IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Superb for on-the-go producers; not so great for everyone else£510/$560/€560 pair with MEMS measurement mic, ikmultimedia.com
IK Multimedia created the iLoud Micro Monitors in 2016 as a solution for producers who need professional sound in their studio and on the move. The new Micro Monitor Pro slims down your travelling setup even further than its previous non-Pro version while also offering additional features. But are these really the right monitors for you?

READ MORE: AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+ studio monitors prove they are unparalleled

Starting with design, the Pros are slightly larger and heavier than their predecessors, yet they’re still compact for such advanced speakers, weighing just 1.4kg each. They now have an integrated power supply which accounts for some of that weight, but they each require a power cable rather than lugging around an external power supply. It would be nice, of course, if you could power the monitors via battery, but this would significantly increase the size, weight and price.
The speakers can be pole mounted using a screw thread, though you’re probably more likely to use them on a desk or table. Their compact size means you will need to either angle them at your head using their integrated fold-out foot or raise them to a level where they fire at your head while they sit flat. Being small, they remain quite directional so placement and angling are crucial considerations here. IK provides detailed guidelines in the manual on how best to achieve this.
Image: Press
The manual also explains how to use the Pros’ biggest new feature: self-calibration. IK devised the ARC room correction system for adjusting speakers’ output to compensate for the imperfections of any listening space, be it a pro studio or a more acoustically-problematic home studio. The idea is that you can recalibrate for any space you happen to be in, compensating for nearby reflective surfaces and resonant frequencies.
You will need a MEMS microphone — this comes as part of the pair or is available separately, for some reason. The mic connects directly to each speaker and you press and hold the new Calibrate button, having positioned the mic as the manual advises. The speaker plays test tones which the mic captures, storing the resulting calibration on the speaker. The whole process takes just a couple of minutes. This can be further refined with all settings managed using the X-Monitor app for macOS and PC. Communication with X-Monitor is handled by each speaker’s USB-C port, though these only carry this data and not audio.
Despite this software integration, the Micro Monitor Pros are still very much studio-style speakers, with the bulk of their controls first and foremost on-body and as noted, no USB audio. So on the back of each one, you’ll find a volume dial, XLR input, unbalanced RCA input (only one can be used at once) and power controls. This means you’ll need to use an audio interface to transfer audio between your computer and the Micro Monitor Pros.
X-Monitor app. Image: Press
Then there’s the Mode button, which cycles between EQ modes such as Desk (for use on flat surfaces), Flat response and Calibration mode. There are also high- and low-frequency adjustable filters, and an LF extension option to filter frequencies below 50 or 80 Hz if using a subwoofer.
Internally, the crossovers and other components are all DSP-controlled and there’s a Class D bi-amped design with a three-inch cellulose mid-woofer and one-inch silk dome tweeter. They’re front-ported for bass extension and easier placement in small spaces, sharing 50 watts apiece (30 to the low end and 20 to the top).
All of this, with a frequency response of 50 Hz to 20 kHz, the sound these monitors produce is excellent. It’s far richer and more detailed than their compact size would lead you to believe possible, all with plenty of volume in reserve. The low end is rich and tight, the mids feel punchy and the top end sparkles — all the more so post-calibration. Correct positioning is vital, however. Their small size does make them more directional than larger models, but this is not difficult to set up.
Image: Press
The self-calibration is straightforward and makes a real difference to the sound in your particular space. In our home attic studio, with its partly sloped ceilings, we notice a sharpening of the mid-range with calibration on, and a slight lessening of the bass, which usually gets artificially boomy courtesy of nearby walls. Mixing decisions are made far simpler since the frequency response is no longer being affected by the room acoustics.
If you never move your setup, you’re unlikely to calibrate your system often but it’s still a valuable process in any space, from use in home studios or as secondary reference monitors in a larger space. If you do travel and mix or record in different places it’s going to get a lot more use.
USB audio transfer would make a product like this even more portable, though the counterargument is that going via an audio interface provides more flexibility for ins and outs, including headphone outputs, all of which would be sacrificed by using your computer’s main audio path just for the speakers. And since these are ‘Pro’ branded, IK would likely argue that an audio interface is a standard component of most setups anyway.
Image: Press
Adding internal power and the self-calibration feature makes the Micro Monitor Pros more capable and overall more portable than ever before – the extra weight of the power supply is negligible. Calibration for your home studio is valuable and welcome, while for travelling producers it’s a lifesaver.
So who are these monitors for? If you’re on a budget and never use speakers outside your home studio, you can spend less than £500 on compact speakers and still get effective sound. A pair of conventional active monitors would be a more affordable bet in this case. The MM Pros are a relatively niche proposition — while AIAIAI’s Unit 4s are also portable, adding wireless audio for their admittedly higher price of £700, they’re bigger and heavier and don’t have the calibration. They do have a battery power option, however, which the MM Pros don’t.
But for anyone who moves around, the self-calibration of the MM Pros is well worth the extra expense. Correctly positioned and set up, they’re a joy to work on. Whether you’re short on space or mixing in different places, the Micro Monitor Pros offer an awful lot of punch in a portable package.

