MusicTech’s favourite studio gear of 2025 — so farYou probably know you don’t need high-end gear to make music. But let’s be real — some hardware can light up your creativity in a way software sometimes can’t. It might be a mind-bending synth, a slick new controller or a reimagined classic. And, rest assured, 2025 has already seen a ton of new, exciting products that are sure to get you inspired.
Maybe you’re on the lookout for a piece of kit to make your studio a little more interesting this year; a new MIDI keyboard, a powerful outboard compressor or even just a unique synth. MusicTech’s reviewers have spent the year so far getting hands-on with the freshest hardware out there — here’s the gear that’s made a lasting impression, and that we think you should check out.
READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite plugins of 2025 — so far
I’ve never heard anything quite like the Beetlecrab Tempera
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
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I was blown away by the Beetlecrab Tempera. The instrument is, at heart, a granular sampler, but one that’s uniquely performable, thanks to an 8×8 grid of touch-sensitive cells. Each cell represents a portion of a sample and lights in one of four colours when touched, and each colour represents an independent granular engine that extracts its grains from the cells lit in its colour. Playing Tempera is an astonishing experience. As with any sample-based instrument, the results are derived from whatever sounds are loaded, but the scope for creating variations and sonic flourishes by interacting with the cells is something entirely new. I’ve lost hours to Tempera, exploring unexpected timbral avenues whilst revelling in its innovative quirkiness. I’ve never seen — or heard — anything quite like it!

Read more: What is granular synthesis, and how do I use it?

Tempera opens entirely new windows into creative sound design, turning simple audio samples into expressive and deeply interactive sonic elements with which to craft instruments, jam beats, and explore otherworldly soundscapes.
When I reviewed the Tempera, there was one key takeaway: “Put simply, Tempera could be the best tool ever created for producers of soundtracks and ambient music.”
— Adam Crute
Warm Audio WA76-A and WA76-D are simply sublime
WA76-A. Image: Press
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Warm Audio never fails to impress with its affordable recreations of classic gear, and the company delivered a double whammy with the WA76-A and WA76-D. Based on two revered versions of the UREI 1176, the new models are available both as traditional mono units or, in the case of the A2 and D2, dual channel/stereo. The 76-A models replicate the sound of original late 1960s units, while the 76-Ds mimic the smoother and less noisy characteristics of a mid-70s revision.
In my review of the WA76, I noted: “Warm Audio’s superb build quality and value for money is a given these days, so the additional flexibility of switchable impedance, high-pass filter and the Wet/Dry control makes either version a must-hear audition choice if you’re in the market for a classic 1176-style compressor.”
It’s ironic that back in the days of 24-track analogue recording, all the engineers were obsessed with noise reduction, hence revision D. But now in the clean digital age, it’s often good to inject a little noise and saturation for an analogue vibe. That’s why the ‘Blue Stripe’ WA76-A gets my vote!
— John Pickford
Soma Labs Lyra-4
Image: Terrence O’Brien
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I am a sucker for a good drone. I unabashedly love Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music, and am a huge fan of ambient artists like GAS and drone metal act Sunn O))). The Soma Labs Lyra-4 is an instrument designed with drones in mind. Like I said in my review of the Lyra-4, it isn’t going to be for everyone, and you won’t reach for it all the time. But when you want a truly electric drone that sounds like it’s about to escape the speakers and do your listener physical harm, there are few instruments better suited to the task.
The Lyra-4 interface is also visceral and physical in a way that other instruments aren’t. There’s no keyboard — instead, you physically complete electrical circuits with your body (or something else conductive).
It’s easy to dismiss the Lyra-4 as just a cut-down version of the Lyra-8, an incredible but expensive instrument. But by sticking to the essentials, the Lyra-4 keeps the price reasonable. And affordability is important when you’re talking about something this niche.
— Terrence O’Brien
Roland V-Stage 88 — the last keyboard you’ll ever need?
Side of the V-Stage 88. Image: Press
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There are surprisingly few high-end stage keyboards that really get to the heart of what a live player needs when they’re performing. Endless menu diving is definitely out, but real-time controls, sensibly arranged, are most definitely in. The V-Stage 88 is a hefty beast for sure, and not inexpensive, but it’s a class leader for real players.
With four separate sound engines — piano, EP, tone wheel and ZenCore synth all from Roland’s first-rate libraries, its top panel controls provide exactly what you need to tweak and play amazing keyboard instruments on stage, while round the back it has a wealth of ins and outs both for live and studio work. Its only serious competition is Nord’s Stage 4, which costs more and arguably isn’t as easy to use in a live scenario.
Serious players will tell you that a keyboard that feels fantastic to play will make them play better and want to play more. That’s a rare thing, and the V-Stage definitely has it. As I said when I reviewed it: “If your business is music, the V-Stage just might be the last performance keyboard you ever need.”
— Hollin Jones
Arturia KeyLab 88 MK3 is a mammoth controller
Arturia KeyLab 88 MK3. Image: Arturia
Arturia’s KeyLab 88 mk3 bestows MIDI control with all the tactile joy and playability I could ever want as an instrumentalist; with generous amounts of DAW control, a full-colour screen and a gorgeous keyboard design, it’s the king of MIDI controllers in 2025. I put in my review that “it’s such a pleasure to play that it will let you max out the potential of your plugins, even more than you think,” — and I truly meant that.
This mammoth MIDI controller is the crowning glory for any remotely computer-leaning studio setup. With a gorgeous, fully weighted Fatar TP/110 hammer-action keybed, a host of handy DAW control features (with custom mapping for different DAWS), a selection of tactile controls such as pads, faders and rotary encoders, and numerous performance features such as Scale Mode, Chord Play and an onboard arpeggiator, it sets new standards for software control. And did I mention the wooden sides?
— Vincent Joseph
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