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

Steinberg has announced today that its hardware products are being rebranded as Yamaha brand.

Undertaken as part of a restructuring of both companies’ product development systems, the rebrand will see Steinberg shifting its focus away from hardware and exclusively towards software development and sales.

A German manufacturer and software developer founded in 1984, Steinberg was acquired by Yamaha in 2005. Since then, the companies have jointly developed and released a number of products, including Steinberg-branded audio interfaces such as the IXO series, launched in 2024.

As part of the transition, Steinberg’s IXO12, IXO22, UR22C, and UR44C interfaces have been relaunched under the Yamaha brand as the UR12MK3, UR22MK3, URX22C and URX44C, respectively. All other Steinberg audio interfaces will be gradually phased out, but both companies will continue to provide customers with product support “for the foreseeable future”.

Steinberg’s exclusive focus on software development and sales will “allow both companies to focus on their respective expertise”, according to a statement from the company. Steinberg and Yamaha will continue to “work closely together”, providing users with a “refined, integrated product experience which unites software and hardware”.

Steinberg is the brand behind popular music software such as Cubase, its well-established DAW, and Nuendo, an audiovisual post-production suite. The company is also responsible for Dorico, a leading music notation program, and a catalogue of VST plugins that includes the HALion sampler and Groove Agent drum machine.

“This transition is a very positive evolution for the product line,” says Steinberg’s Managing Director Clyde Sendke. “By moving our range of audio interfaces to Yamaha, we are ensuring that they receive a dedicated focus and allow both companies to play to their core strengths.”

“It will ensure there is greater clarity for both our customers and the industry regarding the respective product lines. Steinberg’s reputation for groundbreaking audio software is second to none, and it makes absolute sense for this to be given our exclusive attention.”

Steinberg’s rebrand is an unexpected move, especially considering that the company was acquired over two decades ago and has continued to operate with a generous degree of independence since then.

Steinberg brand is most closely associated with software titles such as Cubase, its flagship DAW. Whether this too will ultimately be folded into the Yamaha brand remains to be seen.

Read the full statement on Steinberg website.

Universal Audio launches Volt 876 USB Recording Studio, the first rackmount interface in the Volt series.

Universal Audio’s Volt series of audio interfaces was launched in 2021, promising “classic studio sound” at a price that’s within reach of budget-conscious musicians and presenting a more affordable alternative to the company’s popular Apollo series.

Four years on and the range has expanded to encompass eight different models, with the latest Volt interface announced by UA this week: Volt 876 USB Recording Studio. Whereas other models in the Volt line are desktop interfaces designed primarily for solo recording, Volt 876 is a rackmount unit aimed at more complex multi-instrument recording scenarios.

A 32-bit/192kHz, 24-in/28-out interface, Volt 876 is equipped with eight of UA’s tube-emulating Vintage mic preamps and eight 1176-style compressors, which can be activated via buttons on the front panel, offering a selection of presets tailored for guitar, drums and vocals. These are joined by two LED-ringed dials for input gain and monitoring level, along with various controls for talkback, metering, clocking and headphone levels.

Volt 876 features two mic/line inputs with XLR/TRS combo jacks on the front panel that double as Hi-Z instrument inputs, joined by six more mic/line inputs on the interface’s rear. There are eight line-level TRS outputs on the back and two headphone outs on the front with dedicated level controls. MIDI I/O is available via dual 5-pin DIN connections and two ADAT/SPDIF ins and outs can be used to digitally expand the interface’s I/O.

Volt 876 arrives bundled with a variety of software, including UA’s companion Console app which offers assistive Auto-Gain and convenient recall of front-panel settings. You’ll also get UA’s Producer Suite, a collection of plugins that includes the company’s LA-2A and 1176 emulations and the PolyMAX synth, and a copy of LUNA, Universal Audio’s free, AI-powered DAW.

Features:

• Get rich analog tone with eight onboard Vintage preamps and classic compressors inspired by UA’s iconic 610 tube console and 1176 limiter
• Hear every detail with professional-quality 32-bit / 192 kHz conversion on Mac, PC, iPad, and iPhone*
• Use the UAD Console app for Assistive Auto-Gain, full session recall of front-panel settings, and two low-latency cue mixes with talkback
• Record with LUNA for analog studio sound, unlimited tracks, and smart AI-powered tools like Voice Control, Instrument Detection, and Tempo Listen
• Produce with a suite of premium UAD plug-ins and instruments including Teletronix LA‑2A and UA 1176 compressors, Pultec EQs, PolyMAX Synth, Showtime ’64 Tube Amp, and more
• Expand your system by combining up to three Volt 876 interfaces or integrating with Apollo and ADAT-equipped gear

Details:

