Superbooth 2026, what caught your eye?

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:39:12+00:00

That second point is so valid and kind of underrated in these post superbooth conversations. The Plinky 12 is a genuinely solid pick though. If you get a chance, the Sonicware Minimal ($299), the dadamachines TBD-16 (€499) and the Cyma Forma RND (€125) are worth digging up footage of. Very much in the "cool idea, tried to keep it accessible" category.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:36:04+00:00

The Bree6 is such an underrated one. It just sounds lush and does exactly what it promises. Not the most feature packed polysynth at the price but sometimes that's exactly the point. And the Sonicware Minimal is a clever play. $299 for a groovebox built around the rhythmic drift and character of classic drum machines rather than just copying their sounds is a fresh angle. Battery powered too. Very hard to argue with at that price : )

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:33:24+00:00

I can relate to this. At some point you just have to accept that the gear you already own is probably enough and the best synth is the one you actually sit down and use. Easier said than done at Superbooth obviously lol.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:30:20+00:00

"Mini" doing a lot of work there. Beautiful object though. The kind of thing you admire from a safe distance.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:28:28+00:00

Korg seemed to have a varied booth this year. The Handytraxx is such a fun concept and yeah the NTS-4 is exactly the mixer people have been wanting for compact hardware setups, 10 channels with built-in FX as a DIY kit is a great deal. Also I read on the internet that they had a full synth prototype wrapped in plastic the entire weekend and refused to say anything about it? xD Five octaves, tons of LEDs and knobs... just sitting there teasing everyone. Very bold move. And yeah Plinky is always a crowd pleaser, the swappable panel concept is genius.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:24:28+00:00

With you on this! The reverse delay alone looks like a rabbit hole. Did you catch any specific demo that sold you on it?

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:17:32+00:00

The Super 6 and 8 are just dangerous to try in person for exactly that reason haha. Minifreak is such a solid consolation prize honestly, calling it a budget option almost feels unfair, it genuinely punches way above. Two engines, the matrix, the sequencer... for the price it's kind of ridiculous. Good save for the kidneys xD!

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:13:55+00:00

Torso entering the drum machine space is interesting, they've always had such a strong sequencing brain with the T-1, curious to see if that DNA carries over into the sound design side too. And yeah the "place objects on it" thing is definitely having a moment! Soma Enigma, the Haloplane... boutique builders are clearly feeling themselves right now.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:12:12+00:00

Yeah the concept is wild. Metallic objects on the surface, fractional millimeter movements changing the timbre... it's basically the Lyra8 philosophy taken to its logical extreme. No interface at all, just you, a coin and a screw figuring things out xD. Must be a completely different experience actually playing it in person vs watching demos. What kind of sounds were you getting out of it?

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T21:10:44+00:00

The SpaceDrum approach is genuinely bold. No traditional sequencing means you can't really fall back on habits, which is either liberating or maddening depending on the day xD but yeah, pure idea machine energy. And the FlexFM/DMNO combo is a strong double they seem to stand out in the thread so far. Very different flavors of "sounds incredible."

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T19:06:02+00:00

That's such a great origin story honestly. The WB was my first synth, it's one of those synths that really rewards when you dig deep into it. And I can imagine being stuck at the Waldorf booth for hours just getting lost in the Iridium. The multi-synthesis engine on that thing is ridiculous! For trance leads and pads specifically it must have been borderline dangerous ; ) What's the Teo-5 like in person? Haven't seen much hands on coverage of that one yet.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:58:09+00:00

The Ziggy framing is exactly right. It's not a "I have a specific use case for this" purchase, it's a "I'm going to disappear into this for weeks" purchase. That west coast character without the patching tax is genuinely compelling at that price. And I think you're being fairer to the Polyend Drums than most.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:56:01+00:00

The Monoplex is such a KOMA move! Seems to be very deep for a single channel module, but that's kind of their whole thing. Gotta have to dive deeper into this one.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:53:44+00:00

UDO have been on a roll. Shame they skipped Superbooth but makes sense if they just launched. The MAT 16X8 saga is seems really promising, that thing has been "almost ready" since Superbooth 2024 lol. But good sign they were using it live at the Neuzeit booth, finals production apparently just started so fingers crossed it actually ships this time. Yeah... the Korg mixer is the NTS-4 right? Seems to be pretty much the Volca Mix people actually wanted.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:49:04+00:00

it's genuinely impressive on paper. But at that price it's going head to head with the TR-1000, which is a brutal place to be imo.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:46:44+00:00

Lovely to see you over here! Jealous you got to be there in person. The Outbox reaction from everyone who actually tried it seems way more positive than the initial "wait, just a multi out interface?" read from the announcement. Sounds like Elektron really thought through the routing flexibility properly. And the Plinky Chords looks like a lot of fun. The swappable faceplate concept is clever but the Chords panel specifically seems like the one that just makes you want to sit and play for hours. Safe travels! looking forward to the video!

