bartFXAudio bartCollisionBoxbartCollisionBox is a free collision-based rhythmic audio effect for Windows. It is inspired by the movement of an object bouncing between surfaces, turning incoming audio into a sequence of impacts and reflections inside a virtual collision space. Each collision can have its own Distance, Pitch, Tone, Volume and Stutter settings. Distance determines the timing between successive collisions, allowing regular patterns, irregular rhythms and evolving sequences to be created. Global controls shape the behaviour and character of the effect, including Box, Box Resonance, filter controls, Attack, Decay, Glide, Threshold and Stutter Rate. From fluid stutters and bouncing echoes to irregular rhythmic patterns, mechanical sequences and experimental sound manipulation. Format: VST3, Windows 64-bit Price: Free. Free to use. Donations are welcome, but never required. The concept, functionality, workflow, parameter design, testing, sound evaluation and creative direction were developed by bartFXAudio. The plugin was built with JUCE 8. The C++ / JUCE software implementation was created with the assistance of AI, used to generate and develop code according to the design, requirements, testing and feedback provided by bartFXAudio. Read More

Saudi Arabia exits China-backed mBridge CBDC project: FTSaudi Arabia has left mBridge, a cross-border CBDC platform that has drawn scrutiny from US policymakers, according to the Financial Times.

Judy Collins at the Ford, Los AngelesWeb: judycollins.com

Players: Judy Collins, vocals, piano; Will Kjeer, piano

In 2016, this writer interviewed folk songbird Judy Collins and wrote that, “Collins performs about 129 shows each year and shows no signs of slowing down. She has a new book coming out next year, and she’s performing at SXSW this year, alongside new musical partner Ari Hest. The fact that she’ll be performing for a younger audience that may not be familiar with her work is exciting to one of folk’s all-time greats.”

Fast-forward a full decade and much of that is still true, though one key detail has changed: Collins is finally showing signs of slowing down. Of course she is—she’s 87 years old. She looks and sounds great, but age catches up with us all eventually. 

You don’t have to take our word for it; Collins’ tour this year was tagged Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour. Whether that means that she’s done with performing live altogether or just the arduous touring cycle remains to be seen. But on a gorgeous Friday in early August, The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, or The Ford for ease, provided the perfect setting to see Collins for potentially the last time.

The venue is stunning. Outdoors but just intimate enough, it’s like catching a show on the grounds of an old European castle. Meanwhile, the sound echoes beautifully off of the hillside. The Hollywood Bowl is across the street and that offers a bigger experience, but there’s something very special about a show at The Ford.

Maybe it was just the setting, or the celebratory mood around the place, but Collins seemed to float onto the stage before taking her place at the front and kicking off her set with her beloved version of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now.” Her voice took a couple of minutes to warm up, but that opening number didn’t suffer. With Collins, it’s all about the feel, the emotion, and the love.

That said, by God can she sing. By the time she pours herself into Joan Baez’s “Diamonds & Rust,” she’s hitting the notes, giving us angelic vibes. Nobody can raise the hairs on the back of your neck quite like Collins when she’s in full flow, and she got there at the Ford. 

Her set weighed in at just 12 songs, though she was on stage for longer than you might think. Even after all these years, Collins appeared to enjoy herself immensely while performing, and she took her time. The grand dame of folk told jokes and got comfortable with an adoring audience, a crowd that was all-in from the start. Hanging on her every word, Collins’ congregation is quite happy to let her do this her way.

An acapella take on Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is followed by two traditional numbers: “Barbara Allen” and “John Riley.” Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” meanwhile, is particularly timely right now.

We got Collins’ own “Spellbound,” before she sat at the piano for her beautiful “The Blizzard.” Still a lovely pianist, Will Kjeer stuck around and watched the show from the side, admiration etched on his face. It was great to see Collins enjoying the ivories.

Collins told us about a crush she used to have on the late, great Leonard Cohen before singing his “Suzanne.” Next came a change of direction, with Collins reciting some poetry from her recent Sometimes It’s Heaven book. 

The show ended with Collins’ impeccable version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” and then a rousing “Amazing Grace” that saw show opener Bruce Cockburn join her on stage. 

The whole night was spine-tingling. Collins radiated warmth throughout, the songs were performed lovingly, and everyone left happy. 

Photo taken at Tanglewood by Hilary Scott, 

The post Judy Collins at the Ford, Los Angeles first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

OpenAI forms math advisory group as its AI resolves more than 100 open problemsThe group won't be given leeway to slow down or redirect OpenAI's ongoing mathematical research.

