The MPC Live III features Akai Pro's expressive MPCe pads, a dedicated 16-button step sequencer and a new Clip Matrix mode that focuses on real-time performance, as well as boasting a built-in mic and speakers and offering battery-powered operation.

Hosted at the Sweetwater's campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, GuitarFest brought together over 70 manufacturers, more than 20 world-class guitarists and numerous industry leaders for a day-long celebration of all things guitar.

The SOS team went along to Machina Bristronica 2025 to see what’s new, and managed to get some overviews and demos from a handful of the event’s exhibitors.

Ableton have announced the introduction of a new rent-to-own option for their flagship DAW software package, significantly reducing the upfront cost for those looking to make the move over to Ableton Live 12 Suite.

Minimal Audio’s latest plug-in allows users to transform and harmonise their vocal tracks without the complexity of traditional vocoder tools.

With two powerful clipper/limiter plug-ins already under their belt, Schwabe Digital's latest launch sees the company turn their attention to high-frequency shaping and enhancement. 

Heritage Audio’s latest announcement introduces two new single- and dual-channel DI box designs and brings a total of four new products to their hardware range.

The latest arrival to the Volt series becomes the first to occupy a rackmount chassis, ups the I/O count significantly, and pairs its eight onboard mic preamps with eight 1176-style compressors.

Building on the legacy of the iconic TR-808 and TR-909, the TR-1000 Rhythm Creator combines a selection of true analogue drum voices with the latest advancements in digital sampling and processing, all complemented by a performance-focused interface. 

The latest arrival to Genelec’s SAM (Smart Active Monitor) range join the flagship 8381A, and promises to deliver precise imaging and natural sound reproduction that's suited to medium-sized recording, mixing and mastering studios.