Puremagnetik RetroSynths, free with Live or Suite 8!

I love synthesizers. VST's, Analog Synths, Mono Synths, Stereo Synths, you name it. Ableton has always been friendly toward the electronic community regarding synthesis; You have the capability to easily record your sequenced synth loops on the fly, hosting for VST and AU, and now with the introduction of Live Racks and Max for Live a new level of control unparalleled in the industry. As if that weren't enough, it looks like the guys over at Live have decided to dish up and extra helping of synthy love with in the introduction of there newest special- a free download of Puremagnetiks "RetroSynths." Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this. If you already own Live or Suite 8, your download should already be enabled in your Ableton account (no they're not going to ditch you once you coughed up your hard earned cash!) If you don't, be sure to pick up your copy of one of the above mentioned products and once registered your download will be enabled. The content alone in this package is worth well over $100, in my opinion, and it's enough to keep you busy for a long long time!

Available for purchase @: Live 8, Suite 8

Rugged yet refined: Pioneer HDJ-2000 Headphones

These headphones have been on the market for quite sometime now, but I still find customers that have never heard of them before so I felt it appropriate to toss out a little info on them. I've had the same pair of HDJ-2000's for the last 3 years or so and have used them at shows everywhere from New York to San Francisco and Hawaii to the Bahamas! I've figured out a simple way to explain to customers why I justify playing the extra $100 or so that these cost than your average pair of dj headphones; A) The HDJ-2000's will easily last you 2 or 3 times longer than the average pair of plastic dj headphones. B) They are hands down the most comfortable and flexible pair of headphones I have ever owned. Period. Don't believe me? Come into World of Stereo and I will personally open a box and let you try them on. C) They have several user replaceable parts such as the cord and ear pads that eventually go bad on every set of dj headphones across the board, no matter which brand you choose. There. I've said my piece, next time you need a pair of DJ headphones don't skimp and holler at me!

Available for purchase at: http://www.worldofstereo.com/products/Pioneer-HDJ%252d2000-Professional-Reference-Headphones.html

Korg Monotribe: Mmmm...more analog goodness!

I've been waiting to get this bad boy in stock since they announced it and it finally arrived about a week ago! Things have been more than a little busy in the World of Stereo so I'm just getting to my review of it now. The day it came in I quickly unboxed the Monotribe like a giddy 8 year old at Christmas. The nice fat knobs sparkled like mirror ball reflectors under my office lights and my eyes lit up. It took me no more than 15 seconds to reach into my dj bag and quickly plug in my headphones and switch it on. First mission: check the synth out. Within seconds I was cranking out some fun acid-esque leads and getting some really good patterns with the step sequencer. Now, with some cool loops going I decided to throw some drums into the mix. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a *little* disappointed with what Korg gave us in this department. The drum and snare cannot be changed outside of what you can do with the filters and I really wouldn't see myself using them on more that a few projects, if that. In conclusion I think for the price point the monotribe is still a great deal and you can certainly get some juicy analog basslines out of it with a little manipulation. Here is a video from Sonic LAB that gets even deeper into the machine:



Available for purchase at: http://www.worldofstereo.com/products/Korg-Monotribe.html

Thanks for reading!

Special limited time offer from Native Instruments: Buy Kontrol X1 get Traktor Pro 2 FREE!

Get TRAKTOR PRO 2 completely free when you buy TRAKTOR KONTROL X1 in August or September 2011 - Online or at one of our two retail locations in Downtown SF and Petaluma. That's a savings of $139!

This powerful combination gives you a complete TRAKTOR DJ setup with hands-on access to all areas, including TRAKTOR's Sample Decks. You also get the new Sample Deck Overlay*.

The Overlay and the new Sample Deck mapping put TRAKTOR's Sample Decks at your fingertips, with complete control over the four sample slots. Grab a loop from a running track deck and drop it onto a Sample Deck slot on-the-fly. Rack up as many as eight different loops or one-shots, then launch in perfect sync — a whole new world of live remixing and editing with TRAKTOR!

See how it's done in this great video from someone you may have heard of DJ CRAZE...

The next level of digital DJ'ing.

Serato has long been counted as the front runner in stability and ease of use for digital dj solutions. The SL4 interface is simply one more stepping stone in their legacy of excellence. Boasting four 24-bit, line/phono inputs, two (yes, count them TWO) USB inputs, a built in ground knob for those tricky connectors that are always falling off and new galvanic isolation technology, which separates the USB signal from the audio signal path ensuring the cleanest audio possible. Be aware that the new Scratch Live software bundled with this interface have higher specs than previous versions and they're even suggesting 7200 rpm hard drives for high resolution audio playback. Enough of the boring talk, let's checkout some hot clips of this beast in action!

Here is a good little vid about the internal workings of the SL4 and using it with Pioneer CDJS from our buddy in France, Joachim Garraud:



Any experienced club dj that uses Serato can tell you just how complicated switching over can be sometimes. The SL4 and this video with make all those worries fade away...



And there you have it everyone, the new SL4 from Rane. Sure to be a game changer and without a doubt the most versatile dj interface on the market. This item is available for purchase at:

http://www.worldofstereo.com/products/Rane-SL-4-Serato-Interface.html

Analog interface, digital soul.

In this day and age, versatility is the key to success. We've come to expect more from our devices than ever before and rely on them heavily to perform some of our basic daily functions. Arturia has tapped into that need with their new Spark drum machine/midi controller. Gone are the days of worrying about not enough storage space or the inability to use effects plug-ins. Here's a short video to give you an idea of just how quickly you can get your creative flow moving with the Spark:



The tweakability of hardware interface with the versatility of a VST makes this hot piece from Arturia a must have for producers of all genres. As if that wasn't enough Spark includes a plethora of vintage drum machines, electronic analog kits, acoustic & physical drums, Don't miss out! You can buy it today @:

http://www.worldofstereo.com/products/Arturia-SPARK-Hybrid-Drum-Machine.html

Native Instruments Massive brings the FILTH!

On my never ending quest for new and exciting sounds I always find myself revisiting old VST's and trying to find new ways to flip them. With all the huge dubstep tunes that have been dropping lately I thought it would be appropriate to pop open my copy of Native Instruments monster VST, Massive. For those who have never had the pleasure of tweaking this three oscillator beast, hesitate no longer! The biggest names in the industry are cranking out skull-rattling dance floor destroyers on this bad boy and with a few tutorials you can be doing the same! If you're into the edgy, dirty sound you can find an excellent tutorial by dubstep ace High Rankin' here:

Whatever sound you desire you can find all of that and more in Native Instruments Komplete 7 bundle, which contains Massive, Absynth, Reaktor, and many many more amazing VST's and samples. Shop now at:

http://www.worldofstereo.com/products/Native-Instruments-Komplete-7-Software-Bundle.html