Native Instruments Maschine+

FM VERDICT
9.0
There are some limitations,
but Maschine+ delivers the
core Maschine workfl ow in
standalone form: inspiring
and fun in the process
Song windows and a system of Clips.
These allow users to initially play with
loops and scenes before laying them
out in a more traditional timeline
manner. It can feel convoluted, but
there’s certainly considerably more
fl exibility now. For example, Clips
offer users an easy way to do things
such as overdub brief audio
recordings into the middle of an
arrangement or create transitions
between loops, which could be tough
in previous iterations.
The arrangement and ‘track
fi nishing’ tools are still Maschine’s
weakest elements, but that doesn’t
necessarily hinder Maschine+ –
particularly in standalone mode,
there’s a solid case to be made for
this being used as an ideas and
sample sketchpad, before switching
to a more traditional DAW for fi nal
arrangement and mixing. And it
would be a great live performance tool
to slice up and jam with pre-existing
tracks, loops and patterns.
Maschine+ is impressive as is, but
there are things I’d like to see
expanded. I really like how you can
download Expansions via Wi-Fi, but
I’d like to see NI make more of these
capabilities in order to send projects,
presets and recordings back and forth
between Maschine+ and a desktop
system without plugging in via USB.
The addition of more instruments
and effects would vastly add to the
appeal too. NI have implied this is on
the roadmap, and if so I hope they
prioritise adding a few effects. While
the existing setup is hardly wanting
for processors, I miss deeper creative
tools like Replika XT and NI’s
modelled EQs and compressors.
Compared to Akai’s MPCs, there
are pros and cons for each range.
Price-wise, Maschine+ is roughly in
line with Akai’s recently updated MPC
Live II, which outguns it on several
key hardware fronts. The MPC Live
features a rechargeable battery and
built-in speaker: nice but
dispensable. What I do miss,
comparing the two, is the Live’s
considerably more expansive I/O,
boasting triple the amount of line
inputs, double the MIDI I/O and
several CV outputs. The Maschine+
workfl ow actually works really nicely
in conjunction with hardware synths
and drum machines, so it’s a shame
not to have a few extra inputs. You
can, however, expand the I/O by
connecting one of NI’s Komplete
interfaces to the rear USB ports.
tried to add Prism as a Group
processor that Maschine+ fi nally
seized up.
In all then, Maschine+ lives up to
the promise of bringing at least the
core Maschine experience out of the
box. At twice the price of a Mk3, do
we all really need a standalone
Maschine? That will come down to
the individual user. I’ve enjoyed my
time with Maschine+, and using it
purely as a hardware instrument has
proved inspiring. That said, as
Maschine+ so closely follows the
workfl ow of the existing Mk3, it’s
unlikely to tempt over users who’ve
not been convinced by Maschine in
the past. Maschine+ seems a smart
move for NI. If the Berlin brand
continue to develop the OS and add
more tools – and maybe even coax
over some third-party NKS offerings?
– then this has scope to get better
and better.
Song windows and a system of Clips.
LAYOUT: Slight changes to button
labels aside, the top panel controls
are identical to the Maschine Mk3 ’s
USB INPUTS: The additional slots
can be used for storage, MIDI, or
hooking up with other USB MIDI gear
SCREENS: Unlike Akai’s MPCs, these
aren’t touchscreens, but they’re bright
and clear with lots of visualisation
HARDWARE: Despite similar looks to
Mk3, Maschine+’s chassis comes in a
more robust aluminium case
Conversely, Maschine+ has twice
the RAM of the MPC Live and – as
much as Akai’s stock synths are
decent – it can’t compete with the
pedigree of Massive, FM8, Kontakt
and the wealth of third-party presets
available for each of these. The
Maschine software workfl ow is
generally a little tighter and slicker
than that of the MPCs too.
On that front, whereas the MPCs
impose hard track count limits in
standalone mode, Maschine+ is more
open-ended, instead including a CPU
meter so users can monitor project
load. I created a project using fi ve
instances of FM8, three of Massive,
two of Monark, one each of Reaktor
and Kontakt, eight instances of Raum
and four of Phasis; it was only when I
These allow users to initially play with
loops and scenes before laying them
out in a more traditional timeline
manner. It can feel convoluted, but
there’s certainly considerably more
fl exibility now. For example, Clips
offer users an easy way to do things
such as overdub brief audio
recordings into the middle of an
arrangement or create transitions
between loops, which could be tough
in previous iterations.
The arrangement and ‘track
fi nishing’ tools are still Maschine’s
weakest elements, but that doesn’t
necessarily hinder Maschine+ –
particularly in standalone mode,
there’s a solid case to be made for
this being used as an ideas and
sample sketchpad, before switching
to a more traditional DAW for fi nal
arrangement and mixing. And it
would be a great live performance tool
to slice up and jam with pre-existing
tracks, loops and patterns.
Maschine+ is impressive as is, but
there are things I’d like to see
expanded. I really like how you can
download Expansions via Wi-Fi, but
I’d like to see NI make more of these
capabilities in order to send projects,
presets and recordings back and forth
between Maschine+ and a desktop
system without plugging in via USB.
The addition of more instruments
and effects would vastly add to the
appeal too. NI have implied this is on
the roadmap, and if so I hope they
prioritise adding a few effects. While
the existing setup is hardly wanting
for processors, I miss deeper creative
tools like Replika XT and NI’s
These allow users to initially play with
loops and scenes before laying them
between loops, which could be tough
LAYOUT:
Slight changes to button
labels aside, the top panel controls
are identical to the Maschine Mk3
’s
USB INPUTS:
The additional slots
can be used for storage, MIDI, or
hooking up with other USB MIDI gear
SCREENS:
Unlike Akai’s MPCs, these
aren’t touchscreens, but they’re bright
and clear with lots of visualisation
HARDWARE:
Despite similar looks to
Mk3, Maschine+’s chassis comes in a
more robust aluminium case
LAYOUT:
Slight changes to button
USB INPUTS:
The additional slots
SCREENS:
Unlike Akai’s MPCs, these
HARDWARE:
Despite similar looks to
Native Instruments Maschine+ | Reviews
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FMU363.rev_ni.indd 79 05/10/2020 14:11