Fender Studio Pro 8: Studio One DAW gets major upgrade without PreSonus branding - Jauary 13, 2026

NAMM 2026: Fender Studio Pro is the latest version of its Studio One DAW with major new features but without PreSonus branding

There’s a lot happening in the DAW world. Last week, Landr acquired Reason Studios. Today, there’s also a subscription option for Logic Pro with a preview of new features. And PreSonus Studio One users will also have to get used to something new.

Since November 2021, PreSonus has been part of Fender. Today, Fender has taken the next step and become a recording brand by integrating the Studio One DAW, renaming it Fender Studio Pro, and including the matching hardware.



Fender
Many people today associate the name Fender with a famous guitar brand that builds great instruments. However, this has changed in recent years.

For example, since 2021, the brand has also owned PreSonus, the company that develops, among other things, the Studio One DAW.

The consolidation process is entering its next phase today. Many existing PreSonus products are getting new names and a new look.

This includes the PreSonus Studio One DAW, now called Fender Studio Pro, and new redesigned audio interfaces and MIDI controllers.



Fender Studio Pro 8 DAW
If you’re a current Studio One user, there’s nothing to worry about. Fender Studio Pro 8 builds on where PreSonus Studio One 7 left off, with a new name and features. It includes UI updates, Fender Mustang, and Rumble native plugins, and more.

The Mustang and Rumble native are multi-FX processors and are exclusive to the Fender Studio app and Fender Studio Pro available. They offer 57 guitar and bass amp models and 100+ effects.



Then, you can work with the new Studio Verb, a new algorithmic reverb plugin that covers a wide range of sounds and applications, from small drum rooms to massive and lush artificial spaces.

Its tactile user interface and comprehensive set of tone-shaping controls invite creative sound design. It has a unique ping button that opens new possibilities for shaping reverbs.

It sends a short burst of noise into the reverb, triggering the full frequency spectrum of the effect, allowing users to shape the reverb sound intuitively with better audible feedback than any other instrument can provide.

Also new is the Voice FX collection, featuring six FX types: De-Tuner, Delay, Transformer, Filters, Ring Modulator, and Vocoder. These are useful for podcasts and voice-over productions.



The popular VU meter plug-in, which previously had been a separate download, is now pre-installed as part of the Native FX plug-in set.

Further, the Impact and Sample One virtual instruments have received more features, including extended loop crossfade time, sample fade-in/out controls, and more. That’s not all.

Sample One now also includes a complete modulation matrix, similar to those in Presence and Mai Tai. The mod matrix offers up to 16 patch points, each with 14 sources and 24 destinations.

Alongside this, it also features a new Splice integration, AI features like the Chord assistant, an audio-to-note function, and more

Other new features & improvements are:

• new arrangement overview (single mixer channel strip view)
• new channel overview
• musical metronome
• customizable track controls
• reverse single/double click behavior for instruments and effects
• session import from Fender Studio
• and more

First Impression
I was concerned that the name change would lead to further changes. However, it appears to be Studio One, just with a new name and expanded feature set. The new additions look great, especially the classic virtual instruments, which have been significantly improved.

More integrated effects in a DAW are also very welcome.

Fender Studio Pro 8 is available now for $199,99. Existing Studio One 7 users can upgrade to Studio Pro 8 for $99.99 / £89.99 / €99.99, while the Fender Studio 1.2 update is free across all platforms.

More information here: Fender

Source: https://synthanatomy.com/2026/01/fender-studio-pro-the-new-studio-one-daw-with-presonus.html