Key features

Bi-amped, digitally controlled speakers
2 drivers sharing 50W of power
50 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response
Digital self-calibration using MEMS microphone
XLR and RCA input
On-body EQ compensation controls
Angle with foldable foot
Internal power supply
Works with X-Monitor app over USB-C
Weight: 1.4 kg each

The post IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Superb for on-the-go producers; not so great for everyone else appeared first on MusicTech.

Black Friday Specials from EastWest EastWest are offering a substantial discount to those who sign up for a yearly ComposerCloud+ plan during their Black Friday Special Offer. 

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Heritage Audio announces availability of SUCCESSOR, successfully recreating its industry-changing SUCCESSOR outboard predecessor as a plug-inVintage-sounding recording equipment developer Heritage Audio is proud to announce availability of SUCCESSOR — successfully recreating all of its industry-changing SUCCESSOR outboard predecessor’s features as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) workflow-friendly plug-in with welcomed additions — as of October 31…As a British Diode-bridge STEREO BUS COMPRESSOR released to widespread critical acclaim back in 2019, Heritage Audio’s SUCCESSOR readily represented a first in its class, finally allowing creative engineers, musicians, and producers alike to apply colourful, fat, and warm compression to their treasured productions. Prior to its release, only clean and transparent VCA-based processors had been available for performing those duties, and — although adequate for mix bus usage, often — they simply do not possess anything like the energy, mojo, and vitality that Heritage Audio’s SUCCESSOR can clearly offer.Originally conceived for mix bus usage itself, SUCCESSOR subsequently became a popular choice for all aspects of the music and audio production process. Present in thousands of studios worldwide, it has made its way into tracking sessions, on sub-groups and even at the mastering stage, showing that it works well wherever anyone chooses to use it. Top-tier engineers — such as GRAMMY® Award-winning mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge — have happily integrated SUCCESSOR into their setups, drawn to how it lets them feel how their separate tracks interact and blend together in a way that was previously not possible when master bus compression duties are relegated to the mastering stage.Saying all that, though, having received dozens of offers from plug-in developers eager to try and capture SUCCESSOR’s sought-after energy, mojo, and vitality, Heritage Audio admirably opted to take on the challenge itself. Indeed, SUCCESSOR successfully recreates all of its industry-changing outboard predecessor’s features as a DAW workflow-friendly plug-in with welcomed additions — after all, as a newly-designed plug-in, its creator could not resist bringing a little extra to the production table. The new NUKE function, for example, will actually apply an extra 20dB to the front end before compression, so SUCCESSOR is working much harder and, therefore, producing more and more of the desired artefacts and characteristics for which its hardware namesake is renowned. It is fair to say that this can sound incredible — well worth trying on most material, in fact, as the results can surely surprise. And an OUTPUT TRIM control offers an additional +20 (dB) of GAIN MAKEUP right before the output stage to compensate for the extreme compression. Combined, those welcomed additions essentially take the compressor into new sonic territory that benefits from its exaggerated response.Helpfully, Heritage Audio’s goal with its SUCCESSOR plug-in is to create a tool to channel creativity and put the focus firmly back on music production, which is exactly why the vintage-sounding recording equipment developer wants to reach as many users as possible by applying a pricing scheme that is both comprehensive and fair. For instance, all SUCCESSOR hardware owners can complete an online form (https://heritageaudio.com/successor-owners-form/) to redeem a native version of the SUCCESSOR plug-in for free, while that native version of the SUCCESSOR plug-in is also available for free to owners of any i73® PRO family products — offering varying I/O and features as the first ever USB-C audio interfaces with built-in Class A 73-style preamps — from here: https://users.heritageaudio.com. Additionally, a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) version of the SUCCESSOR plug-in will soon be available for those i73® PRO family products via a firmware update. Fortunately for everyone else, a no-nonsense price of €99.00 EUR/$99.00 USD is guaranteed. The post Heritage Audio announces availability of SUCCESSOR, successfully recreating its industry-changing SUCCESSOR outboard predecessor as a plug-in first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Thermoelectric Blaster Flings Ice ProjectilesNerf blasters are fun and all, but flinging foam can get old. Picking it up again, even moreso. This blaster from [Concept Crafted Creations] gets around that annoying problem by shooting ice instead. 
The concept was to build a better water gun with longer range—and what better way to do that than by shooting ice instead? The blaster relies on a PVC air tank for propulsion—one of the most controversial design choices you can make if you read the comments around here. It’s charged by a small air compressor, and dumping the air is handled by a solenoid valve. So far, so simple.
What makes this blaster special is where it gets its ammunition from. The blaster uses a custom CNC-machined block from PCBway to act as a freeze chamber. Water enters an aluminum block, and is cooled by thermoelectric elements. Once the projectile has frozen inside the chamber, it’s stuck in place, so the chamber is then heated by a small heating element. This melts the projectile just enough to allow it to be fired.
It’s a complicated but ingenious way of building an ice blaster. It does pack some real punch, too. It shoots the ice projectiles hard enough to shatter wine glasses. That’s enough to tell us you don’t want to be aiming this thing at your pals in a friendly match of Capture the Flag. Stick to paintballs, perhaps. Video after the break.

