Behringer’s parent company Music Tribe accused of “blatant counterfeiting” in lawsuit over Klon Centaur cloneKlon is taking Behringer‘s parent company Music Tribe to court over what it describes as a “blatant counterfeit” of its prized Centaur pedal. The lawsuit accuses Music Tribe of trademark infringement and misleading consumers, claiming the company’s actions go “far beyond the line of permissible inspiration versus unlawful copying”.
Klon founder Bill Finnegan confirmed the suit in a statement posted to the company’s official Instagram, writing: “I have never been consulted in any way about this pedal, it has never been authorised by me, and I have never had any involvement whatsoever in its design, production, or marketing.”

READ MORE: “My goal is to make synthesizers for $9.90 so we can make them accessible to kids in poor countries”: Behringer’s synths are cheap – but it wants to go further

At the centre of the dispute is Behringer’s Centaur Overdrive, released in November 2024 and priced at just $69. It’s one of many low-cost options inspired by the Klon Centaur, a legendary overdrive pedal that often commands thousands of dollars on the resale market.
According to the complaint, Behringer’s product mirrors key visual elements of the original: a gold metal casing, a nearly identical centaur logo, and a prominent “CENTAUR” wordmark styled in the same font and colour.
Notably, the pedal also omits the company’s own branding from the faceplate (unlike most of Behringer’s releases) – a move Klon claims was intentional to mislead consumers.
Behringer’s Centaur Overdrive promo video on YouTube has also been accused of using Finnegan’s name and likeness “in a manner to suggest his involvement, endorsement, or approval”.
Per court documents, “consumers expressed extensive actual confusion (that went deliberately unabated by Defendants), with many rushing to purchase Defendants’ counterfeit pedal believing Defendants are delivering on a mass scale a discounted product licensed or endorsed by Plaintiffs.”

The suit also points out that Behringer and Music Tribe “have long had a reputation for creating cheap and inferior copies (often using plastic enclosures) of other manufacturers’ guitar pedals and other musical products, and selling such items under the ‘Behringer’ brand as well as other brands.”
In his statement, Finnegan says that he will not be publicly commenting on the dispute while litigation is pending. Those interested in buying an “authentic Centaur pedal” though, can keep an eye out for eBay auctions by Klon LLC (under the seller ID “klondirectsales”). He also reveals his plans to continue hand-building and selling new Centaur pedals through Klon’s eBay sales channel.

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Renowned for creating budget-friendly music products inspired by vintage gear, Behringer has long faced criticism for blurring the line between inspiration and imitation. Many of its past releases have emulated popular designs from competitors – drawing praise for affordability, but often stirring controversy over originality and build quality.
Earlier this year, Musitronics seemingly called out Behringer for “copying” its Mu-Tron products. The firm wrote in a scathing Facebook post: “So a $2 billion German company has decided to copy a 3rd Mu-Tron product. It is being distributed, sight unseen, six month pre-order through a $31 billion investment firm which owns the largest online music store in the world. The pedal is most likely entirely made in China and will sell for less than the cost of what it takes us to produce here in the USA.”
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Stop clicking, start creating: SoundFlow for Ableton Live has landed — here’s what you need to knowAd feature with SoundFlow
Modern DAWs offer incredible power, but that power often comes at the cost of speed and focus. Setting up sessions, diving through menus, and performing multiple mouse clicks on tiny buttons can pull you out of the creative flow.
SoundFlow, a workflow automation platform, has set out to change how musicians, composers, producers, and audio engineers create with their DAW of choice. With support for Elgato Stream Decks, iOS and Android devices, custom keyboard shortcuts, and a powerful macro automation platform, SoundFlow puts your most-used commands right under your fingertips so that you can stay focused on the creative process.
Already boasting purpose-built integrations for Avid’s Pro Tools, Apple’s Logic Pro, and iZotope’s RX, SoundFlow has just launched a new integration with Ableton Live, now available in public beta.

