Snowflake, Databricks challenger ClickHouse hits $15B valuationThe $400 million round was led by Dragoneer.

Jam like It’s the 1980s With A Mini-IBM PCA lot of retrocomputer enthusiasts have a favourite system, to the point of keeping up 40 year old flame wars over which system was “best”.   In spite of the serious, boring nature of the PC/AT and its descendants, those early IBMs have a certain style that Compaq and the Clones never quite matched. Somehow, we live in a world where there are people nostalgic for Big Blue. That’s why [AnneBarela] built a miniature IBM PC using an Adafruit Fruit Jam board.
If you haven’t seen it before, the Fruit Jam board is an RP2350 dev board created specifically to make minicomputers, with its two USB host sockets, DVI-out and 3.5mm jack. [Anne] loaded a PC emulator by [Daft-Freak] called PACE-32 than can emulate an IBM compatible PC with an 80386 and up-to 8 MB of RAM on this particular board. The video is VGA, 640×480 — as god intended– piped to a 5″ LCD [Anne] picked up from AliExpress.
That display is mounted inside a replica monitor designed by [giobbino], and is sitting on top of a replica case. Both are available on Thingiverse, though some modification was required to provide proper mounting for the Fruit Jam board. [giobbino] designed it to house a FabGL ESP32 module– which has us wondering, if an RP2350 can be a 386, what level of PC might the ESP32-P4 be capable of? We’ve seen it pretend to be a Quadra, so a 486 should be possible. It wasn’t that long ago that mini builds of this nature required a Raspberry Pi, after all.
Speculation aside, this diminutive IBM build leaves us but with but one question: if you played Links386 on it, would it count as miniature golf?

Duran Duran at the Honda Center, Anaheim, CARock and Roll Fame inductees (2022) Duran Duran played the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA on January 8th. Duran Duran is 4/5 of their classic lineup with lead vocalist Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor. Dom Brown has been the guitarist since 2006 after Andy Taylor left the group for the second time. It’s been nearly 45 years since the group released their debut album and to this day the group continues to sell arenas worldwide. This short run of seven shows also included stops in Palm Desert, CA, Las Vegas, NV, San Diego, CA, and Phoenix, AZ. This 20-song set included a number of hits like “The Wild Boys,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “A View to a Kill,” from the James Bond film of the same name, “Notorious,” “Ordinary World,” and “The Reflex.” There were also covers of ELO’s “Evil Woman,” Rick James’ “Super Freak” mashed with “Lonely In Your Nightmare,” with the last song before the encore being “Girls On Film,” combined with Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer.” They returned for a two-song encore of “Save a Prayer,” and “Rio.”

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

A1 Studio Productions Musical Saws, Grinders & Blades Sample PackSaws, drills and grinders. Aren't they music to your ears as well? Get creative with these cutting and grinding blades of all types. Unique experimental and special effect sound beds including percussive strikes from circular blades that produce chimey, bell and triangle like qualities. Processed sounds excellent for gritty ambient, drone and SFX textures. From high pitched, shimmering blade hits to low noisy rumbles, sounds like no other. Great for easy royalty free music and video production. Drop these into your mix or favorite sampler instrument and grind away. 17 percussive blade hits. 13 Chainsaw Madness. 11 Circular Saw Swirls. 16 Twisted Grinders & Drills. 15 Skill Saw Surgery. 4 Hedge Trimmings. 20 Saw Blade Ensembles (time and pitch warped). Expect bass enhanced saws, re amped chainsaws, swirling diamond blades and the unexpected. A total 312 MB with 96 one shots of 16-bit 44.1k WAV files sorted by type. Most have a fade in or fade out ranging from a few to 40 seconds or more. These lack a clear tonal center, key, or scale, making them ideal for creating experimental, atmospheric and interesting soundscapes. Ready to use samples you can further time stretch, pitch, chop, slice and loop into your own original cuts. Unusual sounds you could slip into any genre. Listen to the demo of just some of the raw sample files. No effects needed. Read More

Humble Bundle offers Make Music, Change Lives bundle starting at $1
Humble Bundle delivers some of the best deals you’ll find anywhere, and not just because the prices are low. Make Music, Change Lives is their latest bargain offer. We’ve had bargains like IK Multimedia’s SampleTank 4 Max V2 for $30, and Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE for $1. But the best thing about grabbing a bargain, [...]
View post: Humble Bundle offers Make Music, Change Lives bundle starting at $1

