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Sound, tools, technique.

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

Sonnox Elite Plugin Bundle - 80% Off (7 Plugins)

Seven Sonnox Oxford studio processors - EQ, Dynamics, Inflator, TransMod, Reverb, Limiter, and SuprEsser - at 80% off via Plugin Boutique.

80% off · View deals ↗

Fresh from the desk.

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

FL Studio 2026 interface showing the rebuilt FLEX synth and piano roll chord tools

Production

FL Studio 2026: Rebuilt FLEX, Cloud Backup, New Chords

FL Studio 2026 is in public beta with a rebuilt FLEX synth, automatic FL Cloud project backup, and smarter chord tools — a free update for all owners.

Priya RamanJul 9, 20269 min read

Polyend Drums hybrid analog and digital drum machine in black aluminum chassis

Hardware

Polyend Drums Review: Analog and Digital in One Box

Polyend Drums review: an 8-track hybrid drum machine with four analog SSI voices, four digital tracks, deep sequencing, and $2,699 price. Full specs inside.

Elena MarshJul 8, 20267 min read

Software

UVI Synth Anthology 5 Review: 300 Hardware Synths in One

UVI Synth Anthology 5 review: 300 sampled hardware synths, 100 new machines, 6,000+ sound layers, a new engine and filters, for $89 intro. Is it worth it?

Theo NakamuraJul 8, 20268 min read