Like SoundFlow’s other integrations, the SoundFlow Ableton Live integration is feature-packed. The public beta launches with over 850 ready-to-use commands and over 40 decks that can be shown on Stream Decks or mobile devices. Creators across all skill levels can take advantage of this deep integration with Live and unprecedented hands-on control.
“This integration is about more than shortcuts, we’re giving Ableton users a toolkit to automate entire workflows—creating, coloring and routing tracks, swapping MIDI Instruments and adding multiple audio effects at once, generating and transforming MIDI—with the push of a button. It’s a new era of creative efficiency” – Chad Wahlbrink, developer at SoundFlow
Users can map custom keyboard shortcuts to any command in SoundFlow or create custom decks of commands to centralize their most-used actions. Even more powerful, with SoundFlows’ built-in macro editor, users can sequence multiple commands to be run from a single button. Imagine creating a new track, adding your favorite plug-ins, coloring, and routing that track with one click.
While in public beta, SoundFlow hopes Ableton users will make their voices heard on its active and supportive community forum. The forum allows users to share workflow ideas, get help setting up, and learn from other creators. SoundFlow plans to use the forum to gather feedback, fill in gaps in the current featureset, and expand the capabilities of the Ableton Live integration.

While many users control SoundFlow via iOS and Android Devices, MIDI controllers, or simple keyboard shortcuts, the Elgato Stream Deck is a crowd favorite. These compact, affordable control surfaces feature backlit LCD buttons, which can change to reflect your current control set. Connect one or multiple Stream Decks to SoundFlow and put your favorite actions right in front of you.
The Ableton integration includes the “Ableton – Main Deck,” a pre-configured collection of commands that allows users quick access to common actions like loading instruments and audio effects or creating and controlling tracks. These actions greatly reduce the need for manually clicking through menus or relying on the computer keyboard to control Ableton Live.
Image: Press
So, who will get the most out of it? Every Live user can benefit from SoundFlow’s automation capabilities, especially when combined with a Stream Deck, iOS, or Android device, putting enhanced DAW control within reach.
For beginners, SoundFlow provides users instant, visual access to Ableton Live without requiring them to learn keyboard shortcuts or know which menu to click.
Power users can explore extensive options for creating macros and scripts. These custom commands can be built visually with SoundFlow’s easy-to-use macro editor or coded with JavaScript. This offers all users a near-infinite set of possible automation and control. SoundFlow can be as complicated or simple as you need to suit your creative process.
Image: Press
MusicTech readers can join the public beta today with a free 30-day trial of SoundFlow Cloud Pro.
The trial gives you access to all SoundFlow Cloud Pro features, the SoundFlow community forum, plus SoundFlow’s other included integrations to take your workflow to the next level.
Whether you use Ableton Live to make beats, produce music, score movies, or record bands, you’ll love the powerful way that SoundFlow’s Ableton Live integration opens up control of the DAW like never before. Combining Stream Deck, iOS, Android devices, custom keyboard shortcuts, and a powerful macro automation platform puts your most-used commands right where you need them so that you can stay focused on the creative process.
Sign up here today: www.soundflow.org.
System Requirements: SoundFlow 5.10.5+ and an active SoundFlow Cloud Pro trial or subscription, macOS 10.15+, Ableton Live 12.1+
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Studio Spotlight: Eric Milos of Fever / Clear Lake Recording StudiosFever Recording and Clear Lake Recording Studios in Burbank, CA, have earned a reputation as one of the most artist-friendly, technically advanced, and vibe-rich facilities in the Los Angeles area. Behind the scenes is Eric Milos, owner and head engineer, who brings a passion for both technical precision and creative comfort to every project that walks through the door. With Dolby-certified Atmos mixing rooms, 24-hour lockouts, and a fully trained support staff, Fever/CLR is built to meet the needs of everyone from major label acts to indie producers.Music Connection sat down with Milos to talk about the evolution of the studio, the growing demand for spatial audio, and why creating a great vibe is just as important as having great gear.Clear Lake has been around for a while. How has the studio evolved into what it is today under your direction?Milos: Clear Lake started out as a go-to rock and metal room in the ‘80s, known for tracking big bands and label projects. By the ‘90s and 2000s, it became known as a great, accessible space for artists who wanted major studio results without spending their whole budget in Hollywood. When I took