Native Instruments gives out official details of the new Maschine and Maschine Mikro, and is set to release them on October 1, 2012.

New Maschine

The second generation of Maschine will feature two new hardware with improved aesthetics, more color options and updated version 1.8 software.

The Maschine and Maschine Mikro hardware is comes with improved looks that help in enhancing your playing experience. The new Maschine Mikro MK2 will now feature color-coded buttons to help you "see" your sound in real-time, enhancing your workflow.

The bigger Maschine will have even more color-coding buttons and will benefit from improved inverted displays. These displays provide higher contrast for better viewing during performance or in dark environments. The MIDI and USB connector layout were also adjusted to minimize risk of unplugging. Finally, the new Maschine MK2 comes with improved rubber feet for increased grip, helping it stay in place during aggressive performances.

New Maschine Mikro White

For even more aesthetic options the new Maschines will now be available in either black or white overall themes. The new Maschine hardware takes its improved looks further with its interchangeable magnetic faceplate and knobs. The black edition has a black plate with black knobs, the white edition has a silver faceplate with white knobs - and interchanging them is easy and convenient. You can even get Maschine Custom Kits (sold separately) that are available in five colors.

It is not just the hardware that gets improved, the updated 1.8 software now have some new features. Maschine 1.8 software now includes time-stretching and pitch shifting capability. You can utilize this with automatic BPM detection or by specifying the length. Pitch shifting also helps your beats to match harmonically.

The update also introduces new effects for beat production. It now comes with NI's dynamics and mixing effect "Transient Master", ideal for drum positioning and mixing. Other effects include Tube, Tape Saturator and Tube Saturator. Finally, the software update will give all Maschine users the full version of "Massive" soft synth - containing 1,300 sounds that are ready to play.

The bigger Maschine Hardware will also feature a redesigned Master section. Changes with the layout were made to improve navigating and scrubbing experience. The Master section also now features a multi-function master push encoder for convenient volume, tempo and swing control. Other improvements include 47 white back-lit buttons and colored transport controls that help make beat making more intuitive.

Check out the New Maschine Generation in action:

The new Maschine hardware is expected to sell for 599€ while the smaller Maschine Mikro will sell for 349€.

You can head over to Native Instruments for more information.

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