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.

12. January 2026

Starsky Carr Unleashes the iLoud Sub: Small Box, Big Bass, No Nonsense

Starsky Carr dives headfirst into the low-end trenches with the IK Multimedia iLoud Sub, putting this compact subwoofer through its paces in a real-world small studio. If you think a sub this size can’t shake your walls, think again—Starsky’s got the measurements, the room correction, and the brutal honesty to prove it. Expect standing waves, beefier mixes, and a bit of British banter about why most subs just make things worse. This isn’t your average gear review—this is a rave bunker upgrade, Starsky style. Prepare to question your monitor setup and maybe your life choices.

ARC X room correction, Dynaudio LYD7, IK Multimedia iLoud Sub, IK Precision 6

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Sanjay C

Sanjay C’s Studio: Flock Audio, Stream Decks, and a Desk That Slaps

Ever wondered what happens when you let a gearhead loose with a Flock Audio Patch, a Stream Deck, and a wallet full of dreams? Sanjay C’s 2026 desk tour is a synth bunker fantasy come true. He’s ripped out the cable spaghetti, slammed in a routing system that actually works, and lined up a battalion of gadgets that would make any producer drool. From wireless cans to a keyboard with actual wood in the keys, this is a workspace built for speed, inspiration, and a bit of flex. If you think studio workflow upgrades are all hype, Sanjay’s about to

AI AI AI TMA2 Wireless Headphones, Akai MPK Mini MK4, Apple Trackpad, Arturia 8Pre, ATC SCM25A, Avalon 737, BAE 1073, BenQ Desk Lamp, CalDigit TS4, Chase Bliss Generation Loss, Daydreamer Synth 1, Elgato Wave Mic Arm, Ember Mug, Eventide H9, Flock Audio CX, Flock Audio Patch, Furman Power Conditioner, Lewitt Ray Microphone, LG Flex, Logitech MX Master 3S, Maschine MK3, Moog Messenger, Neumann MT-48, Nina by Melbourne Instruments, Novation Launchpad X, NuFi Air 75, Osmose by Expressive-E, Roland J-6, ROLI Seaboard Block, Roto-Control by Melbourne Instruments, Sequential Prophet 6, Sound Anchor Speaker Stands, SSL 4000, Stream Deck Plus, Strymon Night Sky, Studiologic SL88 GT, Tube-Tech CL1B, Universal Audio 1176, Universal Audio Apollo

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Free Beat

Free Beat vs. KOII: Sample Chopping in the Rave Bunker

Sample chopping on the Teenage Engineering KOII finally gets the Free Beat treatment, and it’s about time. Our favourite daily-gear explorer dives into two ways to slice up beats, with a workflow that’s part coffee-fuelled experiment, part practical chaos. Expect hands-on action with patron-submitted drums, a few honest gripes, and a look at what makes the KOII’s sample handling both clever and occasionally clunky. If you want to know whether this box is a street weapon or a fiddly toy, you’ll want to read on—and then watch the video for the full sonic mayhem.

Teenage Engineering KOII

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Andrew Chapman Creative

Andrew Chapman Creative’s Hardware EQ Tier List: Sonic Street Weapons Ranked

Ready to bin your plugin EQs and go hardware hunting? Andrew Chapman Creative is here with a no-nonsense, laugh-out-loud tier list of hardware EQs, slicing through the hype like a samurai at a toaster-fight. Forget the sales talk—this is real-world studio grit, where sound, workflow, and value slug it out for top spot. Expect sharp opinions, a few sacred cows tipped, and enough honest banter to make your rack blush. If you’re after the truth about which EQs slap and which ones should stay in the pawn shop, this is your rave bunker briefing.

API 550A, API 550B, API 560 Graphic EQ, BAE 1073D 500 Series 1073 and EQ, DBX 530 Parametric EQ, Drawmer 1971 Two Channel EQ, Elysia X Filter 500 Series Stereo EQ, Heritage Audio HA73EQ Elite Series Microphone Preamplifier with Equalizer, Klark Teknik EQP-KT, Lindell Audio LiNTEC Program Equalizer, Lindell Audio PEX 500, Maag EQ4 500 Series EQ, Mackie 32x8 Console, Manley Massive Passive, Neve 1073 SPX, Pheonix Audio Gyrator, Pultec 500 Series, Purple Audio Odd EQ, Rupert Neve Designs Inductor EQ, Solid State Logic SSL E-EQ Mk2 500 Series Equalizer, Solid State Logic SSL Revival 4000 Signature Analogue Channel Strip, SSL Ultraviolet EQ, Stam Audio SA-EQP1A, Toft Audio ATB, Trident 80B EQ, Tube Tech PE-1C, Vintech X73i, Warm Audio EQP-WA, Warm Audio WA73-EQ 1073-Style Microphone Preamplifier and Equalizer

