Winter NAMM 2020... January 16-19...

Your Predictions, Rumors and Desires...?









In the interest of saving the forum from multiple threads, please feel free to post and discuss the smaller NAMM leaks and announcements that may not really justify a whole new thread, before, during and after NAMM closes...

If you do find a new product worthy of a new thread, please check using search to ensure it has not already been posted...

Like an old friend - welcome NAMM thread.



My prediction: more models for Roland Jupiter and Fantom platforms

56 days to go...

Looking more likely Dave may wait to release his Pro-3 at NAMM. Hopefully they are going, must check the list soon...

I like the idea of more mono's, can never have enough...

Roland could surprise us with a poly analog without the extra bits that get in the way... But then maybe not...

CHOO-CHOO!! All aboard!

Considering how hasty Roland was to get the ZEN-Core Fantom out to market, some of us are thinking that KORG is about to release a monster follow up to the epically successful Kronos. It's still so powerful and good sounding that they wouldn't have to, but it is getting a little old.

My fave pair of emojis!

It will be interesting if KORG decide to take advantage of newer processors to release a lower cost fanless model or as you suggest build a next gen product...

My Predictions:

Novation will reveal the new Circuit, and the new Launchpad Pro Mk2. Novation celebrating the 10 years of successful Launchpad production will offer and a special step sequencer to their happy users.

Korg will present the new Electribe/sampler groovebox with 32 RGB multicolor pads and a new unique sequencer! At the same booth Korg will reveal and a new Volca, maybe the Volca Sample MK2.

Arturia will announce the new Microbrute with reverb and delay effects!

Sequential Circuits will present a new groovebox with RGB pads and analogue filters!

Moog will announce the Moog Minitaur MK3 with 25 keys, effects and a step sequencer!

Highly anticipated new product announcement by the big companies will result in a new color for an existing product and an OS update

akai force song mode

novation new groovebox with actual screen

elektron digitakt 2?

roland sampler

nord lead 5

Full 1 to 1 interface would be great...

Updated/color variant rompler/workstation from Korg/Yamaha
Updated/color variant workstation/accordion/aero phone/cajon from Roland
Incremental update from Nord (same red thing now with the amount of memory they should have included 5 years ago)
No show from Sequential
Hippie booth from Moog (nothing new just continuing the island theme or whatever)
Behringer steals the synth side of the show without even attending

What I'm also hoping is that the synthmakers ignore whatever Behringer is doing and keep releasing products right along. What I worry about is them going all digital so they can't be copied. What I'm hoping to see:

• Arturia PolyBrute analog synthesizer
• KORG/ARP/Rhodes Chroma II with a configurable control panel roughly like the FIZMO, or even the JD-XA
• Kurzweil PC4 76 and 61 key workstations
• Another polysynth from Moog, the Moog Six or something, with six voices from the popular Subsequent 37
• Roland JD-X eight voice analog/digital hybrid synth
• Roland/Studio Electronics eight voice polyanalog
• Waldorf Quantum Le, with some features removed at a more wallet friendly price
• Yamaha CS-80 II, whether analog or VA
• More synths with polyaftertouch/MPE

I hope Nord bring more than some speakers they've painted red this year

Roland will probably have gotten their Jupiter X prototypes working.. and it'll be as they said before, no different enginewise to the Xm.

Yamaha will have a new synth!! They've been studying the IdeaScale ideas site they setup and have developed a very detailed VA CS-80 engine.. and put it into a (oldskool) styleophone sized handheld synth that you play with a stylus (engine is capable of 64 voice polyphony, but hardware is monophonic. No MIDI, no MIDI over USB). But the best news of all Plasm1c will be there demonstrating it the whole show!!

Akai will have a firmware update for the Live/X and Force (disk streaming?!?!)