IK Multimedia showcases ReSing (FREE) and a new expansion pack
At NAMM 2026, IK Multimedia showcased its free vocal processing plugin ReSing, alongside a new expansion pack  If I’m honest, when I first heard about ReSing, I had fairly mixed feelings. On the one hand, I’m a big fan of IK Multimedia; I think they get it right more often than not, and last year’s [...]
View post: IK Multimedia showcases ReSing (FREE) and a new expansion pack

Spotify is raising its Premium prices again for users in the USSpotify has announced that its Premium subscription price will be rising by $1-$2 for its US customers, depending on your plan. Estonian and Latvian customers will also face their own respective price hikes.
The streaming giant has been steadily increasing its prices over the last 3 years. Spotify first increased its initial $9.99 price tag back in 2023, with the following year seeing yet another hike to $11.99. Now, a Spotify Premium membership will cost $12.99 in the US.

READ MORE: Shadow library claims it “backed up Spotify” – all 300TB of it

Other plans across the service will also be subject to a price increase. Student Plans will also raise by $1, moving from $5.99 to $6.99, while Duo and Family plans will both rise by $2, now sitting at $18.00 and $21.99 respectively.
The spike in price comes after 2025’s introduction of lossless audio. At the time, sources claimed that lossless audio would be an exclusive reserved for those willing to pay for a new, pricier Premium tier – however, Spotify opted to make it available to all of its Premium subscribers. It seems increasing prices across the board was the compromise.
Alongside lossless audio, 2025 saw a slew of new features being introduced to Spotify. From AI Prompted Playlists, an improved Spotify DJ, and a track mixing tool for playlists, the streaming platform has been working hard to improve its service.
“Occasional updates to pricing across our markets reflect the value that Spotify delivers, enabling us to continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists,” Spotify explains in its announcement.
In other Spotify news, as of 1 January, Daniel Ek has stepped down as CEO. Ek attracted criticism in the final leg of his leadership after it was revealed he had invested €600 million in AI weapons company Helsing, with some artists even removing their music from the platform as a result of the move.
In Ek’s wake, Spotify co-presidents Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström have risen to the top of the company as co-CEOs.
The post Spotify is raising its Premium prices again for users in the US appeared first on MusicTech.

Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern to retire at end of 2026CMA says successor is expected to be announced in February
Source

Inside Neumann: The iconic brand is coming after your entire studio chainI recently visited Sennheiser as part of its 80th anniversary celebrations and was taken aback by the pace of innovation. On the same trip, I also paid a visit to the Berlin headquarters of Neumann — the legendary Sennheiser-owned brand that is approaching its own milestone, 100th anniversary. I was curious, given its rich history of building industry-leading microphones, is Neumann resting on its laurels? Well, yes and no.

READ MORE: I visited Sennheiser’s HQ for its 80th anniversary — here’s what I learned