over in 2012, I renovated the facility but stayed true to that mission: deliver top-tier results, amazing rooms, and a smooth client experience—at a price point that makes sense for independent artists.I came up through Henson Recording Studios, so I saw what a truly professional operation looked like from the inside. Atmos mixing is now a big part of your offering. What sets your Atmos room apart from others in L.A.?Milos: We built a Dolby-certified 9.1.4 Atmos mix room with PMC monitors, the industry standard for immersive audio. Dolby came out and tuned the room to their spec, including the loudness curve and frequency response. That certification ensures what you hear in our room will translate to Apple Music, Tidal, and other platforms exactly as intended.Atmos isn’t just about having effects flying around your head. It’s about immersion—placing the listener inside a fully dimensional soundstage. For artists or producers preparing to mix in Atmos, what should they know?Milos: The easiest and most effective way to prep is to finish your stereo mix and then print stems—usually by instrument group—and send those in a prepped Pro Tools session or as consolidated audio files. That gives us the flexibility to place elements in the Atmos field.Sending over a full stereo session can work, but it’s less efficient for immersive mixing. A stem-based approach lets us translate your vision while making full use of the 3D space.Have you noticed changes in the types of artists or genres using the Atmos room?Milos: Absolutely. It’s not just pop and film scores anymore. Hip-hop, R&B, even indie rock artists are embracing it. We’ve done sessions where the original track was just a two-track beat and vocals, and it still benefits from Atmos—reverbs, backgrounds, FX, all become part of the immersive field. It’s not about changing your sound—it’s about enhancing the listener’s connection to it.What gear and features should visiting engineers or producers be excited about?Milos: Definitely the PMC speaker setup and Dolby certification, but beyond that, the room is just dialed. It’s transparent, accurate, and consistent. Engineers love that what they hear here will translate everywhere. We also make it easy to walk in and get started—no time wasted troubleshooting. The studio isn’t just technically dialed — it looks beautiful too. A lot of Atmos rooms are built like post-production suites: sterile and uninspired. With Studio B, we took a different approach. We put real thought into the visual impact, blending art deco design elements with curated furnishings to create a space that’s both functional and creatively inspiring.It’s also fully equipped for stereo mixing, vocal overdubs, and production sessions, making it a versatile environment no matter what format you’re working in.Client service is something you emphasize heavily. How does that play into the experience?Milos: We’re not a room-rental operation, we’re a full-service studio. Everyone on our team is trained in-house and understands how to maintain our standards. When you book a session, we prepare in advance, coordinate with your team, and make sure everything works before you even walk in the door.Let’s talk about your lockout rooms. What kind of clients do they attract, and what makes them special?Milos: Our lockout rooms are used by mixing engineers, producers, composers, podcasters—you name it. They offer 24-hour access, independent HVAC, and a professional atmosphere where you can work uninterrupted. You can customize the gear and the workflow but still have access to our techs and staff if you need support.Plus, bringing a client into a commercial facility says a lot about where you’re at in your career. It elevates your brand and gives your clients confidence.Looking forward, how do you see Fever and Clear Lake continuing to evolve with spatial audio and immersive production?Milos: Apple is all-in on spatial audio, and if you want your music to be featured on their playlists, it’s becoming essential to have an Atmos mix. We’re seeing that trend accelerate, and we’re making it easier for our clients to adapt to it—from mixing and delivery to file formatting and tech support. We’re going to keep expanding in that space. That means staying on top of gear, certification, and engineering standards while still maintaining a great vibe and customer-first approach.How would you describe the overall vibe of Fever and Clear Lake to someone who’s never been there?Milos: We’re pro, but relaxed. We care about the gear, the acoustics, and the specs—but we also care about the people and the process. It’s not a cold, clinical space. It’s a place where people feel welcome and inspired. You walk in, and we’ve got everything ready, the energy is right, and you’re free to just focus on the music. Our philosophy is simple: provide great sound, great service, and great vibes.For more information or to book a session, visit clearlakerecordingstudios.com or call 818-762-0707The post Studio Spotlight: Eric Milos of Fever / Clear Lake Recording Studios first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

