Clever PCBs Straighten Out the Supercon SAO BadgeWhen we decided that Simple Add-Ons (SAOs) would be the focus of Supercon 2024, it was clear the badge would need to feature more than just one or two of the requisite connectors. We finally settled on six ports, but figuring out the geometry of getting all those ports on the badge in such a way that the SAOs wouldn’t hit each other was a bit tricky. In early concept drawings the badge was just a big rectangle with the ports along the top, but it was too ugly.
In the end we went with a somewhat organic design — an electronic “flower” with the radially arranged SAOs forming the petals, but this meant that that none of the SAOs were in the traditional vertical orientation. Luckily, [Adrian Studer] designed a couple of PCBs that not only resolve this issue, but add a seventh SAO port for good measure.
In the project repository you’ll find two PCB designs. The first, “SAO Up” is essentially a little arm that turns the SAO port 90 degrees. This doesn’t exactly get them vertical, in fact, whether or not the new orientation is actually an improvement for the top two SAOs is perhaps debatable. But it definitely helps on the lower SAOs, which are essentially upside down in their original configuration.
The real star of the show is “SAO Bridge”, a wavy board that connects across the two midline SAO ports on the Supercon badge and turns it into a set of three (nearly) horizontal connectors across the front. The center port is particularly helpful in that it gives you a place to put unusually wide SAOs.
As a reminder the Supercon SAO badge, and the winners of the 2024 SAO Contest, will be making the trip across the pond for Hackaday Europe in just a few months. That means you’ve still got plenty of time to have a few of these CERN-OHL-P licensed boards made up.

Waves now shipping next-generation (X14) Titan and Titan-R SoundGrid DSP serversWaves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, is now shipping the latest versions (X14) of Waves’ most advanced plugin servers: the Titan andTitan-R SoundGrid servers. These next-generation models bring unprecedented DSP power for running plugins in real time to your live mixing setup and are now available for purchase.Equipped with Intel’s powerful Gen 14 CPU, these servers deliver more than 1.5 times the processing power for real-time plugin use in Waves’ SuperRack SoundGrid and Waves’ eMotion LV1 Software Mixer and the eMotion LV1 Classic, compared to the previous Gen 10 CPU version.Live engineers can now experience flawless live mixing and low-latency processing of hundreds of Waves plugins. The new Titan server’s powerful DSP ensures smooth real-time plugin performance, handling even the most demanding shows at sample rates of up to 96 kHz.Titan’s sleek, rugged industrial design features LED indicators for easy network and temperature monitoring, along with sturdy RAM positioning to ensure a reliable mixing experience that can withstand the challenges of any setup, wherever you are.The Waves Titan-R is the ultimate and most powerful choice for massive plugin processing tasks. While identical to the Titan SoundGrid Server in performance, the Titan-R offers dual power supplies, providing unmatched reliability and redundancy in critical situations. Delivering an extra layer of dependability, this ensures continuous operation, making it the ideal choice for professional environments where sonic excellence and stability is paramount.The post Waves now shipping next-generation (X14) Titan and Titan-R SoundGrid DSP servers first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Grammy Awards to ‘proceed as planned’ despite Los Angeles wildfiresLive telecast to raise funds to support wildfire relief efforts
Source

DPA Microphones acquires Austrian Audio to develop “a broader product range for discerning sound engineers”DPA Microphones has acquired a majority share of Vienna-based brand Austrian Audio. Together, the brands will develop “a broader product range” and continue to “address the high end of the market”.
Currently, DPA is a leading manufacturer within several Miniature Microphone categories while Austrian Audio has a wide range of Large Diaphragm Microphones. Austrian Audio will continue to launch products under its own name, but will work in partnership with DPA.