Trying a New Radial Impeller Design for QuadcoptersEven if the world has already settled on plain old propellers as the way to make quadcopter drones fly, this doesn’t mean that you cannot give other designs a shake to see what kind of flying performance they result in. For example impeller designs that depart radically from standard propellers – themselves a sub-category of axial impellers – and go radically radial instead as in this design by [quadmovr] with accompanying demonstration video.
This is itself a remix of a design by [Baba] to make it fit the target 1750KV T-mount motor. As for whether this is a design that you want to slap on your own quadcopter, the obvious disadvantage is that it’s much heavier than regular propellers.
Weighing [quadmovr]’s drone without battery pack and with these 3D-printed PETG impellers shows them to weigh 189 grams. This compares to 141 grams with the standard three-bladed propellers, or a hefty 12.8 gram weight penalty per impeller. Naturally this translates into less flying time, so what are the advantages?
The noise profile of the impeller design is definitely more pleasant, and much like novice quadcopters with the protective ring around the propellers these impellers should be more robust. On the other hand increased mass adds to inertia, and there is a lot more surface area with the air to add drag, so despite the absolutely sick moves that [quadmovr] pulls off with both impeller configurations in the video one has to admit that regular three-blade propellers do have the edge here.

Tuboleta owner BeatHub buys out Chile’s BeLive to take 100% of Bogotá’s Movistar ArenaBeLive Entertainment retains 100% control of Colombiana de Escenarios, which runs the venue under a concession.
Source

What is Gain Staging?Gain staging is the practice of optimising signal gain at each stage in the recording process. The goal is to maximise signal strength and quality while minimising unwanted distortion and noise. You’ll typically adjust the signal gain using a Gain knob.
Most stages in a recording chain contain amplifiers; in digital systems, these may be algorithms but should still be considered amplifiers. Whenever an amplifier adjusts the level of a signal, it will introduce some distortion and noise. Good gain staging, then, is all about minimising this distortion and noise when it isn’t wanted, and controlling it where it is wanted.
How do we apply proper gain staging?
The amount of boost (amplification) and reduction (attenuation) applied to a signal is determined by an amplifier’s gain control, but there will usually be a ‘unity gain’ position where no amplification or attenuation is applied. Whenever possible, a gain control should be set in this unity position.
If the signal arriving at an input stage is too strong or weak, it should be attenuated or amplified via the output gain stage of the previous processor/component in the chain. If there’s no previous processor/component, such as when setting up a preamp’s input gain, then go ahead and adjust the gain on the input amp.
Similarly, if the signal arriving at an output stage is too strong or weak, look to remedy this using that same device’s input gain stage. If that gain is set correctly, then go ahead and adjust the output gain stage as needed.
At all points, when adjusting the gain, we are aiming for a strong signal that does not cause digital clipping.
How does gain staging relate to DAW-based recording?
When working in a DAW, any external sounds you capture will arrive via your audio interface’s preamp and AD converters. Even if you’re using an external preamp or channel strip, the signal will still arrive at your interface’s converters sooner or later. However it gets there, it’s crucial to give the converters as strong a signal as possible without causing clipping.
Similarly, when working with sources generated from within the DAW, such as plugin instruments, you should set the instrument’s output level so that its signal is strong but not clipping or overloading. Also, the input signal fed to send effects should be strong, as should its output.
From here, the same rules apply as they do in analogue recording: The only thing you should be using to balance a signal within the overall mix is the channel’s output fader.
 Learn more music technology terms in our Glossary
The post What is Gain Staging? appeared first on MusicTech.

