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.

5. February 2026

Gabe Miller Music Unboxes the MPC Live III: First Impressions from the Beat Lab

Gabe Miller Music just cracked open the MPC Live III, and let me tell you—it’s like watching your buddy unwrap a new pair of sneakers, except these kicks make beats. Gabe’s got that signature California cool, but he’s not afraid to call out the quirks and the wins. From the comically oversized box to the first couch jam, this video is a wild ride through sample slicing, built-in mics, and those new MPC-E pads. If you want the real scoop on whether this box slaps or just sits heavy on your lap, Gabe’s blend of honest takes and playful jams

MPC Live III

5. February 2026

MILES

Expert Sleepers

Expert Sleepers Disting NT: Spectral Conquest – FFT Mayhem in Modular

Expert Sleepers, long known for bridging modular and digital workflows, brings their Spectral Conquest algorithm to the Disting NT. This update, rooted in their classic VST, arms Eurorack users with a suite of FFT-based spectral tools. From frequency shifting that shatters harmonics to combs, sieves, and a full-blown spectral polysynth, the module transforms audio in ways both clinical and clangorous. We dive into the video walkthrough to see how these spectral processes behave in real-world patching, and what new territory they open for modular sound design.

Expert Sleepers disting NT

4. February 2026

MILES

Frap Tools

Frap Tools Magnolia: Analogue Polyphony with a Modular Mindset

Frap Tools, the Italian maestros of modular design, step boldly into the polyphonic arena with Magnolia, their 8-voice analog synthesizer boasting true through-zero FM. In this exhaustive, knob-by-knob tutorial, the brand showcases how Magnolia bridges classic polysynth warmth with the timbral wildness of modular FM, all wrapped in a user interface that’s as immediate as it is deep. With a focus on patchability, sound design flexibility, and real-world workflow, Frap Tools delivers a machine that feels as much at home in a Eurorack-inspired setup as it does in a standalone rig. Let’s dissect how Magnolia’s architecture, modes, and modulation options

Frap Tools Magnolia

4. February 2026

SPARKY

Free Beat

Free Beat’s KOII: Odd Time Groovebox That Actually Gets It Right

If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a groovebox into 7/8 and ended up with a migraine, Free Beat’s latest video is your antidote. This time, our favourite practical beatmaker dives deep into the Teenage Engineering KOII, a box that doesn’t just tolerate odd time signatures—it lives for them. Free Beat’s excitement is infectious, but don’t mistake it for hype: this is a hands-on, no-nonsense look at why the KOII might finally be the groovebox that makes weird meters fun, not a maths lesson. Get ready for a fast-paced tour of intuitive sequencing, scene-based time signature wizardry, and some live jams

Teenage Engineering KOII

4. February 2026

LUMINA

Voltage Labs

Voltage Labs Illuminates: Native Instruments and the Dawn of Sonic Infinity

Voltage Labs, ever the cartographer of electronic sound, invites us to drift through the magnetic resonance of Native Instruments’ legacy. This is not just a chronicle of software and circuits—it’s a meditation on how Berlin’s visionaries transformed the very fabric of music-making. Through poetic storytelling and tactile metaphors, we witness the shift from hardware-bound rituals to a universe where sound blooms from code. Prepare to feel the weightless gravity of Reaktor, the spectral touch of Kontakt, and the pulse of Maschine as Voltage Labs connects the dots between technology, culture, and the soul of creation.

Battery, Kontakt, Maschine+, Reaktor, Traktor

4. February 2026

ZAPP

Stefan Gubatz | Dirtbox Jams | Acid Gubi

Donner L1 Essential: Stefan Gubatz Throws the SH-101 Clone into the Beat-Frying Pan

Stefan Gubatz has a new blinking toy on his desk – this time, the Donner L1 Essential, an expanded SH-101 clone with extras that even old Casio fans will find intriguing. In his typically honest and no-nonsense style, he takes the thing apart, tests, tweaks, and lets it sizzle. Magnetic keyboard, modular design, and a step sequencer that screams happy accidents – this isn’t just a review, it’s a performance. But where there’s light, there’s noise: Stefan doesn’t hold back on criticism but stays fair, showing why the L1 Essential deserves a spot on stage despite its quirks. If you

Donner KB32M, Donner L1 Essential

4. February 2026

SPARKY

SON WU

EP-40 RIDDIM vs KOII: SON WU Throws Down the Pocket Operator Gauntlet

SON WU is back in the rave bunker, pitting Teenage Engineering’s EP-40 RIDDIM against the KOII in a no-holds-barred feature fight. If you’re after the real dirt on which pocket-sized beast deserves your cash, this is the showdown you need. Expect sharp insights, hands-on jams, and a few curveballs—SON WU’s signature style is all over this one. Don’t blink: the verdict comes fast, and the details are juicier than a warehouse party at 4am.

Teenage Engineering EP-133 KOII, Teenage Engineering EP-40 Riddim

3. February 2026

LUMINA

DivKid

DivKid Illuminates Modular Alchemy: d’Voxx on Recording, Producing & Mixing Sonic Narratives

In this atmospheric dialogue, DivKid invites us to drift through the fog-laced corridors of modular synthesis with d’Voxx—Paul and Nino—whose album ‘Telegraph’ becomes a living map of creative intent. The conversation is less a technical manual and more a meditation on the philosophy of capturing modular sound: performance, intuition, and the magnetic resonance between live energy and studio sculpting. Here, every patch and EQ sweep is a brushstroke on a canvas of shifting frequencies. For those who sense music as landscape and emotion, this video is a portal into the secret rituals behind modular storytelling. Some moments, like the bloom

Clouds, Distinct Mk3, DLD, ER-301, Instra CSL, Mackie 14:2 Mixer, Rosy, Tangle Quartet, Urverb

3. February 2026

MILES

UDO Audio

UDO Audio’s Super 8: Patchcraft and Performance with Hazel Mills

In this analytical dive, we follow Hazel Mills as she constructs evocative patches on the UDO Audio Super 8, revealing the instrument’s hybrid character and hands-on modulation appeal. UDO Audio, known for their lush, FPGA-driven analog-hybrid synths, provides the canvas for Mills’ performance video ‘SIGIL.’ The video is less about preset surfing and more about building sounds from the ground up—oscillator by oscillator, envelope by envelope—showcasing the Super 8’s strengths in rhythmic, percussive, and sustained textures. For those interested in how a synth’s architecture shapes real-world patches, this is a revealing look at both the instrument and the artist’s process.

UDO Super 8

3. February 2026

SPARKY

Doctor Mix

Doctor Mix at NAMM 2026: Camelot, Stylophone, and Live Rig Mayhem

Doctor Mix storms NAMM 2026 with a double-barrelled blast of live performance tech and cheeky sampling fun. First up, he and Simone from Audio Modeling show off Camelot—a platform that turns your gig rig into a seamless, scene-switching monster. Forget dropouts and clunky transitions; this thing keeps your set tighter than a warehouse rave at 3am. Then, in classic Doctor Mix style, he detours to the Stylophone booth for a hands-on with their new sampler—cheap, cheerful, and primed for instant sonic mischief. If you want a taste of the future (and a few laughs), this one’s pure NAMM energy.

Audio Modeling Camelot, Kontakt, Omnisphere, SL88, Stylophone Sampler

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