The Journal

Sound, tools, technique.

Independent reporting, field-tested reviews, and practical production knowledge for people who make music.

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field - 30% Off at Thomann

Get 30% off the OP-1 Field at Thomann with the supplied checkout code. The portable workstation combines stereo synths, sampling, drums, and four-track tape.

30% off · View deals ↗

Fresh from the desk.

AlphaTheta XDJ-AN two-channel all-in-one DJ system with 7-inch touchscreen and twin 132mm jog wheels

DJing

AlphaTheta XDJ-AN: The Cloud-First All-in-One for $1,199

AlphaTheta's XDJ-AN is a $1,199 two-channel standalone with a 7-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi streaming, SonicLink wireless monitoring and USB-C-only storage.

Elena MarshJul 23, 202611 min read

Native Instruments SuperStarSaw synthesizer interface with its pink and green stacked-saw layers and X/Y Morpher

Software

Native Instruments SuperStarSaw: A.G. Cook's Supersaw Synth

Native Instruments SuperStarSaw is a dedicated supersaw synth built with A.G. Cook: dual saw layers, a 4-corner X/Y Morpher and star motion, from $99.

Theo NakamuraJul 23, 20269 min read

Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II portable sampler, part of the 30% off Thomann promotion

Hardware

Teenage Engineering 30% Off at Thomann (Ends Aug 7)

Thomann is running 30% off Teenage Engineering through 7 August 2026. Add the gift-voucher code in your basket to save on the OP-XY, EP-133, TX-6 and more.

Elena MarshJul 23, 20266 min read

Superlunar GX-8600 glitch and corrupt plugin interface

Sound Design

Superlunar GX-8600: Bend, Freeze and Corrupt Sound

Superlunar's GX-8600 is a $69 glitch and corrupt plugin with a rhythmic glitch engine, a signal-degradation engine, and four LFOs. Full specs and Effectrix 2 comparison.

Marcus FeldJul 14, 20267 min read

Erica Synths Bullfrog Drums sampling drum machine top panel with seven voices and step buttons

Hardware

Erica Synths Bullfrog Drums: A Sampler Built to Teach

Erica Synths' Bullfrog Drums is a sampling drum machine with a built-in mic, 64-step sequencer, and CV/gate. Full specs, price, and Model:Samples comparison.

Priya RamanJul 13, 20267 min read

Melatonin Sine Machine additive synthesizer interface showing per-harmonic volume bars

Software

Melatonin Sine Machine: 10,000 Oscillators, No Knobs

Melatonin's Sine Machine is a friendly additive synth with 10,000 oscillators, a zero-knob UI, and MPE. Full specs, price, and how it compares to Harmor.

Theo NakamuraJul 13, 20267 min read

Chopgrid sampler plugin interface with a 16-cell grid and sound modules

Sound Design

Chopgrid Review: Sampling Built Around Chance

Chopgrid is a chance-based sampler that fills a 16-cell grid from random files, with 14 synthesis engines, a drum machine, and glitch FX. Specs and price.

Marcus FeldJul 12, 20267 min read

Korg NTS-4 Nu:Tekt performance mixer kit with six channels and effects

Hardware

Korg NTS-4 Review: A DIY Mixer for DAWless Rigs

Korg's NTS-4 is a $249 build-it-yourself performance mixer with per-channel send FX and a master FX engine. Full specs, price, and Volca Mix comparison.

Elena MarshJul 12, 20267 min read

Akai MPC 2026 lineup comparison showing MPC One G2, MPC Live III, MPC Key 37 G2, MPC XL, and MPC Sample standalone workstations

Hardware

Which Akai MPC Should You Buy in 2026? Complete Lineup Guide

Which Akai MPC should you buy in 2026? We compare the MPC One G2, Live III, Key 37, XL, and Sample by price, specs, and workflow to find your best match.

Elena MarshJul 11, 202612 min read

Hardware

Best Hardware Synthesizers 2026: Top Synths for Every Budget

Best hardware synthesizers 2026: 10 verified picks from €249 to €2,555, with live Thomann prices, honest trade-offs, and the right synth for every budget.

Theo NakamuraJul 11, 202612 min read

Roland ZENOLOGY GX synthesizer app running on an iPad with the ZEN-Core interface

Software

Roland ZENOLOGY GX Brings ZEN-Core to iPad, Free for Now

Roland ZENOLOGY GX puts the full ZEN-Core engine on iPad with 4,000+ tones, 90+ effects, and AUv3 support, and it's free during the 2026 launch period.

Theo NakamuraJul 10, 20267 min read

Ultra synthesizer plugin interface showing its UltraWave oscillator and modulation section

Software

Ultra: One Synth, Five Engines, and UltraWave

Ultra is a flagship multi-synthesis plugin built around the UltraWave engine, with five sound sources, dual filters, 32 voices, MPE, and a perpetual license.

Marcus FeldJul 10, 20268 min read