What is phantom power and why do I need it?Phantom power is a power supply required by condenser microphones. The 48 volt DC power is transmitted through the microphone cable from the preamp — it does not impact the audio signal being returned from the mic.
The mic preamps found in most audio interfaces and mixing desks are capable of supplying phantom power. If you’re planning to use a condenser microphone and find that your audio interface doesn’t have phantom power, you should consider changing to an interface or mixing desk that does, or invest in standalone mic preamps and/or channel strips.
Why is phantom power needed?
Condenser mics are sometimes referred to as capacitor mics; this is because of the method they use to convert sound waves into an electrical signal
The capsule in a condenser mic (which is responsible for capturing audio signals) consists of two thin circular metal plates placed very close together.
Sound waves hitting these plates cause the gap between them to fluctuate in sympathy, and this in turn causes fluctuations in the electrical capacitance measured across the plates. This varying capacitance is then converted into the varying voltage of an audio signal. This only works if the plates are charged, hence the need for phantom power.
Is phantom power dangerous?
The maximum current phantom power can supply is 14.1mA. This is a very low current that’s not strong enough to give you a serious electric shock, but you should still treat it with the same caution and respect as you do all other power supplies.
For maximum safety, only engage phantom power when it’s needed, and when the mic cable is connected at both ends. Also, always disengage phantom power before disconnecting the mic cable.
Many of the devices we use in the studio — in particular digital gear such as synths and effect processors — can be badly damaged by 48v arriving at their output connectors. You should take great care to ensure phantom power never makes its way to these devices. The easiest way to do this is to never connect a line signal directly to an XLR mic input; when you have no choice, never use a jack-to-XLR cable and always go via a DI box, as this will block any phantom power from reaching the line device.
Also be aware that interfaces, preamps and similar gear that has combined XLR/jack input sockets have the potential to spill phantom power into the jack portion of the connector. They shouldn’t, but do you want to bet your classic Korg M1 on it? Proceed with caution and, if in doubt, connect via DI boxes.
My mic has its own power supply. Does it still need phantom power?
Some high-end and specialist mics need more than phantom power’s standard 48v, and these always come with their own power supply. When using such a mic, you should not need to engage phantom power on the mic’s input channel.
There’s also a mic design called back-electret that works similarly to a condenser mic, but requires much less power and so can usually be powered by a standard battery – the AKG C1000 is a well-known example. Such mics can also be powered by phantom power, and this is often the better option because, when running from a battery, mic responsiveness can change as the battery’s charge falls.
Learn more music technology terms in our Glossary.
The post What is phantom power and why do I need it? appeared first on MusicTech.

Apple Mac Studio With M5 Max: First Impressions SOS contributer Mark Wherry has been taking one of the latest Mac Studio models for a test drive — here's a look at how it stands up to some common audio tasks. 

“The death of Suno”: Reddit users have turned against Suno after v6 model updateBack in August, Suno got a slap on the wrist for its unlawful AI training practices, with German courts ruling that it had used protected songs without permission. Then, at the start of September, Suno came clean in the US District Court of Massachusetts, admitting in court documents that “audio data was obtained from YouTube for use as training” its software.
As the ongoing legal proceedings unfold, Suno’s latest iteration, v6, aims to “strengthen safeguards” across the industry and “create a healthier” musical ecosystem. Developed in partnership with the likes of Warner Music Group, BMG and Believe, it seems like Suno’s way of addressing the elephant in the room, perhaps by throwing out unlawful datasets and retraining Suno from the ground up… and users aren’t very impressed.

READ MORE: ElevenLabs strikes first deal with a major label to launch AI-powered music platform and audio products

Taking to Reddit, one unhappy Suno user brands the latest update as “the death of Suno”, calling it “unusable” with poor quality tracks. “Every song comes out flat, the voices are muddy, the sound is abysmal,” the user writes. “[Suno] claims we can still use the 5.5 voices – not true – they sound nothing like in v5.5. The songs come out so bad [that] I won’t be able to use Suno at all.”
Words like “muddy” and “muffled” crops up time and time again across r/SunoAI. One satirical parody post even ‘leaks’ the next update, which will involve “muffle maker” software to capture the same quality as v6. “If you accidentally create something that sounds good, you can use it to bring the sound quality down to the classic v6 level,” the fake ‘update leak’ reads.
save this before it gets deleted! new suno update leaked!! byu/RefrigeratorOpen2655 inSunoAI

