New releases last two weeks: Studio Equipment

Notes: The latest in 1010's innovative range of compact devices, the Bento is a fresh take on sampling and sequencing, offering an alternative to conventional options such as Akai's MPC series. Pure standalone creative flow.

Supplier's notes:
Sample Every Flavour

Bento is a portable, all-in-one sampling production lab that brings together flexible sequencing, expressive performance tools, and pro-level connectivity-perfect as the centrepiece of your desktop or mobile rig. Whether you're looping on the go, launching clips live, or sequencing your entire synth setup, Bento gives you the tools to shape your sound from idea to performance.

With pristine 24-bit sound quality, a bright 7" touchscreen, 16 responsive pads, and deep control over samples, MIDI, and effects, Bento offers a fast, fluid workflow in a compact and portable form. Sequence one-shots, build multi-sample instruments, and chop loops using Bento's flexible tracks, scene-based sequencing, and expansive modulation and FX engine.

Designed to replace laptops, simplify cabling, and integrate seamlessly with your gear, Bento features multiple stereo inputs and outputs, USB-C host and device ports, dual TRS MIDI I/O, and a built-in battery for up to 3 hours of mobile creativity.

Recording Capabilities

Capture loops quickly with the option to synchronize the start and stop times to the clock
Trigger recording via audio level threshold
Create perfectly sized loops by setting the recording length
Enable immediate playback after recording for live looping capabilities
Make recordings up to 4 hours in length
Resample the master output without patching
Store recorded samples as WAV files on the micro SD card

What's included

bento - sampling production lab
MicroSD card with over 160 patches and over 200 wav files
USB C power cord
USB C power and data splitter
Type B TRS MIDI To MIDI 5 Pin DIN adapter
QR Code with link to the Quick Start Guide

Technical Specs

8 tracks with multiple patch types-sample banks, multisamples, slicers, granular, loops, and external MIDI
16 pressure- and velocity-sensitive pads
7" diagonal touch screen
8 context-sensitive endless encoders
3 stereo inputs, 3 stereo outputs, 1 stereo headphone out
2 TRS MIDI inputs & 2 TRS MIDI outputs (Type A & B)
USB-C host and device ports
Internal battery with 3 hours in low power mode
Includes 155 Patches and over 5000 sample files
Expandable via microSD card
24-bit ADC/DAC
MIDI sequencing, modulation, and CC control support
Compatible with 100 x 100 VESA mounts
Product dimensions: 8" x 8.5" x 2", 2 lb (20.4 x 21.8 x 5.1 cm, 936 grams)
Package dimensions: 10.25" x 8.5" x 2.75", 2.7 lb. ( 26 x 21.6 x 7 cm, 1.2 kg)

Notes: Lightreft's modular MIDI computer is a hands-on approach to controlling your instruments and other MIDI gear. An endless library of eight banks, eight sliders and eight buttons per bank. Get creative.

Supplier's Notes:
Monolit by Lightreft is a cutting-edge, multifunctional MIDI-computer that transforms your music production experience. Designed for musicians who seek precision and flexibility, MONOLIT offers seamless integration with all DAWs and hardware devices, customizable presets, and an intuitive interface for effortless control and creativity.

Whether you're diving into your DAW or jamming out with external hardware instruments, MONOLIT has you covered. An endless library of presets at your fingertipsieach one offering 8 banks, with 8 sliders and 8 buttons per bank. That's a whole lot of control!

For each slider and button, Lightreft present a range of versatile options. You can record MIDI automation, set delay times for slider movements, send notes and LFOs, and adjust various parameters directly within the device. This flexibility ensures that you have complete control over every detail of your setup.

But it doesn't stop there. MONOLIT is as versatile as you are, allowing you to connect other devices like Gamepads, Keyboards, Monome Grid , or any MIDI device you fancy. This means you can take command of your entire setup, all through one sleek, powerful interface. Whether you're crafting the perfect beat, tweaking synths, or anything in between, MONOLIT is the tool that brings your musical ideas to life with ease and style.

Designed and assembled in Japan, MONOLIT is ready to be shipped worldwide.

Specifications

Enclosure: the casing and front panel are made entirely from a single piece of aluminum.

Screen: multi-bright monochrome display 128x64 with a cozy pixel font

Controls: 8 sliders and 13 buttons providing full control

Banks: 8 banks with a total of 64 fully customizable sliders and buttons per peset

Memory: Save, load, and edit presets, and switch between them with ease

Compatibility: MONOLIT works with any DAW or hardware device that supports MIDI

Connectivity: TRS to MIDI, USB-C outputs, as well as USB input to connect external devices

MODES: 4 customizable slider modes and 2 button modes, with more on the way in future updates

Notes: The next generation of Moog analogue synths, the Messenger draws on iconic designs of the past and introduces modern features which bring it right up to date. Affordable, top quality stuff from a legendary brand.

Supplier's notes:
A new method of sonic experimentation, communication, and connection has arrived. Say hello to Messenger, a next-generation analog synthesizer that celebrates classic Moog circuitry and introduces modern features to shape the future of sound design.

