Warm Audio reveal Silver Centavo Warm Audio have released a limited-edition version of their Centavo pedal that sports a new look inspired by Klon's earliest Centaur models. 

Here are 10 free sample packs perfect for Berlin technoAd feature with BandLab Sounds
Techno has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the late 1980s. Characterised by repetitive beats, hypnotic rhythms, and often sparse arrangements, the genre emerged out of Detroit courtesy of the Belleville Three before gaining popularity across Europe, particularly in Berlin thanks to legendary clubs like Tresor and Berghain.
Shaped by pioneers like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, and Juan Atkins, these artists — and many others — have set the standard for techno’s deep, driving grooves and atmospheric textures, but the genre continues to evolve.
Although techno is now a global phenomenon, both Detroit and Berlin remain the meccas of the genre. The latter is known for its darker, more minimal sound — and these free sample packs have everything you need to need to achieve some of that gritty, underground spirit.
Sample This: Dub Techno

Time-based processing is a cornerstone of Berlin techno production, but dub techno is particularly recognisable by its cavernous reverbs and delays, not to mention a healthy dose of analogue flavour. This pack features moody stabs, dirty textures, and snappy drum loops to put you on the right track.
Download Sample This: Dub Techno
Mind Flux: Minimal Techno Drums

A strong rhythm section is the foundation of any great techno track, and these samples from Mind Flux are the perfect toolkit for constructing a beat. What’s more, these minimal grooves have been twisted and warped with some wacky effects for added character.
Download Minimal Techno Drums
Detroit Techno

Back to where it all started, this Detroit techno sample pack is filled with loops and samples straight from the ‘90s. Detroit techno is a little more soulful than its Berlin counterpart, so you’ll find plenty of melodic phrases here alongside Roland-inspired drum loops.
Download Detroit Techno
Patch & Play Lab: Modular Techno

Sound design plays a significant role in techno, and this collection of modular sounds has plenty of distinctive timbres and otherworldly textures to keep your listeners engaged. From metallic scrapes and sinister synth plucks to driving, distorted drums, this pack is a must-have for making Berlin techno.
Download Patch & Play Lab: Modular Techno
Tribal Techno Percussion

Often, techno is about creating a hypnotic rhythm and slowly developing it over time, drawing listeners in with a gradual build-up of energy. With this pack, you’ll get complex, syncopated percussion loops from around the globe, all of which have been spatially treated for even more vibe.
Download Tribal Techno Percussion
Mind Flux: Melodic Techno

Berlin techno may not focus so heavily on melodic components, but that doesn’t mean they’re off limits. With this pack, Mind Flux treats us to 85 synth loops, from textures and drones to grooving bass plucks and rolling arpeggiators.
Download Mind Flux: Melodic Techno
Sample Tools by Cr2: Non-Stop Techno Vol 1

Heavy, pumping drums and distorted synth leads are what you’ll find in Non-Stop Techno Vol 1 from Cr2, the label that’s home to names like Carl Cox and Camelphat. If you’re looking to go beyond the more minimal sounds of Berlin techno, this is a good place to start.
Download Sample Tools by Cr2: Non-Stop Techno Vol 1
Patch & Play Lab: Experimental Techno Risers & FX

Simpler arrangements are a hallmark of many techno tracks, and FX samples like risers and sweeps play a pivotal role in carrying listeners along. Whether you’re building up tension, letting it loose, or simply looking for bells and whistles to add some final polish, Patch & Play Lab has you covered with this collection of 104 loops.
Download Patch & Play Lab: Experimental Techno Risers & FX
Minimal Techno Collection

Still haven’t got your fill of dark, atmospheric timbres? Check out this minimal techno collection spanning punchy drums, bass grooves, and a whole load of distinctive sound effects.
Download Minimal Techno Collection
Rolling Techno

Up the aggression with this pack of rolling techno samples chock full of heavy basslines, punchy kicks, and resonant, growling synth plucks.
Download Rolling Techno
The post Here are 10 free sample packs perfect for Berlin techno appeared first on MusicTech.