READ MORE: Austrian Audio’s MiCreator achieves no-nonsense stereo recording in a pocket-sized package

According to a press release shared with MusicTech, DPA Microphones feels that Austrian Audio’s product portfolio “complements DPA’s offerings perfectly”. The brands will go on to develop more “sophisticated, professional audio solutions that meet the evolving demands within the acoustical and digital fields, all while prioritising the user experience”.
DPA Microphones CEO, Kalle Hvidt Nielsen, comments, “Austrian Audio is a rising star for high-end audio solutions, and I am excited to join forces with such a strong team of audio professionals. I know that together we can deliver increasingly innovative products and further enhance the service for our customers, which will elevate both brands to new heights. It is impressive to see what Austrian Audio has already achieved in its short lifetime, and we are thrilled to welcome such a competent partner into the family.”
Martin A. Seidl, Austrian Audio CEO and shareholder, further adds, “Kalle first approached me at an industry event where both our brands were participating, and I was thrilled. To be recognised as a strong and influential brand after only four years in the market was such a great honour for Austrian Audio, and me personally.
“It is fantastic to have been selected to join forces with such an experienced and globally renowned partner. I very much look forward to what lies ahead for both brands, which are now in a great position to serve the professional audio industry with passionate innovations.”
Representatives from both companies will be available during the NAMM Show this January to discuss their partnership, with DPA Microphones located at Booth 18206 and Austrian Audio at Booth 16102.
The post DPA Microphones acquires Austrian Audio to develop “a broader product range for discerning sound engineers” appeared first on MusicTech.

RME: DigiCheck update & Windows ARM drivers In addition to a DigiCheck NG update, RME have revealed that all of their interfaces are now compatible with ARM64-based Windows 11 machines.

LA Fire resources for Musicians, Music Professionals [UPDATING]A continuously updated a list of LA Fire resources for musicians and music professionals.
The post LA Fire resources for Musicians, Music Professionals [UPDATING] appeared first on Hypebot.

How To Master the Spotify Algorithm to Reach More ListenersUnlock the secrets that boost Spotify streams to reach a larger audience. This quick video guide covers how to master the Spotify algorithm using playlisting, audience targeting, and smart metadata optimization.
The post How To Master the Spotify Algorithm to Reach More Listeners appeared first on Hypebot.

UK government plans to crack down on ticket touts with potential cap on resale pricesThe UK government is planning to tackle ticket touts by potentially introducing a price cap on resale websites.
The plans follow comments from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who back in September  confirmed that the government would be consulting on the future of the law in regards to dynamic pricing, which caused mass frustration following the soaring costs of tickets for Oasis’ reunion tour. A large number of tickets were then also listed on resale sites for thousands of pounds.

READ MORE: What to expect at NAMM 2025

Now, culture secretary Lisa Nandy has launched a consultation that she says will end the “misery” of fans being exploited by touts. As reported by The Guardian, this consultation will consider capping resale prices at a 30 percent uplift, and on limiting the number of tickets that resellers can list to match the maximum they are allowed to buy on the primary market. Ministers will also be looking at the dynamic pricing model.
Government plans are also considering legal obligations for resale platforms, so they are held responsible by trading standards and the competition watchdog for the accuracy of information they provide to buyers. The consultation is now open to members of the public, and will close on 4 April 2025 at 11:59pm.
Nandy comments, “The chance to see your favourite musicians or sports team live is something all of us enjoy and everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets – but for too long fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices.”
DJ Fatboy Slim has also shared his thoughts on the matter, stating that it is “Great to see money being put back into fans’ pockets instead of resellers.”

Research from YouGov shared in October last year revealed that ticket touts are costing UK music fans an extra £145 million annually. The survey, conducted among music fans over the age of 18, found that ‘almost half’ of gig-goers find it difficult to identify a ticket resale platform, and that approximately one in five tickets end up on a resale platform of some sort.
The post UK government plans to crack down on ticket touts with potential cap on resale prices appeared first on MusicTech.

Big Music Business Myth #3: Weird Al’s Spotify Sandwich [Chris Castle]Streaming royalties can leave artists struggling while platforms profit. Weird Al’s Spotify sandwich revealed the unfair truth behind the numbers, writes Chris Castle. Read Parts #1 and #2 of the. Continue reading
The post Big Music Business Myth #3: Weird Al’s Spotify Sandwich [Chris Castle] appeared first on Hypebot.

