Arturia’s AstroLab is a winning concept – a sleek, stylish hardware keyboard that houses the French brand’s Analog Lab software, allowing users to access its modelled pianos, keyboard and vintage synths without the need to be tethered to a laptop.
We reviewed the original AstroLab when it arrived last year, and came away impressed by its versatile sound set and user-friendly workflow.
However, while the original 61-key, synth action AstroLab worked well for those primarily focused on synth sounds, the lack of an 88-key, hammer action version held AstroLab back from fulfilling its potential as a proper stage keyboard suitable for combining piano, organ and synth duties.
Now Arturia has rectified that with the release of AstroLab 88, a new 88-note, weighted key model equipped with a hammer-action Fatar TP40-L keybed, described by Arturia as an ‘avant-garde stage keyboard.’
Under the hood, AstroLab 88 features an updated CPU, but otherwise makes use of the same Analog Lab-derived OS, offering 40 instruments and over 1,600 presets drawn from the company’s V Collection and Pigments softsynth, along with a versatile set of effects and tools including an arpeggiator and chord and scale modes.
That OS is soon to be updated, with a major update due 17 July that will add features including updated V Collection 11 instruments, playlist transfer between Arturia’s Analog Lab Pro and AstroLab and the ability to send program changes to external devices.
“Every update deepens AstroLab’s performance potential and workflow - so you can play the latest instrument engines and have complete confidence when going live,” says Arturia.
AstroLab 88 is available now, priced at €2499. That price includes the Analog Lab Pro software and a music stand designed specifically for the AstroLab 88. Visit the Arturia site for more information.
Revisit our video review of the original AstroLab below.
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