Arturia’s MicroFreak is an affordable synth that lives up to its name

Arturia already has a compelling low-cost analog synth in the MicroBrute. And an affordable analog drum machine in the DrumBrute Impact (that FM drum sounds bonkers). Now it's adding a digital synth at the same $349 price point and, well, it's a weir...

Elektron is making its powerful music-making sequencers more affordable

Elektron has a reputation for building high-end synths, samplers and grooveboxes with matching high-end prices. It's "affordable" options -- the Digitakt and Digitone -- have a list price of $759. Yikes. For NAMM 2019 though, it's making a legitimate...

iRig Micro Amp delivers classic guitar tones with your phone

IK Multimedia is making it easier to bring a mini music studio on the road, especially if you have a newer iPhone. It just introduced an iRig Micro Amp that produces 15W while touting a USB interface, giving you a reasonably powerful yet portable am...

The latest Stylophone is much more than a tiny toy synth

The Stylophone line of tiny analog synths has been around for decades. The greats like Bowie and Kraftwerk have used them on iconic tracks, so they're not just limited to hobbyist use. At NAMM this week, Dubreq unveiled the latest, and the most power...

Teenage Engineering is making modular synths for the masses

Modular synths are all the rage right now. And it's not just the usual players either. Korg and Stylophone recently dipped their toes in the modular world. And now Teenage Engineering is getting on the bandwagon. The company is best known for its por...

Korg introduces Volca Modular and Volca Drum synths

Korg's popular Volca line is getting larger and weirder with two additions: Modular and Drum. The affordable and portable line of battery powered synths has covered a lot of ground since first being introduced in 2013. There's a drum machine, a pair...

Korg Minilogue XD synthesizer review

When Korg introduced the Minilogue in 2016 it was a game changer. It's a true analog polyphonic synth for around $500 and frankly, there isn't much else like it on the market. And even three years later it's still one of the best values out there...