Though it was a bit unconventional, NAMM 2021 brought us an impressive cache of awesome new products. And, thanks to Sweetwater’s close relationship with the industry’s top manufacturers, we offer you an insider’s perspective that you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re interested in guitars, studio gear, DJ equipment, keyboards, drums, or live sound, Sweetwater is your best, most reliable source for NAMM-related news and product highlights.
Check out our full 2021 NAMM Show Report!
Supro Delta King Series
The Supro Delta King series is the company’s modern take on their ’50s- and ’60s-era amplifiers. These tube combo amps feature Class A power sections and are available with a custom-designed 12-, 10-, or 8-inch speaker. The 12- and 10-inch models include an FET-driven boost and Pigtronix FAT high-gain mode; and the 12-inch model includes an analog spring reverb to add depth and dimension to your playing. All three amps include a line-level output for easy recording. Available in tweed or black.
Fender ’68 Custom Pro Reverb
The Fender ’68 Custom Pro Reverb is a modern re-creation of a late-’60s Silverface. This vintage-style tube combo amplifier boasts a 12-inch Celestion Neo Creamback speaker for fat, vibrant Fender tone without the back-breaking weight. The ’68 Custom Pro Reverb includes a Middle tone control for added sonic versatility plus a -6dB input for guitars with high-output pickups. Spring reverb and tremolo are also onboard.
PRS 2021 Models
For 2021, Paul Reed Smith dropped an incredible range of new models. The Fiore is PRS’s take on the classic high-performance, HSS-style, double-cut solidbody electric. Designed in collaboration with Snarky Puppy’s Mark Lettieri, the Fiore features a bolt-on maple neck, a 2-point tremolo, and a universe of tonal potential via its 5-way blade switch and push-pull knobs. The Studio is like a traditional HSS on steroids with PRS’s Narrowfield mini humbuckers in lieu of single-coils plus flexible switching for a well of inspired tones. Punchy single-coil textures, vintage scooped tones, chunky humbucker sounds — they’re all lurking inside. The Special is a semi-hollowbody electric guitar with high-performance PRS pickups and a formidable tone arsenal of eight pickup combinations that cover every genre from classic rock to edgy fusion. The SE Custom 24-08 packs eight pickup combinations and legendary playability into a budget-conscious electric guitar. That said, there’s nothing “budget” about this axe’s outstanding performance.
Taylor GT 811e
Players searching for an acoustic-electric guitar with easy portability will appreciate the Taylor GT 811e. This comfortably sized acoustic-electric features a Grand Theater body shape, solid tonewoods, and resonant C-Class bracing plus an easy-playing 24-1/8-inch scale and excellent-sounding ES2 electronics.
Martin T1 StreetMaster
Ukes have been soaring in popularity for years, and few builders can match C. F. Martin & Co.’s expertise. The Martin T1 StreetMaster builds on over a century of ukulele-building expertise to craft a high-quality instrument with a resonant all-mahogany body, internal Sitka spruce bracing, and a head-turning, hand-rubbed distressed finish. A Standard Taper hardwood neck, a sipo fingerboard, an Applied Dovetail neck joint, and Graph Tech tuners complete the package.
Fender American Ultra Luxe
The Fender American Ultra Luxe series takes the company’s classic designs to the next level with high-performance Augmented D-shaped necks, cutting-edge electronics, and state-of-the-art hardware. The American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster and American Ultra Luxe Telecaster boast noiseless single-coil pickups, tone-enhancing S-1 switches, and fast-playing compound-radius fingerboards with stainless steel frets. The American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS and American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH are shred-worthy solidbody electric guitars with Tim Shaw–designed Double Tap humbuckers and Floyd Rose Original double-locking trems.
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic Outfit
The Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic Outfit captures the sound of the Heart guitarist’s late-period work. Built around a maple-topped, mahogany Nighthawk body, this hard-rocking axe includes a unique array of ProBucker pickups, a comfortable C-profile mahogany neck, and a fast-playing ebony fingerboard. This electric guitar is rounded out with stylish appointments and Nancy Wilson custom flourishes.
EarthQuaker Devices Astral Destiny
EarthQuaker Devices Astral Destiny is a feature-laden reverb effects pedal with eight distinct modes that include vast spaces, octave up and down effects, chorus, and pitch-bending effects. You get eight user preset slots for saving custom settings, selectable trails/true bypass switching, and a built-in chorus effect with Depth and Rate controls. You can also connect this stompbox to an expression pedal for hands-free fun.