11. January 2026

SPARKY

David Hilowitz Music

David Hilowitz Music vs. The Dutch Vinyl Oddity: A Sixties Guitar Gets a Rave Resurrection

Ever wondered what happens when a composer with a taste for the weird picks up a battered Dutch guitar from the sixties? David Hilowitz Music dives headfirst into a Craigslist mystery, unboxing a vinyl-clad relic that looks like it survived a toaster-fight in a Rotterdam dive bar. Expect dodgy wiring, missing ground wires, and a neck swap that would make Leo Fender blush. This isn’t your granddad’s Les Paul—think more “budget Bond gadget” than boutique classic. If you want to see a true underdog get a second chance (and hear it sing on a fresh track), this one’s for you.

Egmond Typhoon Guitar, Squier Mustang Humbucker, Squier Stratocaster Neck

10. January 2026

TAS

Andrew Huang

Andrew Huang Spins Up Chaos: The Circle Guitar Like You’ve Never Seen It

Strap in, mates—Andrew Huang is back with a slice of weird gear that’ll have your head spinning faster than a kangaroo on a merry-go-round. This time, he’s roped in Anthony Dickens to show off the Circle Guitar, a self-strumming, MIDI-mad invention that turns guitar playing on its head. Expect magnetic picks, Ableton wizardry, and enough experimental tricks to make your local pedalboard faint. If you reckon guitars are all about strumming and shredding, think again—this beast is here to rewrite the rulebook. Ready for a wild ride? Let’s dive in before the outback sun melts our pedals!

Ableton Live, Circle Guitar

10. January 2026

JET

AudioPilz

AudioPilz vs. Arturia Pigments: The Last Synth or Just Another Plugin Poshboy?

AudioPilz is back in the Bad Gear ring, this time squaring up to Arturia’s Pigments—the so-called messiah of soft synths. Is this the plugin that’ll finally make us bin our battered analog boxes, or just another overhyped digital darling? Expect sharp wit, meme-fuelled jabs, and a healthy dose of skepticism as Florian Pilz pokes holes in the marketing fluff and puts Pigments through its paces. If you’re tired of synth reviews that read like press releases, this one’s got more bite than a dodgy kebab at 3am.

Arturia Pigments

10. January 2026

SPARKY

Molten Music Technology

Molten Music Technology Gets Hands-On: Faderpunk Controller Unleashed

Molten Music Technology’s Robin Vincent doesn’t mess about, and neither does the AtoV Faderpunk Controller. Straight out the box, this 16-channel modular weapon is ready to slap your rack into shape—no manual marathon required. In this first-impressions rave, Robin dives into the Faderpunk’s plug-and-play attitude, its multi-headed CV hydra, and the kind of live performance quirks that only show up when the strobes are on. If you want a controller that’s as immediate as a caffeine shot and as flexible as a rave bunker yoga class, read on. But trust us, you’ll want to see this thing in action to

AtoV Faderpunk Controller

10. January 2026

LYRA

Arturia

Arturia Pigments 7: Dubstep Explorations Expansion – A Workflow Breakdown

Arturia’s Pigments 7 takes center stage in this official walkthrough, where Alex guides us through the Dubstep Explorations expansion—a preset pack engineered for high-impact bass, explosive wobbles, and laser-sharp leads. The video is a deep dive into how these new sounds are layered and arranged within a hard-hitting dubstep track, with a clear focus on the interplay between different preset engines and effects chains. As is typical for Arturia’s channel, the presentation is both musical and technical, offering insight into the architecture of Pigments 7 and its workflow for modern producers. If you’re curious about how digital sound design translates

Arturia Pigments 7

9. January 2026

LUMINA

Starsky Carr

Waldorf Protein: Starsky Carr Guides Us Through Digital Nebulae

Step into the magnetic haze of digital nostalgia as Starsky Carr unveils the Waldorf Protein—a synth that exhales the spectral breath of the 80s and 90s while inviting us into a modern, tactile interface. In this immersive review, Starsky’s signature clarity meets the Protein’s lo-fi shimmer, revealing a machine that doesn’t just emulate its ancestors but reinvents their spirit. From stepped wavetables to multitimbral layering, the Protein becomes a vessel for sonic ghosts and future dreams alike. Prepare to drift through gritty textures, lush pads, and the subtle magic that only true wavetable synthesis can conjure. For those who seek

Waldorf Protein

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