Making a Unique Type Of Wind Gauge For Home Assistant UseSometimes, it’s nice to know how windy it is outside. Knowing the direction of the wind can be a plus, too. To that end, [Sebastian Sokołowski] built himself an unusual anemometer—a wind gauge—to feed into his smart home system.
[Sebastian’s] build is able to tell both wind speed and direction—and with no moving parts! Sort of, anyway. That makes the design altogether different from the usual cup type anemometers with wind vanes that you might be used to seeing on home weather stations. [Sebastian] wanted to go a different route—he wanted a sensor that wouldn’t be so subject to physical wear over time.
The build relies on strain gauges. Basically, [Sebastian] 3D printed a sail-like structure that will flex under the influence of the wind. With multiple strain gauges mounted on the structure, it’s possible to determine the strength of the wind making it flex and in what direction. [Sebastian] explains how this is achieved, particularly involving the way the device compensates for typical expansion and contraction due to temperature changes.
It’s a really unique way to measure wind speed and direction; we’d love to learn more about how it performs in terms of precision, accuracy, and longevity—particularly with regards to regular mechanical and ultrasonic designs. We’ll be keeping a close eye on [Sebastian’s] work going forward. Video after the break.

Warner acquires minority stake in India-based live entertainment and ticketing platform SkillBoxSkillBox also runs an artist management arm, LevelHouse
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Amazon confirms employee data stolen after hacker claims MOVEit breachAmazon has confirmed that employee data was compromised after a “security event” at a third-party vendor. In a statement given to TechCrunch on Monday, Amazon spokesperson Adam Montgomery confirmed that employee information had been involved in a data breach. “Amazon and AWS systems remain secure, and we have not experienced a security event. We were […]
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Ikenna Nwagboso, co-founder of Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa, to step downExec to step down from his role effective January 2025
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Fans reacting to Tyler, The Creator’s new album Chromakopia are getting copyright strikes – but he’s working overtime to reverse themFans using music from Tyler, The Creator‘s new album Chromakopia in their social media posts are seeing them muted or removed, and the rapper and producer is working overtime to stop this from happening.
Chromakopia landed on 28 October through Columbia Records, and has since seen a flurry of reaction videos and other content featuring its music posted online. These have been flagged by copyright infringement detection algorithms, and some fans say their accounts have been taken down entirely.

READ MORE: Tyler, the Creator: “I’m always ahead of even myself, so AI will never catch up to me creatively”

But Tyler, The Creator has since told fans that his team is working on getting these copyright strikes lifted. And in an age when artists both large and small rely upon fans on social media to share and circulate their releases, it’s no surprise.
Tyler is the latest in a string of artists to insist their music not be subject to copyright restrictions; Kendrick Lamar and Drake reportedly removed said restrictions from the diss tracks they aimed at each other earlier this year, seemingly aiming to push further virality online.
Why do some artists want copyright restrictions lifted online?
While copyright laws fundamentally exist to protect artists, many were written pre-social media and the internet. Thus, a law that may have been beneficial years ago, might work to damage an artist’s reach in the present day, by preventing fans who aren’t seeking to monetise from promoting a song or album.
In the case of Tyler, The Creator, those playing Chromakopia in their reaction videos are helping to generate publicity for the record and start more conversations about his music. Some may even refer to this kind of promotion as User Generated Content, or UGC – a term commonly associated with brands and marketing, in which social media users create unpaid/unsponsored content about a specific brand, and in turn, promote it.
How things are changing
In today’s world, where platforms like TikTok are changing how we listen to and discover new music, some artists are becoming more flexible in how listeners use and share their music online.
TikTok has licensing deals in place with a number of labels for its library – it even famously feuded with Universal Music, as the label argued for a better deal – so that users can use music from popular artists in their videos. Given how the platform has had a significantly positive impact on the careers of a plethora of artists, labels and musicians would essentially be missing out by not having a deal in place.
Platforms such as Twitch are also introducing similar licensing deals. The platform now allows DJs to use copyright-protected music, with a royalty payment system that reimburses copyright holders. It’s likely that more online platforms will continue to implement systems like this, however it looks unlikely that entire albums will be available to include in any online content. This may mean full album reaction videos may still be subject to removals and restrictions going forwards, unless the artist argues otherwise.
 