A short stroll from Checkpoint Charlie, Neumann’s offices are accessed via an unassuming entrance to a former retail space on a street corner. Ever since Sennheiser acquired Neumann in 2022, none of the production has taken place here in Berlin. The building instead houses research and development activities, the service department, and acts as a meeting spot for staff.
Boardroom with a view. Image: Barry Watson
Coffee time. Image: Barry Watson
While enjoying city views from the dome-topped boardroom, Influencer and Relations Manager Boris gives me the lowdown on the company’s origins: Having started out making lathes to cut phonograph discs in the 1920s, Georg Neumann saw a growth in the development of studio technology and decided to pivot and start developing microphones. I’m reminded of the truly iconic microphones that followed while catching a look at the ‘Cabinet of Fame’ on the reception area wall — the original Neumann condenser, the CMV 3, the U 47 and U 67 tube mics, plus the more modern, ubiquitous studio staple, the U 87.
Vintage mics. Image: Barry Watson
Boris talks about Neumann’s engineers being meticulous in everything they do and, although they’ve recently managed to revive the U 67 in a re-issue edition, relaunching the now-incredibly-rare U 47 is a far more thorny proposition. The sticking point is a steel tube that’s no longer available. Without it, the mic just won’t sound the same. That doesn’t stop producers and engineers from constantly asking for a reissue of the U 47, though.
In the spirit of the historical pivot from disc-cutters to microphones, the brand is exploring new avenues once again. Boris explains that Neumann wants to provide the entire recording chain for users, from microphones through to the audio interface, speakers and headphones, and even software to help with monitoring. He cites audio brand Klein and Hummel coming into the fold to produce Neumann-badged headphones and studio monitors—“they have a nerdy mindset like us”— as a major step towards this goal. And more recently, the acquisition of high-end converter brand Merging Technologies has given Neumann its first audio interface, the MT 48.
Repair and restore
In the service department, I meet Medzid, who talks me through the near-endless list of historical products they can repair and spruce up cosmetically. We’re talking decades upon decades of product coverage, using the exact parts and specifications so that gear leaves HQ sounding almost identical to when it first left the factory.
Medzid explains he has careful discussions with clients before undertaking restoration work, since some of the vintage character of any aged microphone comes about due to things becoming worn or dirty, and they’re affected by all sorts of environmental factors too. Speaking of environmental factors, Medzid recalls receiving a package containing several of Bob Marley’s microphones for service, following the artist’s death. I won’t quote Medzid verbatim, but a herbal odour filled the air when opening the boxes, by all accounts. How very rock and roll.
R&D for your R’n’B
In research and development, the exceptionally passionate and affable department head, Martin, describes the real-world —and frankly eccentric— stress testing that all new products endure. For example, microphones are hit hundreds of times against a steel plate and dropped from a 1.5-metre height to verify longevity. Martin takes delight in showing us how it’s done with a surprise mic drop onto the hard floor. I recoil in horror, and, in turn, Martin breaks into a wide grin. Engineers do know how to have fun.
Martin in the anechoic chamber with the test rig that includes a mouth simulator speaker. Image: Barry Watson
We then delve into the acoustic void of the anechoic chamber used to test frequency characteristics of microphones down to the low-mid range — frequencies below this require a much larger chamber at Sennheiser HQ. Martin demonstrates the test rig, which includes a quirky mouth simulator speaker that gives the engineers a better idea of how microphones will react to proximity.
In the chamber, Martin reflects upon the reissue projects, and he’s rightfully proud of the results. He explains the tough job of making a reissued mic sound as intrinsically special as the vintage originals. The M49 reissue project, for example, involved trawling through countless sets of tubes until the right ones were found —1980s new old stock (NOS) parts discovered in storage. “We don’t throw the bad tubes away,” remarks Martin. They get tucked back into the cellar in the hope that they might be viewed as “classics” one day. I like this way of thinking.
Thinking inside the box
Michalis “MsM” Michael is the special guest for the afternoon keynote talk. The London-based mix engineer and producer started out helping out a number of friends who were making grime music and eventually realised he’d worked this up into a full-time job. He’s enjoyed success with multiple top-20 singles plus a number-one single, and these days works with the likes of Slowthai and Mahalia.
MsM plays back a couple of his projects and explains that he used to have a studio packed full of analogue gear — this obsession was only heightened by sharing an office location with gear supplier, Funky Junk.
Moving to a smaller workspace and to be able to work while travelling, he then started working purely in the box, this time relying primarily on Neumann technologies to provide an interface and monitoring system that sounds the same everywhere. He uses Neumann monitors (because they’re “speakers you can’t blow up”), with the proprietary MA 1 software handling room correction. Away from the studio, RIME software (Reference Immersive Monitoring Environment) recreates the sonic signature of his Neumann monitors blasting into a control room when he needs to mix on NDH-series headphones. Meanwhile, an MT 48 interface ties everything together.
MsM’s takeaway message from the keynote is to “teach the young ones how to listen” instead of drawing them deeper into the corner-cutting world of AI.
Producer MsM with a photo of his former studio. Image: Barry Watson
Brave new world
The biggest thrill of the day comes from testing the new VIS (Virtual Immersive Studio), which harnesses the power and integration of Apple’s Vision Pro and Logic Pro. This augmented reality system offers mixing of immersive audio by placing instruments and tracks playing back in Logic in a virtual 3D soundfield.
Once strapped in, I place each instrument around me at different distances and heights and then begin to adjust levels and EQ to refine the mix. It’s my first time using a Vision Pro, and the experience is remarkable, particularly considering the Vision Pro’s onboard speakers are being used and it’s only a binaural approximation of a real surround speaker array. My grooving, swiping and pinching must look humorous to bystanders, but I don’t care — I’m lost in the moment.

I’m left feeling that Neumann is really onto something here — it’s a bold step into the future for a brand that inevitably leans heavily into past achievements. I’ll certainly be following Neumann’s journey into immersive audio very closely.
Could we see another 100 years of meticulous quality and innovation?
The post Inside Neumann: The iconic brand is coming after your entire studio chain appeared first on MusicTech.

