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  • SEC will consider most crypto assets not securities under federal lawThe interpretative notice included information on token taxonomy and what digital assets the regulator would consider a security under federal law.

  • Music Row Piano from Wiltone Productions Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that’s been created for Native Instruments’ Kontakt platform.

    Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that’s been created for Native Instruments’ Kontakt platform.

  • Ghost at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CAGhost played the second to last show of their Skeletour World Tour at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, February 21. This tour is in support of their latest album release Skeletá which came out last year. The 21-song setlist began with “Peacefield,” and included “Cirice,” “Satanized,” and “Rats.” The first song of the encore was “Mary On Cross"—their most streamed Spotify song with 900,000,000 plays and counting—followed by “Dance Macabre” and “Square Hammer.”

    Ghost formed in Sweden in 2006 with frontman Tobias Forge and the current band has been together since 2018. To experience a Ghost show is to experience a grand, theatrical spectacle—an immersive, one-of-a-kind production fueled by explosive pyro and stunning visual effects.

    Ghost has won an AMA, six Bandit Awards, four Grammis awards, a GRAMMY, an iHeart Music Award, three Loudwire awards, and Metal Hammer Golden God Award.

    Photos by Alex KluftThe post Ghost at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

  • Kalshi’s legal troubles pile up, as Arizona files first ever criminal charges over ‘illegal gambling business’It's the latest salvo in an escalating battle between state regulators and an industry that claims it's not beholden to them.

    It's the latest salvo in an escalating battle between state regulators and an industry that claims it's not beholden to them.

  • Tencent Music now has 20M+ ‘Super VIP’ subscribers. Here’s what that means for China’s largest music streamer.Tencent Music Entertainment's (TME) 'Super VIP' tier has just hit a major new milestone.
    Source

  • Testing a Soviet 1000 Volt Insulation Tester from 1985Although the term ‘Iron Curtain’ from the Cold War brings to mind something like the Berlin Wall and its forbidding No Man’s Land, there was still active trade between the Soviet Union and the West. This included devices like the M4100/4 insulation tester that the [Three-phase] YouTube channel recently looked at, after previously poking at a 1967 USSR resistance bridge.
    This particular unit dates to 1985, and comes in a rather nice-looking case that somewhat looks like bakelite. It’s rated for up to 1 gigaohm, putting out 1,000 V by using the crank handle. Because of the pristine condition of the entire unit, including seals, it was decided to not look at the internals but only test its functionality.
    After running through the basic usage of the insulation tester it’s hooked up to a range of testing devices, which shows that it seems to be mostly still in working condition. The first issue noticed was that the crank handle-based generator was a bit tired, so that it never quite hit the maximum voltage.
    With no parallax correction and no known last calibration date, it still measured to about 10% of the actual value in some tests initially, but in later tests it was significantly off from the expected value. At this point the device was suspected of being faulty, but it defied being easily opened, so any repair will have to be put off for now. That said, it being in such good condition raises the prospect of it being an easy repair, hopefully in an upcoming video.

    Although the term ‘Iron Curtain’ from the Cold War brings to mind something like the Berlin Wall and its forbidding No Man’s Land, there was still active trade between the Soviet …

  • How to make beat videos that go viral
    Expert music producer and content creator Issac Duarte showcases how to create effective and replicable beat videos for social media.

    Expert music producer and content creator Issac Duarte showcases how to create effective and replicable beat videos for social media.

  • RF Spectrum Threat: OFCOM Survey Once again, the UHF bandwidth that is currently allocated to RF audio gear is at risk of being reassigned to high-speed data and mobile phone networks, and OFCOM are inviting those who'd be affected to fill in a user survey so that they can effectively challenge the move. 

    Once again, the UHF bandwidth that is currently allocated to RF audio gear is at risk of being reassigned to high-speed data and mobile phone networks, and OFCOM are inviting those who'd be affected to fill in a user survey so that they can effectively challenge the move. 

