Gear 5
Zakk Wylde and MXR Celebrate 20 Years with Wylde Audio Pedals!
Zakk Wylde is the powerhouse guitar player for the likes of Ozzy and Black Label Society, as well as the creator of his own gear brand Wylde Audio. Though Wylde Audio boasts a robust product line these days, it wasn’t long ago (2015) that Wylde Audio first started manufacturing guitars and amplifiers. Before that, Zakk […]
Shure AONIC 50 Gen 2: Better Noise-Cancelling and More
With better noise cancelling, longer battery life, and a new “spatializer” audio setting, Shure’s new flagship AONIC 50 Gen 2 wireless headphones improve on the original in several areas. So how do all of these new features affect the listening experience? Design and Layout The AONIC 50 Gen 2s are reasonably lightweight with a nice […]
Sterling Unveils Darkglass Partnership: Join the Dark Side With DarkRay!
Sterling by Music Man crafts more affordable versions of guitars and basses by their big brother brand, Ernie Ball Music Man, allowing everyday musicians to experience a performance instrument at a fraction of the price. When Ernie Ball Music Man released their DarkRay in partnership with Finnish bass amplifier and pedal brand Darkglass Electronics, players […]
The ToneWoodAmp: Changing The Playing Experience
I grew up as the “electric guitar guy” who always kept an acoustic guitar in the corner. Only learning the acoustic hits from my favorite rock bands of the ’80s and ’90s here and there was enough for me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve broadened my acoustic guitar repertoire, but it never became my main […]
Chaos Audio Stratus: An Entire Pedalboard in Your Pocket
The landscape of how we make music is always changing. From the first digital recorders, to guitar rigs that fit in your pocket, there’s always something on the horizon that makes musicians’ lives easier. But what about a pedalboard on your phone? The engineers at Chaos Audio have crafted Stratus, an all-in-one (pedal) solution to […]
Breedlove Organic Pro Wildwood Concert CE: Heavy on the Tone, Not the Planet
Breedlove has made sustainability their top priority over the last several years, and the Breedlove Organic Pro Wildwood Concert CE is an example of the guitars produced by that mindset. Sustainable guitars can (and should) sound just as good as a guitar made from lumber that isn’t as friendly to the environment. Breedlove has even […]
Bose S1 Pro Plus vs. Bose S1 Pro
The original Bose S1 Pro has long been a top choice of performers and presenters in need of a compact, battery-powered personal PA system. An easy-to-carry unit with two mic/instrument inputs, a Bluetooth receiver, and a smart tilt-back design, the S1 Pro became a hit with artists, spawning numerous competitors since its launch at the […]
How Line 6’s POD Go Saved My Band’s European Tour
Since the dawn of touring, bands have used vans to get from show to show, stuffing gear and luggage alike into trunks like a game of Tetris. In 2022 my band planned a tour that would see us traveling across Europe, but we ran into some interesting challenges along the way. Those challenges had me […]
Inside Lauten Audio Series Black V2 Microphones
Boutique microphone maker Lauten Audio had a hit on their hands with their original “Series Black” family of mics. Embraced by artists seeking versatile workhorse condensers at more modest prices than Lauten’s flagship Atlantis and Eden models, the LA-120 small-diaphragm condenser, LA-220 large-diaphragm FET condenser, and LA-320 large-diaphragm tube condenser have all earned excellent reviews […]
