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Today, Behringer has announced the release of the 676, a 1U rackmount tube preamp and compressor that draws a rather hefty dose of “inspiration” from Universal Audio’s 6176 Vintage Channel Strip, a piece of gear released in 2004 that unites recreations of UA’s classic 610 mic preamp and 1176LN compressor in a single unit.

While Behringer has a history of releasing affordable recreations of classic instruments and pieces of gear, the majority of these are clones of products that are no longer on sale. That’s not the case with the 676, which is based on a Universal Audio product that – though it was released two decades ago, and is itself based on vintage designs – is still available today.

Behringer’s 676 looks like it could offer budget-conscious producers an accessible route to achieving the kind of warmth, character and dynamic control that made the 6176 such a popular choice for professional engineers – if it genuinely delivers the “vintage vibes” that the company is promising. At $469, it’s almost 90% cheaper than the 6176, which retails for around $3500.

The 676’s mic/line preamp delivers up to 64dB of gain and is equipped with “premium” 12AX7/ECC83S and 12AT7/6072 vacuum tubes that Behringer claims will add “rich, harmonic warmth” to any signal. Controls for input gain, output level, impedance and polarity are joined by high- and low-frequency shelves with switchable filters, and a Split/Join switch can be used to send the preamp output into the compressor.

The 676’s FET compressor promises to offer everything from “slow and smooth levelling” to “fast and aggressive” dynamic control. Controls for attack (20 to 800µs) release (50 to 1100ms) and ratio (1:1 to 100:1) can be found on the front panel, along with input and output gain. A vintage-style VU meter can be used to monitor the preamp stage, gain reduction and compressor output.

Both preamp and compressor run through custom-built transformers designed by British audio brand Midas, also owned by Music Tribe. As for I/O, the 676’s preamp has XLR mic and line inputs on the back and a 1/4″ Hi-Z input on the front panel, while the compressor has a single XLR line input; both have a single balanced XLR output.

Behringer’s business strategy is a contentious one, but the company’s mission to “democratize” music tech by releasing inexpensive clones of iconic instruments and gear that many of us can’t afford has earned them a devoted and rapidly expanding fanbase.

Behringer 676 MSRP is $469, but it’s priced at $619 in the US. Estimated available in August 2025. Find out more on Behringer website.

2025 NAMM Show: Now any desktop musician can treat themselves to the sound of the Neve 88R VCA compressor. The new 88C delivers its iconic sound quality, versatile control and legendary character, with Neve claiming that its latest creation is perfect for mixing, tracking, and mastering in any studio, whatever the size.

The new 88C is a two-channel, dual dynamics package boasting Neve’s famous VCA compressor know-how in a new, compact and portable desktop unit. With two independent compressor channels it’s ready for mono or dual-channel compression with stereo linking, allowing both channels to function as a cohesive pair while still leaving you with independent control over each.

Neve’s VCA compressors were first introduced in the early 1970s as part of its 50 Series consoles.

Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) compressors are highly regarded for the clarity and cleanliness of their sound and their ability to work fast and tight, offering the kind of extreme compression that became (and still very much still is) part of the modern ‘produced’ studio sound.

Able to tame and shape even the most extreme vagaries of signal, VCA compressors are the go-to for countless engineers worldwide, day in day out, and the units within Neve consoles are among the most highly regarded.

Neve’s VCA compressors – prominent features of their VR and 88R series’ – offer greater precision, flexibility and wider use cases when compared to the classic, gentle compression more familiar with its Neve Diode Bridge design. Thus, over the decades, Neve’s VCA designs have become the main event on their consoles.

Now that sound is set free via the new 88C desktop unit, incorporating two complete VCA compressors derived from the 88R console’s channel strip.

The 88C is powered via USB 3.0+ through a USB-C connector. Alternatively, it can be driven from any USB 3.0-compatible power adapter.

Using the same leatherette casing as on Neve’s 88M two-channel mic preamp, the 88C becomes the 88M’s perfect partner with a maximum +18dB threshold and built-in limiting capabilities for precise transient control. It packs an impressive -50dB of gain reduction.

There are variable ratio settings, extending to full signal limiting, and that famous, ultra-fast attack of the 88R compressor circuit, making it ideal as a ‘brick-wall limiter’ and perfect for mastering applications.

Adaptive attack design – lifted from the 88RS channel strip compressor – delivers what Neve is calling a “seamlessly organic response to input transients, balancing musicality with uncompromising precision”. The triple time constant technology in the auto-release circuit, meanwhile, enables ‘set-and-forget’ operation, with the unit effortlessly smoothing transients across a wide range of instruments or complete mixes.

Further icing comes via high-pass frequency sidechaining, providing precise control with selectable filters at 80Hz, 125Hz, and 300Hz. Low-end signals remain uncompressed, enabling the 88C to zoom in and compress only what you need.

And a True Bypass design, selectable on a per-channel basis, directly connects the inputs and outputs for an unaltered, transparent signal path, giving seamless A/B signal referencing.

Find out more on the Neve website. The 88C costs $1,195/£1,075.

Native Instruments has announced that it will be ending software support for several older versions of its pad controller Maschine, discontinuing the products in order to focus on the development of new Maschine software.

Both Maschine MK1 and MK2 and Maschine Mikro MK1 and MK2 will be retired, and owners of these devices will not be able to update them with new Maschine software, or receive technical support, from November 6 onwards. They will, however, be able to continue using their devices with the Maschine 2 software.

“As operating systems advance and as we work on keeping our software up to date and by adding new features, aging hardware requires an increasing amount of attention,” reads a statement on Native Instruments website.

“This takes away focus from our development teams and puts limitations on the changes we can make to the software without breaking legacy hardware integrations. As a result, we have decided to retire the earliest versions of Maschine hardware that originally shipped with Maschine 1, so that we can make some bigger changes to Maschine software in the future.”

The changes hinted at here will take the form of the Maschine 3, a software update slated for next month that NI says will “significantly expand” what users can do with Maschine. Along with a redesigned and “modern” interface, additional features will include stem separation, per-scene tempo adjustment, MIDI editing workflow improvements and integration with Kontrol S-Series MK3. Also on the way is a new content library, Maschine Central, that features 128 multi-sampled instruments and 70 drum kits.

The latest version of the Maschine software will be compatible with Maschine MK3, Maschine Mikro MK3, and the standalone Maschine+. While we’ve no word yet on new Maschine hardware, we wouldn’t be surprised if MK4 was just around the corner.