Copyright and music – the law
As outlined by PRS For Music, copyright of a musical work begins automatically once a piece of music is created and documented or recorded. In the UK, this is detailed in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. In the UK, copyright lasts for a period of 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author dies.
To use copyright protected music in content online, you need permission from the copyright holder(s). This is referred to as a licensing deal, and will often involve a fee and royalty payments. Copyright laws in music exist to prevent work from being stolen or shared without permission, and also enable financial reimbursement for copyright holders.
What is a copyright strike? How does it work?
For this, we’ll use YouTube as an example. As per Google Support, “If you get a copyright strike for sharing a song in a YouTube video without permission, it means that a copyright owner has submitted a legal copyright removal request for using their copyright-protected content. When a copyright removal request is submitted to us, we review it. If the removal request is valid, we have to remove your video from YouTube to comply with copyright law.”
On YouTube, after three copyright strikes, your channel becomes “subject to termination”. Bear in mind, a copyright removal request is done manually by a copyright holder. However, YouTube also has a system in place known as Content ID. This works a little differently, and is fully automated.
A Content ID claim is “automatically generated when an uploaded video matches another video (or segment of a video) in YouTube’s Content ID system”. Content ID claims can block a video from being viewed, monetise the video by running ads on it (thus sometimes sharing revenue with the uploader), and even track the video’s viewership statistics.
The post Fans reacting to Tyler, The Creator’s new album Chromakopia are getting copyright strikes – but he’s working overtime to reverse them appeared first on MusicTech.

How To Prepare Spotify Artist Accounts For Wrapped: 5 DAYS LEFT!Spotify Wrapped is a rare opportunity for every musician to be part of a global cultural moment regardless of their level of success. The are now just 5 days left to prepare Spotify Artist Accounts for Wrapped 2024.
The post How To Prepare Spotify Artist Accounts For Wrapped: 5 DAYS LEFT! appeared first on Hypebot.

Battle for Control Of The Creator EconomyThe competition for control of the creator economy is intensifying as tech giants build all-encompassing ecosystems designed to lock in creators. Where should creators invest their time and content for long-term success?
The post Battle for Control Of The Creator Economy appeared first on Hypebot.

How to Legally Cover a Song: A Musician’s Guide to CopyrightLearn how to legally cover songs while respecting copyright and protecting your music career. This guide breaks down essential steps every musician needs to take before releasing a cover song.
The post How to Legally Cover a Song: A Musician’s Guide to Copyright appeared first on Hypebot.

Trinnov update Nova room-correction hardware The Trinnov Nova has received a significant software update that introduces a new hardware bypass function alongside a range of improvements and enhancements. 

ADAM Audio H200 headphones are near-perfect for beginners, professionals, and everyone in-between£140 / $150 / €160, adam-audio.com
Known best for its studio monitors, German brand ADAM Audio entered the headphones market in 2019 with its $550 Studio Pro SP-5. Five years on, another closed-back model has been launched with a more competitive price of $150 and, intriguingly, they come with a companion plugin.
It’s a crowded market out there, so how do the new H200s fare alongside go-to competitors such as Beyerdynamic’s DT 770 Pro and Austrian Audio’s Hi-X15?

READ MORE: Sony’s MDR-M1 headphones give ​​a true picture of your mixes and masters