The post even namedrops a number of companies suing Suno over its alleged copyright infringement. “[The new update comes with] your own personal representatives,” the post reads. “After Suno’s latest settlement, representatives from Sony, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group will watch your screen live whenever you start writing a prompt. if they see anything they don’t approve of, your account will be suspended.”
Many posters seem to scowl at any mention of the lawsuits at hand. When one user mourns how “awful” v6 is, noting with annoyance that Suno has even removed some of its “best models”, 4.5+ and 5, a commenter notes: “it’s called complying to a lawsuit”. It’s a reminder that has users branding the companies as “dickheads”, while also dog-pile downvoting any attempts to explain that training on content without permission is “still theft”.
No matter how many years of loyalty users seem to have under their belt, there seems to be a unanimous sentiment: v6 isn’t up to scratch. However, as users debate jumping ship and cancelling their subscriptions, as least the companies pursuing lawsuits are happy… right?
Not quite. According to Variety, as of 18 September, Sony and Universal Music Group have filed a new 45-page lawsuit. It comes as yet another lawsuit against Suno, with the labels first pursuing legal action over Suno’s “unimaginable scales” of copyright infringement in 2024.
The new lawsuit alleges that Suno’s latest model, the infamously “unusable” and “muddy” v6, still infringes on copyrighted work across Sony and UMG’s catalogue. The companies argue that v6, if v6 was trained on its previous models or any of Suno’s previous output, then it would still be utilising Sony and UMG’s copyrighted works – as training off of copyright infringing content may dilute the source material, but it was still created unlawfully.
“Training a ‘new’ model on the outputs of an infringing model does not eliminate the infringement; it launders it,” the labels claim [via Variety]. “V6 is not a fresh start; it is the fruit of the same poisoned tree.”
So, with users and the industry still unsatisfied, Suno is between a rock and a hard place here. It begs the question: what does the future hold for Suno and generative AI in music?
The post “The death of Suno”: Reddit users have turned against Suno after v6 model update appeared first on MusicTech.

Get NOS Audio Little Lush Halls reverb FREE for a limited time
NOS Audio’s Little Lush Halls reverb plugin is free at JRR Shop with coupon code subscribersonly. The plugin normally costs $29, although JRR currently lists it for $20 before the coupon. Add it to your cart, enter subscribersonly in the Discount Codes box, and the total drops to $0.00. I verified that the code works. [...]
View post: Get NOS Audio Little Lush Halls reverb FREE for a limited time

Distance Simulator by 194dB Audio is FREE for a limited time
Developer 194dB Audio has made its Distance Simulator plugin for macOS and Windows free for a limited time. Distance Simulator is an easy-to-use plugin that does exactly what the name suggests; it simulates distance. More specifically, it recreates the tonal balance of a faraway sound more realistically than simply turning the volume down. Distance Simulator [...]
View post: Distance Simulator by 194dB Audio is FREE for a limited time

SoundGhost release Orbit SoundGhost’s latest plug-in takes an interesting approach to auto-panning, dividing incoming signals into three frequency bands that each come equipped with their own set of modulation tools. 

Sendy Audio’s Apollo Pro offers class, comfort and smooth tones£449 / $449 / €499, sendyaudio.com
The Sendy Audio name seems to be popping up more and more recently. The Chinese brand is busy building a reputation for producing comfortable and head-turning planar magnetic headphones, having really gained traction on forums and YouTube channels in 2025 with its V2 Peacock model. Since then, Steven Slate Audio has selected a modified version of the brand’s AIVA 2 headphones for use in its VSX Immersion One virtual monitoring system, and we also covered the £799 Egret model in a recent review.

READ MORE: Sendy Audio Egret headphones are serious planars that happen to look the part

