The RC-1 Loop Station follows Boss' tried and tested single stomp box design, ideal for those looking for an easy to use loop pedal.

What makes it stand out from other basic loopers is its 24-segment LED indicator, which lets you visually monitor your settings.

It sports up to 12 minutes of loop time, which is more than enough for the usual phrase looping, making it viable for keeping song and riff ideas.

The Shure KSM137 is a popular high SPL (sound pressure level) microphone, so it is not surprising for a matched pair version to get the same positive response. It features an end-address condenser cardioid design, with a three-position dB pad that changes the microphone’s input volume. This allows it to handle different degrees of loudness, from vocals, to acoustic guitars, to drums.

Inspired by a vintage FET compressor, the Walrus Audio Deep Six is meant to give guitarists old school compression in a compact form factor.

Thankfully, compact doesn't always have to mean limited, because Walrus Audio equipped the Deep Six pedal with four knobs. Three of which give you control over essential parameters like level, sustain and attack, while the fourth knob lets you blend your dry signal to taste, in case you want a more subtle compression effect. Finally, it comes with a boutique quality finish and artwork, that easily sets it apart from other compressors.

Casio are known for producing affordable pianos and keyboards, and the Privia PX-5S is one to look out for.

It features Casio's AiR processor, which seeks to emulate the detail and high definition sounds found in a grand piano. It also features the Hex layer synthesizer technology found in Casio's XW-P1 synthesizer.

This is made out of six sample layers that make up a single tone where you can manipulate each of their own parameters and effects.

The Nord Electro 5D 73-key has a lot to offer when it comes to features.

Aside from the stage piano section that contains sampled acoustic and electric pianos, it includes a tone wheel organ section and a sample synth section.

The organ section contains physical drawbars that's similar to what's seen on a real organ, providing the ability to tweak your sound in a similar manner.

The Kurzweii Forte sports 16GB of sounds- ranging from Japanese concert pianos, electronic pianos such as Rhodes and Wurlitzers, as well as orchestral percussion.

Its highlight feature is its patented flash-play technology which allows you to load sounds instantly from its sound library in real-time. In addition to that, it has organ modelling section, editable FX engine and 16 arpeggiators.

Created by Akai Professional, the company that pioneered the use of pads as controllers, it's no surprise that the MPK261's most notable feature is its expressive pads.

But its not just about that because it also features 61 semi-weighted synth style keys, a combination that caters to modern music styles. Guaranteed iOS compatibility is also a plus for added versatility.

The main feature of the Lohanu that differentiates it from similarly priced concert ukuleles is that it’s made from laminated Sapele as opposed to the more traditional mahogany.

While Sapele isn’t as widely used as other tonewoods, it actually has a tone that’s really similar to mahogany. However, there is a subtle difference between the two, with Sapele having a stronger high-end response.

The K-Board 25-Key MIDI Controller is class compliant, making it effortless to connect with any computer or device.

The Smart Fabric features built into each key makes them velocity, pressure, and location sensitive, which allows for greater real-time performance control.

This small-sized yet sturdy controller is convenient and portable enough for quick music making on the go or if you want a minimal workspace at home.

Since mahogany body ukes are quite popular, it only makes sense for a company like Kala to produce one with built-in electronics, and that is precisely what the KA-CE is all about.

For plugging in, Kala equipped the KA-CE with a Omega II piezo pickup, along with an active preamp that has 2-Band EQ and a Chromatic LED tuner.

Another cool feature is the its GraphTech NuBone nut and saddle.

First thing you'll notice about the Kala KA-PWC Pacific is its walnut top, back and sides, which give it a very earthy and unique look. In addition to giving it a distinct appearance, the use of walnut tonewood also gives the instrument a distinct voicing, described as crisp and focused.

This uke also comes with subtle cosmetic appointments that include body binding to enhance its overall look.

The APC Key 25 is a hybrid of an Ableton Performance Controller and keyboard designed for performing musicians and composers alike.

It features a multi-color clip-launching grid used to trigger sound clips or samples. The tri-color lighting shows three clip statuses—loaded, playing, and recording that provides visual feedback so you can perform efficiently without looking at your computer.

The controls are pre-mapped with Ableton Live for easy set-up while the knobs assignable for custom mapping options.

The Hola! HM-21 Soprano Ukulele lets you enjoy a good sounding and playing ukulele without dropping a lot of cash.

