November 2026

Allen & Heath Qu-3 — a compact digital mixing console

11 November 2026

Allen & Heath is expanding its Qu series with a compact desktop console for live sound, broadcasting, fixed installations and home recording. The mixer uses the company's XCVI processing core. It offers 32 mono channels that can be linked into stereo pairs, plus two additional stereo channels.

Photo: official website allen-heath

The console has nine motorised 100 mm faders, individual channel displays and colour signal-level indicators. Controls include a 7-inch touchscreen, six configurable fader layers and eight assignable SoftKeys. Remote control is available through the company's apps. An optional mounting kit allows installation in a standard 19-inch rack.

Photo: official website allen-heath

The mixer has 12 buses for auxiliary mixes or groups: six linkable mono buses and six stereo buses. It also has four matrices and a main LR stereo bus. Six effects processors have dedicated stereo returns. Additional DEEP Processing and RackExtra FX algorithms are available separately. Other features include a 32-channel automatic microphone mixer, Gain Assistant for setting input gain, and Feedback Assistant, which uses up to 16 filters per output to reduce feedback.

Photo: official website allen-heath

Connections include 16 XLR/TRS combo microphone/line inputs, an additional TRS stereo input, eight analogue XLR outputs, an AES3 digital stereo output and a headphone output. The SLink port connects compatible stageboxes and supports up to 128 × 128 channels with other Allen & Heath systems. The built-in USB-C audio interface supports 32 × 32 channels of recording and playback. The SD slot supports standalone recording with 16 channels at 96 kHz or 32 channels at 48 kHz. A separate USB-A port handles stereo recording, playback and data transfer.

Photo: official website allen-heath

The Allen & Heath Qu-3 will be available for $1,800.

Ableton Live 13 — an updated version of the professional DAW

11 November 2026

Ableton has announced version 13 of its digital audio workstation. It adds tools for creating rhythms and melodies, expands audio processing and improves the workflow. A public beta is already available. The final release is planned for early 2027.

Photo: official website ableton

A major addition is the built-in Step Sequencer. It creates MIDI patterns with separate lengths and playback settings for each row. This makes it easier to program polyrhythms and melodies that change over time. Each step has controls for velocity, trigger probability, repeats and pitch using Pitch Bend.

Photo: official website ableton

The DAW adds ARA 2 support to integrate compatible audio-editing plugins directly into a project. Capture Automation saves parameter changes made without first enabling automation recording. Contextual Browsing lets users add devices and change presets directly from the processing chain.

Photo: official website ableton

Other additions include the Drum Synth percussion synthesizer, expanded rack features and more tools for mixing and sound design. These include the Looplet granular looper, Transient Shaper and Clipper effects, and five analogue emulations from Softube. Features depend on the edition, but Step Sequencer is included in Intro, Standard and Suite. Under an offer running from 10 November until the new version is released, buyers of Live 12 receive a free upgrade to the matching edition of Live 13.

Photo: official website ableton

Ableton Live 13 will cost $100 for Intro, $350 for Standard and $750 for Suite.

Arturia AstroLab 61/88 — free V Collection 11 Pro with keyboard registration

10 November 2026

Registering an AstroLab 61/88 stage keyboard between 10 November 2026 and 31 January 2027 gives immediate access to V Collection 11 Pro at no extra cost.

Photo: official website arturia

The stage keyboards AstroLab 61 and AstroLab 88 combine premium quality with a powerful software ecosystem. V Collection 11 Pro is a software collection of 45 classic keyboard instruments in one package. Using V Collection 11 Pro with Arturia AstroLab gives musicians more ways to shape sounds and create presets. Musicians can then take their own sounds directly from the studio to the stage.

JBL 305P MKIII — an active two-way studio monitor

7 November 2026

JBL has introduced the third generation of its compact nearfield studio monitor. It is the first model in the updated 3 Series P range.

Photo: official website jblpro

The monitor has an updated 5-inch woofer with a stronger magnet assembly and an aluminium shorting ring designed to reduce distortion. The updated 1-inch silk-dome tweeter sits in JBL's Image Control Waveguide. The waveguide provides a wide listening area and a stable stereo image. Unlike the previous generation, the Slipstream bass-reflex port is on the front panel. This makes it easier to place the monitor near walls where space is limited.

JBL 305P MKIII specifications

Maximum sound pressure level: 109 dB
Frequency response: 55 Hz–27 kHz (±3 dB)
Amplifier power: 43 W (LF); 43 W (HF)
Signal-to-noise ratio: 83 dB (A-weighted / 1 W)
Crossover frequency: 2,160 Hz
Dimensions: 32 × 17.5 × 25 cm
Weight: 5.3 kg per monitor.

Photo: official website jblpro

Two Class D amplifiers drive the woofer and tweeter separately, with a total output of 86 W. According to JBL, the new design provides more headroom and lower self-noise. Four DSP controls offer 81 setting combinations to match the monitor's position, distance from walls and bass/treble balance. The monitor connects through a balanced Neutrik XLR/TRS combo input. The cabinet uses 15 mm MDF and has eight M4 mounting points in a 75 × 75 mm pattern for compatible mounts.