CleanSpark ramps up Bitcoin mining by 9% in May, boosts hash rate, power capacityThe miner's May output shows resilience but still lags behind competitors MARA and Riot Platforms.

Confirmed: Bruno Crolot joins Believe as President, Label & Artist Solutions (LAS)Exec was previously Spotify’s Senior Director, Head of International Music
Source

Anthropic’s AI is writing its own blog — with human oversightAnthropic has given its AI a blog. A week ago, Anthropic quietly launched Claude Explains, a new page on its website that’s generated mostly by the company’s AI model family, Claude. Populated by posts on technical topics related to various Claude use cases (e.g. “Simplify complex codebases with Claude”), the blog is intended to be […]

terranivium VocalSliceVocalSlice - Voice Line Extractor Transform Hours of Manual Work into Minutes VocalSlice is a powerful desktop tool that automatically finds and extracts voice lines from your audio files. Whether you're a game developer processing dialogue, a content creator managing recordings, or a voice actor organizing auditions, VocalSlice saves you countless hours of manual editing. Key Features Instant Voice Line Search Search for specific text in transcribed audio. Perfect for finding dialogue in long recordings. Navigate through transcripts with ease. One-Click Extraction Select text, create audio slice instantly. Automatically handles file naming. Creates clean WAV files of selected dialogue. No manual timeline editing required. Professional Features Clean, intuitive interface. Choose CPU or GPU acceleration (CUDA/MPS). Intelligent text/audio synchronization. Works completely offline - no internet needed. Perfect For: Game Developers organizing dialogue recordings. Content Creators managing voice-overs. Voice Actors processing auditions. Podcast Editors finding specific quotes. Video Editors extracting dialogue. Anyone working with sensitive or confidential audio. Real-World Time Savings Find specific lines in hours of recordings instantly. Extract voice lines with a single click. No more tedious splitting and naming of audio files. Focus on creative work, not manual editing. Advanced Features & Privacy 100% private & secure - your audio stays on your device and is never used to train AI models. Works completely offline - no internet connection required. Multilingual support - transcribe and extract dialogue in multiple languages. Search for specific dialogue in transcriptions. Automatic file naming with sanitization. Cross-platform (Windows & macOS). GPU acceleration support for faster processing. How It Works Select your audio file. Click "Transcribe" to process the audio. Highlight text you want to extract. Click "Create Slice" to extract the audio. System Requirements Windows 10/11 64-bit. macOS 10.15.4 (Catalina) or later. For GPU acceleration: Windows: NVIDIA GPU with CUDA Toolkit 12 installed. macOS: Apple Silicon (uses MPS - Metal Performance Shaders). Early Access By purchasing now, you'll receive all future updates for free as development continues based on user feedback. Please Note: Results may vary depending on audio quality, accents, and background noise. Active development continues to improve accuracy and capabilities with each update. No Subscription Required VocalSlice follows a one-time purchase model. Buy once, own forever - no recurring fees or hidden costs. All future updates included. Support & Updates Regular updates and improvements. Responsive technical support. Active development based on user feedback. Early access users help shape future features. Important Notes for First Launch Windows Users Windows SmartScreen may show a warning because the app is unsigned. Click "More Info" and then "Run Anyway" to proceed. macOS Users You'll see a message that the app "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified". Open System Settings. Go to Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Security section. Look for the message about VocalSlice being blocked. Click "Open Anyway". Click "Open" in the final confirmation dialog. Note: If you don't see the "Open Anyway" button immediately after downloading, try launching the app first to make the option appear. Transform your audio workflow today with VocalSlice. Questions? Technical issues? Feel free to reach out. Your feedback is invaluable. Read More

