Some gear tries to simplify your setup. The S32 goes the other way—it gives you more control, but in a way that actually stays playable. At its core, this is a standalone MIDI brain built around 32 macro knobs. No screen-heavy workflow, no DAW dependency. Just hands-on control over pretty much anything in your rig.
32 knobs that actually do something
Each of the 32 knobs can control up to four parameters at once. That’s where it starts to get interesting. You can map multiple destinations per knob, set custom ranges, invert behavior, and even assign different MIDI channels per macro. So one twist could open a filter on your synth, increase delay feedback on another box, and push modulation depth somewhere else. It’s not just control—it’s performance mapping. The resolution is high too, with support for 14-bit MIDI, which makes a difference when you’re doing slow sweeps or precise tweaks.
Built-in MIDI FX that go deep
The S32 isn’t just a controller—it’s also a MIDI effects processor. You can stack effects like harmonizers, arpeggiators, Euclidean sequencers, Turing machines, delays, randomizers, and more into chains. This means you can take a simple MIDI input and turn it into something much more complex without touching your DAW. Lock everything to a scale, generate evolving sequences, or add rhythmic variation on the fly. And because everything is internal, it stays tight. No laptop jitter, no routing headaches.
Modulation everywhere
LFOs are built in, and they’re not basic. You can chain them together, meaning one LFO can modulate another. That opens the door to more organic, evolving modulation instead of static loops. You can route those LFOs to pretty much anything—MIDI CCs, effect parameters, external gear. Even hardware that doesn’t have its own modulation suddenly becomes a lot more alive.
Standalone means actually standalone
Everything runs on the device itself. You don’t need a computer to set it up or use it. Presets are stored internally, with optional microSD expansion if you need more space. There’s a 3.12-inch OLED screen that shows what’s going on, plus a simple navigation setup with two buttons and an endless encoder. It’s not trying to be fancy—it’s trying to stay fast. Timing is handled by an internal MIDI clock, so your setup stays locked without relying on a DAW.
Connectivity covers pretty much everything
On the back, you get USB MIDI, MIDI in, two MIDI outs, MIDI thru, and USB host. There’s also micro HDMI for connecting external modules, which hints at a bigger ecosystem. If you’re working across multiple hardware pieces, this is clearly designed to sit in the middle and tie everything together.
CV expansion for modular setups
There’s also an optional CV16 expansion module. That adds 16 channels of 16-bit MIDI-to-CV, letting you map macros and modulation directly into modular or semi-modular gear. You can chain units, assign LFOs to CV outputs, and basically extend the same control philosophy into the analog world.
Build and size
The S32 comes in a metal enclosure with 32 metal shaft potentiometers, so it’s built to handle real use. It’s compact enough for a desk setup at 20.8 by 14.5 cm, and weighs around 620 grams. Power comes via USB-C, and it works with both Mac and Windows setups if you do want to integrate it with a computer.
More info: shik.tech