Way Huge Atreides
Dubbed an “analog weirding module,” the Way Huge Atreides is a one-of-a-kind guitar pedal with all-slider controls, a synth-like tone, and a futuristic aesthetic. This stomp includes Sensitivity and Range sliders to control its vocal envelope, Fuzz and Bright sliders to shape its built-in fuzz, a Sub slider to control its self-generated sub-octave sounds, and a Rate slider that controls its onboard phaser effect. If you dig early-’80s mini-synth tones, then the Atreides is the right stompbox for you.
Rane One
For a next-level DJ controller with real-deal feel, you can’t beat the Rane One. The One’s 7-inch motorized platters feature acrylic disk toppers for a classic texture plus a super-smooth Mag Four crossfader and customizable high/low torque setting. You also get 16 multifunction performance pads and six radio-style FX buttons. A traditional turntable plunger-style start/stop button, depth and beat parameter controls, independent aluminum paddle controls, per-deck 3-band EQs and highpass/lowpass filters, and dedicated loop controls are also on tap.
Pioneer DJ DJM-S7
Tailor-made for vinyl and Serato DJ Pro systems alike, the Pioneer DJ DJM-S7 is a powerful, club-ready DJ mixer that’s ready to do battle. An adjustable Magvel Fader Pro crossfader dials in your preferred curve and resistance, while dual USB audio interfaces make battle setups and changeovers a piece of cake. The DJM-S7 includes 16 RGB-backlit performance pads and comprehensive Bluetooth functionality.
PLAYdifferently Model 1.4
The PLAYdifferently Model 1.4 is a performance-based mixer for DJs and electronic musicians. This high-end 4-channel mixer includes two premium phono preamps for your turntables and ultra-smooth dual-rail 60mm faders. Per-channel sculpting EQ and filters make fine-tuning individual channels easy, while analog overdrive on every input adds harmonic richness or distortion to your sound. A fully balanced mix bus, master 3-band EQ and filters, and a 2-band booth EQ are also included. Zero Crossing Circuitry, balanced DB-25 I/O, and a high-headroom external power supply round out the PLAYdifferently Model 1.4’s robust feature set.
Roland MV-1 Verselab
The Roland MV-1 Verselab brings hands-on, analog-inspired workflow back to your modern productions. This groovebox features 16 RGB touchpads, a TR-REC 16-step sequencer, and a powerful ZEN-Core sound engine with 3,000 onboard sounds inspired by classic Roland hardware. The MV-1 comes with a built-in microphone plus an HQ mic preamp with phantom power. You also get a cache of on-demand vocal processors, 16 easy-access tracks for comping, MIDI control, and stereo line connections. Cloud session storage, plug-and-play USB connectivity, and Zenbeats app integration are also included.
Black Lion Audio Revolution 2×2
Project-studio owners in search of pro-grade sound in an affordable, portable interface will find a lot to appreciate in the Black Lion Audio Revolution 2×2. BLA utilized their extensive experience modding improvable studio equipment to craft a great-sounding, 2-in/2-out USB audio interface with top-shelf AD/DA, cutting-edge Macro-MMC clocking, premium mic/line preamplifiers, and fully decoupled I/O at a price point that’s truly astonishing.
Audient iD MKII Audio Interfaces
With the iD MKII series, Audient’s popular audio interfaces have gotten a high-performance makeover. These amazing units have been turbocharged with updated cosmetics, USB 3.0 speeds, forward-looking USB-C connections, improved audio performance, studio-grade headphone amplifiers with console-style monitor control, and a high-powered cache of free software. Available models include the 2-in/2-out iD4 and 10-in/6-out iD14.
Daking Mic Pre IIT
The Daking Mic Pre IIT is the easy way to inject your studio’s front end with boutique-quality analog sound. This 2-channel mic/line/DI preamp boasts the same discrete transistor circuitry as the company’s Mic Pre IV along with Jensen transformers for that “big iron” sound. This feature-packed unit includes per-channel highpass filter, polarity reverse, -20dB pad, and phantom power. You also get excellent-sounding front-panel 1/4-inch line/hi-Z instrument inputs and informative 20-segment VU meters.
Rupert Neve Designs 5060 Centerpiece Shelford Edition
Have you dreamt of putting the sound of a legendary Neve 5088 console in your studio? Thanks to the Rupert Neve Designs 5060 Centerpiece Shelford Edition, you can stop dreaming and start recording. Boasting a Class A mix bus and custom transformers, the 5060 is guaranteed to take your computer-based productions to a new level of richness, clarity, and detail with a beefy 24×2 summing mixer, vibe-infused Silk and Texture controls, DAW transport controls, a built-in talkback mic, a powerful headphone amplifier, and multiple monitor outputs.
