Thousands of synth nerds have descended on the FEZ-Berlin centre for a first‑hand look at what the world’s biggest music tech brands have cooked up for Superbooth 2026. And while synths are very much the star of the show, there’s a whole lotta cool new hardware and software on display too.
Our team of writers are on point with the freshest rumours and releases as they break. Plus, we’ve got Jack and Oz on the ground delivering the NAMM‑style video coverage we’re known and loved for. Ready? Let’s go!
Superbooth 2026 rumours, news & announcements
Scroll down to catch all the biggest Superbooth ’26 talking points and gear news so far, from the latest headlines to the earliest pre-show rumours:
Uber-cool Korg products & prototypes
Is this a contender for Superbooth’s most unique booth? Korg’s display defo stands out, that’s for sure! Watch Jack and Luke from Korg chat through the Phase 8, a transparent handytraxx play DJ deck, plus some intriguing new product concepts — including the compact Korg NTS‑4 performance mixer kit. It packs in six channels, USB audio, built‑in FX and even MIDI out for clocking. And apparently, it’s due out later this year (so keep your eyes peeled on our website).
Roland TR-1000 1.20 update
Unveiled at Superbooth 2026, the TR‑1000 Rhythm Creator’s 1.20 update takes an already powerful groove machine and expands its sound design and performance capabilities. Roland hasn’t treated the TR legacy as something untouchable; instead, it leans into it, reinforcing the TR-1000 as a living, confrontational instrument built to rattle sound systems rather than sit behind glass.
The headline additions supercharge its performance credentials. New 909 Bass Line and 808 Bass Line instruments hand producers decades of dance music DNA in a single update, while fresh MFX — including 303 Vinyl Sim, 404 Vinyl Sim, Cassette Sim, and DJ FX Delay — push the sound further into raw, textured, club‑ready territory.
Smaller refinements round things out: higher gain headroom, extra modulation parameters, roll playback adjustments and smarter mute behaviour all make the TR-1000 feel more aggressive and more playable.
Buy the Roland TR‑1000 Rhythm Creator
Arturia brings the goods to Superbooth 2026
Our boy Jack caught up with Tommy from Arturia for a personal tour of their big, posh showroom — complete with a “kitschy ‘60s, analogue TV living-room kind of vibe.” Looks wicked, to be fair! Packed full of their latest kit, including the AstroLab 37 and the MicroFreak UFO, Tommy also drops a few hints about upcoming products… and we’re very much looking forward to getting our hands on those soon.
Melbourne Instruments NINA 3.0.0 update
Over at Melbourne Instruments, the NINA 3.0 update has landed, and it’s a big one. The headline feature is the addition of the complete Mutable Instruments Braids engine, instantly taking NINA from an already flexible hybrid polysynth to something far deeper and more adventurous. With the ability to jump from warm analogue tones to sharp digital textures in seconds, it’s an awesome expansion of NINA’s sonic palette.
Of course, it wouldn’t be NINA without the motorised knobs stealing the spotlight, physically reshaping themselves as patches change. Run those new Braids engines across all 12 voices, add multi‑part layering, morphing, analogue filters and expanded sequencing, and NINA now feels less like a traditional polysynth and more like a full‑blown performance and sound‑design force.
Buy the Melbourne Instruments NINA
See the Polyend Drums in action
We’ve already broken down the brand-new Polyend Drums and run through all its rad specs (just scroll down a bit if you missed it). But now it’s time to see it in the flesh, as Jack catches up with Polyend’s Piotr for a run-through of the workflow, features and what really makes this box tick.
Sonicware Deconstruct Minimal compact groovebox
Japanese synth wizards Sonicware have announced Deconstruct Minimal, a tidy little groove machine aimed squarely at hypnotic minimal, techno and left‑field electronic producers. Packing a drum machine, sampler and bass synth into one compact, grab‑and‑go unit, it’s clearly designed for artists who want to build deep, evolving grooves without being tied to a laptop. Drawing inspo from classic drum machines, Deconstruct Minimal adds subtle timing and pitch drift to keep patterns feeling alive and organic, rather than rigid and repetitive.
