JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 businesstraveller.comMUSIC
BEST FOR... LAYING BACKING TRACKS BEST FOR... TUNES AND PODCASTSBEST FOR... MAKING MUSIC1MORE H1707 TRIPLE DRIVER
OVER-EAR HEADPHONES
US$265
uk.1more.com
Launched this summer, the H1707 headphones
from British audio manufacturer 1More promise a
“high-fidelity listening experience”. With a Piezo
ceramic driver and bass reflex system, they
have been approved by Grammy award-winning
sound engineer Luca Bignardi. They are built from
machined metal in eye-catching black and bronze,
and come with an oxygen-free copper cable that
you can plug into your laptop, phone or in-flight
entertainment system. The cushioned ear pads
mean they are comfortable to wear for extended
periods and can fold inwards for easy packing. A
storage bag is provided.ZOOM ARQ AERO RHYTHMTRAK
US$749.99
zoom-na.com
If you want to make beautiful sound on the go,
give the Zoom Arq a shake. The instrument,
which looks a bit like a tambourine, has 96
velocity and pressure-sensitive pads that allow
you to play various drum sounds, as well as
put on a programmable light display. It’s part
drum machine, part looper and reacts in real
time to your movements, distorting the sound
and triggering new sections of your music. It
is composed of two parts – the Base Station,
which contains 468 instrument sounds and 70
synthesizer sounds, and the Ring Controller, which
you “play” by moving it around (it connects to the
Base Station via Bluetooth).ROLI LIGHTPAD BLOCK
US$179.95
roli.com
The Block needs to be seen to be believed. In the
hands of a keen musician, it can be used to lay
down entire electronic tracks using an in-built
drum machine and more than 100 individual
sounds. The tactile silicone rubber surface is
sensitive to how hard you press it – a harder jab
equals a louder noise. Connecting to the Noise app
on your iPhone (there’s a beta version on Google
Play) allows you to switch the Block into its various
sound modes and to change the softly glowing
colours so you know which parts of the surface
will play what sound. At 9.4cm x 9.4cm, it’s small
enough to fit in your pocket, and you can snap
multiple Blocks together to create a mobile studio.62