Get 80% off Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder at Plugin Boutique
Plugin Boutique is offering 80% off Universal Audio’s Studer A800 Tape Recorder plugin, bringing the price down to $39 until June 30th, 2026. Studer A800 Tape Recorder is Universal Audio’s software emulation of the Studer A800 multichannel tape machine. The original 2-inch tape recorder has been used on many well-known recordings, and UA modeled a [...]
View post: Get 80% off Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder at Plugin Boutique

Unlock a “botanica” sound palette with Excite Audio’s new Evolve Nest Acoustics pluginExcite Audio has unveiled the latest plugin in its Evolve series, Evolve Nest Acoustics, marking the first collaborative release for the range.
The Evolve series features a line of instruments that each explore the “sonic characteristics” of different materials. Described as a botanical synthesis plugin, this new instrument has been made with input from sound designer Nest Acoustics. Combining foley, nature, and field recordings with analogue synthesis, the sample-based instrument forms a modern “botanica” sound palette to experiment with.

READ MORE: Viiri Audio releases its debut plugin: Aava, a new creative convolution processor

The plugin contains four sound layers that can be blended in real-time with the Evolve XY Pad, intuitive modulation capabilities, and four macro effects in keeping with the earthy theme: Holo, Crust, Breeze, and Erode.
Users can also import their own samples and build custom patches, and you can modulate anything with drag-and-drop envelopes, LFOs, and the XY controls. Make fine tweaks to your sound with its dual filters and a rearrangeable 3-slot FX chain, or peruse its 250 presets.
Excite Audio says it’s designed with synthwave composition and contemporary sound design in mind, providing “vivid atmospheres that feel alive and textural”. Hear it in-action in the video below:
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Evolve Nest Acoustics joins Evolve Alloy, offering tones inspired by metal, as well as Air, Elastic and Velvet. Evolve Air was inspired by experimental and ambient innovators like Tim Hecker, Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno, and Oneohtrix Point Never, with a focus on ethereal, breathy textures, wind instruments, and spacious atmospheres.
Lite and Full versions of Evolve Nest Acoustics are available exclusively from Plugin Boutique. There’s currently a 50 percent off introductory sale running until 30 June, with prices starting at £19. You can also check out our guide to the best free and paid for plugins of the week for more new releases.
Find out more about sound designer Nest Acoustics, or head over to Excite Audio to view the full Evolve series.
The post Unlock a “botanica” sound palette with Excite Audio’s new Evolve Nest Acoustics plugin appeared first on MusicTech.

Sketch Audio releases Lil’ Doc, a FREE Detroit-style compressor plugin
Sketch Audio has released Lil’ Doc, a free Detroit-style compressor plugin for macOS, Windows, and iOS. Lil’ Doc is based on the Mix Slammer module from Sketch Audio’s paid Doctor Vibe plugin. The developer describes it as a take on the vinyl compression algorithm from the Roland SP-303 sampler. That unique “Vinyl Simulator” effect became [...]
View post: Sketch Audio releases Lil’ Doc, a FREE Detroit-style compressor plugin

Softube’s new Bus Processor plugin brings you the “essence of the legendary 670” for just $99Softube has unveiled the Bus Processor 670, a new plugin designed to capture the “magic” of the legendary dual-channel variable-mu tube compressor.
Positioned as a modern take on the highly sought after Fairchild 670, the plugin aims to deliver the “unmistakable weight, warmth, and authority” of the original hardware while expanding its functionality for contemporary production workflows.

READ MORE: Wallis on embracing sound-mangling plugins, thriving as a producer and how to survive the music industry

Originally used as a mastering limiter for vinyl, the 670 is one of the most iconic tube compressors in recording history, with its distinctive harmonic character heard on records from Motown to Abbey Road.
Softube says the Bus Processor 670 combines the “finest elements” of the original design with “it-would-be-cool-if” ideas to create a unique tone machine capable of the musical and harmonically rich compression of the original.
To start, the plugin adds full control of saturation points with dedicated knobs for tube and transformer saturation and a calibration knob to influence the compression-dependent saturation of the variable-mu architecture.
Also included are sidechain options that give the user control over filters, tone shift and mono/stereo linking, as well as separate outputs for M/S channels. Meanwhile, new spatialisation features include an air band, mono maker, and a stereo widening knob.
Softube has also built the plugin with modern engineering and production workflows in mind, with support for its Console 1 mixing system and Flow Studio hardware ecosystem.
The Bus Processor 670 is available now at an introductory price of $99 (regular price $149), and is also included in Flow Mixing, Mastering, & Complete Suite subscriptions.
“Full-featured but dead-simple to use, Bus Processor 670 lets users find the magical sound of the 670 for themselves, in a workflow that works for the modern music maker,” says the company.
More information is available at Softube.
The post Softube’s new Bus Processor plugin brings you the “essence of the legendary 670” for just $99 appeared first on MusicTech.