Unlike many ukuleles in this price tier, the Hola! has hardware (tuners, nut, and saddle) of a high enough quality to allow beginners to get a feel for the instrument without getting too frustrated. The sound isn’t going to blow anyone away, which for a cheap uke isn’t surprising, but it’s capable enough.

Marshall's acoustic series amplifiers designed specifically for acoustic guitar are quite popular and the AS100D is one of their better selling models.

It sports 4 channels with two of them having mic inputs - it can handle piezio and magnetic picups as well as vocal mics.

One channel is dedicated to vocal microphones with a mic preamp with phantom power and an XLR socket so it can effectively be used as a mini PA system.

The PC3K6 comes with Kurzweil's Dynamic V.A.S.T. synthesis engine, that contains extensive libraries of existing K Series samples. Aside from that, it is also flexible when it comes to loading compatible sound files since it's capable of loading .KRZ/25/26 sample files, WAVE and AIFF files.

Kurzweil has included USB Host and Device ports for saving user programs, setups and songs to a USB thumb-drive or directly to a computer, as well as 128 MB worth of sample memory for users to store their samples even after the unit is turned off.

This is another controller which we first recommended in February 2016 and which has increased its Gearank score since then and retained its place as one of the highest rated options currently available.

One aspect I quite like about the Novation Impulse are the transport controls - it has dedicated buttons for play, stop, record, rewind, fast forward and a loop toggle switch.

The Roland A-49 has achieved high enough ratings to continue to be recommended by us for a third year in a row.

If you want a 49 key MIDI controller for your iPad then the Roland A-49 is a good choice because it shouldn't need additional USB power to work with the iPad because it only draws 98 mA.

Its unique feature is the D-BEAM controller which lets you wave your hand above it to send control data.

Simmons is a popular electronic drumming brand that is sold by Guitar Center and their related retailers including Musician's Friend, Music & Arts and Woodwind & Brasswind.

They designed the DA25 to suit beginners and is primarily intended for personal use and practice, rather than as an amp to use on stage.

Like many good drum amps, it has large rubber volume and EQ knobs designed to be adjusted using drum sticks.

Washburn continues to make waves in the entry to mid-tier acoustic guitar market, and the Woodline WL012SE exemplifies why - with its balance of premium features, build and value for money.

It features a solid mahogany top, supported by laminate mahogany back and sides, which gives a warmer tonality and a very earthy vibe. It also comes with Graphtech NuBone nut and saddle, a premium feature that you normally have to pay extra to add into your guitar.

The Ibanez AEG10II is a thin-bodied acoustic-electric guitar, designed with a focus on live performance as opposed to amateur recording or practice.

The AEG10II combines laminated spruce top with mahogany back and sides, and packs both in a thin profile body. Thin bodied guitars, while more resistant to feedback than their larger counterparts, don’t have the breadth of tone or the volume of a full sized acoustic guitar. The cool thing about this guitar is that, it’s one of the cheapest ways for beginning musicians to get a solid gigging instrument.

Kawai's ES110 is a versatile digital piano with interesting features.

It has 88 grade weighted hammer action keys that lets you play with its 19 different voices.

It also comes with built-in reverb for adding realistic air to your sound.

Student friendly features include built-in lessons mode, song recorder and rhythm.

It also comes with MIDI compatibility, for working with other MIDI devices, and it comes with built-in Bluetooth connectivity for wireless connection with your computer and smart devices.

The Casio Privia PX-160 has a nice balance of quality and value for money, going beyond what others have to offer in the same price range.

To match what the competition is offering in terms of playability, Casio equipped this unit with scale weighted keys that have switchable 3-tier touch sensitivity.

They then went a step further by upping the amplifier power to 16 Watts and speaker size to 5.12", which translates to more headroom to fill bigger rooms with.

Polyphony is also increased along with the addition of extra sounds to choose from.

The Earthworks DK25/R offers a different approach to miking drums, instead of going with the usual 5 to 7 mic setup, it comes with a simplified setup of two overhead microphones and one kickpad mic.

Interestingly, this seemingly simplified setup, captures more details than conventional miking, thanks to the two overhead TC25 omnidirectional condenser mics, which captures the sound of the drum kit along with the natural air and reverb of the room. This makes it a simple yet effective mic setup for recording acoustic drum kits.

