Comparison

The Novation Launchkey 49 MK4 and the Arturia KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 are the two 49-key controllers most people end up choosing between. They cost about the same, they’re the same size, and both promise to “integrate” with your DAW. They are not the same keyboard. One is built to drive Ableton Live from the keys. The other is built to make finding and playing sounds easy in whatever software you use. ...

The Focusrite Scarlett Solo and 2i2 are the best-selling audio interfaces in the world. They show up on every beginner recommendation list, and for good reason — they’re reliable, they sound great, and Focusrite’s driver support is unmatched. But if you’re deciding between them, the choice isn’t always obvious. The specs look nearly identical and the price difference is only about $60. So what do you actually get for that extra money? ...