  • Cloudy Samples Magneta Experience the magic of authentic cassette tape. Looking for that warm, nostalgic tone from the golden era of cassette decks? Magneta by Cloudy Samples is not just another standard saturation tool. It's a comprehensive, virtual Lo-Fi ecosystem designed to breathe life into your tracks, adding the analog character, grit, and unpredictability missing from sterile digital environments: 8 Fully Editable Lo-Fi Modules: Shape your own flavor of degradation. Control filters (Hi-Cut / Lo-Cut), analog overdrive (Drive), pitch fluctuation (Melt), physical tape damage (Dmg), plus age and noise artifacts (Age, Dust, Hiss). Engage and blend each module with surgical precision. Tape Type Selection: Need the standard tape? Choose the classic iron tape (STD). Want more high-end sparkle and cleaner saturation? Switch to the chrome cassette (CrO2). Split Section (Stereo Magic): Three unique modes (Split A, B, C) utilizing precise, millisecond delays (the Haas effect). Instantly widen your stereo image and build an incredible, three-dimensional space around your instruments by subtly shifting the left or right channel. Tone Shaping (Aura, Air, Comp): Dial in the perfect vibe for your tracks. The Aura and Air switches let you control harmonics and the breath of top-end ambience, while the built-in Comp glues everything together into a thick, cohesive analog signal. Intelligent Randomizer: Lacking inspiration? A single click of the Random button generates unique, randomized settings for the effect section (safely bypassing your master parameters), giving you instant and inspiring results. Hit Reset to instantly return to the starting point. Complete Master Control: A built-in Limiter to protect against digital clipping, a Blend knob for perfect parallel processing (Dry/Wet), and precise control over Volume, Width, and L/R Balance. Bring your synths to life, warm up your digital drums, and add a nostalgic character to any mix with Magneta. Features: Magneta 64-bit VST3/AU FX Plugin. High end & CPU efficient interface. Unlimited effect shaping. Windows & macOS compatible. Read More

  • SaschArt releases DynamicEchoFree, a FREE dynamic delay plugin
    Developer SaschArt has released DynamicEchoFree, a free dynamic delay plugin for macOS and Windows. It’s been a busy couple of days for delay plugins. We’ve had Sonicora Audio’s LiquidTrail (free for a limited time), Overload Audio’s Echodude BBD-150 (vintage BBD delay emulation), and now we have DynamicEchoFree by SaschArt. DynamicEchoFree offers something a little different [...]
    View post: SaschArt releases DynamicEchoFree, a FREE dynamic delay plugin

    Developer SaschArt has released DynamicEchoFree, a free dynamic delay plugin for macOS and Windows. It’s been a busy couple of days for delay plugins. We’ve had Sonicora Audio’s LiquidTrail (free for a limited time), Overload Audio’s Echodude BBD-150 (vintage BBD delay emulation), and now we have DynamicEchoFree by SaschArt. DynamicEchoFree offers something a little different

  • Spotify to lets you steer your own algorithm and review listening data with new Taste Profile featureSpotify is testing a new feature that lets users steer their own algorithm, offering the ability to let you review and edit what it calls your Taste Profile.
    The Taste Profile will display your listening data from music, podcasts, and audiobooks, profiling “the artists and genres you love to the habits that define your day”. The new feature will first be available in its beta phase to Premium users in New Zealand only. It’s not yet sure when or if this feature will become more widely available.

    READ MORE: Apple Music’s new “Transparency Tags” aim to flag AI-generated content – but labels have to self-report

    This new feature was announced at SXSW by Spotify’s Co-CEO Gustav Söderström, and is based on its own finding that more than 80 percent of listeners say personalisation is what they love most about Spotify.
    Via a blog published on the Spotify Newsroom, it says that if something doesn’t feel quite right in your listening data, you can “flag when your profile misses the mark” and ask for “more or less of a certain vibe, or simply share what you’re in the mood for”. A video suggests users will need to use an AI-powered chatbot to do so.
    The Taste Profile is part of its next steps to make personalisation more “transparent, responsive, and truly yours”. It follows on from another beta launch, Prompted Playlists, which was unveiled in December last year.
    Spotify also recently unveiled its annual Loud & Clear report, which dissects music streaming economics. The latest iteration of the report revealed that Spotify was the highest-paying retailer globally last year, paying the music industry more than $11 billion in 2025.
    Spotify payouts also increased by more than 10 percent year-over-year, which is more than double the rate of other music industry income sources. It also claims that these payouts weren’t concentrated to a small number of superstar artists, and that roughly half of royalties were generated by independent artists and labels.
    To find out more about Taste Profiles or read the full Loud & Clear report, head over to the Spotify Newsroom.
    The post Spotify to lets you steer your own algorithm and review listening data with new Taste Profile feature appeared first on MusicTech.