Take a look at the Lego prototype of Ableton Push: “It was playful and not permanent, that’s what allowed us to go through many iterations”Ableton’s Head of Hardware, Jesse Terry, has shared how the early prototypes for its Push music making system were made out of Lego.
According to Terry, these prototypes allowed for early experimentation, and meant Push underwent several different iterations before he figured out the right way he wanted to put it together, including aspects like ergonomics and tactility.

READ MORE: Claude can now be plugged into Ableton to assist with your music projects

Terry discusses the prototypes in a new video with Powerhouse Museum in Australia, which is home to one of just two of these early Lego versions of Push, both designed and built by Terry. He shares how he learned about Ableton Live when writing for a music magazine, and became fascinated with the ways you could “stretch audio and move it around like a rubber band”.
“The prototype of Push is like the way I work with samples; I chopped up a bunch of other products and sampled the parts of them that I wanted,” he goes on to explain. “Push was reconciling those worlds of using my hands, playing rhythmically, playing with nuance and swing, and the world of the computer, which can process audio in such cool ways.
“The Lego prototype went through many, many phases of moving buttons around, trying to figure out what was the right ergonomics for it, figuring out where and what buttons we wanted to have to do the different functions. It was playful and not permanent, and that’s what allowed us to go through so many iterations to get the right thing.”
He adds, “The tactility is important because you get nuances of rhythm and pitch with your fingers that you can’t get using a mouse or a computer keyboard. There’s these variations that are off the grid that I think is what makes human music have soul. We wanted something that could let beginners play it without years of training, but also something that would reward practice and let you become a virtuoso.”
Watch the full video below:

Ableton launched its Live 12.4 update earlier this month, bringing a number of new creative and workflow improvements, as well as new features for Ableton’s Push, Move and Note. The update is completely free for existing Live 12 users.
Find out more about Push via the Ableton website. 
The post Take a look at the Lego prototype of Ableton Push: “It was playful and not permanent, that’s what allowed us to go through many iterations” appeared first on MusicTech.

Assignments May 2026: Who Got Hired?Allie Moskovits

Head of Sync & Business Development

The Patron Saints of Music

The Patron Saints of Music has appointed Allie Moskovits as Head of Sync & Business Development. In the newly created role, Moskovits will lead sync strategy for Patron Saints’ rapidly expanding catalog to drive new business opportunities across TV, film, ads, gaming, and emerging media platforms. “I’m incredibly excited to join Patron Saints of Music,” said Moskovits. “Sync is evolving quickly, and I look forward to growing this historic company into bold new opportunities that connect its incredible music with today’s expansive media landscape.” For more, contact kelly@kelleemackpr.com.

Stevie Heckert

Senior Manager, Digital Marketing

The Syndicate

The Syndicate announced the hiring of digital strategy expert Stevie Heckert as Senior Manager, Digital Marketing. “I deeply admire The Syndicate’s reputation for thoughtful, culture-forward campaigns,” said Heckert. “Joining a dynamic team that prioritizes building genuine connections with fans through innovative thinking is incredibly exciting. I’m looking forward to building smart, impactful strategies that help our clients break through in substantial ways.” For more, contact jeff@thesyn.com.

Greg Levin

Chief Executive Officer/Board Member

Starbird

Starbird announced the appointment of Greg Levin as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, effective immediately. Levin will lead the company’s next phase of national expansion, bringing a guest-first leadership mindset, a proven record of scaling premium restaurant brands and deep experience building disciplined, high-performing restaurant concepts and operating systems. “As Starbird expands nationally, my focus is on building upon our strong, values-driven culture and strengthening execution and guest hospitality at every level,” said Levin. For more, contact pdonahie@championmgt.com.

Guji Lorenzana

Director, A&R & Client Development, APAC

Symphonic

Symphonic has promoted Guji Lorenzana to Director, A&R and Client Development, APAC. In his new role, Lorenzana will oversee regional A&R strategy, client development, and team growth across key APAC markets, working closely with artists, labels, and partners throughout Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Australia. “The APAC team has been thriving under Guji’s leadership,” said Ed Poston, Head of A&R at Symphonic. For more, contact laurie@jaybirdcom.com.

