synthmagazine.com – Every day, synthmagazine.com publishes fresh articles, artist stories and gear news from the world of electronic music – your independent magazine for synth culture and sound design.

27. December 2025

AudioPilz vs. Behringer Neutron: A Red Rocket Rumble

AudioPilz is back in the Bad Gear ring, this time squaring up to the infamous Behringer Neutron—a synth that’s as controversial as a dodgy kebab after a night out. With his trademark wit and meme-fuelled savagery, AudioPilz tears into the Neutron’s quirks, colours, and questionable choices, but also gives credit where it’s due. If you’ve ever wondered whether this red box is a punk hero or just another synth scene villain, strap in. This review pulls no punches and leaves no patch cable untangled.

Behringer Neutron

27. December 2025

JET

Tonepusher

Tonepusher Unleashes the AKAI XR10: The Drum Machine That Refuses to Die

If you think you’ve heard every industrial drum machine worth its salt, think again. Tonepusher drags the AKAI XR10 out of the bargain bin and straight into the mosh pit, showing us why this forgotten box of PCM grit deserves a second (or first) chance. Expect crunchy samples, a whiff of EBM nostalgia, and a healthy disrespect for workflow snobs. This isn’t about pristine menus or ergonomic bliss—it’s about raw, punchy sounds that’ll make your speakers sweat. If you’re after the spirit of Ministry or KMFDM without remortgaging your flat, this one’s for you.

AKAI XR10, Polyend Tracker Plus

26. December 2025

LUMINA

CROW HILL

A Sonic Pilgrimage: Inside BT’s Cave with CROW HILL

Step through the threshold of the BT Cave, where every synth hums with memory and every knob is a tactile echo of the past. In this immersive studio tour, CROW HILL guides us through the labyrinth of BT’s creative sanctuary—a place where relics of analog glory and digital dreams coexist in magnetic resonance. Here, instruments are not just tools but living chapters in a lifelong sonic narrative. Prepare to drift between nebula drones and tactile ghosts, as BT reveals how each machine shapes not only sound, but the very soul of music-making.

Behringer Prophet 600 clone, Chroma Polaris, Clark Technic reverb, IBM 5150, Jupiter-6, Jupiter-8, Kawai K3, Kiwi 106, Korg 707, Kurzweil K250 XP, Lexicon 200, Lexicon 224, Mini Doc, Moog Minimoog Model D, Oberheim Matrix 12, Polivoks, Roland AC-30, Roland D-5, Roland D-50, Roland DX5, Roland DX7, Roland JP-8000, Roland Juno-106, Roland Juno-60, Roland JX-3P, Roland JX-8P, Roland MKS-50, Sequential Pro-One, Sequential Prophet 600, Sequential Prophet T8, Voyetra Sequencer Plus Gold, Waldorf Quantum, Yamaha CS-80

25. December 2025

SPARKY

The Midlife Synthesist

The Midlife Synthesist Unleashes the Oxi E16: MIDI Mayhem for the Masses

The Midlife Synthesist is back in the bunker, this time with Oxi Instruments’ E16—a MIDI controller that’s here to slap your DAW and hardware rig into submission. Forget plastic toys and overpriced knob farms: the E16 lands right in the sweet spot between budget and bloat, promising hands-on control without the faff. The Midlife Synthesist’s signature blend of sharp wit and practical insight slices through the hype, giving us a no-nonsense look at a controller that’s all about performance, customisation, and road-ready build. If you’re after a controller that actually keeps up with your live jams, this one’s worth a

Oxi Instruments E16

24. December 2025

SPARKY

Free Beat

Free Beat’s 2025 Gear of the Year: Woovebox and Polyend Mess Go Head-to-Head

It’s that time again: Free Beat’s annual Gear of the Year throwdown, and this year, things get messy—in the best way. Our favourite groovebox enthusiast can’t pick just one, so we get a double dose of hardware hype. From firmware-fuelled transformations to sequencer-fuelled chaos, Free Beat spotlights two machines that turned his studio upside down in 2025. If you want to know which boxes are worth your sweat and which updates actually matter, this is the video (and article) for you. Get ready for a no-nonsense, hands-on rundown with plenty of sonic mayhem.