These are the best Bluetooth headphones deals this Prime DayPrime Day 2024 is well under way, and the team here at MusicTech are scouring Amazon for the very best deals on music tech gear and consumer audio and electronics.
As usual, the online retail giant is offering killer savings on a whole range of Bluetooth headphones, with both in-ear and over-the-head options available.

READ MORE: UAD Vintage Studio Bundle now available at 94% discount, for just $59

And we’ve compiled a list of the very best savings to be had. Check ‘em out below:
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) – 22% off
Credit: Amazon
With an Apple-designed H2 chip, the hugely popular AirPods Pro push advanced audio performance, with smarter noise cancellation and superior three-dimensional sound and battery life. Sound quality is pristine, with a low-distortion, custom-built driver and amplifier for crisp, clear high notes and deep, rich bass in stunning definition. Get them at a £50 discount right now this Prime Day.
[deals ids=”2uGFEGeEMbfE765kIapu4y”]
Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – 46% off
Credit: Amazon
This is easily one of the standout deals so far from this year’s Prime Day. Sony’s WH-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – usually priced at £350 – are now just £189.99 for a limited time. That’s nearly half off. Available in three colourways – Black, Midnight Blue and Silver – these cans feature quality noise cancellation, supreme sound quality, Speak-to-Chat and even Wearing Detection which powers off the headphones when the user isn’t wearing them. Grab this killer deal right now.
[deals ids=”4LCtmjdpzCcEns2zrMzmWd”]
Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones – 60% off
Credit: Amazon
In another unbelievable saving to be made this Prime Day, you can get a huge 60% off these Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones. Normally priced at £349.95, you can pick these up for a limited time for only £139. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the Beats Studio3 cans feature pure adaptive noise cancelling, real-time audio calibration for a premium listening experience, up to 22 hours of battery life, and efficient charging time; just 10 minutes of charging gives three hours of play time.
[deals ids=”4yIKHIxeWlqwVPUYxUvyTR”]
Apple AirPods Max – 10% off
Credit: Amazon
If you’ve got a bit more budget to play with, why not push the boat out and grab yourself a pair of Apple’s AirPods Max over-ear headphones. Sure, they’re at the pricier end of the spectrum, but like so much audio gear, you get what you pay for. An Apple-designed dynamic driver delivers high-fidelity audio, while active noise cancellation blocks exterior noise. There’s also a Transparency mode for hearing and interacting with the world around you, while spatial audio with dynamic head tracking provides theatre-like surround sound.
[deals ids=”54s603t3HeEPL39fQYwvpF”]
The post These are the best Bluetooth headphones deals this Prime Day appeared first on MusicTech.

Get 10% off Apple’s AirPods Max headphones in this mega Prime Day dealAmazon‘s Prime Day is essentially Christmas for savvy tech lovers in search of a bargain. Among the wealth of deals available, Apple is throwing its hat into the ring; AirPods Max are currently on sale for a fraction of the price.
Apple AirPods Max over-ear headphones are now 10% off. At £449, the deal cuts £50 off of the typical retail price.

READ MORE: Audeze MM-100 headphones: More detail for fewer dollars

Much like typical AirPods, the headphones provide active noise cancellation. The headphones also come with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, for a well-rounded and immersive listening experience. We’re talking about head-tracked, spatially-aware surround sound – meaning the sound moves when you turn your head.
The set even comes with memory foam ear cushions, so users can indulge in a heavy listening session comfortably. The headphones’ battery life is also impressive, offering up to 20 hours of listening time from just one charge.
The AirPods Max deal can be applied to any colour – meaning you can choose any colour that best fits your personality and style. Buyers can opt for Space Gray, Green, Blue, Silver or Pink.
Back in 2021, we rated the headphones a respectable 8/10. The headphones offer a premium listening experience for a premium price – even holding them, you can feel the quality, made with high-grade aluminium and sturdy stainless steel.
Of course, they are designed with the Apple ecosystem in mind. While the earphones can be used on non-Apple devices, there might not be much benefit if you’re not already an Apple user.
Elsewhere, other AirPods have dropped in price. The Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen earphones are currently available for 22% off, at £179.
[deals ids=”54s603t3HeEPL39fQYwvpF”]
The post Get 10% off Apple’s AirPods Max headphones in this mega Prime Day deal appeared first on MusicTech.

