The third‑generation Maschine Mikro hardware takes the sleek new Maschine design and chops it off above the pads, resulting in the most travel-friendly and cute Maschine yet. There’s also VSTi and VST FX support, tag-based browsing with Previews and integration with Maschine software.These new controller instruments make NI's tight hardware/software integration more portable and affordable than ever before. There are a number of the performance features from the much larger KK keyboards so you get Smart Play (chords, scales and arpeggios), pre-mapped control of all Komplete and NKS-format software instruments and effects and control of key features in Logic, Garageband and Live, with Cubase and Nuendo support coming soon. To the left are transport controls, octave, scale, arp, undo and more, with secondary functions accessed via Shift pressing. So at the top right there’s buttons for the Browser, Plug-In or Track Selection. The buttons feature the core controls you need to operate NI’s software and other DAWs from the hardware. It’s the only visual feedback (though the buttons are backlit) - a cost saving measure, but an acceptable one. There are 8 touch sensitive control knobs, two touch strips and a four-way push encoder as well as an OLED display that is small but perfectly functional. There’s some resistance, they don’t just flop up and down, so you can be expressive with them. The 32 synth-action keys are small but much more playable than you might expect. And boy, do you get a lot of integration and extra goodies for your modest spend here. The M32 however is at its best when paired with NI’s software. There’s also a TRS pedal input that can be assigned to the sustain parameter, and like all KK keyboards, it can work as a generic MIDI controller. But you can add your own cable to connect to to a USB-C device.

There’s no USB-C included yet - this format is still in the process of becoming the industry standard, which will take a couple more years. It is USB 2 bus powered and of course this bundled cable also carries MIDI.

And at just 1.4KG, it really can be carried in a fairly small bag alongside your computer or iPad. It’s smaller in every physical way, but with NI’s engineering talent and software ecosystem behind it, has more functionality than you would expect from such a compact unit. Enter NI’s new baby - the Komplete Kontrol M32 MIDI controller keyboard.

Komplete kontrol m32 review