Real gear.Clear answers.
Reviews and buying guides for guitars, keyboards, synths, recording gear and live sound. Who each piece suits, what the specs mean in practice, and the best price to pay.
Find gear for how you play
Pick your instrument or setup, then compare by budget, size and the sound you are after.
Spec sheets, decoded
Compare 5A and 7A drumsticks by diameter, length, taper, tip and feel, with model-specific dimensions and practical selection advice.
Compare active and passive guitar pickups by preamp, battery, controls and model-specific wiring before choosing a guitar or replacement set.
Compare analog, digital and hybrid synthesizers by sound engine, controls, patch workflow, polyphony and the way you plan to play.
- 04
Audio Interface Buying Guide: What You Need for Home Recording
Home studio
- 05
Audio Interface vs Mixer: Which Setup Fits Your Recording?
Recording workflow
- 06
Digital Piano Buying Guide: Keys, Touch and Sound
Keys and pianos
- 07
Electronic Drum Kit Buying Guide: Mesh Pads, Modules and Noise
Drums
- 08
Guitar Pedal Order: A Practical Signal Chain to Start With
Effects basics
- 09
Guitar Pedal Power Supply Guide: Match Voltage and Current
Effects setup
Music Gear questions, answered
Is a 5A drumstick thicker than a 7A?
Yamaha describes 7A as a thin, light size and 5A as an intermediate size. In Vic Firth’s American Classic line, the 5A is 0.565 inches in diameter and the 7A is 0.54 inches, so check dimensions for the exact product you plan to buy.
Read: 5A vs 7A Drumsticks →Do active guitar pickups need a battery?
Seymour Duncan says active pickups use a battery to power their built-in preamp. Check the specific pickup or guitar manual for its battery type, access and replacement instructions.
Read: Active vs Passive Guitar Pickups →Is an analog synthesizer better than a digital synthesizer?
There is no universal winner. The labels describe sound-generation approaches, while the available sounds and playing workflow depend on the model. Compare the actual controls and sound examples for the music you want to make.
Read: Analog vs Digital Synthesizers →Do I need an audio interface to record?
To record microphones or instruments with good quality, yes. An interface converts analog signals into digital audio, powers condenser microphones and lets you monitor with low delay. USB microphones are an alternative for simple voice recording.
Read: Audio Interface Buying Guide →Can a USB mixer replace an audio interface?
It can if the mixer includes audio-interface functionality and its inputs, monitoring and USB routing fit your recording workflow. Read the model manual to confirm which signals reach the computer and which return from it.
Read: Audio Interface vs Mixer →How many keys should a digital piano have?
Choose a full-size range if you want to learn repertoire that uses the whole piano keyboard. A smaller keyboard can be easier to move and may suit limited space or a narrow practice goal.
Read: Digital Piano Buying Guide →Straight talk about gear
We explain which specs change your sound or workflow and which are marketing, using the manufacturer's own documentation.
Each review says who the gear suits, who should look elsewhere, and what to know before you buy. No filler, no hedging.
Brands cannot buy a review or a spot on a list. Partner codes save you money; they never decide what we recommend.
Prices are dated, codes are updated across the site at once, and pages are revised when a product changes.
The music gear index
- 01Guitars & bassElectric and acoustic guitars, basses, amps and pedals.9 pages
- 02Keys & synthsDigital pianos, keyboards, synthesizers and MIDI controllers.4 pages
- 03Studio & recordingAudio interfaces, microphones, studio monitors and headphones.9 pages
- 04Drums & DJElectronic drum kits, pads, DJ controllers and live sound.3 pages