Review: Arturia AstroLab

Arturia, the company behind popular software and hardware musical instruments, has long proven it can make great software synthesizers and virtual studio technology (VST) plug-ins. It’s also shown it can build incredible hardware, whether that's analog drum machines or weirdo digital keyboards.

But the company did something interesting in 2023—it turned one of its physical instruments, the MiniFreak, into a software plug-in, the MiniFreak V. Now it’s decided to turn the equation on its head. AstroLab is the company’s first stage keyboard, and it's essentially its popular Analog Lab software but in hardware form.

Unmatched Sonic Versatility

Analog Lab is Arturia’s highly regarded software instrument where you can browse presets for all of its stand-alone instruments. The breadth of sound options it puts at your fingertips is unmatched. Analog Lab includes 39 instruments, ranging from physically modeled grand pianos to Moogs and even Arturia’s homegrown Pigments, which is one of the most powerful and versatile software synthesizers out there.

Photograph: Terrence O'Brien

AstroLab doesn’t support all 39 of the instruments in Analog Lab, but it covers most of them: 33 currently (plus a dedicated sampler engine). Most of the missing ones will be added after some additional testing to ensure there are no show-stopping bugs.

The AstroLab isn’t a regular synthesizer; it’s a stage keyboard. It's meant for live performance first and foremost. That means it needs to be as close to 100 percent reliable as possible (the power cord even locks in place), and Arturia doesn’t want to risk giving artists access to things like the latest version of Mini V (Minimoog emulation) until it’s ironed out all the kinks. (It's a real shame because Mini V4 is a huge upgrade over Mini V3.)

The model I’ve been testing is running preproduction firmware and connects to beta versions of Analog Lab and the new mobile app AstroLab Connect. I haven’t run into many bugs. The app can be a little flaky at times when trying to connect, but it’s no worse than any other synth or guitar pedal I’ve used that has Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity. Besides, I sincerely hope none of you are going to buy and then load a sound pack from Arturia in the middle of a live set.

Built for Performance

Photograph: Terrence O'Brien

There are a few things that might give a performing keyboardist pause when they’re trying to decide whether or not to drop $1,999 on the AstroLab. First is its size. Currently, there is only one model available, and it’s 61 keys. For someone like me, who can’t really play the keyboard, it’s not a huge deal. But a more serious or touring musician might prefer a larger 73-key key bed. I expect Arturia will eventually expand the line to include larger options, though nothing's been confirmed.

The limited controls might also put some off. On the left are your standard pitch and mod wheels, and on the right are four macro knobs for tweaking the various presets, plus four knobs for controlling the effects section. You probably don’t want to be manually dialing in a sound too much during a performance though. The four macro knobs can be assigned to control almost anything, and there’s room around the back to connect a sustain pedal, an expression pedal, plus two assignable auxiliary pedal inputs.

Photograph: Terrence O'Brien

And because the AstroLab has such an extensive library of sounds, it has a lot of presets. It ships with over 1,300, and you can load countless more via the AstroLab Connect app or Analog Lab on a computer. How many? Great question. I haven’t gotten anywhere near the limit, and I’ve added a few hundred more to the factory library. Trying to navigate that many options can be cumbersome, but Arturia has a few different ways to simplify things.

For one, there are buttons on the front that allow you to quickly filter based on the type of sound. So if you are looking for a bass, you just press the Bass button and go from there. If you need a Rhodes sound, you press E. Piano and now you won’t have to scroll past an endless array of synth pads just to get to the crunchy Fender tones you’re looking for. If you use the rotary screen encoder in the middle of the front panel, you can browse by instrument (if you just want to see Juno 6 patches) or sound pack as well.

Photograph: Terrence O'Brien

But perhaps AstroLab’s best trick for finding what you need is playlists and songs. These are grouped presets that you’re able to bounce between with the push of a button. So if you need a quiet pad from an Ensoniq SQ-80 for the verse and a razor-sharp lead from an MS-20 for the chorus, you can group them into a song, which turns the instrument type buttons into direct shortcuts to specific presets. Songs are then further organized into playlists. You just press the arrow buttons below the screen encoder to jump to the next track in your set and load up another batch of presets.

If you can't find what you need among the factory sounds or any of the countless sound packs available from Arturia, you can always design a patch from scratch in one of the instruments as part of the V Collection. Then you can save it as a preset and load it on the keyboard. Granted, this requires shelling out for V Collection, but it frequently goes on sale, and if you already own Analog Lab Pro, which is included with AstroLab, you get an even steeper discount.

World-Class Soft Synths

I'm halfway into this review, and I haven't talked about the sound at all. This is partly because, well, it's Analog Lab. It's an industry staple and sounds fantastic. If you're not familiar though, rest assured you're getting some of the finest emulations of vintage instruments available. When you compare the price to even one of the iconic keyboards it's recreating, the value is undeniable.

The Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Hammond B3 compare favorably with what you'd find on a Nord stage keyboard, but for almost half the price. It convincingly delivers that percussive dizzying effect you'd get from an organ running through a Leslie and the smooth chime of a Fender Rhodes.

In addition, you get rather faithful versions of basically unobtainable synth gems like a Moog Modular, a Yamaha CS-80, or a Fairlight CMI II. Not to mention mass-market classics like the Yamaha DX7 and Casio CZ-101. Plus Arturia's Pigments and Augmented lineup, which marry orchestral, piano, and vocal samples with a robust synth engine. You've got access to everything from crunchy lo-fi piano and EDM bass wubs to soaring string pads perfect for scoring a sci-fi thriller.

The only real weak spot is the acoustic pianos. They're not terrible and have definitely improved over the years, but they still feel a touch thin and flat compared to the real thing. The chances that anyone would complain about them at your next gig, though, are slim to none.

It's worth noting that this is currently the only way to get Arturia's Pigments in hardware form. That's something that gets me personally really excited. I think it's the best softsynth on the market, and it can easily go toe-to-toe with other giants in the space like Massive and Serum.

Some will speak of things being a VST but built into a MIDI controller derisively. But that feels reductive here. For one thing, this isn't just some bare-bones digital synth. And the hardware it's crammed into is luxurious. The semi-weighted keys feel incredible, and they have aftertouch (though sadly not polyphonic). The pitch and mod wheels are solid pieces of aluminum, and the screen, while small, is bright and colorful. There are even some handsome wooden cheeks on the side. This looks and feels like a high-quality piece of gear.

What makes that especially shocking is that AstroLab is only $1,999. That is not cheap, but when compared with other high-end stage keyboards from the likes of Nord and Yamaha, it’s a pretty good deal. That said, those other brands offer more keys and more hands-on controls.

Photograph: Terrence O'Brien

Nevertheless, Arturia has another winner on its hands with the AstroLab. The range of sounds and reasonably affordable price make this a compelling choice for any keyboardist out there who plays live regularly. And even if you don’t, getting access to the world of Analog Lab without being glued to a computer screen is pretty great.

Correction on April 9, 2024: An earlier version of this story noted the price of the AstroLab as $1,599, but it's $1,999. We've updated the copy to reflect the actual price.