Mackie Onyx and SRT Series
Mackie has been busy this NAMM, releasing a new series of Onyx mixers and SRT powered PA speakers. Available in 8-, 12-, 16-, and 24-channel configurations, these new Onyx mixers include award-winning Onyx mic preamps, high-quality analog circuitry, 3-band Perkins EQs, and switchable hi-Z inputs plus 100Hz low-cut filters and +48V phantom power on each mic input. High-resolution 24-bit/96kHz multitrack USB recording, built-in studio-grade effects, Bluetooth streaming capabilities, and full-color displays round out these excellent Onyx mixers.
Thanks to 10-, 12-, and 15-inch options, you won’t have any trouble finding the right SRT powered speaker for your application. All speakers sport robust woofers, custom Sym-X Horn tweeters, built-in 4-channel mixers, advanced DSP, and transparent system protection. What’s more, the SRT Connect app gives you wireless control over your PA. An 18-inch subwoofer is also available.
sE Electronics Vintage Edition
sE Electronics Vintage Edition microphones take several of the company’s most popular products and infuses them with serious eye candy. These mics invoke the aesthetics of mid-20th-century European studio models while delivering the same award-winning sound as sE’s standard offerings. Vintage Edition models include the sE2200 large-diaphragm condenser, the sE8 small-diaphragm condenser stereo pair, the Voodoo VR1 ribbon, and the V7 dynamic handheld.
Yamaha YC88
The Yamaha YC88 is an 88-key, organ-focused stage piano with proprietary Virtual Circuit Modeling to ensure authentic vintage-organ character. This awesome-feeling keyboard includes intuitive drawbar controls plus fully weighted, triple-sensor hammer action with synthetic ebony and ivory keytops. Besides organs, there are many other excellent-sounding instruments onboard, including acoustic and electric pianos, DX-style FM synth sounds, strings, and brass. You also get two realistic rotary-speaker models, seamless switching between patches, sound layering, USB-to-Host and USB-to-Device ports, nine onboard effects processors, and a whole lot more.
IK Multimedia Uno Synth Pro
The IK Multimedia Uno Synth Pro is a digitally controlled analog powerhouse that’s small enough to take anywhere. This synth eclipses its predecessor’s already impressive design with paraphonic capabilities, a third oscillator, a second multimode filter, a 64-step sequencer, expansive modulation, and a formidable digital effects engine. Available in desktop and 37-key versions, the Uno Synth Pro includes comprehensive sound-design features, including a “chord” mode that makes conjuring mesmerizing pads, stabs, and analog-synth textures a piece of cake.
TAMA Starclassic Performer Maple/Birch 5-piece Shell Pack
This TAMA Starclassic Performer Maple/Birch Lacquer shell pack is a real beauty, thanks to its attention-grabbing lacquer finish. This drum set includes dynamic-sounding maple/birch shells, premium die-cast zinc hoops, rubber-based claw hooks, Air Pocket rubber feet, and a bass drum spur bracket with memory markers. Evans drumheads complete the package. This 5-piece shell pack includes 10- and 12-inch toms, 14- and 16-inch floor toms, and a 22-inch bass drum.
Sonor AQX 4-piece Shell Packs
Drummers looking for a lightweight kit for on-the-go club gigs will fall head over heels for these Sonor AQX shell packs. These high-quality drum sets feature excellent-sounding poplar shells, SmartMount tom mounts, and die-cast lugs. Available in Micro, Jazz, and Jungle configurations.
Mapex Saturn Evolution Workhorse 5-piece Shell Pack
Mapex has unveiled the latest evolution of their classic Saturn sound with this Saturn Evolution Workhorse. This drum kit’s hybrid-shelled system elicits a bold, commanding sound, while SONIClear bearing edges maximize its tone and tuning range. This set also includes tone-enhancing Sonic Saver hoops and Nodal Line Air Flow vents for added resonance and response. A revolutionary Halo mount completes this top-of-the-line shell pack.
Yamaha DTX6K3-X
Powered by the company’s next-level DTX-PRO module, the Yamaha DTX6K3-X packs a lot of power into a mid-priced, 5-piece electronic drum kit. This set includes an expressive 3-zone TCS snare pad and chokeable 3-zone cymbals along with Yamaha’s RS6 rack system and an HS-650A hi-hat stand. The DTX-PRO module comes loaded with 40 studio-captured preset kits, 200 custom user kits, and one-knob modifiers to dial in the ambience, compression, and effects that are applied to your drum sounds. The DTX6K3-X also includes onboard training tools, making it ideal for beginners.
Sweetwater: The Best Source for NAMM Information
Sweetwater always has the inside scoop on all of the newest products. If you have any questions about these or any other items, then give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700. We’re the best place to buy gear, and we’re always eager to talk about hot new gear with you!