Sendy’s latest release—the Apollo Pro—offers a combination of precise planar magnetic technology, style, and all-day comfort at a sub-£500 asking price, and I’m surprised at how much I’ve warmed to these beautiful headphones during my multiple weeks of testing. Their light weight and soft voicing make them highly suited to all-day use, but there is a slight catch.
Image: Press
Sendy Apollo Pro: What’s in the box, and are they comfortable?
The Apollo Pros are every bit as stylish as the more expensive Sendy models, featuring striking zebrawood ear cups and an attractive, swirly metal outer mesh. I actually prefer the look of these to the more understated Egret. Placed on the head, the Apollo Pro’s soft, velvety ear pads and lambs leather headband ensure an extremely comfortable fit, and I find the clamping force extremely light in comparison to the HifiMan Sundara. And putting on my glasses to avoid squinting at the computer monitor does nothing to diminish the supreme level of comfort – unlike my HifiMans. The Apollo Pros don’t feel heavy either, so I’m happy so far.
A high-quality braided, balanced cable is included in the box. It’s composed of a mixture of silver- and gold-plated copper strands and is a definite bonus considering the price. The cable connects to both ear cups, and on the other end is a 4.4 mm balanced jack for plugging into headphone amps, but there are also adapters to get you to 3.5mm and 6.35mm. You also get a leather-effect, zipped carry case too, along with a separate hemp pouch for the cable – both great for protecting your investment when you’re on the go.
Image: Press
Sendy Apollo Pro: How’s the sound?
I pair the Sendys with a Topping DX1 ii for listening, to enjoy extra headroom and level over my MacBook’s onboard headphone amp. The sound opens up nicely, appearing a touch more refined in transient detail than on the Mac. I also lap up the extra volume level that comes from using a balanced cable – particularly useful when you have an EQ profile running, and you’ve lost level after having to attenuate the EQ’s preamp gain to compensate.
When I first strap the Apollo Pro to my head, I’m really surprised by the treble presentation as it’s relatively muted to my ears compared to the HifiMan Sundara planars I’m used to. Flicking through reference tracks, I gradually become more accustomed to the sound, but there’s still something a little lacking at the very top. For example, on Louis Tomlinson’s Imposter, hi-hats lack bite and vocals almost sound like they’ve been de-essed too far. But when I relent and decide to switch back to the Sundaras, the HifiMan treble sounds too glassy and forced to be truly comfortable – although the Apollo Pro’s treble is slightly muted to my ears, I’d definitely need to take more regular rest breaks with the voicing of the Sundaras.
In comparison to the highs, the Apollo Pro’s mid-range seems ultra bold. An advocate of a Harman listening curve—where bass and treble boosts leave the mid-range recessed—I find this bearable in commercial reference tracks, but too brutally honest in my own mixes, which have loads of acoustic instruments sitting in this range. Just as some monitor speakers allow you to focus more heavily on the mid-range to stop tracks masking each other and to tackle annoying resonances, then so too do the Apollo Pros, but it isn’t always pretty.
Bass is tight and punchy, with no whiff of distortion. Ultimately though, I find myself wanting more in the sub-bass region compared to a Harman-tuned response. To edge nearer to my tonal preferences, I quickly dial up a loudness curve—low and high shelf boosts of 2.5 dB—which provides the highs and sub-bass the extra excitement I’m craving, and makes the mids more subdued in comparison. It’s a stark change for the better on evergreen reference Sharpness (Jamie Woon), bringing out vocal air at the top rather than it fighting for space at the top of a congested mid-range, yet highs still manage to retain their smooth quality. Bass lines are also reassuringly full after the tweak, and I now have pretty much everything I demand from a pair of headphones for audio work – technical performance, comfort and sound.
Stereo presentation also benefits from the mids being recessed slightly, becoming extra compelling when listening to filmic reference tracks with lush, stereo-captured strings and the like. I’m totally immersed in the doomed nautical world of Sigur Rós’ Sæglópur, where stereo piano combines with contrasting mono delay taps and glockenspiel, while the hard-panned distorted percussive sounds alternating between ears seem to stretch outside the realm of the headphones.
Image: Press
Should I buy the Sendy Apollo Pro?
The Apollo Pro is a solid buy if you’re in search of a reasonably priced pair of planar magnetics and you enjoy a smoother high-frequency response. Competing planar headphones in a similar price range have the tendency to be voiced with plenty of treble sparkle, and this can become harsh and fatiguing if listening for any extended length of time. There’s none of this here, but the muted highs do take some getting used to, or more ideally, need to be given a leg-up with a touch of EQ. As ever, this is a personal perspective – it’s not unusual to have to EQ headphones to taste, and this pair handles it effortlessly.
Like many planar headphones, the Apollo Pros perform and sound better with a dedicated headphone amp, but this needn’t necessarily be expensive; for example, my affordable Topping DX1 ii offers extremely high-quality conversion with low distortion, a 4.4mm balanced output and onboard EQ.
Post EQ adjustment, I’d have no hesitation in using these as a daily driver for producing, mixing and mastering. And toggling the EQ off reveals a bold mid-range to help focus on anything going wrong in that frequency range.
I find them one of the most enjoyable sets of headphones to wear, at any price. Abundantly comfortable, and cool in both wearing and stylish terms, the Sendy Apollo Pro is a seriously impressive newcomer in the sub-£500 market.
Image: Press
Key features

Open-back planar magnetic headphones
78mm drivers
27 Ohms impedance
93 dB (+/- 3 dB) sensitivity
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 40 kHz
Zebrawood cups with metal mesh outer
Aluminium frame
Breathable velvet ear pads; lamb leather headband
Braided balanced cable with 4.4mm plug (and 3.5mm/6.35mm adapters)
Weight: 354 g
Leather-effect carry case; hemp cable bag

The post Sendy Audio’s Apollo Pro offers class, comfort and smooth tones appeared first on MusicTech.

UMG sues DistroKid for #AI tracks distributed (counted around 70%), new Suno v6 sounds worse than v5.5...this is the current #MusicBusiness