Josh Kritzler

President, North American Venues & Content

Legends Global

Legends Global has announced that Josh Kritzler has been appointed to President, North American Venues & Content. In this role, Kritzler will oversee the company’s portfolio of North American arenas, stadiums, theaters, and convention centers and lead venue operations, content, and booking across the network. “I’m excited to step into this role and work alongside our teams to bring even greater alignment across content, commercial strategy, and operations,” said Kritzler. For more, contact sescudero@legendsglobal.com.

Jaymie Lunt

Junior Designer

The Syndicate

The Syndicate announced the expansion of its Creative Department with the addition of Jaymie Lunt as Junior Designer. Lunt most recently led marketing efforts for Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, where she played a central role in solidifying brand identity and elevating creative output through dynamic content and engaging design. Her background blends live music culture with strong visual storytelling, making her a natural fit for The Syndicate’s expanding roster of entertainment clients. For more, contact jeff@thesyn.com.

Mike Easterlin

Managing Director

ONErpm

ONErpm has hired Mike Easterlin as Managing Director of its Nashville division. Easterlin brings decades of experience in A&R and promotion to the role. “I’ve always believed in the independent spirit of artists—the drive to create, take risks, and build something real. Helping talent find their voice and turn it into a lasting career has always been my passion,” said Easterlin. ”ONErpm embodies those same values: passion, focus, transparency, and a real commitment to giving artists a global platform to grow on their own terms.” For more, contact jonathan@rockpaperscissors.biz.

Nick Weakley

Social Media Manager

Milestone Collective

Milestone Collective, the music-focused agency combining public relations and social media expertise, has promoted Nick Weakley to Social Media Manager, effective immediately. This title recognizes his creativity, strategic digital insight, and commitment to raising artists’ online presence, all supported by his deep passion for the music industry and the clients he represents. “From day one, Nick’s ambition, dedication, and willingness to expand his skillset, empowering our artists to make a greater impact on their social media platforms, stood out,” said Mike Gowen, the company’s founder and CEO. For more, contact jessica@milestonecollective.com.The post Assignments May 2026: Who Got Hired? first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Force56 Audio Software LAR-32 Synth VST ProLAR-32 Synth VST Pro is a sample-based virtual instrument featuring the complete melodic bank collection of the LAR-32 Synth VST series, inspired by the legendary Roland MT-32 era used throughout classic DOS games, adventure game soundtracks and retro MIDI productions. Built for composers, sound designers, preservation enthusiasts and retro computing fans, the Pro edition provides access to the full melodic library of LAR-32 Synth VST through a modern and streamlined workflow designed for contemporary DAWs. The collection includes multi-sampled keyboards, choirs, orchestral textures, synth leads, basses, fantasy pads and atmospheric instruments inspired by the characteristic sound world of vintage PC game music. LAR-32 Synth VST Pro includes: Full melodic bank collection (118 banks). Sample-based playback engine. Extensive multi-sampled retro-inspired sound library. VST3, AU and standalone versions. Windows and macOS support. Permanent access to Pro bank downloads. Free lifetime plugin updates. Fast bank browsing and modern workflow. LAR-32 Synth VST Pro was created both as a creative production tool and as a tribute to the golden age of MIDI-based computer music, helping bring classic MT-32 inspired sounds into modern music production environments. Ideal for: Retro game soundtrack production. DOS and adventure game inspired music. Vintage MIDI arrangements. Atmospheric electronic music. Retro computing music preservation. Related Links: Official Website Free Demo Download Roland MT-32 VST Roland MT-32 Plugin Looking for a curated and lightweight edition? Search for our related product, LAR-32 Synth VST Lite. LAR-32 Synth VST is an independent product developed by Force56 Audio Software, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Roland Corporation. Read More

Starship’s path to reusability looks murky after SpaceX’s S-1SpaceX's recent IPO and Starship rocket test flight delivered two big data points that offer a realistic vision for the coming years — and one that may disappoint both the company's boosters and its critics.

Get free lo-fi electric keys for Splice INSTRUMENT
Download our free lo-fi electric keys preset for Splice INSTRUMENT—grab these presets during the drop window and they’re yours to keep forever.

