Every January, the global music industry descends on Anaheim, California, for the NAMM 2026 (the National Association of Music Merchants Show) winter show. It’s the world’s largest showcase of music technology, where manufacturers and developers unveil their latest products to tempt and tantalise producers, artists and DJs alike. The latest innovations launched at NAMM often define how music is made in the coming years. It’s where workflows evolve, new creative possibilities emerge, and the line between professional studios and bedroom setups continues to blur.

For professional musicians and bedroom producers alike, NAMM is a crystal ball. This year’s releases continue the trend toward more portability, tighter software integration, smarter instruments, and gear that empowers creators to work faster and more intuitively. We’ve been keeping a close eye on what’s dropped so far, and these are five products that really caught our attention.

Akai professional MPC XL

Akai’s Profesional continue their relentless crusade to own the hardware sampler market with yet another member of the MPC family. The XL is the successor to last year’s flagship MPC X and may well be the biggest, gnarliest iteration yet. Building on the MPC legacy, the XL expands the hands-on workflow with its largest interface to date. There is more tactile control, and deeper standalone power courtesy of a Gen 2 8-core processor that Akai says offers four times the processing power of previous MPCs. For those of you looking to break out of the mouse-and-keyboard loop, this kind of self-contained setup offers a very tangible alternative.

What really turned heads at NAMM 2026, though, was Akai’s newly announced deal with Spitfire Audio. While details are still emerging, the partnership strongly suggests future integration of Spitfire’s world-class sample libraries directly into the MPC ecosystem. If that vision materialises, the MPC XL could become not just a beat machine, but a serious composition hub for producers working across multiple genres.

Core Specs

• Standalone hardware with MPC3 OS — no computer required
• Next‑gen Gen 2 8‑core processor with 16 GB RAM
• 256 GB internal NVMe SSD + SATA expansion bay
• Supports up to 32 plugin instruments, 16 audio tracks, 256 voices

Pads & Control

• 16 MPCe pads with 3D sensing (4 control zones per pad)
• Assignable touch‑strip controller
• 16 Q‑Link knobs with individual OLEDs + dedicated channel command
• 10.1” HD multi‑gesture touchscreen

Connectivity

• 2 XLR/TRS combo mic/line inputs with phantom power
• 2 instrument inputs + 8 separate line outputs
• USB‑C audio/MIDI interface (24 in / 32 MIDI channels)
• CV/Gate outputs for modular gear (16 channels)
• Wi‑Fi & Bluetooth for collaboration/transfer

Strandberg x Jamstik Chameleon MIDI guitar

The Strandberg x Jamstik Chameleon is one of those NAMM 2026 releases that seamlessly blends tradition with cutting-edge technology. Offering axe-wielding songwriters and musicians the opportunity to control MIDI in the same way a keyboardist does, it combines Strandberg’s ergonomic guitar design with Jamstik’s MIDI technology. The Chameleon, therefore, allows guitarists to control virtual instruments with impressive accuracy and expression. Much like a keyboard controller, this is plug and play with no hex pickups or complicated setups required.

So if you play guitar but also tend to think in terms of MIDI, this is going to really appeal. As songwriting, composition and performance can feel very different when using a guitar, this could fundamentally change the way you compose music in the box.

Instrument & MIDI

• Headless electric guitar with built‑in polyphonic MIDI module and hexaphonic pickup
• Fast, ultra‑low latency polyphonic tracking for synth control
• MPE‑ready expressive control for advanced MIDI articulation

Construction & Hardware

• Lightweight solid body and ergonomic Strandberg design
• Roasted maple EndurNeck™ for comfort and stability
• USB‑C, 3.5 mm TRS/MIDI and Bluetooth MIDI connectivity
• Rechargeable battery operation (~8 hr)

Roland GO:MIXER STUDIO

We really liked this neat little solution to capturing quality audio on the go using the powers to your disposal, i.e. a mobile device. Roland’s GO:MIXER STUDIO is a reminder that not every NAMM 2026 highlight needs to be mind-meltingly complex or powerful. Designed as a compact, plug-and-play audio mixer for mobile devices, it’s clearly aimed at creators who want to capture ideas quickly and share them instantly.