Open Source Watch Movement Really Ticks All the BoxesWhen you think of open-source hardware, you probably think of electronics and maker tools– RepRap, Arduino, Adafruit, et cetera. Yet open source is an ethos and license, and is in no way limited to electronics. The openmovement foundation is a case in point– a watch case, to be specific. The “movement” in Openmovement is a fully open-source and fully mechanical watch movement.
Openmovement has already released STEP files of OM10 the first movement developed by the group. (You do need to sign up to download, however.) They say the design is meant to be highly serviceable and modular, with a robust construction suited for schools and new watchmakers. The movement uses a “Swiss pallets escapement” we think that’s an odd translation of lever escapement, but if you’re a watchmaker let us know in the comments), and runs at 3.5 Hz / 25,200 vph. An OM20 is apparently in the works, as well, but it looks like only OM10 has been built from what we can see.
If you don’t have the equipment to finely machine brass from the STEP files, Openmovement is running a crowdfunding campaign to produce kits of the OM10, which you can still get in on until the seventh of June.
If you’re wondering what it takes to make a mechanical watch from scratch, we covered that last year. Spoiler: it doesn’t look easy. Just assembling the tiny parts of an OM10 kit would seem daunting to most of us. That might be why most of the watches we’ve covered over the years weren’t mechanical, but at least they tend to be open source, too.

U.S. Performing Rights are broken and unreasonable, says NIVAThe National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) says that U.S. performing rights are broken and is demanding change. The comments came in a new letter filed with the Copyright Office which is investigating U.S. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs).
The post U.S. Performing Rights are broken and unreasonable, says NIVA appeared first on Hypebot.

Rhodes Music launch Rhodes Wurli Rhodes have expanded their virtual instrument range with the release of the Rhodes Wurli, a software recreation of an iconic instrument.

The Wave Warden’s FREE and open-source synth, Odin 2, gets a UI overhaul
The Wave Warden released Odin 2 in early 2020, and it quickly became a favorite of many soft-synth enthusiasts. Now, in version 2.4.0, Odin 2 looks better than ever. I know that appearance will never take priority over sound, but Odin 2 still sounds incredible, so a refreshed interface is all good news. One of [...]
View post: The Wave Warden’s FREE and open-source synth, Odin 2, gets a UI overhaul

Email Marketing for Musicians Made EasyWant to grow your fanbase and make more money from music? Email Marketing for Musicians breaks down how email connects with fans and boosts income, without getting spammy.
The post Email Marketing for Musicians Made Easy appeared first on Hypebot.

Beat and Erica Synths release FREE NOCTURNA Reverb Impulse Responses
Beat and Erica Synths have teamed up to create NOCTURNA, a collection of 66 free impulse responses crafted from their Echolocator and Nightverb hardware units. This is a cool set of unusual reverb impulses, especially if you’re interested in exploring convolution reverb beyond the basic bread and butter sounds. If you’ve ever used reverb impulse [...]
View post: Beat and Erica Synths release FREE NOCTURNA Reverb Impulse Responses

Record labels reportedly in licensing talks with AI music firms Suno and UdioMajor music labels are reportedly in talks with generative AI music platforms Suno and Udio — the very companies they sued last year for alleged copyright infringement.
According to Bloomberg, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment are discussing potential licensing deals that would not only bring in fees but also include a small equity stake in the companies.