Messenger is a new Moog monophonic analog keyboard synthesiser designed for the electronic musicians, producers, sound designers, sonic tinkerers, and analog dreamers of today and tomorrow. Engineered to open new portals of art and expression through sound, the instrument is ready to be a trusted creative companion for any musical genre or style at any point in your synthesis journey.

If you're new to synthesis, welcome. You're exactly where you need to be. Messenger's intuitive layout with clearly labeled controls invites immediate hands-on exploration and encourages a deeper understanding of how to shape and sculpt sound. For experienced synthesists and sound designers, Messenger is packed full of innovative twists on beloved analog circuitry, blending the iconic, raw Moog sound with flexible, modern features designed for use on stage or in the studio. This synthesiser has two oscillators with wavefolding functionality, a sub-oscillator with continuously variable waveshapes, dual looping ADSR envelopes, 32 semi-weighted full-size keys with velocity and aftertouch, and the legendary Moog ladder filter augmented with resonance bass compensation, multiple filter slopes, and true multimode functionality. Messenger's 256 on-board presets allow for immediate saving and recall of your favorite sounds. An intuitive arpeggiator and expression/sustain pedal inputs make this an indispensable live tool, while its unique sequencer with probabilistic controls and modular connectivity set Messenger up to be at the core of your studio or home setup.

Craft soaring leads and deep, rumbling basses. Create delicately textured pads and flowing arpeggios. Build beats with custom kicks, snares, and toms. Explore dense drones and inharmonic metallics. Pay attention to how these sounds impact the way you hear the world around you.

Timeless and Intuitive: Messenger builds on the DNA of Moog's most iconic and prolific monosynths - Minimoog Model D, Voyager, Grandmother, Subsequent 37 - and puts a new spin on a familiar format with innovative circuits and timeless analog sound.

A Legend Reborn: The legendary Moog transistor ladder filter gets some new tricks up its sleeve. A unique pole-mixing design allows the ladder filter to preserve bass frequencies as resonance is increased via the RES BASS switch while keeping its sonic legacy intact. Low-pass mode adds a 2-pole filter slope in addition to the classic Moog 4-pole low-pass filter slope.

Inspiration at Your Fingertips: 32 full-size semi-weighted keys with velocity and aftertouch, a robust metal panel, 256 presets, and knob-per-function controls mean Messenger is endlessly playable and ready to bring to your next gig.

Compositional Powerhouse: Effortlessly record sequences of up to 64 steps, integrate chance operations, and introduce random fluctuations and parameter recording. Experiment with a plethora of arpeggiator patterns and cascade notes into infinity.

Sound Design and Modulation Playground: Two loopable ADSR envelopes, two LFOs, and expanded frequency and audio rate modulation options via Oscillator 2 provide a wealth of modulation options and deeper assignable possibilities.

Comprehensive Connectivity: Messenger integrates seamlessly into any studio or live setup with six analog control voltage (CV) patch points, an external audio input to the filter, expression and sustain pedal inputs, and 5-pin DIN MIDI in/out as well as MIDI over USB-C.

Notes: Control Forge's core functionality is drawn from the E-mu Morpheus's insanely powerful (but hard to program on a two-line display) Function Generators. But now expanded into a supremely flexible modulation source encompassing elaborate one-shot contours, evolving cyclical patterns and sequences of arbitrary length and complexity.

At its most basic, it's an 8-segment function generator with variable time and target voltage level for each segment. Each segment's level can be defined either absolutely or relative to the ending level of the previous stage and can optionally be quantized to the nearest 1/12 volt, additionally, each segment's level may have a user defined range of randomness of either linear or gaussian distribution.

'Tempo Mode' lets you specify each segment's length in musical note values relative to a tempo set in BPM. The time scale may be modulated under CV control or manually via the encoder during runtime.

There are 67 different transition shapes between segments (indicated graphically on the display during selection), from linear and exponential shapes to various flavours of random, chaotic, and many more that don't lend themselves to one-word descriptions, including the ability to pass CVs directly through to the output for individual segments. Also included are 'DC' shapes that allow the module to be used as a sequencer with all of the module's available programmability. When combined with the Preset Sequencer described below, sequences can be hundreds of steps long and modified in real time manually or by CVs.

Each segment may optionally have a conditional jump mode that results in a jump to another selected stage if a particular condition is met. e.g. a CV being above or below the selected conditional value, the presence or lack of a gate or logic high at their respective inputs, rising or falling edges at the inputs, etc. So, in addition to one-shot shapes, extremely elaborate cyclical patterns can be programmed that evolve based on the various conditional inputs.

Control Forge's AutoChain functionality allows the creation of two very specific kinds of multi-preset patterns: A multi-preset retriggerable pattern (like a long syncable LFO), and a multi-preset 'envelope-like' pattern with retriggerability, an optional sustain section, and a 'release' section that's jumped to on gate fall. Two independent triggers can be programmed to fire in response to a variety of events and can be used to affect either CONTROL FORGE itself or external modules.