The Shure DMK57-52 brings together many of their popular mics in a drum mic package that can also be considered as a good all-around stage mic kit.

At its core are three Shure SM57 mics, widely considered as an industry standard on many instruments, including the snare. These SM57s are meant for use with the snare and toms, but their reputation means that they can be used with virtually any sound source, including loud guitar and bass amps.

Nady is known for affordable gear, so its not surprising at all to find them offering a good value five drum mic bundle.

But the Nady DMK-5 is not just about value because for the price, it continues to get solid reviews.

This package comes with 4 cardioid pattern mics that are meant for miking snares, toms and other percussion instruments. These mics feature neodymium element for high SPL handling.

This bundle from CAD Audio features a complete set of drum mics, with 5 dynamic mics and 2 condenser mics for miking each piece of your kit.

The D19 snare mic has a supercardioid polar pattern with a frequency response of 90Hz -14KHz (-6dB).

The three D29 tom mics have the same cardioid polar pattern, but tweaked to better capture the sound of toms with its 90Hz -13KHz frequency response.

As part of Yamaha's popular PSR Series, the PSR-453 also exemplifies the company's goal of putting quality instruments in the hands of students and intermediate keyboardists.

It balances price and features nicely, with soft synth style playability, 758 onboard sounds in addition to its multiple piano sounds, 220 accompaniments for jamming along with, and a wide range of buttons for control and more.

The Blackstar ID:260TVP is a solidstate guitar amplifier that introduces the company's TVP (True Valve Power) technology. This new parameter lets you pick from six popular tubes (EL84, 6V6, EL34, KT66, 6L6 and KT88), which you can mix and match with the amp's Voice, ISF and EQ settings for a wide variety of tones.

At the heart of this amp is the company's patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature), which works with the built-in six amp voices to let you go from American clean to British rock to Blackstar's acclaimed high gain tones.

The Yamaha THR10 series are regarded to be among the best sounding lunchbox amps available, which is surprising given the specifications.

The amp features two 3” speakers (this is according to Yamaha’s specifications for the amp), which somehow manage to avoid the thin tone normally associated with sub-8” speakers. With just 10-watts of power, this compact and relatively quiet amp is meant for hi-gain distortion (which on low to moderate setting isn’t buzzy).

The Tbox 2x2 is a simple MIDI interface with a total of 32 MIDI channels of (16) inputs and (16) outputs.

Aside from its compatibility with different operating systems, it can be used to connect other older hardware equipment as long as they have standard 5-Pin MIDI connections.

Popularly used by artists and producers since the '70s, the original Neve 1073 module is widely considered as an industry standard when it comes to mic preamps. And to this day, many manufacturers still try to mimic its sound, like the Golden Age Pre-73 which is on our recommended list.

The AMS Neve 1073lb is a modern recreation of the preamps of that iconic console, repacked into a compact form factor to meet the space requirements of today's producers and musicians.

The ART Tube MP/C is a value packed preamp, complete with genuine tube compression.

It can be used to add tube coloration for recording or live performance, with the added benefit of an opto-compressor effect that evens out the sound nicely and a variety of tone shaping controls.

It's a 12AX7 tube that drives its circuit, which includes a nifty 20dB gain boost and a low-cut filter.

Rode is well known for the quality of their condenser mics, and this same quality is present in handheld form within the Rode S1.

This mic features Rode's well loved condenser capsule in a handheld vocal microphone with supercardioid polar pattern and an internal pop filter that blocks plosives.

The mesh head is heat treated for improved strength and reliability, matching its all metal construction and satin nickel finish.

As this is published, the Audio-Technica AE6100 is on our recommended list of The Best Dynamic Microphones.

The main strength of the Audio-Technica AE6100 is its built-in open-cell foam pop-filter which helps improve overall sound by reducing background noise and vocal plosives.

This works together with its hypercardioid polar pattern and dynamic capsule, making this a good mic on stage, of which many user reports attest to.

Thanks to the GLS Audio ES-58-S, it is now possible to own a reasonable quality vocal mic on the cheap.

It is said to be based on the popular dynamic microphone Shure SM58, and while it is not a perfect clone, it continues to get really high ratings from those who own it or have tried it.

The DTX562K kits standout feature is the use of Yamaha's TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) pads on the toms. This means that the snare and toms have a more accurate and uniform playing feel.

The cymbal set is quite big at 13", with choke capability and an interesting feature called "pre-choke" which gives you muffled cymbal sounds much like when you're gripping a cymbal as you strike.

