Native Instruments Maschine+

F
ew major brands have
remained as committed
to the software realm
as NI. In that context,
Maschine+ is a big
move for the brand,
their first product that
isn’t designed primarily to work in
conjunction with a PC, Mac or iPad.
Technical details aside, this isn’t
some radical new product stream;
Maschine+ offers nearly the exact
same hardware/software workflow as
2017’s Maschine Mk3, albeit on an
internal OS, not an external computer.
experience in standalone format. You
can sample, sequence, compose with
softsynths, perform and even work
with external hardware and, crucially,
I never felt hindered by the lack of a
mouse, keyboard or full laptop screen
using it.
Like its closest rivals, Akai’s
standalone MPCs One and Live,
Maschine+ isn’t solely a standalone
instrument. Like them, this latest
Maschine comes equipped with a
controller mode, whereby it can act as
an audio interface and MIDI controller
for the desktop version of the
Maschine 2 software. As such,
Maschine+ isn’t so much an
alternative to the standard Maschine
setup as an expansion; keeping the
full features of the existing studio
workflow but letting users unplug
from the computer too.
As both the controller layout and
software architecture are near
identical to that of the Mk3, I’ll just
highlight what’s different here. If
you’re not familiar with Maschine, we
reviewed Mk3 back in FM343 and on
video at bit.ly/mk3review, the bulk of
which is still relevant for Maschine+.
Unsurprisingly there are some
technical differences from the Mk3 to
the hardware itself. Maschine+, in its
anodized aluminium case, feels
considerably more robust than its
plastic counterpart. I/O along the rear
is broadly the same as that found on
the Mk3. There are additions though,
with an added pair of USB inputs on
the rear and an SD card slot along the
side – which comes equipped with a
high-speed 64GB card. The built-in
audio interface, meanwhile, operates
at 44.1 kHz/24-bit in standalone but
can go up to 96 kHz/24-bit when
connected to a computer.
Maschine+ packs an Intel Atom
quad-core processor and 4GB of
RAM, which is used to run a custom
Linux OS. Built-in storage is 32GB,
That’s not to dismiss it – the
Maschine range has become a slick,
comprehensive sampling and
sequencing system, and the Mk3 is
undoubtedly the pinnacle. It’s
testament to the tight hardware-
software synergy of that controller
design that you can effectively
remove the computer from the
equation without hampering it.
As a concept, Maschine+ works.
While there are some big limitations
compared to the desktop version –
which we’ll come to shortly – on the
whole, this is the bonafide Maschine
THE PROS & CONS
+
A fully-fledged
Maschine experience
fully out-of-the-box
Included instruments
and sounds cover a
broad range of bases
Workflow is generally
slick and isn’t
hindered by the lack
of a laptop screen
-
Included synths are
classics, but
undeniably long-in-
the-tooth
It could use some
more creative effects
I/O is lacking
compared to its
closest rivals
Native Instruments Maschine+ | Reviews
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FMU363.rev_ni.indd 77 05/10/2020 14:10