Touring Economics: Why Concert Tickets Cost $150 in Austin But $68 in ClevelandNew data uncovers how venue competition and regional pricing patterns are reshaping the sustainability of live music in different U.S. cities.
The post Touring Economics: Why Concert Tickets Cost $150 in Austin But $68 in Cleveland appeared first on Hypebot.

How AI-Curious Artists Can Move Beyond ChatGPTHow artists can become AI experts just by building stronger intuition, and why that's even important in the first place.
The post How AI-Curious Artists Can Move Beyond ChatGPT appeared first on Hypebot.

Dreamtonics add choirs to Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro Rather than bringing new solo voices to the table, the latest expansions for Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro introduce a trio of modelled choirs.

Pro-C 3: FabFilter upgrades its hugely popular flagship compressor plugin – here’s what’s newOver a decade on from the release of Pro-C 2, FabFilter has given its flagship compressor plugin a significant upgrade. With six new compression styles and the long-awaited introduction of character modes, Pro-C 3 welcomes in a new-age for the iconic compressor.
Pro-C 3’s most obvious upgrade comes in the form of its new compression styles. Alongside the eight styles of its predecessor, users can now experiment with an array of hardware-inspired algorithms, from Versatile’s vanilla compression, suitable for any material, to Smooth’s ultra-smooth algorithm perfect for low ratios and longer envelope timings.

READ MORE: Cubase 15, as reviewed by a Logic Pro user: “The most versatile DAW I’ve ever used”

Elsewhere, there’s also more “extreme” styles, such as the Upward algorithm or even TTM’s combination of downward and upward compression across bands. There’s also a warm opto-like tube compression style in the form of Op-El, while sonic richness can be attained thanks to the Vari-Mu algorithm.
Pro-C 3 also has a Character panel. In the past Pro-C 2 focused purely on compression, so the injection of three unique flavours of realistic analogue saturation will be a welcome upgrade for many. Users can experiment with Tube, Diode and Bright variations, which can then be tweaked and adjusted by, say, raising the Drive or switching between Pre and Post Compression.
The plug-in’s Side Chain EQ has also been improved, allowing users to precisely filter and equalise their sidechain input with ease. While Pro-C 2 limited the number of available EQ bands to three, Pro-C 3 doubles that. All six available bands can be set to any filter shape you desire, and every one can be independently switched to mid or side processing.

There are also a slew of intuitive new tools thrown in to make life easier, such as an Auto Threshold control to help with level-independent compressor triggering, as well as intelligent Auto Gain and Auto Release functions.
There’s also a new Host Sync tempo triggering tool for rhythmic compression, as well as an Adjustable Maximum Lookahead to balance your latency. FabFilter has also hiked up its max oversampling ceiling to 32x for clearer, cleaner playback.
There’s also a slew of aesthetic and organisational tweaks to make life easier. With new tagging and metadata abilities, it’s never been simpler to browse and navigate your way through your presets. Some buttons have also been rejigged for easier access, like the Bypass and MIDI functions.
Alongside all of that, Pro-C 3 also supports fully immersive audio, thanks to its customisable channel/stereo linking abilities. To make it simple, routing automatically adapts to the multi-channel demands of Dolby Atmos, which FabFilter notes will “open the plug-in up to a whole new world of production possibilities”.
FabFilter Pro-C 3 is available now, priced at £149 for new users, with an upgrade available for existing Pro-C 2 users at £72.
Head over to Plugin Boutique to get your copy, or learn more at FabFilter.
The post Pro-C 3: FabFilter upgrades its hugely popular flagship compressor plugin – here’s what’s new appeared first on MusicTech.

From the makers of Melodyne comes Tonalic, a plugin that puts a real session musician “by your side”Celemony has introduced Tonalic, a new plugin that rethinks how producers work with guitars, bass, drums and percussion in the box.
Rather than relying on MIDI, loops or generative AI, Tonalic uses actual studio performances from world-class session players and adapts them to fit your music in real-time, creating an experience that feels like having a musician playing right inside your DAW.

READ MORE: The RMX-100 has been reborn – AlphaTheta welcomes next-gen effects processor RMX-IGNITE

At the heart of Tonalic is a brand-new engine developed by Celemony, built on the company’s famed Melodyne software. The result is a system that can intelligently “adapt performances by the finest studio musicians to any song” and “integrate them organically into any production”.
Forget about working with loops and samples. Instead, Tonalic introduces a new workflow based around small icons called Tonalics, which represent a song’s musical patterns. When dragged onto a Tonalic track, they instruct the engine where and how a part should be played – automatically adapting it to the song’s chords, tempo and groove.
Notably, the Tonalic regions themselves contain neither audio nor MIDI data. They act purely as performance instructions, guiding the engine to select the most suitable passages from the original recordings, and then adapt them to the current song. According to Celemony, this approach allows the results to remain tight and convincing, yet shot through with flashes of studio magic.