Toni Roger Fishman 1969 – 2024 Toni Roger Fishman, the founder of renowned microphone manufacturer Telefunken Elektroakustik, sadly passed away on 12 July 2024.

UAD Vintage Studio Bundle now available at 94% discount, for just $59Universal Audio is now running a massive promo on its Vintage Studio Bundle, saving you a whopping $1,037 off its original price of $1,096.
The deal, available exclusively via Plugin Boutique, is available until 11 August. But before you flash your credit cards, let’s take a look at what $59 can get you.

READ MORE: Akai Professional brings stem separation to its standalone MPC hardware

As its name suggests, the UAD Vintage Studio Bundle is a collection of classic audio plugins designed to “infuse your recordings with iconic sounds from music history”. You get the Hitsville Reverb Chambers, Helios Type 69 Preamp and EQ Collection, Oxide Tape Recorder, and Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection.
Hitsville Reverb Chambers
Hitsville Reverb Chambers offers the distinct ambience of the legendary Motown attic reverb chambers. The two reverb chambers built into Hitsville’s attics were essential to Motown’s iconic sound. The plugin, developed “with help from the original Motown engineers who built them”, allows users to place themselves in these legendary spaces.
With easy-to-use controls and dynamic room modelling, you can easily achieve the soaring reverb effects reminiscent of classic tracks by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Supremes.
Helios Type 69 Preamp and EQ Collection
Whether it was housed at Olympic in London, Musicland in Munich, or in the famed Rolling Stones’ mobile studio, Helios Type 69 consoles recorded everyone from Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and more with unmistakable attitude and punch.
Featuring four uniquely voiced low-frequency boost filters, this plugin delivers the punchy, fat analogue tones that shaped the music of rock’s ‘golden age’. It adds classic channel warmth and attitude to your recordings, helping you achieve that coveted vintage sound found on countless classic records. You can also clean up sources like overheads and room mics by switching the Bass band into a fixed 50 Hz low cut mode.
Oxide Tape Recorder
The Oxide Tape Recorder brings the musical, mixable sound of tape to your digital workspace. Developed by the same team behind UA’s industry-leading tape machine plugins, it enhances vocals, guitars, drums, and other tracks with clarity, punch, and warmth characteristic of analogue recordings. Users can choose between two tape speeds (7.5 and 15 IPS) and experience in-the-box recording “through” tape in real-time using Apollo interfaces.
Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection
No discussion of vintage compression is complete without talking about the Fairchild 670 Tube Limiter. Known for their “glow,” Fairchild compressors helped shape the legendary sound of artists like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd. With this plugin, your vocal tracks, drum bus, and entire mix can benefit from the world’s most accurate recreations of these one-of-a-kind tube compressors.
Check out the deal at Plugin Boutique.
The post UAD Vintage Studio Bundle now available at 94% discount, for just $59 appeared first on MusicTech.

Relab announce VSR REV6000 plug-in The latest addition to Relab's plug-in line-up sets its sights on one of the most sought-after reverb processors around.

Favorite Albums of 2024...so farAs we pass the halfway mark, several of our writers wanted to share the records they've gravitated to the most over the past six months. Here are the editors' favorite albums of 2024... so far.

Ether could outperform Bitcoin after spot ETF launch: KaikoAccording to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas, the highly-anticipated Ethereum ETFs could launch in the United States by July 23.