500 presets can be saved and recalled. a preset sequencer allows stepping through up to 200 user-defined series of presets under trigger, clock or manual control. This allows contours and sequences of almost unlimited length and complexity. All presets and sequences can be transferred to any number of Satellite modules, which can then operate as stand-alone modulation sources, completely independent of the Control Forge.

Notes: Top quality professional performance in a reasonably priced package, SSL's 18 is a 26-in/26-out USB interface with eight analogue mic/line channels and the brand's iconic 4K enhancement. A top quality all-rounder for studios of any size.

Supplier's Notes:
Introducing SSL 18 - a new era in rackmount production technology from Solid State Logic. Developed from our unmatched expertise in analogue and digital design, SSL 18 offers exceptional audio performance with a studio session-ready feature set, delivered with the signature SSL sound and premium quality that professionals trust. Whether you are recording, producing or mixing, SSL 18 enhances production workflows while elevating the performance of your creative space, it's the ultimate centrepiece for your studio. Welcome to a new era in rack mount interface performance.

Next-generation 32-bit/192 kHz converters provide the platform for SSL 18's analogue design to shine, with unrivalled dynamic range performance of 120 dB across all microphone, line-level and instrument inputs - capture your sources like never before. Experience 125 dB dynamic range on the monitor and line outputs to hear your music with uncompromised fidelity. Need to work on headphones? No problem, with the unbeatable 120 dB dynamic range on offer from the dual-headphone outputs.

SSL 18 features eight high-performance SSL-designed mic pre's, with switchable Mic/Line configuration. Leveraging our renowned engineering expertise, they deliver ultra-low noise recordings and a huge dynamic range, making sure you capture every detail of the performance with stunning accuracy. Their advanced 2-stage circuitry ensures ultra-low distortion while maintaining the natural character of the source - or flip them into Legacy 4K Mode to add real analogue saturation and the iconic 4000 series sound to vocals, drums, and more. What's more, in Line mode the mic preamp stage is completely bypassed - perfect for connecting external outboard gear. Located on the front of the unit, inputs 1 & 2 also offer instrument/Hi-Z inputs to capture DI'd guitars and vintage synths/drum machines.

SSL 18 comes equipped with ten balanced line-level outputs located on the rear of the unit. To ensure optimal signal integrity and maximise headroom, line outputs 1&2 and 3&4 can be configured between +9 and +24 dBu, providing seamless compatibility with a wide range of studio monitors and vintage equipment operating at lower levels. Outputs 3 to 10 operate at +24 dBu, perfect for integrating professional outboard equipment. For producers, all outputs are DC-coupled and capable of sending control voltage to synthesizers and modular rigs.

Custom headphone mixes with two independent headphone outputs, configurable for different types with 'Standard', 'High Sensitivity', and 'High Impedance' settings. SSL 18's headphone outputs can also be repurposed as line-level outputs for added flexibility.

SSL 18 features a full monitor controller section with built-in talkback input. Line outputs 1&2 and 3&4 offer alternative speaker switching with Alt and Cut accessible via the monitor controls located on the front panel. Alternatively, customise the monitor controls via SSL 360 and tailor them to your workflow. SSL 18 also features a dedicated talkback input channel that can operate in MIC or LINE mode. LINE mode is great for re-processing audio through the classic Listen Mic Compressor - crush drums, parallel vocals, and more.

The SSL 4000 series consoles (often referred to as '4K') are renowned for imparting a unique 'mojo' to sounds and instruments that pass through them. This mojo comes from multiple stages of harmonic distortion from compressor VCAs, VCA faders, and other crucial components such as the transistor mix amps. Using modern components, SSL has developed a circuit that distils the two essential characteristics of the 4K sound into a single design. Legacy 4K Analogue Enhancement injects a controlled amount of finely-tuned, sweet-sounding harmonic distortion and a 'forward' yet musical high-frequency EQ boost into the signal path, giving your sound the 4K mojo and presence that artists and engineers have loved for decades.

A host of digital audio connections means that SSL 18 is ready to expand your I/O count whenever you are, with an additional 16 channels via ADAT and a further two via S/PDIF. SSL 18's dedicated Word clock output provides rock-solid clocking for integrating external digital devices into your system.

The SSL 18 mixer offers comprehensive management of all inputs and outputs, as well as detailed, scalable input metering in SSL 360-. In the SSL 18 mixer you can create and manage the control room monitor mix, as well as configure up to four independent mixes for performers. In addition, a flexible Mirror Routing system allows you to route any input or aux master directly to an output - perfect for feeding personal monitoring systems, external metering and outboard FX. Create different templates for tracking, mixing and more, then save them as a profile in the SSL 18 mixer.

Designed by the same engineering teams behind the esteemed range of analogue and digital mixing consoles, SSL's rich heritage can be found throughout the design and feature set. SSL 18 is the only product in its category that is designed to properly integrate with professional outboard gear, thanks to the +24 dBu capable inputs and outputs.