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

Final days: 30% off the OP-1 Field at Thomann with the checkout code, taking GBP1,649 to about GBP1,154. Thomann states the promo ends August 7, 2026.

30% off · View deals ↗

Fresh from the desk.

Audio Damage Tessera sequenced resonator plugin interface showing root note, scale, motion engines and resonator controls

Software

Audio Damage Tessera: Sequenced Resonator First Look

Audio Damage Tessera turns any input into tuned chords using 12 resonator voices, 11 physical models and five motion engines. A look at the specs and price.

Marcus FeldAug 6, 20267 min read

Fender Motion 16 and Motion 32 pad controllers with RGB FATAR pads, touch encoders and color displays

Hardware

Fender Motion 16 & 32: First Look at the ATOM Successors

First look at Fender Motion 16 and 32, the PreSonus ATOM successors: poly-aftertouch FATAR pads, deep Studio Pro control and a bundled perpetual DAW license.

Elena MarshAug 6, 20268 min read

Pulsar Modular Q Sahara input-driven compressor plugin interface in the Sand Dune theme

Software

Q Sahara for iPad: Pulsar Modular's AUv3 Compressor

Pulsar Modular's Q Sahara lands on iPad as a $19.99 AUv3 compressor with no threshold knob, adaptive timing and a sidechain filter. A first look at the port.

Marcus FeldAug 6, 20266 min read

Close-up of a black 12-inch vinyl record spinning, illustrating Suno's new custom vinyl pressing service

Software

Suno Vinyl: What It Costs and the Alternatives

Suno Vinyl presses tracks from your Suno library onto a real 12-inch record for about $45. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't, and how rivals compare.

Theo NakamuraAug 6, 202610 min read

Teenage Engineering OP-XY sequencer and sampler, discounted 30% at Thomann until 7 August 2026

Hardware

Teenage Engineering 30% Off: Best Buys Before Aug 7

Thomann's 30% Teenage Engineering promo ends 7 August 2026. We checked every UK price: what to actually grab, from the £29 PO-12 to the £1,329 OP-XY flagship.

Elena MarshAug 6, 20268 min read

Steinberg Classics collection showing the LM7, Karlette, VB-1, CS-40 and Neon plug-in interfaces

Software

Steinberg at 30: Free Classics, HALion 7.5 and 60% Off

Steinberg marks 30 years of VST with five free classic plug-ins, a free HALion 7.5 update with MPE, HALion Sonic Play for iOS, and up to 60% off to August 24.

Elena MarshAug 4, 20267 min read

Baby Audio SubCulture pitch-tracking bass enhancer plugin interface

Software

Baby Audio SubCulture: A Bass Enhancer That Tracks Pitch

Baby Audio SubCulture is a pitch-tracking bass enhancer that generates in-tune subharmonics. Three engines, 177 presets, and $129. Full review inside.

Priya RamanJul 28, 20267 min read

Beatsurfing VRAC+ plugin interface showing the slicer, drumification X/Y pad and 16-pad grid

Software

Beatsurfing VRAC+ Turns One Sample Into a 16-Pad Kit

Beatsurfing VRAC+ auto-slices any audio and morphs it into kicks, snares, hats and claps across 16 pads. Full review of the paid upgrade to free VRAC.

Priya RamanJul 28, 202610 min read

Software

Jamstik LOON Stacks Three Synth Layers for MPE Players

Jamstik LOON is a three-layer MPE software instrument with virtual analog, samples and 4-op FM. Released July 15, 2026 at $49.99 intro. Full review.

Marcus FeldJul 28, 202610 min read

Ethno World 7 Complete running in Kontakt 7, showing the Woodwind & Brass and Stringed Instruments interfaces

Software

Ethno World 7 Complete Review: One of the Best Kontakt Libraries Ever Made

Ethno World 7 Complete packs 382 world instruments and voices into 53 GB. After 25 years of development, it is one of the best Kontakt libraries ever made.

Marcus FeldJul 25, 202610 min read

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