Without Apple Intelligence, iOS 18 beta feels like a TV show that’s waiting for the finaleApple Intelligence features are not available in the developer beta, which is available now.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

The Robb Nash Project Rocks to Inspire with Mojave AudioRobb Nash is a survivor who turned to rock music to give himself another reason to live, and with The Robb Nash Project, he’s dedicated himself to doing the same for others. The immersive stage show has touched the lives of more than 800,000 people with its unique mix of live music, storytelling, and humor, and Nash has used the platform to connect with youth across North America and explore pressing issues of mental health awareness, addiction recovery, and suicidal ideation. As the size and spectacle of the show has grown, Nash and his team have invested heavily in sound reinforcement to deliver an enveloping live concert experience that has studio quality sonics. Mojave Audio microphones have played a major role in achieving this. 

Channeling pain into positivity​Although the success of the Robb Nash Project has been palpable in terms of bookings and audience sizes, Nash says that he feels like he’s achieving the aforementioned significance on a more personal level. This includes making time for cathartic one-on-one conversations with attendees after the show, including youth inspired by his music to perform their own on the stage, and sharing his time and knowledge with students in the classroom. “It really is about re-modeling behavior for them and teaching them that they can channel these feelings that feel insurmountable into something positive — art, music, performance, creativity, all of it,” says Nash. “When you show them that possibility and see it spark something, it’s the most incredible thing.”

“That’s the real fulfillment of all of this, and being able to see that transformation happen either at the show itself or in these smaller interactions is what this work is all about. You can really make a difference with your art, and show others that they can do the same”

“The Robb Nash Project is doing incredible, lifesaving work in a very moving and effective way,” added Wakeman. “We at Mojave Audio are thrilled to be involved in a small way of pushing that mission forward.”

For more information about the Robb Nash Project, visit: robbnash.comThe post The Robb Nash Project Rocks to Inspire with Mojave Audio first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

How the Bell System Was BuiltWe’ve often thought that while going to the moon in the 1960s was audacious, it was just the flashiest of many audacious feats attempted and accomplished in the 20th century. Imagine, for a minute, that the phone system didn’t exist today, and you stood up in front of a corporate board and said, “Let’s run copper wire to every home and business in the world.” They’d probably send you for a psychiatric evaluation. Yet we did just that, and, in the United States, that copper wire was because of the Bell system, which [Brian Potter] describes in a recent post.
The Bell company, regardless of many name changes and divisions, was clearly a very important company. [Brian] points out that in 1917, it was the second-largest company in the United States and continued to grow, eventually employing a whopping 1% of the entire U.S. workforce. That’s what happens when you have a monopoly on a product that is subject to wild demand. In 1900, Bell handled 5 million calls a day. By 1925, that number was over 50 million. In 1975, it was just shy of 500 million. If Wester Electric — just one part of Bell — was its own company, it would have been the 12th largest company in the U.S. during the 1970s.

From a technology point of view, the system was impressive in scale and rate of growth. In 1877, AT&T — the name after a restructuring — had 600 customers. A year later, it had 10,000. By 1881, that number was 100,000, and only 9 U.S. cities with more than 10,000 people lacked a phone exchange. By 1900, the 800,000 telephones in use required 2 million miles of wire!
That 2 million miles of wire had to go somewhere. New York City had hundreds of 90-foot poles, each carrying 300 wires, and people were complaining about the wires being in view. That caused AT&T to go underground. In 1888, a phone cable had 50 pairs of #18 wire. By 1939, #26 wire allowed 2,121 pairs of wires in a single cable.
Remember that the early phone system had no amplifiers. When tubes arrived, this allowed longer distances on smaller wires and radio links to reach the world. Bell’s monopoly allowed them to innovate but also hurt others who wanted to innovate.

Waves Giving Away FREE Electric 200 Piano Plugin in Limited Time Offer
Waves partnered with YouTuber and producer Sanjay C to give away the Electric 200 Piano virtual instrument for free. The plugin is a macOS and Windows release that is available for a limited time only. Sanjay C provided the link to the freebie on his Instagram bio and on YouTube, and you can access the link [...]
View post: Waves Giving Away FREE Electric 200 Piano Plugin in Limited Time Offer

