NT-USB Mini
Price: £99 (retail)
RØDE is an expert in the design and manufacture of microphones, and its NT-1 and NT-5s are found in educational establishments across the world, so when it releases a new microphone it is worth looking at. The NT-USB Mini is a high-quality condenser microphone with RF shielding (to prevent interference from computer screens and fl uorescent lights), all powered via USB.
The NT-USB Mini is aimed at people making digital content such as podcasts and YouTube videos. The simplicity of the connectivity combined with the high-quality of the mic make this a very good purchase for that market. So, if your school is in the market for simple but good quality microphones, this could be the product for you.
FX Collection
Price: €299 (retail)
I have covered a range of these plugins in previous MT reviews, but Arturia has now launched all of their effects in one bundle. The package includes all the previously released preamp emulations, compressors and delays. Plus, Arturia has added some new reverb emulations and included some of the fi lters from its most famous synth products.
I reviewed the delays last month and considered its version of the Roland Space Echo to be one of the best plugins I had ever heard, so I will defi nitely be acquiring the new plugins to add to my collection. The quality of these sounds will make a great addition to the available sounds within your DAW production.
SoundCloud iOS
Price: FREE
The Soundcloud app has been around for years, but one of the most noticeable missing features was the ability to upload audio to your account straight from your device. Having received a large investment from SiriusXM (the internet radio people), the latest version of the iOS app now allows you to upload straight from your device.
You can apply all the usual controls, including privacy settings, via the app, and share the track straight to an Instagram story or send it to your friends to listen to. This would be great for students when recording work on their devices, allowing them to share straight to a class playlist or hand it in for marking without having to use a computer to share it. Although this feature is only available in the iOS version of the app at the moment, Soundcloud say that an Android version isn't far behind.
SpectraLayers Elements 6
Price: £68 (retail)
Most waveforms we are used to seeing onscreen in our DAWs and audio editors are images of the amplitude and the length of the sound. This allows us to perform a large number of functions based on this information alone, such as trimming the length of audio, adjusting volumes and changing the position in the project. However, it's very diffcult to make EQ changes based on this information.
Spectral analysis allows us to visualise amplitude, time and frequency all at the same time. The full version of SpectraLayers is a pro piece of software, but Steinberg has now released Elements, a cut-down version of the full version. Elements allows users to analyse all details of the sound before applying any processing, to ensure that the correct processes are applied.