A 10‑track engine, flexible sequencing and a broad choice of effects give you plenty of creative control for both live sets and the odd studio sesh. The built‑in sampler makes it easy to drop in textures, loops and one‑shots, while the analogue‑modelled bass synth delivers punchy low‑end and driving leads that cut through a mix. Add performance‑focused FX for real‑time tweaks and Deconstruct Minimal looks like a smart box for bringing movement and groove to your rig.
Jack visits the Nord tent!
Watch Jack (a self-confessed Nord Keyboards fanboy) explore the leafy Nord tent, checking out a rare waterfall-action version of the Stage 4, the buttery-smooth EP15 expression pedal, plus the Electro 7 with its cool pitch-bend and modulation controls.
Is a Roland AI pedal on the way?
Yeah, seems like it! Roland Future Design Lab and Neutone’s Project LYDIA first appeared as a tech preview in November 2025, and Superbooth 2026 sees the neural‑sampling stompbox entering phase two of its development. Built around the idea of “neural sampling”, LYDIA uses a trained AI model to transfer the tonal character of one sound onto another in real time. Not as a gimmick, but rather as a new, expressive musical tool.
Since those early demos, Roland has been gathering feedback from showcases and global surveys to steer the project’s next steps. It’s now edging closer to something that could one day land on shop floors, with the latest version featuring fully-integrated audio I/O (so no external interface is required), a clear LCD screen, plus support for user preset storage.
There’s also improved flexibility under the hood, including easier Raspberry Pi 5 installation, standalone USB MIDI controller functionality and full MIDI connectivity for deep control and automation. It’s still firmly in “watch this space” territory, but this could be one AI pedal well worth waiting for…
Polyend Drums hybrid drum machine
Polyend has rocked up at Superbooth 2026 with Drums, a hybrid drum machine that blends analogue muscle with digital flexibility in a very Polyend way. At its core are four punchy analogue voices built on modern SSI chips, backed up by digital engines and sample layering for a seriously broad sonic palette. With a generous selection of instruments and performance‑ready sound modes, Polyend Drums feels less like a single‑purpose beat box and more like a hands‑on rhythmic playground.
But where Drums really shines is performance and workflow. The onboard 8‑track sequencer is deep but intuitive, encouraging experimentation with evolving patterns, polyrhythms and happy accidents. While features like real‑time morphing, fills and rapid kit changes make it easy to keep things moving in a live set. Safe to say, we can’t wait to get it into the Andertons TV studio. Polyend Drums is available in black or silver finishes, so it’ll slot right in with whatever setup you’re running.
1010music blackbox 2 sampler
1010music’s Blackbox has been a go-to for DAWless beatmakers for a good while now, and Blackbox 2 takes that winning formula and cranks it right up. Made for hands-on music creation, this compact sampler puts recording, slicing and sequencing front and centre via a slick high‑res colour touchscreen. Whether you’re working with loops, one-shots or full multi-samples, it’s a super-intuitive way to sketch ideas, build tracks and perform without ever opening a laptop.
What’s really cool is just how performance-ready the 1010music Blackbox 2 looks. New loop launching and scene-based playback make it ideal for live sets, while the updated sequencing makes it easy to jump between detailed edits and spontaneous jams. Throw in expressive pads, DJ-style effects, generous connectivity and a built-in battery, and you’ve got a powerful desktop sampler that’s just as happy in the studio as it is in a backpack on the way to your next sesh. A properly good sequel, this.
UDO Audio’s Superbooth showcase is anything but subtle
If there’s one company at Superbooth capable of giving synth fans GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), it’s UDO Audio. The British outfit has rapidly built a reputation for making instruments that look like they’re designed and built with love and longevity in mind. And once you actually play one, it’s clear those looks aren’t deceiving.
