AudioPilz Takes on Maschine+ – A Gloriously Flawed Groovemaker?

AudioPilz opens his latest critique diving headfirst into the perplexing waters of Maschine+, a 2020 standalone iteration of Native Instruments’ ambitious attempt at untethered music creation. Right from the off, he sets the tone with his sharp wit, reminiscing about the strange allure of early decade plug-ins trapped in vintage hardware. This new-fangled Maschine, he points out, promises DAWless convenience but often leaves users swimming in broken promise territory, comparable to notorious gaming franchise installs. The escapade begins amidst his confessions of once pirating these very plug-ins, burnishing his past with a hefty dose of nostalgia for simpler, albeit bootlegged times.

Diving deeper, AudioPilz tackles the standalone capabilities of Maschine+ with a mix of skepticism and begrudging admiration. While Native Instruments aims for tick-box convenience, including registration hoops presents a cumbersome hurdle. These hoops mean you can’t escape into a hybrid workflow paradise too easily. After some teething troubles, including bureaucratic license issues, AudioPilz uncovers the tech treasure trove that Maschine+ video promises but doesn’t entirely deliver. It’s laden with vintage renditions of digital classics like Massive and FM8, but lacks the plush embrace of modern favourites like Absynth. He appreciates the controller integration, yet can’t help but bemoan the absence of a touchscreen, making navigation a bit of a slalom. Amidst the flurry of pads, buttons, and ribbon controllers, it’s the absence of modern amenities that leave AudioPilz feeling like he’s operating a fine old steampunk contraption. He’s caught between admiring the build and lamenting its lack of forward-thinking mobility—or even ability to stand unassisted without a tripod of firmware updates.

Workflow with Maschine+ is depicted as an MPC-esque ride, smooth yet occasionally bumpy. AudioPilz acknowledges the charisma of its 16 responsive pads, offering a slew of functionalities that should make finger drumming aficionados rejoice. Yet, no standout rave is without its tech glitches. Despite the hardware’s nod to superior groove making, its operational cadence often feels more like that of a misfiring engine than a composed symphony. Ribbon controllers add a dash of pizazz, but the glaring absence of touchscreen support is conspicuous when swiping between the dual colour displays. Track managing becomes a manual ordeal with the main encoder doubling as an old-school joystick. There’s a charm in its promise of unlimited creativity through step sequencing and Ableton-like session modes, though its limitations are like audio mirrors reflecting frustration in the inadequacy of its expected functionalities. Here lies a groovemaker paradox: innovative yet dated, capable yet constrained.

AudioPilz rounds off with a raw verdict as he navigates the Maschine+ through a series of jams, cranking the dials on everything from techno to electro. While performance satisfaction emerges, it’s clear that potential is shackled by the confines of hardware capability and plugin antiquations. The Maschine+ makes noble attempts at holding its own against modern contenders, but falters with a CPU incapable of rapid-fire brilliance, stuck in a horsepower past. AudioPilz portrays this device not as a warrior clad in gleaming specs but as a retrospective din, noisily engaging yet struggling against younger, sleeker competition. It’s a classic case of solid tools being used to paint dazzling soundscapes, only to have their canvas shrunk by outdated tech. Ultimately, he suggests Maschine+ could act as that rare centrepiece for retro enthusiasts but likens it more to a lovingly chaotic jam sandwich of yesteryears that’s slightly past its sell-by date.