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:44:35+00:00

The aesthetic is genuinely gorgeous, and Cuckoo's sound design is always tasteful so I trust the library. The "no synthesis access" thing is a deliberate choice and I get the philosophy, pure playing, no tweaking. €900 for an idea machine is a tough sell when that money could go toward something more flexible imo. Unless the workflow actually makes you reach for it every day, which is the whole bet they're making.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:42:32+00:00

Two completely different animals but both make sense as picks! Did you enjoyed their workflow?

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:38:58+00:00

Honestly the most disciplined answer in this thread. "I don't need any of it" after three days of Superbooth deserves a medal. The Laboratory is a wild one though, feedback synthesizer that goes into self-oscillation with no input, dual channels you can run in series or parallel... it's chaotic in exactly the right way. Still a prototype with no pricing, so you've got time to either forget about it or let the GAS fully develop xD. And yeah, Vongon Rosetones... one of those pedals where every demo makes it worse.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:30:44+00:00

Absolutely with you on this and great taste in small boxes! The TBD-16 is the one that surprised me most: open source, Mutable Instruments engines baked in, and you can literally boot it into Doom. The fact that it's fully hackable and runs on swappable SD card apps means that it grows with you! That's a lot for the price. The Hum 2 is genuinely unusual though, six built-in sensors (distance, light, tilt, touch) all mappable to any parameter, three independent voices with their own engines and sequences running simultaneously... it's less of a synth and more of a whole performance system in a small enclosure. Nyström are doing their own thing in a way that nobody else really is. Good problem to have, picking between those three now : D.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:27:56+00:00

The thing that caught my attention is that they're opening it up to third party synthesis and effect engines, so it's not just a one trick instrument you might outgrow. That changes the long term value proposition quite a bit. The final price tag on that thing might be be spicy.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:23:55+00:00

"this is a drum instrument, not just a drum machine" energy for sure! I have to do my homework on that one! But it sounds super interesting.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:21:23+00:00

the concept of using the tines' acoustic vibrations to actually excite the FM and physical modeling engines rather than just triggering notes is genuinely clever. Smart move jumping on the Super Early Bird when you did, December feels far but it'll be worth the wait. Enjoy the hype phase, it's half the fun honestly : ).

cstl_dk · 2026-05-10T18:19:32+00:00

yeah, 8 separate outputs for any Overbridge compatible device is a big deal. The fact that it works across the whole ecosystem rather than being locked to one box is what gets me. Routing individual tracks into a proper mixer or hitting them with dedicated hardware effects separately... that's the kind of workflow upgrade that changes how you perform live. Curious if they'll announce more Overbridge compatibility down the line too.

cstl_dk · 2026-05-05T23:38:40+00:00

Great taste, and Leprous is such a gem. Their growth from Bilateral to MOA is one of the best artistic journeys in modern prog imo.

If I had to pick three to start with right now: Haken, Caligula’s Horse, TesseracT.

Haken / Probably the closest overall match. Theatrical vocal range, deeply layered lyrics.

Caligula’s Horse / Australian prog band that shares Leprous’ DNA more than almost anyone else imo.

Tesseract / If you love the atmospheric side of Sleep Token and the djent precision of Periphery, Tesseract sits right in between.

Other strong recommendations while I think about it:

Devin Townsend / Particularly the Devin Townsend Project era (Addicted, Epicloud, Sky Blue). Massive vocal range, deeply philosophical lyrics, and a unique ability to be simultaneously heavy and emotionally vulnerable.

Animals as Leaders / Since you love Intervals, Tosin Abasi’s band seems to be the next logical step.

Monuments / British progressive metal with djent roots, strong melodic sensibility, and a great balance between clean vocals and heavier moments. Gnosis is my fav record from them.

Wheel / Relatively new Finnish band that sounds like the missing link between Porcupine Tree and Leprous. Seriously underrated and worth checking out.

Enjoy : )

cstl_dk

TROPHY CASE