LEAKED: Native Instrument’s All-New Standalone Groovebox, the Maschine+!

Vintage King, a U.S. based retailer just dropped a bombshell after leaking details on NI’s all new standalone groovebox, Maschine+.

Even before Native Instrument’s had a chance to post their own news and get hyped about it, another music gear retailer chucked the company under a bus by publishing a photo of its all-new Maschine+ last week. In light of the last few days, however, the company made a public announcement that’s given us the full overview of its next generation groovebox performance device and everything we’ll all quickly come to love about it.

There were talks and rumours for a while, but now we finally get to know what this powerful little interface is able to do for your productions. It features an Atom quad-core processor and 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage to save all of your mixes and edits — this can be upgraded to accomodate a terabyte if needed. There are twin USB ports at the back of the unit, allowing you to hook up a compatible MIDI keyboard, plus an I/O connection. It’s also WiFi compatible and doesn’t require any need for a laptop or desktop to get going.

The most beautiful aspect is the fact you can blend your own samples with an entire database of sounds using Native Instruments Expansions. Just hook up your SD or USB and get all of your sounds jamming in one convenient place. The Expansions application comes preloaded with Solar Breeze, Deep Matter, Lilac Glare, Velvet Lounge, and True School and a ton of sounds from the highly-acclaimed KOMPLETE series. You’ll be able to get your hands on 70 of these Expansions come the official launch of Maschine+.

The swanky interface gives you all of the buttons, bells, and whistles to smash a killer performance anywhere you are with hands-on precision. Whatever elements, effects, textures, or instruments you want to shine in your projects can all be manipulated with the turn of a knob, giving you the same epic workflow capabilities as its predecessors.

What’s worth noting is that you won’t be able to load up any third-party plugins or content with the Maschine+; this feature is likely to come in later. You still get plenty to toy with, though, most notably the 128 MIDI presets NI have chucked in. You can easily transfer your projects from the hardware to your comp using the controller on its own. Also, the unit is fully mappable and syncs with Ableton Link if you ever get around to taking this baby on stage with you.

It’s been in the works since 2014, and needless to say we are very excited for the day when NI officially releases this first-of-its-kind piece of standalone gear. We’ve got no doubt it will be worth the wait for all its future users.

Different types of DJ equipment

DJ Headphoes

You can’t DJ properly if you can’t hear what you’re doing or gauge what the audience is hearing. This is why a top-class pair of headphones is essential in any DJ setup. There are hundreds of great headphones on the market, but what you need to factor in when buying is whether they will be in-ear or over-ear, the cup size, orientation, comfort, and durability, among other things.

Different types of DJ equipment

speakers

 If you haven’t got some already and need to add speakers to your shopping list, you’ll want to avoid cheap brands and opt for some which are powerful but suitable for your DJing environment. You wouldn’t go out and buy a huge PA system if you live in a cupboard under the stairs, and you wouldn’t invest in some tiny desk speakers if you are mixing in a large room with thick walls and high ceilings. A set of speakers that fit somewhere in the middle is best.

Different types of DJ equipment

DJ Software

If you’re looking to play solely digital, you’re going to want to invest in some good software. Some DJs who play from USB still do not use software, but the truth is, it can seriously help you stay organized. Software not only allows you to prepare your tracks into neat and tidy playlists, but it also detects the BPM and key of all your tunes, lets you set hot cues, make loops, mashups, and other really cool stuff that wouldn’t be possible if you simply stuck all your tunes on a USB stick or burned them to CD. If you’re just starting out as a DJ, there’s no question that using a high-quality software program will make mixing easier and your sets sound better.

Different types of DJ equipment

Controllers

 DJ controllers are highly convenient because they are an all-in-one setup that you can carry around with you, then plug in and play right off the bat. They also eliminate the need to spend thousands on individual pieces of gear. There are many different types of DJ controllers that are ideal for beginners, each with different functions, personalities, and more. Some are fantastic for multi-deck mixing, changing the volume, tempo, track settings, looping, panning, playing drum pads, and even scratching.

Different types of DJ equipment

mixers

For any analog DJ setup, a mixer is an essential bit of kit. Besides being used to make seamless transitions from one song to another, they also have a wide range of other functions. The crossfader can be used to make epic scratch performances, while the vertical sliders control the volume levels, panning, and can be used in conjunction with effects. They also act as a soundcard to process the music signal you’re sending out to your audience, and let you cue up your next track in your headphones while the current song is playing.

Different types of DJ equipment

Turntables

As mentioned, mixing on turntables is the classic way of DJing, and even some digital DJs still have a vinyl player or two in their repertoire. Turntables are ideal for those who want to get into scratching. They also allow you to switch between songs and albums, slow down tempos, alter the pitch, and do other creative tricks. While laptops and digital DJ setups are the most popular in this day in age, we still recommend learning how to mix on vinyl, even if you don’t plan to buy turntables or use them in your setup. The saying is true – if you can play on wax, you can play on anything.