Congratulations to the 2024 Business Card Challenge Winners!When you ask a Hackaday crowd to design a business card, you should expect to be surprised by what you get. But still, we were surprised by the breadth of entries! Our judges wracked their brains to pick their top ten, and then we compared notes, and three projects rose to the top, but honestly the top ten could have all won. It was a tight field. But only three of the entries get to take home the $150 DigiKey gift certificates, so without further ado…

 
Blinkencard – Pocket Altair 8800
[ajlitt] built a full retrocomputer, and a slick looking one to boot, in the size of a business card. Of course, you could run an Altair 8800 emulator on your cell phone, but without the entry buttons and real-live blinkenlights, it just wouldn’t be the same. What our judges loved most about this build was the use of an FPGA and and ESP32, for IO and storage, the reverse-mounted front PCB that doubles as a faceplate, and of course the nice 3DP bezel that hides the bodge wires from view.
BetaBoard – Tiny Particle Physics Lab
So you might have thought someone would put a retrocomputer on a business card, but a working radiation detector was not on our radar. [Tim – DJ8TK]’s entry makes use of not one, but six BPW34 PIN photodiodes, which have the benefit of being well studied in the hacker radiation detection scene. This project took a ton of design work, and our judges thought that the documentation along the way were as good as any physics lecture.
Brushless Motor and Driver Business Card Kit
And speaking of educational business card demos, [Andy Geppert]’s motor driver card not only teaches you how to wind your own coils and make a simple stepper motor, but also how to drive it. While [Andy] admits that the stepper motor design could use a few more poles for smooth operation, he also broke out the coil driver so that you can experiment by driving more professional brushless DC motors if you have them on hand. It’s a great demo, and being in a business card form factor, you can always have one on hand.
Honorable Mentions
As always, we have more awesome projects than we have prizes, so we thought we’d call out some standouts.

Wafer Thin: [Chinchilla Optional] wowed us with this amazing dead-bug style QR code made out of LEDs. You know the card is thin when the LEDs are the thickest part. [erich.styger] contributed these RFID tag cards, beautifully laser-etched and made of 1 mm thick veneer. And bridging the Utility and Wafer Thin categories, [Maave]’s credit-card sized door entry tool needs to be thin if it’s going to work. Get this cut out of thin steel, and you’ll never get locked out again.
Aesthetics: [BLANCHARD Jordan]’s Weather Card is cool on many fronts, but the resulting circuit sculpture combining the solar panel and the e-paper really won over our judges eyes with its understated form-follows-function beauty. On the opposite end of the spectrum, [Will Fox]’s Foxie CardClock 2.0 goes overboard with the color LEDs, and it looks awesome.

Madman Muntz: Earl “Madman” Muntz was famous for cutting corners by removing parts until the thing broke, and we had a couple standout ultra-minimalist entries. [Adam Billingsley]’s CH32V003 Business Card targeted a $1 price tag, and this USB-capable, capacitive-touch card pulls out all the stops to get at least in the ballpark. Amazing. [Lincoln Uehara] cut corners by getting rid of the PCB entirely, and this makes his Back-to-basics paper business card friendly for younger builders too.
Fun and Games: A business card with a working 4×4 tic-tac-toe game? [Esc]’s entry does double duty as a game and PCB design tutorial. Whether or not you should base your choice of a partner on skin resistance alone, [Un Kyu Lee]’s Doctor Love is a hilarious device, and background story. And finally, [Eontronics]’s RetroMedleyCard is an ambitious project to bring game emulation to your wallet. This project is insane, and it’s one to watch!
Utilitarian: Our last category showcases useful cards of all sorts. From [Peter]’s Pi Pico MSP430 Debug Probe and programmable 4th Calculator to [Gangwa Labs]’s reflow hotplate (!), there’s no shortage of function that you can pack into your pockets.

Thanks to Everyone!
As always, we had more awesome entries than we have space to feature. You should go check out all the entries over on Hackaday.io. And thanks again to DigiKey for sponsoring these with prizes.

Disney Music Group strikes deal with AI music startup AudioShake to ‘unlock new listening and fan engagement experiences’ for its catalogDMG to use AudioShake’s stem separation and lyric transcription tech
Source