• 24-in / 28-out USB audio interface with eight preamps and cutting-edge 32-bit / 192 kHz audio conversion
• Vintage Mic Preamp mode on every channel for recording your voice, guitar, synths, or band with the rich, full sound of an iconic UA 610 tube preamp
• UA 76 Compressors on every channel to add clarity and punch to vocals, drums, instruments, and other sources with analog circuit based on the renowned 1176
• Digitally-controlled mic preamps with Assistive Auto-Gain and full session recall with UAD Console app and LUNA Digital Audio Workstation
• 16-in / 16-out ADAT connectivity for digital expansion and linking of up to three Volt 876 interfaces to form the ultimate 24 x 28 recording system
• Standalone ADAT mode to connect Volt 876 to third-party interfaces or Apollo over ADAT as an 8 x 8 I/O preamp expander
• Onboard talkback microphone for effortless studio communication
• Realtime direct monitoring with dedicated front panel controls, plus two stereo low-latency cue mixes when used with UAD Console or LUNA DAW
• Class-compliant for hassle-free set-up with Mac, iPad, and iPhone
• Windows systems require the ASIO driver, available within the UA Connect app
• Two studio-quality headphone amplifiers for loud, clear monitoring and effortless collaboration
• 48V phantom power for condenser microphones (selectable per channel)
• Stylish, rugged construction built to withstand years of use, with included rack ears and rubber feet for desktop or 1U rack mounting options

What’s Included

Included Software for Mac & PC

• LUNA Digital Audio Workstation
• UAD Producer Suite:
• Teletronix LA-2A Tube Compressor
• UA 1176 Classic FET Compressor
• Pultec Passive EQ Collection
• Century Tube Channel Strip
• Oxide Tape Recorder
• Verve Analog Machines Essentials
• Pure Plate Reverb
• Galaxy Tape Echo
• PolyMAX Synth
• Showtime ‘64 Tube Amp

Included 3rd Party Software (subject to change):

• Ableton Live Lite
• Melodyne Essential by Celemony
• Ampeg® SVT-VR Classic Bass Bundle by Plugin Alliance
• Marshall® Plexi Classic Amp Bundle by Softube
• Virtual Drummer DEEP by UJAM
• Virtual Bassist DANDY by UJAM
• LABS by Spitfire Audio

Here’s an in-depth look UA Volt 876 USB Recording Studio by André Skinner from Long & McQuade video:

Coming in at the top of the Volt range, the 876 interface is priced at $999. Pre-order now, available mid-October 2025.

Find out more on Universal Audio website.

British audio specialists Audient have partnered with Sonarworks to announce the release of Oria Mini.

A room correction system housed in a dedicated hardware device that sits between your interface and speakers, Oria Mini is designed to take the hassle out of acoustic calibration and “make any speakers sound better”.

Oria Mini is powered by Sonarworks SoundID Reference technology, which measures and corrects the acoustic imperfections of any space, whether that’s a home studio or a professional control room.

Corrective processing that would usually be introduced via the computer is applied directly via Oria Mini’s onboard DSP, ensuring accurate monitoring without hogging CPU power or introducing latency to your set-up. Users can create up to four unique calibration profiles, save these on the hardware and switch between them with ease.

The USB bus-powered Oria Mini features 32-bit converters and delivers 127dB dynamic range, and is compatible with any audio interface and speaker system up to 2.1. Connectivity is provided by TRS analogue and S/PDIF digital inputs and a TRS output, along with a dedicated subwoofer output.

Though Oria Mini is designed to work with Sonarworks software, you can purchase it without a Sonarworks license and use it with software from other providers, such as Smaart and RoomEQ Wizard. Manual calibration is also available with controls for EQ, trim, delay and bass management.

Audient describes Oria Mini as a “set-and-forget” device that can be set up and calibrated in under 20 minutes. “We understand whilst room correction has such a positive impact on your ability to achieve great mixes it is also complicated,” says Audient’s Andrew Allen.

“It is for that reason that Oria Mini is designed to be a set-and-forget box – offering consistent, reliable performance with ultra-low latency, doing its job quietly in the background with zero fuss. No crashes, no CPU strain – just high resolution, consistently accurate monitoring whether you’re mixing in your DAW or simply streaming music via Spotify.”

Features:

• Room Correction System
• Powered by Sonarworks SoundiD Reference*
• Supports up to 2.1 Speaker Setups
• Ultra low-latency Monitoring
• Advanced 32-bit AD/DA Converter Technology
• Create and Store 4 Custom Calibration Profiles
• Switch between Profiles via Hardware
• Onboard Room Calibration Processing
  • EQ, Delay, Trim & Bass Management
• 1 x Stereo Input (TRS)
• 1 x Digital Input (S/PDIF)
• 1 x Stereo Speaker Output (TRS)
• 1 x Subwoofer Output (TRS)
• 24 bit / 96kHz
• USB 3.0 / USB Type-C
• USB Bus Powered
• Includes Sonarworks Measurement Mic
• MacOS and Windows Compatible
• Remote Control
  • iOS iPad Remote
  • Stream Deck Support

Oria Mini is available for purchase with a bundled SoundID Reference license and measurement microphone for £379/€439/$449. The hardware can be purchased standalone without a Sonarworks license for £249/€299/$299, and existing SoundID users can purchase an add-on bundle for £335/€398/$398.

Find out more via Audient website.