Polyend MESS, Woovebox, Woovebox Pro

24. December 2025

LUMINA

Signal Sounds

Signal Sounds: One Year Inside the Cric’s Sonic Labyrinth

Signal Sounds invites us to drift through the afterglow of a year spent with the Future Sound Systems Cric—a synthesizer that doesn’t just make sound, but sculpts entire weather systems of tone. Guided by Michael Manning’s reflective touch, this video is less a product demo and more an ambient travelogue through the Cric’s patchable wilderness. Here, the Cric is revealed as both instrument and muse, a matrix of possibility where every connection births new sonic ghosts. For those who see synthesis as storytelling, this is a journey not to be missed.

Future Sound Systems Cric, Make Noise Rene, Moog Matriarch, Music Thing Modular Workshop

24. December 2025

SPARKY

Liam Killen

Liam Killen’s Synth FX Pedal Deathmatch: Only the Strong Survive

Liam Killen isn’t here to mess about—he’s lined up his all-time favourite FX pedals for synths and is ready to let them slug it out. If you’re tired of endless pedal hype and want a straight-up, hands-on deep dive, this is your rave bunker. Expect no mercy for weak sauce: Liam’s got a knack for slicing through the noise, showing off what actually slaps on synths, and why. Whether you’re a DAWless diehard or just want your next pedalboard street weapon, this video is the cheat code. Spoiler: you’ll want to hear these things in action.

Boss OD-200, Chase Bliss CXM 1978, Chase Bliss Mood, Empress ParaEQ Deluxe MK2, Hologram Electronics Chroma Console, JHS Colourbox V2, Meris LVX, Novation Bass Station 2, Novation Circuit Rhythm, Pedaltrain Metro 24, Pedaltrain XD18, Red Panda Bitmap 2, Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3, Walrus Audio M1

24. December 2025

SPARKY

Nu-Trix The Synth Guy

Nu-Trix The Synth Guy: Five Brutally Honest Tips to Smash Gear Hype in 2025

Forget the endless gear parade—Nu-Trix The Synth Guy is here to torch the hype and serve up five no-nonsense tips for actually making music with the kit you already own. This isn’t another ‘best of’ list; it’s a rallying cry for squeezing every drop of creativity out of your current setup, whether you’re rocking a battered groovebox or a dusty sampler. Expect workflow hacks, gear soul-searching, and a few sharp elbows at the cult of new gear. If you’re ready to bin the excuses and finish tracks, this one’s for you. Watch the video for the full bunker vibe and

Arturia MicroFreak, Elektron Syntakt, Korg Drumlogue, Roland VP-9000

23. December 2025

SPARKY

Creative Sauce

Creative Sauce Unleashes sonible smart:comp 3 – Compression for the Lazy, the Curious, and the Sonic Perfectionist

Creative Sauce, the home-studio sage, dives headfirst into sonible’s smart:comp 3 and finds five features that actually impress – no small feat in a world of copy-paste plugins. Forget twiddling endless knobs: this compressor wants to do the heavy lifting, whether you’re a DAW rookie or just sick of menu-diving. Expect matrix madness, spectral sorcery, and input riding that’ll save you hours of mouse-dragging. Mike’s practical, no-nonsense approach slices through the hype and gets to the guts of what makes this plugin a potential secret weapon for your next mix. If you’re tired of compressors that fight back, this one

sonible smart:comp 3

23. December 2025

LUMINA

HAINBACH

HAINBACH’s Hybrid Nebula: Where Analog Breath Meets Digital Memory

In the magnetic twilight between tape hiss and pixel clarity, HAINBACH invites us into his laboratory of sound—where analog warmth and digital precision swirl together like fog and fractured light. This isn’t just a studio tour; it’s a meditation on process, space, and the ghosts that haunt every note. As acoustic instruments, ancient synths, and modern DAWs collide, we witness a workflow that’s less about control and more about creative resonance. For those who dream of sculpting soundscapes that shimmer between worlds, HAINBACH’s hybrid approach is a map to new sonic territories.

A&T Mixer, Ableton Live, AKG BX20 Spring Reverb, Brooklyn ADC, Brüel & Kjær Scientific Filter Banks, Eventide Digital Delay, Extinct Audio BM-9 Ribbon Microphones, FFOSSO, Hologram Microcosm, Nagra Tape Machine, Phonia Preamps, RME Audio Interface, Rodec Restyler, Telefunken M15 Tape Machine, Valhalla VintageVerb

« 1 … 10 11 12 13 14 … 150 »