    Spotify is testing a new feature that lets users steer their own algorithm by reviewing and editing their Taste Profile through an AI chatbot.

  • European retailers are pulling headphones following study claiming harmful substances exist in select modelsSelect European retailers have pulled the sales of a number of headphone brands following a report that claimed they contain hormone-disrupting chemicals.
    The study, titled The Sound Of Contamination, was published in February by Arnika, a Czech non-profit environmental organisation, as part of the ToxFree LIFE for All EU-funded initiative. It analysed 81 headphone models, 50 of which were from well-known brands, sold across Central Europe and online marketplaces.

    READ MORE: Steven Slate’s VSX Immersion One headphones are making me consider selling my speakers

    The study claims that 100 percent of products contained hazardous substances, including bisphenols, phthalates, and flame retardants. While these products do not pose an acute or imminent danger, it says “the cumulative and synergistic effects of chronic exposure to these chemical classes pose a long-term risk to public health”.
    Since the study was published, Dutch media outlet RTL has reported that online retailers, such as Bol.com, CoolBlue and Mediamarkt, have stopped selling some headphone models.
    Karolína Brabcová, a campaign manager on toxic chemicals in consumer products at Arnika says (via The Verge), “We really think a systemic approach in banning and phasing out the most harmful chemicals — which have generational effects — is the way forward.”
    Brabcová also says that several manufacturers reached out to Arnika to ask about how it conducted the study. The names of which she has not revealed, but believes this to show positive initiative from the companies.
    The Verge also reports that it reached out to 11 major manufacturers included in the study, and only Bose, Sennheiser, and Marshall responded; all of which say that their products comply with legal safety requirements, and have questioned the methodology used in the study.
    Sennheiser spokesperson Eric Palonen says it contacted the report authors “hoping to get the exact data for the Sennheiser products tested in order to verify our data and decide on next steps,” but claims the organisation didn’t provide the data it requested.
    Anna Forsgren, product compliance and sustainability manager at Marshall Group, adds: “The study used its own testing criteria and flagged the product based on thresholds for BPA-related substances that are stricter than those typically applied to plastics used in electronic products.”
    Forsgren also says that the company “welcome[s] reports like this as they drive greater transparency and accountability in the industry.”
    The post European retailers are pulling headphones following study claiming harmful substances exist in select models appeared first on MusicTech.

    A small number of retailers have pulled the sales of select headphone models following a study claiming they contain hormone-disrupting chemicals.

  • Vicious Antelope offers the Vicious Saws Dark Synth for Full Kontakt for FREE
    Vicious Antelope just made its Vicious Saws synth (normally $28) available for free download for a limited time via an exclusive Audio Plugin Deals offer.  Vicious Saws is made for creating majestic, gloomy synth tones with a cinematic touch. Keep in mind that running Vicious Saws requires the full, paid version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt [...]
    View post: Vicious Antelope offers the Vicious Saws Dark Synth for Full Kontakt for FREE

    Vicious Antelope just made its Vicious Saws synth (normally $28) available for free download for a limited time via an exclusive Audio Plugin Deals offer.  Vicious Saws is made for creating majestic, gloomy synth tones with a cinematic touch. Keep in mind that running Vicious Saws requires the full, paid version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt

  • Geoff Downes on Asia's New Live Album, John Wetton's Legacy, and His Career from the Buggles to YesIn a conversation with AllMusic, Geoff Downes discusses the origins of the new live album, the evolution of Asia's lineup, memories of working with Wetton, and reflections on pivotal moments in his career – from the early days of MTV to his time in Yes and the Buggles.

    Few musicians have navigated the worlds of progressive rock and pop quite like Geoff Downes. As a founding member of Asia and a member of Yes, as well as one half of the Buggles…

  • Nvidia’s version of OpenClaw could solve its biggest problem: securityNvidia announced an open enterprise AI agent platform, called NemoClaw, that is built off of viral OpenClaw.

    Nvidia announced an open enterprise AI agent platform, called NemoClaw, that is built off of viral OpenClaw.