READ MORE: “It’s a weird kind of wanky, tech-bro nightmare future”: Radiohead’s Thom Yorke says AI does nothing more than “steal” from human artists

Sources (which Bloomberg says “declined to be identified because the talks could fall apart”) told the news outlet that if successful, the agreements could help resolve ongoing legal disputes while laying the groundwork for how AI companies compensate recording artists and rights holders in the future.
Suno and Udio have been at the forefront of the new wave of generative AI platforms. These tools allow users to type in simple prompts like “a modern rock ballad about a bad break up” and receive a full-length audio recording in return. Behind the scenes, the platforms rely on massive training datasets – likely made up of existing copyrighted material – which has drawn legal scrutiny from the industry.
Last June, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on behalf of the major labels, filed blockbuster lawsuits against Suno and Udio, alleging copyright infringement on an “unimaginable scale.” The suits accused the startups of using copyrighted recordings without permission to train their models, and sought damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, potentially amounting to billions of dollars.
For their part, Suno and Udio have countered that the labels are wielding their intellectual property as a cudgel to stifle competition and innovation. They also argued that their use of copyrighted material falls under the “fair use” exemption to US copyright law.
The current negotiations are seen as a way to settle these cases out of court. Talks are reportedly happening in parallel with both companies, creating a bit of a race to see who might land a deal first.
Still, discussions are complex, says Bloomberg, as labels want greater control over how their music is used, while the AI startups are pushing for enough “flexibility” to continue experimenting as well as “deals at a price reasonable for startup companies”.
Stay up to date with how AI is reshaping music creation, rights, and industry standards at MusicTech.
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IK Multimedia Total Studio 5 review: Almost a must-have — with a few must-fixTotal Studio 5 Standard – $/€299.99
Total Studio 5 Pro – $/€399.99
Total Studio 5 MAX – $/€599.99
Introduction and upgrade pricing available
IK Multimedia is on a roll. Over the past few years, the company’s product lineup has gone from strength to strength, with venerable classics such as its standalone Mastering Console getting significant improvements. Meanwhile, new standout plugins have arrived, including the multi-band Quad Saturator, alongside some impressive hardware, like the Uno Synth Pro X.
Total Studio 5 crowds many of these software achievements under one roof to offer an ‘everything you need’ production suite. The price is good, the plugins are generally excellent, but in a marketplace suffering from ‘bundle fatigue’, can this mega-collection hold your interest?

READ MORE: Native Instruments Kontakt 8: A leap forward or a stumble sideways?

Total Studio 5 promises to power your creativity at every stage of production, but, for my money, it’s the audio processing plugins that steal the show.
First out of the gate is AmpliTube 5 — a comprehensive package of guitar amp and pedal emulations. The quality and versatility here is phenomenal. On the surface level, you get easy access to authentic emulations of rare and expensive amps and a dizzying array of quality presets perfect for busy music-makers. Dive deeper, however, and there is an ocean of sounds for serious guitarists to explore — with full control over microphone type and placement, the ability to swap out cabs independently of amp heads, and a powerful routing system for building up effects chains.
Staying in guitar territory, there’s also the groundbreaking TONEX software for at-home AI modelling of stompboxes and amps. Even if you have no need to clone your own amp, the ToneNET ecosystem is a massive sonic resource; it’s packed with a seemingly endless supply of community-contributed presets and DIY amp models that can be used solo or combined with AmpliTude.
New with Total Studio 5 is TONEX’s Signature Collection of amp and pedal combos from musicians like Joe Satriani and Rush’s Alex Lifeson. Riffing through the guitar tones of the rich and famous is fun and fruitful — but you’d probably have to be a pro player to truly hear the difference between some of these sounds and the ones you can get from AmpliTube.