“The whole process is dynamic and automatic,” says Celemony. “Whatever direction the song takes, Tonalic notices, follows suit and takes musical decisions that invariably gel and sit well with the spirit and idea of the song. The results sound so organic and authentic you’d think the performer had played the material that way in the first place.”
The source material itself is extensive. Tonalic draws from over 7,000 performance patterns recorded by more than 30 session musicians in studios around the world. Contributors include rock and pop mainstays such as Tim Pierce and high-profile names like Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel and Skunk Anansie guitarist Martin “Ace” Kent. The library is also set to continue growing over time.
Tonalic is available in two editions – Tonalic studio and Tonalic arranger – both featuring identical content but differing function sets. The studio version adds deeper editing capabilities, allowing users to modify individual notes within performances, much like Melodyne.
The plugin integrates as a software instrument in all major DAWs, with particularly deep ARA-based integration in Presonus Studio One 7 and Fender Studio Pro 8.
Tonalic is available now via subscription or prepaid license, with pricing starting at $14.9/€14.9 per month. To celebrate the launch, Celemony is offering the first month for just $1/€1. Users can switch at any time between the prepaid and subscription license models, between the two editions.

Learn more at Tonalic.
The post From the makers of Melodyne comes Tonalic, a plugin that puts a real session musician “by your side” appeared first on MusicTech.

Slate Digital’s ML-2A brings a full virtual mic locker to stereo recordingSlate Digital has unveiled the ML-2A, the latest evolution of its modelling microphone lineup. The new release delivers a factory-matched pair of small-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphones designed to work seamlessly with Slate’s Virtual Microphone System (VMS), giving users access to a wide range of vintage and modern mic models straight out of the box.
Built as a refinement of the original ML-2, the ML-2A features upgraded hardware, improved dynamic range and enhanced sonic detail, making it suitable for precise instrument capture in both mono and stereo applications. Each pair ships factory-matched and includes a mounting bar for accurate stereo setups.

READ MORE: AKG’s C-Series: new professional condenser mics are for musicians and content creators

As with Slate Digital’s ML-1A and earlier ML-2 systems, the ML-2A relies on the VMS plugin to emulate the sound of multiple microphones. Once paired with the software, the ML-2A effectively becomes a flexible “mic locker”, allowing you to audition and swap microphone models during the mixing process to find the perfect sound for each project. Zero-latency processing also makes real-time monitoring a breeze for modern producers.
Designed for demanding recording environments, the ML-2A is built to handle extreme sound pressure levels of up to 156 dB SPL. A built-in -20 dB pad allows the microphones to take on close-miked drums, loud guitar cabinets and other high-impact sources without distortion, while the onboard 80 Hz low-cut filter helps tame unwanted low-end rumble at the source.
Credit: Slate Digital
The included VMS plugin currently features 27 microphone models, spanning a broad range of studio staples. These include dynamic mics such as the S-57 and S-421, ribbon models like the S-121, small-diaphragm condensers including the S-451 and S-222, and large-diaphragm condensers such as the S-414 and S-67. Users can blend models, adjust proximity effect and add colour or vintage saturation via Slate’s Virtual Preamps Collection for a completely in-the-box front-end recording workflow.
Importantly, Slate Digital is now shipping every ML-2A with its full set of mic models included. There’s no longer a need to purchase additional mic packs separately. Buyers will also receive a three-month subscription to the Slate Digital Complete Access Bundle, which includes over 150 plugins from Slate Digital, SSL and Harrison Audio.
“With the ML-2A, we set out to redefine and enhance what the original ML-2 offered,” says Chad Carrier, Slate Digital’s VP of Products. “Optimised for both mono and stereo instrument recording, it’s powerful, versatile and perfect for producers and engineers who want access to the ultimate mic locker.”
The ML-2A is available now for $399/€399/£299 excluding tax. See it in person at its global debut at the 2026 NAMM Show (22-24 January), at the Slate Digital booth (18303).
 

Learn more at Slate Digital.
The post Slate Digital’s ML-2A brings a full virtual mic locker to stereo recording appeared first on MusicTech.