The company announced the release of the Arturia AstroLab 88 concert piano on its official website. The manufacturer describes the device as an advanced instrument for concert musicians. This model differs from the standard 61-key AstroLab in two key ways. What are they? - Let's find out today!
The Arturia AstroLab 88 combines a high-quality keyboard with advanced software features. Its sound library is based on the Arturia Analog Lab Pro catalog and includes thousands of presets.
The instrument's appearance is identical to the original AstroLab version, which was released in spring 2024 and was equipped with a 61-key keyboard (read our detailed review, which is available by the link). As before, the instrument uses a large, circular, color display mounted in the center of the body for interaction and status indication.
Despite the large similarities, Arturia clarifies that the model differs in two key points. First, the AstroLab 88 has an updated 88-key keyboard with a new Fatar TP-40L mechanism. According to the manufacturer, the letter "L" in the name indicates a modification that provides a lighter, smoother keystroke. At the same time, the changes do not affect the keyboard's feel — it feels almost the same as a piano keyboard.
Another significant change is the use of an upgraded processor and modified firmware. The chip provides greater performance and speed when working with polyphony and increases the loading speed of heavy instrument patches with a large number of samples.
Otherwise, the device has the same features as the original AstroLab. Musicians have access to over 1,600 presets and sounds from synthesizers and electronic and acoustic keyboard instruments, as well as extensive sound transformation capabilities and other features. The model is compatible with multitimbral patches and comes with its own effects section.
The AstroLab 88 comes with firmware version 1.5, which increases speed and adds full compatibility with the recently released Arturia V Collection 11 plug-in kit. The firmware improves playlist transfer between Analog Lab software and the AstroLab. Other changes include the ability to directly edit effects and MIDI data and control external devices via the piano's controls.
On July 17, 2025, an update will be available that unlocks new and updated instruments from V Collection 11, including MiniBrute V, Augmented YANGTZE, Augmented MALLETS, Synthx V, SEM V, Jup-8000 V, and Pure LoFi. The update will also enable seamless playlist transfer between Analog Lab Pro and AstroLab. Additionally, users will be able to send program changes to external devices and perform direct FX and MIDI editing from Analog Lab Pro.
The company noted that the updated firmware will also be available for the AstroLab 61. The company does not distinguish between the two models, considering them to be one and the same. The main differences between the models are the size of the keyboard and the processor.
According to trade publications that have tested the AstroLab 88, the updated processor noticeably improves the piano's responsiveness. However, the 61-key AstroLab's firmware 1.5 attempts to equalize this difference, so you won't need to switch from your previous device to the new model (provided the keyboard size is sufficient).
The AstroLab 88 is currently on sale. The recommended retail price is $2,999. Firmware 1.5 will be publicly released on July 17, 2025. You can find more information about the concert piano on the official Arturia website, and our editorial team will be publishing a comprehensive review of the Arturia AstroLab 88 soon.
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