Next up is T-RackS 6. This suite of mixing and mastering tools earned a 10/10 review from me upon its release late last year, and, rather than revisit its many virtues here, I’ll simply point you to my glowing review.
While audio processing plugins take centre stage, there is a raft of solid software instruments to keep composers and songwriters engaged – the most significant of which is Pianoverse. Ranging from soaring nine-foot grands fit for concertos, to dark and brooding seven-footers, and even including punchy and bright uprights, these are among the most sublime piano samples I’ve demoed.
Interestingly, Pianoverse pairs these exactly-recorded samples with a set of otherworldly reverbs and a limited yet powerful selection of insert effects. This hybrid approach works surprisingly well, and while it would be nice to have some more miking options—users can use either a coincident pair or a close pair, with no ability to blend between them—Pianoverse’s rich tones, controllable pedal and hammer noise, and its capacity to go from realism to surrealism in an instant makes this a must-have sample piano.
TONEX Signature Collections. Image: Press
From here, the bundle gets less exciting. We have established mainstays like the sprawling SampleTank 4, which came out in 2019, the film-focused Cinekinetik libraries, released in 2021, and MODO Bass 2 and MODO Drum 1.5, both of which debuted in 2022. Notice a trend? In truth, it doesn’t hugely matter that these instruments are getting long in the tooth; SampleTank is still a decent library filled with some fantastic rare synth sounds, MODO Bass in particular stands out amongst other bass guitar sample instruments, and most of the instruments have received at least some quality-of-life updates or sound expansions over the years.
However, if you want to see a truly past-its-sell-by-date sample instrument, look no further than Miroslav Philharmonik 2, which hit the market back in 2016. To be clear, the original samples still hold up in terms of detail and tone, and it’s perfectly possible to get expressive passages out of the different instrumental sections, but the cramped, low-res interface feels emblematic of a sample instrument lineup that, overall, hasn’t seen major innovations in years. Composers looking for big-screen scoring solutions can find far more streamlined workflows in EastWest’s OPUS player, while producers who like having idea-starters on hand should look to the new MIDI Tools introduced in Native Instrument’s Kontakt 8.
Pianoverse main window. Image: Press
Those shortcomings don’t feel like such a big deal once you consider Total Studio 5’s highly competitive pricing. Ranging from €299 for the standard edition up to €599 at the Max edition, the collection has received a price reduction of around €200 from the previous version across the board. At the Max level, you’ll get the Signature Collection Vol. 1 for TONEX, all nine keyboards in Pianoverse, and additional tools like ARC 4, a high-powered room calibration software suitable for professional studios or creators looking to get serious about their home setup. For most users, the middle ‘Pro’ tier, with its 95 included products and €399 asking price, will likely be the sweet spot.
Pitted against its peers, Total Studio stands up pretty well. Regarding quality, the T-RackS suit goes toe-to-toe with Universal Audio’s hardware emulations. AmpliTube 5 might actually beat Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig Pro 7 in my estimation, and while Komplete 15 clearly wins on its sample instruments, it’s decidedly lacking on the mixing and mastering side of things.
Waves Audio’s bundles are perhaps the closest direct comparison – but only if you’re looking at subscription options. If you want a single purchase, you’d need to buy the Horizon bundle and the Inspire Virtual Instruments Collection to achieve the same level of versatility. Total Studio 5 is also significantly cheaper than all the aforementioned competitors at full price.
SampleTank 4 instrument browser. Image: Press
Overall, Total Studio 5 feels a bit uneven. The older sample libraries contain quality content but are held back by ageing user interfaces and workflows. Moreover, the majority of them were available in the previous edition of Total Studio and so provide little incentive for existing users to upgrade. On the other hand, AmpliTube 5 and TONEX are awesome, T-RackS 6 is formidable, and Pianoverse feels inspiring — these are industry-leading applications. In fact, if they were the only products included in Total Studio 5, I’d still say it’s worth buying.
If Total Studio could boost the level of its sample instruments, it might just become the true all-rounder that music makers need. As it stands, you get high-powered audio plugins and with a mixed bag of sample instruments thrown in as a sweetener. If that’s a dynamic that works for you, then we’d say fill your boots.
Key features

500GB of content
Up to 2000 audio plugins
Up to 16,000 samples
Three pricing tiers offering 49, 98, or 162 products
ARC 4 room calibration software included in the MAX edition

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