Thomann is selling a bunch of discounted Behringer gear – here are some of the best dealsThomann has slashed prices on a number of Behringer products to kick off the new year, so if you fancy swiping a budget-friendly synth for even less of the cost, now’s your time to shop.
Following a range of Black Friday deals launched before the festive period, there are now further savings on synths, Eurorack modules, and accessories across the site, including on some of the biggest Behringer launches of the last couple of years.

READ MORE: Behringer’s Phara-o Mini is a synth inspired by “the mystical sounds of ancient Egypt”

Down from £244 is Behringer’s Model 15 semi-modular analogue synthesiser, now priced at £215. This Eurorack-compatible unit has a dual VCO design, and recreates the circuitry of the original Moog Model 15 from the 1970s. You can check it out in action below:
[deals ids=”4RdSNc6xTc3ZY4SnVIPUGi”]

Also greatly reduced is the X32 Rack, now priced at £679 down from £722. Offering 32 channels, the 19” rack mixer also features 16 XLR mic/line inputs, eight Stereo FX returns, and 25 buses. Further deals are also available on Behringer’s monophonic bass synthesiser, the Toro – now £129 instead of £138 – and the eight-voice hybrid synthesiser, Wave. Launched in late 2024, Wave has 49 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys, and two Wavetable generators per voice. It is now reduced down to £489.
[deals ids=”2f3BeQS0zTdODTf3LzfzQp”]
[deals ids=”6HtSmMhcEPUGv84QxmAjUp”]
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Other deals include:

Behringer Radar (now £35 instead of £55)
Dual Noise/Random Voltage Generator 1016 (now £28 instead of £58)
Dual Envelope Generator 1033 (now £45 instead of £48)
Eurorack Go (now £155 instead of £185)

Furthermore, Behringer’s UB-Xa also has a vast saving on offer. Originally priced over £1,000, it’s currently just £719 at Thomann. It is of course the reproduction of the classic OB-Xa from Oberheim, and includes original factory programmes.

In other Behringer news, the brand will be heading back to The NAMM Show this year for the first time in 10 years to showcase “groundbreaking new products”. Founder Uli Behringer will also be present to answer questions and chat with the community.
To shop the full range of Behringer deals, head over to Thomann.
The post Thomann is selling a bunch of discounted Behringer gear – here are some of the best deals appeared first on MusicTech.

Guitar Hive by The Crow Hill Company The latest addition to The Crow Hill Company’s growing sample library and virtual instrument line-up brings combines a vast collection of guitar samples with a whole host of built-in effects modules.

Hit’n’Mix preview RipX Backstage RipX Backstage relies on the same technology that powers Hit’n’Mix's desktop-based DAW, but allows users to interact with a virtual studio with no additional hardware required. 

Here’s what happened in crypto todayNeed to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.

Watch Duty was downloaded 2 million times during this week’s LA firesFire-tracking app Watch Duty has become a crucial source of information for Los Angeles residents threatened by the ongoing wildfires.  As TechCrunch’s Maxwell Zeff explained, the app relies on a network of active and retired firefighters, first responders, official government reports, and volunteer reporters who monitor radio scanners to offer real-time updates on active wildfires. […]
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Gaming Table has Lights, ActionWe couldn’t decide if [‘s] Dungeons and Dragons gaming table was a woodworking project with some electronics or an electronics project with some woodworking. Either way, it looks like a lot of fun.
Some of the features are just for atmosphere. For example, the game master can set mood lighting. Presets can have a particular light configuration for, say, the woods or a cave.
But the table can also be a game changer since the game runner can send private messages to one or more players. Imagine a message saying, “You feel strange and suddenly attack your own team without any warning.”

A series of ESP32 chips makes it possible. The main screen has an IR touch frame, and the players have smaller screens. The main screen shows an HTML interface that lets you set initiatives, send messages, and control the lighting. Each player also has an RFID reader that the players use to log in.
The ESP32 chips use ESP-NOW for simplified networking. Of course, you could just have everyone show up with a laptop and have some web-based communications like that, but the table seems undeniably cool.
Usually, when we see a gaming table, the table itself is the game. If we were building a D&D table, we might consider adding a printer.