WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

With mobile music-making only ever in the ascendancy and all the big money to be made in live performance, products that enable you to take your skills and your sounds out into the open are similarly on the rise.

Mackie has announced a new addition to their ProFX line, the battery-powered ProFX10 GO. The new ProFX10 GO mixer is the latest offering from the company that’s been making high-quality, great sounding mixers and associated audio gear for decades. But this mini miracle goes one step further, working its familiar Mackie magic without the need for a power cable.

In fact, it’s not only a 10-channel audio mixer but also a 24-bit/192 kHz, 2×4 USB-C audio interface. Plus, there are additional luxuries such as Mackie’s own GigFX+ effects engine – offering reverbs, delays, choruses and more – and a full-colour LCD display for editing and saving presets.

And – as is increasingly becoming a must – there’s full Bluetooth on board, so you can send and receive audio to and from your audience’s devices without the need for a pesky cable.

And all this without the need for a power connection, as the unit’s built-in but swappable battery keeps the whole gig going for up to eight hours. And when you’re running low, just drop in another GB-10 battery (available separately) to keep the party going.

When you do come across a power outlet, simply plug in the ProFX10 GO and continue your jam while the GO’s battery dutifully recharges in the background.

Via Bluetooth you can stream in songs from phones, tablets and laptops and even use them as backing for your band or DJ who can play on the top. Alternatively, turn your phone into your own remote broadcast studio and stream your performance on the ProFX10 GO to your phone and onwards to Twitch, YouTube, Instagram and more.

Spec hunters will be pleased to note that, despite all the new wireless bells and whistles, Mackie hasn’t skimped on the ProFX10 GO’s capacity to sound great.

The new mixer carries four of Mackie’s famous Onyx mic preamps with up to 60 dB of gain on channels 1 through 4. Channels 1 and 2 carry Hi-Z switches for DI injection of guitars and more, and all channels feature Mackie’s famous musically-optimised three-band EQ.

There’s even a built-in ‘one-knob’ compressor built into channels 1 and 2.

A spokesperson told us, “Now you really can mix anything from anywhere and never miss a beat. Dial in legendary Mackie professional sound wherever you are, no matter how remote.”

In essence, the new GO formulation is everything you loved from Mackie’s existing ProFX10V3 and (plus the effects) ProFX10V+ mixers, plus that all important ability to play in a desert, car park or warehouse and everywhere in between.

Features:

• Battery-powered 10-channel mixer allows you to mix anything, anywhere
• 4 Onyx mic preamps with +60dB of gain and ultra-low noise performance
• 3-band EQ on all channels; 1-knob compression on channels 1–2
• hi-Z switches supply easy instrument DI-ing
• 100Hz low-cut filter and +48V phantom power on each mic channel
• Stereo 1/8-in. input on channel 9/10
• High-resolution GigFX+ effects engine delivers 24 studio-quality effects
• Full-color LCD screen permits editing and saving presets on the fly
• Built-in 2-in/4-out USB-C audio interface yields dead-simple computer recording
• 3 recording modes: Standard, Loopback, and Interface
• Effortless latency-free monitoring
• Bidirectional Bluetooth functionality makes integrating calls and streaming audio a breeze
• Swappable rechargeable battery provides up to 8 hours of use

The GO comes as part of Mackie’s new line-up and will be fully revealed at 2025 NAMM Show. The Mackie ProFX10 GO will be available soon, priced at RRP $399.99. Find out more on Mackie website.

Musik Hack, the developers of the mastering-made-easy mega-suite, Master Plan – have recently released their second software tool: the low-end accentuating Fuel, which they’ll be showcasing at this year’s NAMM show.

Available now for immediate download via the company’s website (at the special introductory price of $59, at time of writing) this ‘ultimate sound enhancing’ plugin will be a major focus for the two-man team at their NAMM booth (#15900) this year.

Fuel is described as a way of balancing low-end power, dynamic range and effective limiting, simplifying processes that typically require the stacking of three or four additional plugins.

Harnessing Musik Hack’s proprietary maximiser algorithm, the plugin is ultra-low latency, which means its applicable in a live setting. The central one-knob compressor makes scaling compression types per-track relatively simple.

Some snarling saturation comes via the two ‘Bass’ and ‘Thick’ knobs, aimed at rectifying and adjusting issues with low-end and mid-range sounds respectively.

The company bullet point the plugin’s attributes and formats as follows:

• Fine-tuned maximization & saturation toolkit
• Combine the best of your favorite plugins in one simple tool: no stacking required
• Works on any track: vocals, drums, bass, synths, mix bus, and more
• Classic trap-inspired soft-clipping & analog crunch
• High octane saturation & bass enhancement
• The same unbeatable maximizer as Master Plan
• AAX/AU/VST3 MacOS 10.15+, Windows 10+

Musik Hack, founded by Grammy-nominated producer Stan Greene and plugin developer Sam Fischmann.

Fischmann once said in an interview:

“Different camps behave in different ways. I think some people see a complicated plugin and say ‘yeah, forget this’ – they think the ‘quality’ aspect of music is not for them and they need to focus on something else. Others might lose the spirit of what they’re doing, and decide that getting technical is what’s important. This is sad to me because the most universally great thing about music is that we use it to move other people.”

Fuel can be purchased now at the introductory price of $59 (standard price is $79) while a rent-to-own model at $5 (typically $6.60) a month is also available.

Ahead of 2025 NAMM Show, Reloop – a brand best known for its DJ gear – today has announced the release of a new MIDI controller with wireless MIDI capabilities and comprehensive Bitwig integration.

Keypad Pro is a lightweight and portable controller that’s nonetheless equipped with a variety of options for both DAW control and live performance. Its 25-key, velocity-sensitive keyboard and obligatory pitch bend and mod wheels are joined by a 16 velocity-sensitive, aftertouch-equipped pads that can be used to trigger drum sounds or launch clips.

Above the pads we have a bank of eight channel strips complete with volume faders, pan encoders and two smaller potentiometers for sends. These are joined by three backlit function buttons. On Keypad Pro’s left-hand side you’ll find a DAW master section that comprises an array of essential controls for transport and recording. There’s also a small OLED display for referencing parameter values.

Keypad Pro is MIDI-compatible with all major DAWs, but offers full, plug-and-play integration with Bitwig Studio, so Bitwig users can access convenient, hands-on DAW control right out of the box. The controller can be powered via USB or AA batteries and can be hooked up to your computer via USB or wirelessly through Bluetooth MIDI. On the unit’s side you’ll also find a TRS MIDI output and sustain pedal jack.

Reloop Keypad Pro intro video:

The Midi Controller ships with a bundle of free software that includes Bitwig Studio 8-track, a limited version of Bitwig’s flagship DAW, and Lifeline Expanse Lite, a multi-effect from Excite Audio. You will also gets a two-month subscription to Loopcloud Studio and a three-month license for Serato Studio.

All in all, Keypad Pro looks like a solid choice for those building a portable set-up: if you’re a Bitwig user on the hunt for a versatile controller for mobile music-making, this could be the device for you.

Keypad Pro is priced at €249/$249/£219. Find out more on Reloop website.