Korg will have a Monologue XD and the long awaited Volca Cowbell

Nonlinear Labs release a 2U rack version of the C15, but since it has no MIDI it makes no sound. It later turns out you can play it by programming a series of (max) 8 notes then pressing PLAY, while menu diving on the tiny LCD on the front panel

Studiologic will release a keyboard version of the Waldorf Kyra

China Joy Keyboards release a plastic housed clone of the Behringer Model D for $150

Behringer will disrupt NAMM from the sidelines by showcasing a fully working UB-Xa.. shipping in March, tease via videos more of the DS-80 and a BARP Quadra, and will release the BARP 2600

Excitement rises as it seems Kawai will reissue the SX-240!! But it turns out they forgot about their legacy and reused the model name for a piano :(

Arturia will show the first prototype of the PolyBrute.. and maybe release the Minifreak

Sequential will rerelease all their modules that don't fit into 19" rack width, and Jacob Brashears will be spotted there wearing a (original) Sequential Circuits t-shirt

Zoom release the MUSHI synth gauntlets, motion and touch sensitive, they're encrusted with blinking RGB LEDs and you rub them together enthusiastically either on your own, or with other people wearing pairs (they sync clock via a blueteeth network so the music integrates seemlessly together), to create dynamic generative music that sounds like it's come from a rave in a muddy field in 1991

Waldorf will release a module version of the STVC, it's in the shape of a big triangle, 50cm per side. Quantum OSv2 will be released

GEM release an Elka Synthex VST. It sounds bad

Radikal will be there showing a prototype of some new eurorack module that sounds better than anything else heard at the show

Casio will release a home keyboard that bundles the CZ engine in with all their usual rompler sounds, MIDI and 61 keys with polyphonic aftertouch for $129 and also reissue the DG-20 digital guitar $89

Gamechanger Audio will be demonstrating a biological sequencer, with lots of wires coming out of a green bubbling vat

Moog will roll out to a fanfare a new Moog One firmware full of.. bug fixes!! Also announce general availability to order the Subharmonicon

Access will have nothing but when pushed say there MAY be something soon (since we know there's something in the works, that probably isn't a virus though, due to the Sonic State Axel Hartmann interview)

Alesis, Kurzweil, Ensoniq/EMU (Creative Labs) will have nothing

I can't believe I forgot the dang PolyBrute! Getting senile...

I'm hoping to see that Gamechanger Audio biological sequencer. I wonder what VAT will be on a vat?

Uli will loiter at the entrance, giggling

That will be the new Bazoo

Please please no more awesome synths! September killed me!

The logistics of delaying NAMM to allow recovery was too much...

November killed me.

Still waiting for my hydrasynth, too. Then I WILL add the OB6 I’ve wanted, but delayed for the prophet x. Then, I leave room for one nice synth that has yet to be announced in May, when I celebrate graduating from college after 13 long years of going when I could. Namm needs to bring something special for that one.

Wow, less than two months to go. Was the last SonicBern countdown timer started much earlier?

• Yamaha: New Reface models! All in Nord-red! Mini-keys!
• Roland: New Fantom OS 1.5! Still no recorder like in the Fantom-G!
• Korg: Korg Kronos Amethyst (purple 73-key lightweight board; synth-action with aftertouch)! Same f'ing UI!
• Behringer: X32 MkII!
• Sequential: New, not-a-drum-machine-thing! Coming summer 2020! New, Prophet-XXL!

Wish: Argon8 desktop module
Dream: Roland SE-02 poly

Kurzweil will hand out stickers to let you rebrand any of their offerings as a K3000, but only if they have sufficient self-awareness. They really should introduce the PC461 and PC476. If they’re answering prayers they’ll also update the Forte with additional physical controls and features to match the PC4, while adding another 8GB of new samples. Existing Forte owners will be able to install these to Flash storage set aside for the purpose for the past four years, and a 1-2GB reduced set will be downloadable for the PC4. Pretty please?

Yamaha will introduce a new Montage using a fully-populated version of the MODX board to add back missing DSP resources. They’ll finally adopt a capacitive screen and increase the ROM sample set. Sadly, this will all happen at NAMM 2021 after I’ve already committed to something else.

I’ve temporarily given up on Sequential predictions. That should last a few weeks, at least.

Oh, and Sequential become DSI again.

Thanks @ SonicBern for taking on this kind of thread again, it is kind of a painful but still enjoyable way to await NAMM

In the past I have opened these earlier when we started getting "What will Roland bring to NAMM" threads as it helps keep the forum like a forum should be

This year was different:

• We had a lot of new gear keeping the forum busy and not thinking of NAMM
• The Admin have started creating special event and new product forums and moving threads
• I needed to both delay and ask if the Admin were still happy for this thread to run here

What happened:

• We did not get an answer so we could not wait any longer

Thanks again to Reptil for handling negotiations...

THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS...

As every year, Nord Lead A2 please.

Your a little late on this one. Its called Wing and got released this week.

55 days to go...