Photo: official website jblpro

The JBL 305P MKIII is available to order for $200 per monitor.

Steinberg Cubase 16 — an update to the professional DAW

6 November 2026

Steinberg has released version 16 of its digital audio workstation. The update adds more flexible MIDI options and many improvements to the built-in effects and instruments.

Photo: official website steinberg

A major addition is Instrument Stacks. This feature combines several VST instruments, sampler tracks and drum tracks into one playable instrument, with shared controls and separate MIDI filtering for each layer. The Key Editor now has a Strum tool. It shifts notes one after another to create more natural, expressive chords that imitate guitar strumming. Stretch Selection expands or compresses MIDI passages in time.

Photo: official website steinberg

The built-in Stem Separation engine can now split a finished recording into six parts: vocals, drums, bass, piano, guitar and other instruments. New Spectral AudioWarp algorithms allow extensive changes to the timing and pitch of audio material. Tempo Detection has a more accurate algorithm and a simpler workflow. The Omnivocal Basic vocal synthesizer uses the Yamaha Omnivocal NX engine and lets users edit lyrics directly beside MIDI notes.

Photo: official website steinberg

Other additions include the DrumChain drum processor, the VocalTouch vocal processing plugin, the Module library with more than 200 FM presets for HALion Sonic, five new sample packs, Ableton Link synchronisation, custom MIDI CC names, a redesigned searchable settings window and an updated Audio Pool file manager. Features vary by edition: Instrument Stacks is available in Pro and Artist, while stem separation and Spectral AudioWarp are exclusive to Pro.

Photo: official website steinberg

Steinberg Cubase 16 is available for $100 (Elements), $300 (Artist) and $600 (Pro).

Steven Slate Audio VSX Horizon One — closed-back studio headphones for control room modelling

4 November 2026

Steven Slate Audio has introduced professional full-size closed-back headphones designed for use with the virtual monitoring system VSX.

Photo: official website stevenslateaudio

The new headphones are designed for mixing and checking mixes with software models of studio control rooms and different playback systems. The aluminium frame has maple earcups and specially designed 50 mm dynamic drivers. According to the manufacturer, the updated drivers offer low distortion, greater clarity and more detail. The headphones have a 32-ohm impedance and a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The closed-back design provides passive isolation from external noise.

Photo: official website stevenslateaudio

Horizon One comes in Essentials and Platinum editions with different sets of VSX virtual spaces. The software lets users check their material in modelled studios, cars and other listening environments without leaving their workstation. Existing software users can choose a Loyalty Upgrade without buying another software licence. The package includes a detachable 1.9 m Y cable with a 3.5 mm plug, a 6.35 mm adapter and a protective case.

Photo: official website stevenslateaudio

Steven Slate Audio VSX Horizon One is available to pre-order for $400 for Essentials, $600 for Platinum and $300 for the Loyalty Upgrade.

Behringer 1601 Sequencer — an analogue Eurorack sequencer

3 November 2026

Behringer has introduced an analogue sequencer inspired by classic instruments from the 1970s. It can run one 16-step sequence or split the sequence into two independent 8-step sequences.

Photo: official website behringer

The sequencer has a two-octave quantizer for melodic parts and a separate CV output with a ten-octave range for modulating filter cutoff or pulse width. Three separate Gate bus outputs, with individual switches for each step, allow complex rhythmic links between devices. Skip and Reset support CV control, and the step switches can skip steps or reset the sequence. A separate CV input transposes patterns from an external MIDI keyboard or another controller.

Photo: official website behringer

Other features include CV control of clock rate and pulse width, a Clocked Gate 1 output for accents, a Position 1 CV output for triggering external events at the start of a pattern, separate quantizer inputs for external CV, and four additional signal splitters (Multiples). The model has 42 controls, MIDI with channel selection and transport synchronisation, and a USB port. It can work as a standalone module or fit in a standard Eurorack case.

Photo: official website behringer

Behringer 1601 Sequencer is available to pre-order from selected retailers for around $200.

Phaze Audio Tilia Active — active two-way bookshelf speakers

2 November 2026

Russian brand Phaze Audio has expanded its speaker range with the Tilia Active model.

Photo: official website phazeaudio

The new model combines a two-way speaker system, built-in amplification, wireless audio and several wired connection options. It is designed for listening to music at home and for use with a TV. The built-in phono preamplifier allows turntables to connect without extra external equipment. The speakers have 4-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeters. Total amplifier power is 60 W RMS, or 30 W per channel, with a peak of 100 W. The frequency range is 50 Hz to 20 kHz. The amplifier and connections are in the right speaker; the left speaker connects to it with speaker cable.

Photo: official website phazeaudio

Connections include HDMI ARC, an optical digital input and an analogue RCA input that switches between line level and the built-in phono preamplifier. Wireless audio uses Bluetooth 5.2. Bass and treble controls help match the sound to the room and the listener's preferences. Each cabinet is made from MDF. Four finishes are available: Black, Latte, Ocean Blue and Walnut, matching the Phaze Audio Celine turntable.

Photo: official website phazeaudio