Front and centre this year are the gloriously compact, characterful DMNO synths, which feel purpose‑built for musicians who think “subtle” is something that happens to other people. They’re quirky, inspiring, tactile and, frankly, really rather great.
Of course, UDO’s name was already known thanks to the now‑legendary Super series. The Super 6 has become a modern classic in its own right — a lush, binaural beauty often described as a heartfelt love letter to the Roland Juno lineage. The Super 8 wears its Jupiter‑8 influences proudly: big, bold and unapologetically gorgeous, but without requiring you to remortgage your house to afford one. Then there’s the Super Gemini, which somehow manages to look like the command console of a 1970s sci‑fi starship (while sounding like pure cinematic joy). If you’re at Superbooth this year, make sure to pay the UDO Audio booth a visit.
The big 3 will be there (Roland, Korg & Yamaha)
One of the most exciting revelations ahead of the show is that Roland are back. They’ve been absent from Superbooth for the last few years, but according to the official Superbooth floorplan, they’re returning in style with multiple stands booked. We’d expect their current synths and music tech lineup to be fully set up and ready to play with. But the really rad part is that one of those stands is dedicated to Future Design Labs. That means there’s a very real chance we’ll see some seriously cool prototypes on display.
Yamaha always go big at Superbooth, with a stand packed full of their latest and greatest gear. We’re almost 100% sure you’ll be able to get hands-on with the mighty Montage M and MODX M series synths, but what else might be lurking? We’ll have to wait and see what they roll out.
As for Korg, your guess is as good as ours. That said, the Korg Berlin team, led by the legendary Tatsuya Takahashi, will be on site somewhere. And if history tells us anything, it’s that they rarely turn up without something a bit wacky and unexpected to show off. Fingers crossed!
Superbooth FAQs
What is Superbooth?
Superbooth is equal parts industry trade show and synth‑nerd playground. Over three days, it’s where big‑name music tech brands and smaller boutique builders come together to launch and show off new gear, including synths, drum machines, control surfaces, software and plenty of left‑field innovations.
Where does Superbooth take place?
Wanna know the Superbooth 2026 location? Well, it hasn’t changed since 2017. The synth showcase is held at FEZ‑Berlin, Europe’s biggest non‑profit children, youth and family centre. You’ll find it in the Oberschöneweide district, south‑east of Berlin.
When is Superbooth 2026?
The Superbooth 2026 dates are set, with the event running for three days from 7-9 May 2026.
When was the first Superbooth?
Created by the crew behind Berlin synth haven SchneidersLaden, Superbooth was born following the decline of Frankfurt’s Musikmesse. From 2017 onwards, it’s made its home in the leafy surroundings of the FEZ-Berlin centre.
Who is exhibiting at Superbooth 2026?
Some of the biggest names in the business will be setting up shop at Superbooth 2026, including Ableton, Arturia, Austrian Audio, Bitwig, Elektron, Expressive E, Genelec, Korg, Mackie, Native Instruments, Nord Keyboards, Novation, Roland, Sequential, SSL, Steinberg, UDO Audio, Universal Audio, Waldorf, Warm Audio, Yamaha and Zoom.
Pedal nut? You’re covered too, with the likes of Beetronics, Crazy Tube Circuits, Eventide, Polyend and Teaching Machines getting in on the action with their latest tone‑warping effects.
Is Superbooth open to the public?
Yup! Some musical instrument conventions (NAMM, for example) are typically open only to industry insiders — but Superbooth ain’t one of ’em. Anyone can attend, with Superbooth 2026 tickets available via the official Superbooth site. Go for a single day, dive in with a full three‑day pass or grab a ticket for one of the many workshops.
Stay in the loop with Superbooth ‘26
Bookmark this blog for the latest Superbooth 2026 news as it breaks. Better yet, follow us on YouTube and across our socials for live updates straight from the show floor:
Responses & Questions