Synths, drum machines, controllers, and studio gear.
Behringer KICK is an MPC-style sampler with a 7-inch touchscreen, 16 RGB pads, 300+ effects and open-source firmware, at a target price of around $150. Specs and rivals.
Teenage Engineering's first amp, the EP-35 K.O. AMP, packs 35W, a mic preamp, a guitar input, a USB audio interface and Bluetooth 5.3 into a battery-powered box.
Roland's free TR-1000 v1.50 update adds a Keyboard play mode, NOTE sequencing, 50 FM instruments from the TR-8S, four new effects and uninterrupted kit changes.
Akai MPK Mini Plus II adds a color screen, aftertouch pads, MPC 3 control and generative arp tools to a 37-key controller with CV out. $139 at Thomann. Specs, rivals.
Behringer Polyeight is an 8-voice analog synth built on the Korg Polysix: 2044 filters, BBD chorus and ensemble, 49 keys with poly aftertouch. Specs and rivals.
Arturia MiniFreak 49 puts the six-voice hybrid synth on 49 semi-weighted keys with an XYZ touch matrix, Filter FM and 256 MB memory. Specs, prices and rivals.
Yamaha's CK76 brings a 76-key semi-weighted model to the CK stage keyboard line, with 363 voices, built-in speakers and OS v2.0's Advanced Split Mode.
Roland's two new Boutique synths cost $649 each with a K-25m keyboard. JUPITER-08 is the 32-voice Jupiter-8 tribute, n/vision a 56-voice wavetable synth. Which to buy.
FLEXFM pairs four-operator FM, sampling and an analog filter per voice with a joystick and USB multitrack. Preorder price, specs, Digitone II comparison, FAQ.
IK Multimedia ARC Studio+ adds standalone calibration, automatic sub alignment and digital I/O to hardware room correction. Specs, prices and how it compares.
AI coding agents have set off a wave of custom firmware for Elektron, Roland, Akai and CDJ gear. Here's what's real, what's risky, and where it goes next.
Squarp Core is a 6HP Eurorack MIDI-to-CV/Gate brain with 14 generative engines, driving up to 64 outputs through one or two xp32 expanders. From 190 euros.
