Buying Guides | Sweetwater.com

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Sweetwater provides the insider touch before, during, and after your purchasing experience. Our exclusive Buying Guides offer the professional information you deserve while searching for the right pro audio or music technology gear for your specific needs. Sweetwater Buying Guides provide answers to just about any question you might have about purchasing mixers, microphones, keyboards, speakers, guitars and more!

500 Series Gear Buying Guide

· 500 Series Overview
· Workflow Advantages
· Components and Modules
· More...

Studio Microphones Buying Guide

· Types of microphones
· How to read a frequency chart
· Understanding polar patterns
· More...

Live Sound Microphone Buying Guide

· Types of Microphones
· What is Impedance?
· Why do Polar Patterns Matter?
· More...

Wireless Microphone Buying Guide

· Wireless setup basics
· Application types
· UHF vs. VHF
· More...

Handheld Recorders Buying Guide

· Why would I want a handheld recorder?
· How many tracks can I record?
· How much recording time is possible?
· More...

Audio Interfaces Buying Guide

· Why do I need one?
· FireWire, USB, PCI?
· How many inputs/outputs?
· More...

Pro Tools Buying Guide

· Which system is right for me?
· Why use a control surface?
· Pro Tools plug-in formats explained
· More...

Preamps Buying Guide

· Preamp or a Channel Strip?
· Tubes vs. Solid State
· Multiple preamp benefits
· More...

Signal Processing Buying Guide

· Compression in and outs
· Reverb: When is enough, enough?
· When to use a gate
· More...

Studio Monitors Buying Guide

· Powered vs. unpowered monitors
· Studio monitor placement
· What is "bi-amped"?
· More...

Acoustic Treatment Buying Guide

· Absorption, diffusion and bass traps
· How much should I use?
· Where do I hang it?
· More...

Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide

· Tone woods
· Acoustic-electrics explained
· Body styles
· More...

Guitar Amps Buying Guide

· Solid state or tube?
· Amps for live, studio and practice
· Benefits of modeling
· More...

Electric Guitar Buying Guide

· Anatomy of an electric guitar
· Pickups explained
· Do frets matter?
· More...

Guitar Pedals Buying Guide

· Stomp box styles
· Multi-effect effects
· What to add to your rack
· More...

Bass Guitar Amp Buying Guide

· Speaker sizes
· Benefits of modeling
· Combo or head/amp?
· More...

Bass Guitar Buying Guide

· Anatomy of a bass guitar
· 4-string vs. 5-string
· P-bass and J-bass differences
· More...

Virtual Instruments Buying Guide

· What is a VI?
· Types of VIs
· Recording and live use
· More...

MIDI Controller Buying Guide

· Faders, buttons, and knobs
· Keyboard action types
· Using a controller live
· More...

Home Keyboard Buying Guide

· Digital Pianos explained
· What is an arranger?
· MIDI 101
· More...

Keyboard Amp Buying Guide

· Which keyboard amp is right for me?
· What to look for in a keyboard amp
· More...

Professional Keyboard Buying Guide

· Arranger vs. workstation
· Using a workstation live
· Using an arranger
· More...

Sound Module & Sampler Buying Guide

· Why do I want a sampler?
· Songwriter's tool
· Synthesis basics
· More...

Acoustic Drum Buying Guide

· Anatomy of a Drum
· Snare Drums
· Components of a Drum Kit
· More...

Electronic Drums & Percussion Buying Guide

· Rubber vs. mesh pads
· Drum triggers & sound modules
· Percussion controllers explained
· More...

Live Sound Monitors Buying Guide

· Stage monitor types
· In-ear monitor benefits
· Types of headphones
· More...

PA Speakers Buying Guide

· Powered vs. unpowered
· Bi-amplification explained
· When to add a subwoofer
· More...

Live Mixer Buying Guide

· Live vs. studio mixers
· Powered mixer benefits
· Mixing monitors
· More...

Power Amp Buying Guide

· Matching amps to speakers
· Damping factor
· Ohms explained
· More...

Racks & Cases Buying Guide

· Portable Rack Types
· Rackmounting Tips and Tricks
· What is ATA?
· More...

Cable Buying Guide

· Balanced vs. unbalanced cables
· Cable connectors explained
· Cable shielding
· More...

MIDI Interfaces Buying Guide

· What is a MIDI interface?
· MIDI In, Out, Thru
· Types of MIDI cables
· More...

Control Surfaces Buying Guide

· What is a control surface?
· What are all these faders, knobs for?
· How do they communicate?
· More...

Digital Workstations Buying Guide

· How many tracks do I need?
· Professional production
· Advantages of modeling
· More...

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