At the core of this kit is Roland's SuperNATURAL sound engine, which gives it the same realism and sound quality as more expensive units.

And you're not getting just one good set of sounds, because the Drum Module lets you choose from a wide variety of drum kits and sounds. If that's not enough, you can also adjust the sound to your liking.

Students will appreciate the built-in Coach Function, recording and other practice friendly features.

The TD-1KV is part of Roland's entry-level line which showcases their build quality in a more space saving form factor.

It is a step-up from the TD-1K, with the main difference being the PDX-8 dual trigger snare with mesh pad, something that's normally only available with more expensive kits.

The snare is complemented by a complete set of toms, ride, crash cymbal and hi-hat, albeit smaller, to allow for full drum kit functionality without the bulk.

Ibanez is well known for providing good quality instruments in every price point, from those used by virtuosos like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, to affordable acoustics meant for the average joe.

The V70CE is part of their extended line up of instruments, a standard dreadnought acoustic electric guitar with Ibanez' quality control reputation backing it up.

It features a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck and built-in electronics with basic EQ.

With its thinline 3" thick body, the Jameson 900 Series acoustic electric guitar is easier to carry around and less prone to feedback.

But because of its shallower body, acoustic projection and volume is expected to be lower than its bigger counterparts.

For plugging in, it has a passive pickup and basic volume and tone control.

Finally, this guitar comes in various colors, in case you have a particular aesthetic preference.

Neumann is well known brand when it comes to recording gear, but incredibly one of their best rated mics, the KMS 105 is actually a handheld condenser mic for live vocal use. Big name artists like Norah Jones and Michael Buble are just two of the many professionals who put the Neumann KMS 105 to good use.

This mic comes with a supercardiod polar pattern that is really good at rejecting unwanted sound, and it has the ability to control proximity effect via a 120Hz high-pass filter. Both of these features work together to make this mic as transparent and clean sounding as possible.

Back in February 2017 and March 2018, the WS8550 was the highest rated Table or T- style stand under $100 but the price went up during 2019.

It is suitable for most 49-key and larger keyboards. The 8 rubber pads (2 on each of the extended arms) can be adjusted to firmly hold a wide range of gear. With its variable width and depth it's also well suited to holding many DJ Coffins and Mixing Consoles.

This stand is reasonably popular due to it's low price and it can cope with keyboards from 49 keys and up.

The Audix VX-5 is a condenser mic that features a tighter supercardioid polar pattern, and smoother frequency response. This makes the mic viable for live vocal performances, studio recording and even broadcasting.

Being a condenser mic, it can also double as an all-around mic for acoustic drums, wind instruments, acoustic guitars and more.

The Roland GAIA SH-01 is a lightweight virtual analog synthesizer that has three synth engines each with their own dedicated oscillator, filter, amplifier, envelope, and LFO.

This synthesizer can run on either AC or battery power for portability purposes.

It provides 64 voices of polyphony and can layer up to five simultaneous effects for various sonic capabilities.

The microKORG is a more portable version of the MS2000 from Korg.

Along with the similar dual oscillator synthesis engine, it has an eight-band vocoder that can simulate classic sounds.

The Formant Hold key, which is a part of its vocoder program, can "freeze" and capture your vocal signal for you to play it on the keyboard.

The Bass Station II is a successor to the classic Bass Station launched over 20 years ago.

While still retaining the classic analog tone from the original, it showcases an interface with up-to-date features.

In addition to the classic filter acquired from the original Bass Station, it has an Acid Filter setting with a diode ladder design that produces a darker and smoother sound.

Its built-in arpeggiator lets you select up to 32 different patterns in different directions while its sequencer lets you play and recall up to four of your own patterns.

Blue Microphones bill the enCORE 300 as their leading live vocal mic.

It has a floating capsule design which reduces handling noise and its cardiod pickup pattern is very good at rejecting sounds that aren't coming from directly in front of it.

The Vox amPlug 2 Clean features good old clean tones driven straight to your headphones.

Since clean tone lets you hear the nuances of your guitar playing better, it is ideal for improving your technique.

It is also great for those who want to develop song ideas in places where you can't get too noisy.

Other features include built-in effects (three types of chorus, delay and reverb), auto-power off, folding plug mechanism, and an aux in for jamming along with your favorite track.