It looks cool, I just wonder why, since it’s basically a computer, has less processing power than a mid-tier smartphone…
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Technically you are right, it’s all just code. But the integration of hardware and software which runs on the digital elektron boxes is just so well thought of. The synth plugins on the MPC (which are from AIR) are stripped versions of their original ones and it’s just not matching as much as the Digitone/takt or even the M:C.
I know the Digitone is inspired on the operator synth of ableton, but still it’s completely designed and adapted for the Digitone device itself (including their own philosophy of the sequencer, patches and structures) instead of a revived version of an older softsynth. That’s what’s meant by streamlined. Let’s see how this will unfold on the Machine+.
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even better, stemming will review it in a couple of days
They all do it, under power everything, I suppose they will sell more if the product is reasonably priced. £1099 is not bad for this but it’s compromised again, I personally hate computer, interface and controller set ups with a passion, I want a compact box with everything in so I may go for this. Also a big plus for me is the encoders line up to what you control on the screen. My biggest bugbear with elektron is they put them to the side.
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Mine don’t even have the good grace to humor me for a few minutes. 
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I think the most confusing thing about this new standalone Maschine is the reaction. This is what every maschine user (and even non users) have been screaming to the mountain tops about. It feels like every Facebook group, forum, and reddit group around the world have been asking for a stand-alone Maschine for years and years. Every time akai came out with something new, you’d read “maschine needs to go standalone!” Well, now it’s here and the reaction is “why did they do this? I don’t see the point”. Bruh. They did it because everyone was asking for it. Price aside, it’s exactly what everyone was asking for. The only thing that they didn’t include is a battery. Now it’s here and the comments and reaction everywhere are people saying it’s stupid and they don’t understand why they won’t use a computer. Like or dislike native instruments, they have to be very confused by the reaction they are getting.
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that’s because it was a given that everybody understood that it was dependent on what the standalone maschine was capable of… and the only thing requested more than stand alone for maschine is a better internal sequencing and compositional workflow, which this doesn’t seem to have.
i feel sorry for the developers of its firmware
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This DOES have better sequencing. It’s actually a new update called “clips” where it has an arranger mode. Which makes the reaction even more confusing.
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There is no other way to say it. You are talking nonsense here. Whether Maschine+ as a concept, or as a specific implementation, works for you is a personal choice and I’m not sure that it would work for me at this stage either. They’ve released a good number of synths in recent years, off the top of my head there is Reaktor 6 Blocks, Form, Kontour, Razor, Massive X. Then there has been Super 8 which is less innovative but still a good sounding synth. Then of course, there have been a good number of effects. Compare, for example, NI’s Mod Pack with Arturia’s recently released set of modulation effects and the contrast in terms of innovation is stark.
Do NI release a lot of sample content? Well, yes, but they are a massive (relatively speaking, and excuse the pun) company.
As for innovation more generally, well not as much as they once did but then no software company is because it’s a mature market place. Happens in every industry.
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I’ve been trying to go standalone for years and get excited about all standalone pad based workstations and this is no different, but I don’t get on with the Maschine workflow, despite loving elements of it, so I will probably be out. My MK3 has been sat unused for probably nearly 2.5 years along with my Push 2 for a similar time, until yesterday when I decided to hook it up to the laptop (the Push 2) to have a quick play before selling it.
I’ve just spent 2 days of heavy use with it and it’s been a revelation again. Like a fresh new music creation tool. Be amazed if I get that same burst of creativity from the MK3, but I shall see.
I think the biggest issue with this will be the price for most people. If the software is a right royal pain to install like it can be with other Native instruments software then that might put others off too, well that and the bigger pain to sell NI gear by needing to ask permission off a NI agent to untangle it from your account.
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It’s a Digital Audio Workstation, no doubt about it. but that’s cool.
If it has a superfast boot time and a good midi implementation, I’ll consider it 
As one of those DAWless guys, and who programs for a living, I just want to turn my setup on and start playing/arranging without a mouse or dealing with driver issues, etc.
It’s really is all about workflow.
I wonder if they are using ELK under the hood?
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I didn’t know clips was already implemented but at any rate I’m having a difficult time getting details on the ‘clips feature’ does it allow different bpm per clip, diff time sig per clip, or have any special properties other than being a clip?
DAWless is NOT a fad.
You know, there is a whole world of actually players out there, myself included, that tour and perform onstage; and not just in the isolation of a DJ booth, babysitting their beats, but in the context of a bands, on big productions, on the road.
It seems to me that the bedroom desk-jockeys and the just-push-play music “producers” can never see past their KordBots and computer screens.
To that end, if you’re buying standalone gear to use in your PJs, because you think DAWless is somehow better, and that’s your only reason, well… Sure, that might be some misguided fashion sense at play. Or… Perhaps you just enjoy the tactile feedback of hardware, and don’t like being tied to your laptop, where you work and do everything else in your life.
Regardless, as a full-time touring musician (and by “musician” I mean an actual instrumentalist), who lugs gear, sets it up, tears it down, plays it, and puts it in harm’s way every day, instruments like the MPC Live and this new standalone Maschine+ are a godsend.
Cheers!
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There’s going to be a flood of laptops on the second hand market when this gets released …
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(That being ELK OS — anyone who doesn’t know should look it up.)
I have been wondering the same thing. NI still would have had some work porting things, but ELK would have made things an awful lot easier for them.
I’m surprised other companies haven’t put hardware under their VST too already.
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I am guessing the second or third gen of this will eventually be killer.
Tempted but when you think what more can be done with a MK3 with all your 3rd party vsts.
I have a bad feeling this will end up a big Maschine+ lite VST purchase cash cow app store kind of thing despite me having full blown version of Komplete.
Anyhow its good to see progress and im interested to see where this leads
that was an ironic post
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How are these two things comparable?
I just used those exact words recently (i.e. if “It doesn’t have X — I’m out!”), and I’m a pretty responsible and objective fellow.
Sure, buying gear you don’t need and didn’t research, then presuming to complaining about all that it isn’t and was never intended to be, as though you’re entitled to something, that’s one thing. Thinking carefully about it, on the other hand, deciding that it’s redundant, and not otherwise wasting your time and money on it… It seems to me that we could use more of that around here.
Cheers!