Honeywell X2S Smart Thermostat Firmware Reverse-EngineeringThe Honeywell X2S Smart Thermostat is a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat that is meant to integrate with your typical ‘smart home’ setup, with mobile app control available as well. Of course, just using it as-is would be extremely boring, so fortunately we have [author0] to take it apart and reverse-engineer its encrypted firmware.
Of the two brains in this thermostat the first is a succinctly named Renesas R7FA6M4AF3CFP MCU containing a 200 MHz Cortex-M33 core with TrustZone features to theoretically keep out any firmware hackers. Handling the wireless side is a Realtek RTL8721DM Wi-Fi/BLE 5.0 SoC. There are also two Winbond Flash chips connected to these two main chips, with their contents of course encrypted.
Fortunately there are plenty of test points to connect to, for which a custom pogo-pin equipped breakout board was created. Cracking the encryption for the Realtek turned out to be as simple as using its RSIP decrypt-on-the-fly feature. From there exploring the firmware was the next step, with a TLS issue pertaining to certificates found to make man-in-the-middle attacks easy, along with a seeding bug that makes recovering session keys possible.
Although the Renesas MCU firmware still has to be decrypted and the full wireless handshake reverse-engineered, these do seem to be solid steps towards fully reverse-engineering this thermostat. It also makes it very clear once again that the ‘S’ in IoT absolutely stands for ‘security’. Maybe that’s why the smart home bubble popped.

UK authorities sanction HTX crypto exchange over support for RussiaFormerly Huobi Global, the exchange is the latest entity to be named as part of a crackdown on companies “exploited by Russia to circumvent UK sanctions.”

UMG and Sony seek to add over 61k recordings to Suno lawsuit after discovery reveals AI trained on ‘millions’ of their copyrighted tracksThe labels say they are asserting "only a small fraction" of those recordings – 61,026 works – in the proposed second amended complaint.
Source

Sennheiser unveils new flagship MOMENTUM 5 wireless headphones, built to “disappear on your head”Sennheiser has unveiled the latest addition to its MOMENTUM range of wireless headphones, which the brand describes as a “major step forward” for the flagship series.
MOMENTUM 5 headphones are said to be the “most capable” and user-focused evolution of the series, preserving the sound and battery performance of the line while introducing new enhancements, including 57 hours of battery life per charge with ANC engaged, and a user-replaceable 700 mAh battery.

READ MORE: How Sennheiser’s HD 480 PRO headphones have become essential to my daily workflow

The headphones host Snapdragon Sound technology featuring Bluetooth audio codec support up to aptX Lossless. Users can also access a free Smart Control Plus companion app with new 8-band EQ, presets, and a Sound Personalisation engine to shape the output to your preferences.
According to Sennheiser, the headphones are also up to three times more effective at reducing distracting background noise like voice chatter due to a supercharged active noise cancelling system; the number of microphones dedicated to ANC and transparency duties has doubled, with four microphones per side.
Credit: Sennheiser
The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless platform additionally gives owners new capabilities through firmware updates to the DSP and wireless engines. Early adopters will get day one updates, unlocking Dolby Atmos with head-tracking when listening to supported Atmos content. The headphones are even ready for Bluetooth 6.0 via a future firmware release.
“With MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, we focused on refining the entire experience without straying from the formula that made its predecessor such a success,” states Product Manager Sreenath ‘Sri’ Unnikrishnan. “These enhancements enrich the overall functionality while still capturing the magic you feel every time you press play.”
“With MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, we’re proving that high-performance sound and environmental responsibility can – and must – exist in the same product. With our new user-swappable battery, adaptable hardware, and shift to compact, plastic-free packaging, our customers will feel proud to choose a headphone meant to last,” adds Lilika Beck, President, Sennheiser Consumer Audio.
MOMENTUM 5 will be available in Black, White, and Denim finishes, and have an RRP of £329.90 / €399.90 / $399.99 / $749 AUD. Sales in the UK start on 30 June. Head to Sennheiser to find out more.
The post Sennheiser unveils new flagship MOMENTUM 5 wireless headphones, built to “disappear on your head” appeared first on MusicTech.

Morphoice releases EightySix (beta), a FREE Juno-6 emulation for macOS and Windows
Developer Morphoice has released the beta version of EightySix, a free Juno-6 emulation for macOS and Windows. EightySix is free right now, but this beta version may stop working when a final release is introduced. The final release may be paid only. Morphoice is a producer, composer, and developer based in Germany. As a musician [...]
View post: Morphoice releases EightySix (beta), a FREE Juno-6 emulation for macOS and Windows

Tape Effects Collection from AIR Music Tech AIR Music Tech’s latest release delivers a set of plug-ins that aim to capture the character, movement and behaviour of three classic tape-based effects.