Creating ‘best of’ lists like this get’s harder and harder every year.
Trying to whittle down all of the amazing gear, plugins and apps I enjoyed this year has been almost impossible, but i think i’ve just about got there.
As always if there’s anything you think i’ve missed or any picks you don’t agree with, sound off in the comments! Here are my picks for the Best Gear, Plugins and Music Production Apps of 2024!
Antelope Audio Zen Quadro Synergy Core
If you already make music in a home studio setup and are looking for the next (and affordable) step up from your first audio interface, this is the interface for you.
Some of it’s standout features include a huge/diverse range of I/O options, tactile and functional hardware controls, a lovely full colour screen and some seriously powerful bundled software.
Most impressive however is how Antelope Audio have managing to squeeze in the same digital converters found in their flagship Galaxy range of interfaces. With this you’re getting access to the kind of clarity and fidelity that would usually be out of the reach for a home recording setup.
The build quality is exceptional, it’s really straightforward to use despite it’s feature set. It’s compact enough that it will slot into even the most modest music production setup.
If you want to drastically increase the sound quality of your recordings but like the smaller form factor of the type of audio interface you’re probably looking to move on from, you won’t find better than the Antelope Audio Zen Quadro at this price point.
Read/Watch my full Antelope Audio Zen Quadro review here.
Anker 541 6-in-1 USB-C Hub
If you’re making music with an iPad, you will at some point need an adapter or dongle of some kind. I can’t recommend this one enough.
The Anker 541 USB-C Hub gives you a 4k, 60 Hz capable HDMI port, a 60W USB-C pass through charging port, a USB 3.0 port, SD and Micro SD card slots and a 3.5mm headphone port.
Design wise, this hub is leagues ahead of other iPad hubs i’ve tried. It fits snugly against the bottom edge of your iPad and the top side of the hub has an overhang that keeps it firmly in place with zero wiggling.
This is a really nice adapter. It’s compact, has excellent build quality and a good selection of ports that will suit pretty much anyone looking to expand their connectivity options.
Watch my review of the Anker 541 6 in 1 USB-C Hub here
Apple iPad Mini 7 (A17 Pro)
Apple released a lot of new hardware in 2024.
The M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models were released back in May, followed by the M4 Mac Mini, new iMac and updated Macbook Pro in October.
There was one iPad model in particular that was long overdue an update that landed in 2024 that I was most excited for. I realise I’m probably in the minority here, but the iPad Mini 7 is far more exciting than it might first appear.
On the outside, the iPad Mini 7 looks pretty much identical to the previous model and resembles a shrunken down iPad Air. It has a 60hz screen, Touch ID is located on the power button, and has a single USB port on the bottom.
It’s the internal improvements Apple have made here that really make the iPad 7 a tiny music making powerhouse.
The Mini 7 is powered by the A17 Pro chip. While this isn’t an M series chip, it’s no slouch either delivering up to a 30 percent increase in performance over the previous iPad Mini.
This iPad is also now has 8 gigabytes of Ram and starts at 128 gigabytes of storage. All of that at the same base price as the previous version.
On the outside it’s not the most exciting iPad Mini upgrade that Apple have ever done, but it’s actually really capable. If you are on the lookout for a super portable and fairly affordable iPad that not only runs GarageBand really well, but will also allow you to work with more CPU intensive apps like Logic Pro for iPad or Cubasis 3 – and is also fantastic at all the other stuff you’d usually use an iPad for – this could be a really good option for you.
Read/Watch my full review of the iPad Mini 7 here
IK Multimedia iLoud MTM mkII Studio Monitors
IK Multimedia released two new studio monitor models this year; a new and improved version of their super popular iLoud Micro Monitors, the iLoud Micro Monitors mkII and the larger iLoud MTM mkII studio monitors.
I swear the engineers at IK Multimedia are wizards. The clarity, separation and low end both of these monitors produce is outstanding. For me though it’s the iLoud MTM Mark 2’s that are my absolute favourite.
They sound fantastic straight out of the box and have 5 physical frequency control buttons that allow you to do things like filter out frequencies below a certain point, add high or low pass shelves or apply a specific frequency preset.
