Ableton has launched a much-anticipated Upgrade Kit for its Push 3 workstation, allowing those with the non-standalone version to use it solely by itself without the need for the Ableton Live DAW.

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Until now, only users of the more expensive battery-powered Standalone Push 3, launched in June, were able to use it by itself, thanks to an in-built processor. Now, with this Upgrade Kit provided by Ableton, in as little as thirty minutes, the brand says, you can unplug your Push and use it anywhere.

Once the standalone components are integrated, your Push will mirror the functionality of a processor-equipped Push.

The Upgrade Kit includes all the components to turn your Push 3 into a standalone unit, according to Ableton. There’s an Intel 11th Gen Core i3-1115G4 processor with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD hard drive, a lithium iron phosphate battery and a heatsink. It also includes screws, a screwdriver, a backplate lifter, and a protective mat.

The Intel NUC Compute Element is made up of a processor, combined with RAM and WiFi. According to the brand, this is the first Intel processor to have ever been adapted for Push.

What is the Ableton Push 3?

The Ableton Push 3 is a standalone expressive instrument and workstation created so you can move away from staring at a screen and produce with a more hands-on feel. With the standalone version – or the non-standalone version with the new Upgrade Kit implemented – you can essentially take your DAW anywhere, with the ability to continue projects started in your DAW, and then send them back again to continue later.

It has 64 MPE pads, an LED screen, a built-in audio interface, ADAT optical in and out, MIDI in and out, USB-A and USB-C ports, DC power in, two 6.3mm footswitch jacks and a 6.3mm headphone out.

The Upgrade Kit costs £879. In June, MusicTech spoke to J Black, producer and Ableton ambassador, who defended the arguably high price.

“For what you’re [paying], you’re getting something really strong,” J Black said at the time. “That price is fair because it’s a modular system. So you can upgrade the battery, and [Ableton] said you can maybe update the processing in the future. I think that right there alone makes it already a high-grade machine, right? You can give this a terabyte [storage] and [Intel] i7 processor if you want to in the future, you know.

“I think that’s Ableton saying, ‘this is going to be the piece of equipment for a long time. We’re not getting another one anytime soon.”

Find out more about the Ableton Push 3 Upgrade Kit via Ableton.

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