums
Based on Sonor’s own Teardrop drums from the 1950s and ’60s, but incorporating modern shell and tuning technologies, the Vintage Series looks, feels, and sounds old school, but delivers up-to-date performance for today’s players.

Cool Pedals

There were simply way too many outstanding stompbox introductions during 2017. The field of pedals continues to explode! Here are just a few of the pedals that caught my ears last year:

MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe

Wampler Tumnus Deluxe

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2
Flashback 2
Pipeline
Quintessence
Electro-Harmonix SuperEgo +
Canyon
Green Russian Big Muff Pi
Supro Tremolo
Friedman Motor City Drive
Friedman Fuzz Fiend
Pigtronix Mothership 2
Horizon Devices Precision Drive
Keeley Compressor Plus
Keeley Omni Reverb
Keeley Caverns
JHS Pink Panther
JHS Double Barrel
Earthquaker Devices Erupter
Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe
Seymour Duncan Andromeda
Boss MD-500
Boss RV-500
Digitech FreqOut
Digitech SDRUM
Strymon Sunset

T-Rex Replicator Junior

Software

And 2017 was a particularly good year for updates to and new versions of DAW, plug-in, virtual instrument, and music creation software. There were just too many great releases for me to choose among. It was a bountiful year for computer-based engineers, producers, and musicians! A few important releases from 2017:

Propellerhead Software Reason 10
Line 6 Helix Native
Ableton Live 10
Avid Pro Tools 12.8
Steinberg Cubase 9.5, Wavelab 9.5, and Dorico 1.1
Native Instruments Komplete 11
PreSonus Studio One 3.5
Image Line FL Studio 12.5
Slate Digital FG-Stress
Bitwig Studio 2

iK Multimedia Syntronic

Universal Audio UAD 9.4 (love the new Distressor plug-in!)

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3
Eventide Fission, Elevate, and UltraTap
iZotope Neutron 2, Ozone 8, and RX 6
Arturia Vintage Collection 6
Waves Bass Slapper, Torque, Smack Attack, and Brauer Motion

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