The inclusion of IK Multimedia’s ARC microphone and X-Monitor software really take things to the next level though, allowing you to accurately calibrate the EQ output of the iLoud MTMs to any space.
If you make your own music at home in a smaller, untreated room like a spare bedroom you should absolutely consider a pair of these. Not only do they sound better than any monitors of this size have any right to straight out of the box, the ability to accurately calibrate them to your room will genuinely make your music sound better.
Read/Watch my full review of IK Multimedia’s iLoud MTM mkII studio monitors here
Klevgrand Revolv
There have some incredible new desktop plugins released this year. From deep instruments to powerful effects, trying to decide on just one favourite has been nigh on impossible.
The one i’ve ultimately decided on my be a bit surprising, but it’s a plugin i’ve come back to again and again since it released.
A convolution reverb, Klevgrand’s Revolv includes over 100 IR presets that were recorded in real places from around Sweden. From forests and medieval ruins to cafe’s and swimming pools, the variety of different spaces available is quite astounding.
Revolv has you use a circular selector to move between different ‘spaces’ that are arranged on a ring. You can then use the orange and black control in the centre of the ring to adjust how much of the effect is applied to your track.
Flashy UI and controls aside, Revolv just sounds phenomenal.
Klevgrand and their collaborator for this plugin; sound designer Oscar Björk, have perfectly captured the natural acoustics of these spaces, providing users with amazing reverb effects that you just can’t get anywhere else.
If you’re after a truly unique reverb plugin that offers one of a kind acoustic accuracy while also being really easy to use, I think you’ll really love Klevgrand’s Revolv.
Read my full review of Klevgrand’s Revolv here
LEWITT RAY condenser microphone
Not only does Lewitt’s RAY condenser microphone offer proximity based automatic gain adjustment and muting that works like magic, it’s also just a fantastic all round microphone.
The Aura technology that Lewitt have packed into the RAY microphone is amazing. It uses lasers to essentially ‘sense’ how close or far away you are from the microphone and then automatically adjusts gain to provide a a balanced signal level.
In practice, I was genuinely surprised by how well this feature works. And it doesn’t just work with voice. As long as there is nothing obstructing the microphone’s line of sight, the RAY’s Aura tech will work with any acoustic instrument.
If you dabble in a spot of live streaming alongside your music production stuff, the mute by distance feature and Aura feature in this microphone will prove really valuable to you. Even if you just plan on using this mic to record live instruments or vocals, being able to ensure that you’ll capture a consistent level regardless of mic technique or instrument proximity is a huge plus.
I really like this microphone, not just because of its cool and useful features but because it also just captures amazing sounding audio.
Read/Watch my full LEWITT RAY microphone review here.
Steinberg Iconica Sketch
I have been really wracking my brains trying to decide what my favourite iOS music Production app was this year.
My search for a decent Theremin instrument finally came to an end when Yonac released Thereminator 2, Aurora DSP unleashed a couple of incredible metal guitar amp sims that I loved, not to mention Baby Audio porting some of their best desktop apps to iOS.
I was really really struggling to decide on a favourite… that is until Steinberg released a huge update to Cubasis 3 and along with it, Iconica Sketch.
Iconica Sketch is a port of their desktop orchestral plugin of the same name. Pretty much all features in the desktop version can be found in the iOS App. It brings together an entire sampled orchestra, including 34 playable instruments with a total of 140 articulations.
All of these instrument sounds were captured at the legendary Funkhaus in Berlin and feature lovely, baked in room reverb that really adds to their authenticity in a project.
I’ve used Logic Pro for iPad’s Stock Studio Strings and horns quite a lot this year and have been really happy with how they sound. They pale in comparison next to Iconica Sketch. It’s just light years ahead in terms of quality and actually comes close to sounding as good as far more expensive orchestral Apps.
iOS has been crying out for desktop grade orchestral instruments for a while and Steinberg’s Iconica Sketch absolutely fills that gap. It’s amazing and i’d highly recommend you go grab it yourself.
