![]() ![]() At a stroke, the MkII Maschine's pad matrix is more meaningful. (Synaesthesia, or the blending of senses, is a complex neurological condition in which, for example, sounds, numbers, or even days of the week are perceived as colours.) Even if you're not synaesthesic, the ability to locate a kick drum or vocal sample by colour alone is instantly useful - you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. Who's going to deny that colour and music, especially hi-tech dance music, are born to be together? Whether it's synchronised LED lighting rigs and VJ virtuosos or the many tastefully glowing controllers for Ableton Live, synaesthesic synthesists have never had it so good. But for the real gains to be appreciated, we should take the plunge into that all-new dimension: colour. Speaking of latency, the buttons and pads are snappy and responsive, while the pads' aftertouch breathes extra life into those traditional Maschine note-repeats. Finally, there's a very snug USB 2 connection that should never drop out accidentally. Recognising the usual issues of computer latency, there are a number of synchronisation offset options, vital for achieving tightness with your hardware. The rear panel features MIDI In and Out sockets, so you can drive external synths or drum machines and even sync Maschine to external MIDI clock sources. Most importantly, the pads, buttons and encoders all feel fantastic, and the simple 'eight parameters per page' integration with Massive (and other synths) renders the controller/sequencer experience slick and painless. The two 64 x 256-pixel displays are a tangible improvement, their white text on black background instantly clearer and easier on the eye than the previous model's inverse video. It has dropped the dedicated knobs for Volume, Tempo and Swing, and in their place is a single fat, pushable encoder, plus extra buttons as compensation. The new model is the same size as its forerunner and a little heavier, at 2.1kg. This review concentrates on the full-sized Maschine controller but there's also a MkII version of the smaller, cheaper Mikro. ![]() ![]() This should come as some relief to existing owners who might be feeling slightly miffed. However, apart from the coloured pads, the two are functionally almost identical. In comparison, even the stylish earlier model looks a bit cautious. The Maschine MkII hardware is undeniably a thing of beauty. If you were ever tempted by Maschine in the past, the theory is that you'll now be massively tempted. As a further sweetener, Massive - Native Instruments' bass and lead synth - joins the package. Sadly, there's no way to physically transform the older controllers into multi-hued marvels, but existing users can at least enjoy the new effects and other enhancements this update brings. Colour now shines at the heart of the Maschine's universe and, thanks to upgrades in the host software, it can be applied as extravagantly or as sparsely as your taste dictates. Hot on the heels of last year's trimmed-down Maschine Mikro are two eye-catching new hardware controllers for Native Instruments' Maschine. Otherwise, you could wait for a price drop or dealer promotion.Maschine's MkII hardware gets a Technicolour make-over, while its software increments to v1.8. If you like spinning presets and pre-made content into your own tunes, I reckon you will like the offer. For example, there are beats and sounds by Mobb Deep producer Havoc, bass-heavy grime samples from scene innovators like Roll Deep’s Flowdan, and heavy-hitting tech house courtesy of Umek. You can choose among many modern genres with content made by leading sound designers and artists in the respective styles. ![]() The NI-specific stuff covers drum kits for Battery and Maschine, presets for synths like Massive, Monark, and Prism, as well as FX chains, editable patterns, Drum Synth and Bass Synth presets. Whatever type of electronic music you’re making, there’s probably an expansion for it. These can be used in any production platform. They contain one-shots, samples, and tempo-based loops in specific genres, including very niche ones. Made for owners of Native Instruments products but also compatible with any DAW, expansions are genre-specific content packs created by top artists and sound designers. ![]()
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