What features do the ADAM Audio H200s have?
ADAM’s headphones have a closed-back construction that makes them ideal for recording sessions as they won’t leak headphone spill into nearby microphones as readily as open-backs. And they’re not too bulky, so also won’t look out of place on your daily commute. They aren’t foldable unfortunately, which affects portability and storage, but they do come with a smart drawstring bag. However, once you have listened to them, you’re likely to want to keep them on and use them for all your listening needs.
The cable is detachable and can connect to the headphones from either side, to suit your dominant hand and particular situation. However, at three metres in length, the provided cable is most suited to recording tasks, where you’re situated a distance away from your desk or audio interface.
Headphone Utility plugin. Image: Press
An accompanying Headphone Utility plugin comes in standard AU and VST formats and is best hosted in the control room section of a DAW (if yours has one) or, better still, using a system-wide solution such as the ever-handy SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba.
The plugin has two main functions. The first is Externalisation, which introduces crossfeed between the left and right channels inside the headphones similar to the way in which we experience music played back on stereo speakers. The left ear hears some sound from the right speaker and vice versa, meaning that panning moves end up appearing less extreme on speakers. Externalisation gives you a far better idea of the differences between how mixes will sound on headphones and speakers, so you can make more informed mixing and mastering decisions without having to have boutique studio monitors in an acoustically treated room.
Second, a voicing switch offers two different frequency response curves – Pure, and the brand’s own Uniform Natural Response (UNR) – which are designed for critical listening and listening for enjoyment, respectively. Incidentally, the Pure curve is modelled on ADAM’s s3V midfield monitors – here, the combination of externalisation and voicing gets you far closer to the sound of a £5000 studio monitor set-up than you would imagine with a $150 pair of headphones.
Image: Press
What are the ADAM Audio H200 headphones like to use?
The H200s clamp tightly to the head, which provides effective isolation when tracking, but too fierce for casual listening. Hopefully this will ease up over time. Memory foam earcups and headband do lend some comfort and make for a tight seal, which in turn leads to a satisfying, beefy bass response (both of these parts are user-replaceable).
The long cable irks me. I wouldn’t dare take these headphones out on the street with the stock cable, and I’m in constant fear of entanglement as my errant toddler wanders past me while catching up on work at the dining table. A 1.5-metre cable would have been just right for the majority of users, however, a generic 2.5mm-to-3.5mm cable will work and not break the bank, even if it doesn’t lock into the headset like the one supplied.
Sonically, there’s a rich bass end and plenty of clarity further up the frequency range, but surprisingly, none of the phasey, cupped phenomenon experienced with other closed-backs. Nor do the H200s have spiky presence peaks built into their voicing. I find them less harsh in the high-mids than the ubiquitous DT 770 Pros (although such a presence peak can be handy for cue mixes), and with a deeper bass extension. And while my daily-driver closed-backs – the Austrian Audio Hi-X15s – require EQ correction due to jagged high-mids, this is not the case with the H200s. You can simply plug them in to track and mix while enjoying supreme sound, whether using the plugin or not.
Digging into Ninajirachi’s Lapland, there’s a tight punch to the kick patterns and distortion-free sub-bass with clear sustain. There’s not much masking in the busy mid-range of the mix, and there’s a truly immersive stereo image.
It’s a similar story with Rush’s seminal Tom Sawyer, abound with glorious, tight drum fills and a revealing mid-range that is neither scooped or forced. For a treat, I switch to the alternative, UNR voicing. Extra-velvety tops and a slight mid-range recess result, but the sound isn’t strikingly different from the default Pure voicing. The H200s are supreme for critical mixing tasks as well as listening for enjoyment.
Working on my own mixes, enabling the Externalisation crossfeed gives me a better sense of how panning decisions will translate to speaker playback. It’s a truly welcome addition, implemented in a no-nonsense, user-friendly way. Sure, plugins such as CanOpener and Realphones are more capable and flexible in simulating loudspeaker listening (Realphones takes this and room simulation to a whole new level), but ADAM’s plugin is lightweight and efficient, free of tantalising options that could potentially distract me from serious work.
Image: Press
Who should buy ADAM Audio H200 headphones?
If you’re not fazed by clamping force, the clumsily-long stock cable, or a lack of foldability, ADAM Audio’s H200s ought to be a serious contender on your studio headphone shortlist. In fact, they sound every bit as pleasing as competing closed-back models priced over $100 more, and have lower levels of measured distortion than just about any other headphones at any price.
This is all without taking into account the extras offered by the plugin. Crossfeed helps you make more reliable mixing decisions away from studio monitors, while voicing changes is an unexpected bonus. All processes are handled in moderation, free of stark differences that would otherwise cause the headphones to lose their impressive inherent sonic signature.
Save for a couple of wonky design decisions, ADAM Audio has a real winner on its hands with the H200s. I’ll be bereft when these leave my desk.

Key features

Closed-back, over-ear headphones
Plugin for crossfeed and voicing options (AU/VST)
40-mm Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) dynamic drivers
2 Hz – 23.5 kHz frequency range
32 Ohms
Memory foam, leatherette-covered earcups
User-replaceable earcups and headband pad
Comes with 3-metre detachable cable, jack adapter and carrying pouch