This makes the GO:MIXER STUDIO perfect for anyone that doesnt want to be tied down to their studio setup and wants to step out into the world to see what audio delights can be found. Whether you’re capturing Foley and field recording or recording your mate Ben noodling on his flute, this is a liberating solution to the limitations of built-in, poor-quality device mics.

It’s also especially appealing for producers who livestream, make social content, or collaborate remotely. It helps to unify the quality of your output in a world where modern musicians have to juggle many different roles.

Audio & Conversion

• Up to 24‑bit / 192 kHz AD/DA conversion
• 12 simultaneous input channels (6 outputs)

Inputs

• 2 XLR mic/line with phantom power
• Dedicated high‑impedance guitar/bass input
• Stereo line inputs + aux (TRRS)
• MIDI In/Out (TRS)

Outputs & Monitoring

• 1/4” stereo line out + dual headphone outputs

Onboard Processing

• Three‑band EQ, compressors, and reverb per channel
• 16 scene memories for saved mix setups

Connectivity & Power

• USB‑C audio/MIDI & bus power or external power
• Portable footprint (~110×156×65 mm)

Korg KAOSS Pad V

Korg’s iconic KAOSS Pad is back with a modern reimagining of this cult classic. When the original KAOSS Pad dropped in 1999, its touchpad changed the way effects were used, making sound manipulation more dynamic and expressive. It became a firm favourite among producers and DJs alike, looking to push their effects beyond basic presets.

Roll ahead 27 years, and the KAOSS Pad V gives us a seriously updated take on that classic touchpad magic, with dual touch controls, expanded connectivity, and enhanced vocal processing. It pushes the KAOSS concept beyond DJ effects into full-on creative performance and sound design territory. Feeling perfectly timed for today’s hybrid production styles, the KAOSS Pad V is still all about spontaneity. It encourages hands-on experimentation to include: resampling, glitching, mangling, and reshaping audio in ways that are hard to replicate with a mouse. Whether used in a DAW setup or as part of a live rig, this latest slice of “Kaoss” should help inject an element of spontaneous play with the potential to spark entirely new ideas.

Effects & Interaction

• Touchpad‑based real‑time effects control (classic KAOSS interface)
• Over 300 programs (200 presets + 100 user)

Processing & Creative Tools

• Vocal KAOSS engine (harmonies, pitch effects, vocoder)
• Sampling & loop functions with overdub & BPM sync

Connectivity

• Outputs: L/R RCA
• Line input: L/R RCA
• Mic/Guitar input (6.3 mm)
• Headphone output (6.3 mm)
• MIDI In/Out + USB (Type B)

Audeze LCD-5 headphones

Why not end on something truly aspirational? Audeze are renowned for its top-end studio headphones, with these latest examples considered to offer mastering-grade detail. The LCD-5 headphones represent the highest end of what’s possible in personal monitoring. With ultra-detailed planar magnetic drivers, ultra-high-grade audio cable and a frequency range of 5 – 50,000 Hz this model delivers an incredibly honest listening experience.

Perfect for producers and engineers who mix in less-than-perfect acoustic environments, having headphones like these can be a game-changer. The clarity, depth, and precision available make critical decisions far easier, meaning once your ears are trained to these headphones, you are good to go, literally anywhere!

And at $4,500, these may only be for those with deep pockets, but hey, that’s what NAMM is all about. Gear for the newbie all the way up to the Dre’s and Daft Punks of this world. Besides, it’s good to know that when we do score that huge hit record or massive publishing deal, our ears will be taken care of.

Design & Comfort

• Open‑back, over‑ear design
• Lightweight build: ~420 g
• Premium leather earpads and carbon-fibre/magnesium housing

Driver & Sound

• 90 mm planar magnetic drivers with Fluxor™ magnets
• Parallel Uniforce™ voice coil & Fazor™ phase management
• Frequency response: approx. 5 Hz – 50 kHz
• Impedance: ~14 Ω; Sensitivity: ~90 dB/1 mW
• THD: <0.1% @ 100 dB SPL; Max SPL >130 dB

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