MAGIX unveils groundbreaking update with Sequoia 17 Key enhancements in Sequoia 17 involve object-oriented editing, 32-channel surround plus 3D audio, visualisations and metering for different inputs, source-destination cut, live editing workflow, and more...

Techivation launches M-Puncher M-Puncher's unique ability to process attack and sustain components separately allows users to amplify their mix's impact and ambience.

NAMM 2024: Steinberg’s IXO audio interfaces are primed for producers, podcasters and streamersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more information on how this works, see our terms of use.
NAMM 2024: Audio brand Steinberg has announced the IXO12 and IXO22 audio interfaces, along with the IXO Podcast Pack and IXO Recording Pack. The new series is designed for recording artists, podcasters and streamers.
READ MORE: NAMM 2024 recap: All the biggest synth, studio, DJ and software releases
Available in sleek black or white finishes, Steinberg wanted these audio interfaces to be portable, easy to use and, of course, stylish.
The two models offer high-quality recording capabilities at 24-bit/192kHz, with latency-free input monitoring and USB-C connectivity. In short, you should get high-quality and fuss-free recording in “literally any location”, says Steinberg, adding that they are “full, truly mobile production platform[s].”
Steinberg IXO12 in Black and White. Image: Steinberg
Both interfaces feature two inputs and two outputs, but the IXO12 has a combo mic/line input with a Class A microphone preamp and a Hi-Z jack input for guitar or bass. Meanwhile, the IXO22 has two combo mic/line inputs, both with Class A mic preamps and a Hi-Z input.
That means the IXO22 is better suited to people recording with two microphones — such as podcasters with guests, or a producer recording vocals and acoustic guitar at the same time.
Steinberg IXO22 in Black and White. Image: Steinberg
On the front panel of both models is a gain input, +48V phantom power for condenser microphones, plus a headphone output. On the IXO22, you’ll get an independent volume control for the headphone output. The rear side of the IXO12 and IXO22 includes two TRS line outputs and two USB-C sockets — one can be used for computer and mobile connections, the other for a USB-C power source.
Both models have a Loopback feature, which makes routing audio much easier when live streaming so your audience can hear your computer audio as you do.
The IXO Podcast Pack gives you an IXO12 interface, a Steinberg ST-M01 condenser microphone, pop shield, XLR cable, and a tabletop stand.
The IXO Recording Pack gives you an IXO22, the ST-M01 microphone and cable, plus a pair of ST-H01 monitor headphones.
Steinberg IXO Recording Bundle. Image: Steinberg
Steinberg’s IXO series is available now, with the IXO12 at $120/€129 and the IXO22 at $170/€189. The IXO Podcast Pack is $250/€250 and the IXO Recording Pack is $300/€319.
Learn more at Steinberg. 
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Riot Games cuts 530 roles globally as it ‘more tightly integrates esports, music, and entertainment’ with its gamesRiot Games is laying off around 11% of its workforce
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Album Review: "Holy Water" By Millyz (8/10) Create Music Group Inc. 

Producers: Various 

Millyz, an emcee and singer from the mean streets of Boston, MA, has been on his lyrical grind for a while; and has gotten co-signs from notable rappers in the rap game along the way. Laced with metaphors with real life behind his lyrics, Millyz is true to his music. Holy Water is heartfelt and insightful with songs like “Holy Water,” “Last Time,” and “Soul Bleed.” This album features guest appearances from hip-hop personalities like OhGeesy, Fivio Foreign, and Benny the Butcher. The post Album Review: "Holy Water" By Millyz (8/10) first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Rebellions lands $124M to develop its new AI Rebel chip with SamsungRebellions, a South Korean fabless AI chip startup, said today it has closed $124 million (165 billion KRW) in a Series B round of funding to develop its third AI chip, called Rebel. The startup will also use the new capital, oversubscribed with an initial target of $90 million, to ramp up production of its […]
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6 ways to spark musical ideas from COULOU
Trumpet player, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer-songwriter COULOU shares six tips for sparking ideas as a musician.

Riot Games cuts 530 roles globally as it ‘more tightly integrates esports, music, and entertainment’ with its gamesRiot Games is laying off around 11% of its workforce
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Sjoerdvankreel Releases FREE Semi-Modular Firefly Synth For Windows And Linux
Sjoerdvankreel released Firefly, a freeware semi-modular synthesizer plugin for Windows and Linux I’m a big fan of modular and out-there systems when it comes to synthesis. After spending a little time covering InfernalSynth previously, I’m pleased to see there is a follow-up. Now, Firefly isn’t quite up to par with its predecessor in terms of [...]
View post: Sjoerdvankreel Releases FREE Semi-Modular Firefly Synth For Windows And Linux

Todd Moscowitz and Sony Music’s Santa Anna strike deal with hip hop label Trill EntertainmentNew deal comes less than a week after Santa Anna's partnership with and investment in Drake's OVO Sound
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Jupiter-8 replica JT-16 “will come to fruition”, says Behringer, shares prototypeBehringer, after what you might call a brief hiatus in releases from the brand, has shared the first prototype of its JT-16 synth, which bears a striking resemblance to the Roland Jupiter-8.

READ MORE: The 10 biggest music tech releases at NAMM 2024

In a post on social media last week, the German brand revealed a new early version of the JT-16, a polyphonic 16-voice synth. According to Behringer, the synth is in its “early stages” as they look to focus on “debugging and implementing the necessary software”.

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A post shared by Behringer (@behringer)

“After many years,” Behringer wrote on Thursday, “we have finally created the first prototype of our upcoming JT-16, a 16-voice polyphonic synth.
“Our product engineer, Gilles, who is also a synth enthusiast, couldn’t stop playing with it, but we managed to pry it away from him for a moment to capture it on camera.
“Currently, the synth is in its very early stages, and we are now focusing on debugging and implementing the necessary software. We kindly ask for your patience, but we assure you that this beauty will come to fruition.”
Although not specifically referred to as a replica, the synth does bear many resemblances of the legendary Roland Jupiter-8 synth, which was released in 1981 and can cost upwards of $25,000.
Side by side, the JT-16 and the Jupiter-8 share all the same features in the same layout: There are features dual oscillators per voice, the filter section includes high-pass, low-pass, and band-pass options, there are multiple LFOs and envelopes, and loads of modulation options. It also includes a programmable arpeggiator and sequencer with very Roland-esque buttons.
It’s not the only Roland replica to be shared by Behringer recently. On Sunday, it shared another photo to Facebook, this time of the Behringer RD-78, a clear clone of Roland’s 1978-launched RC-78.

When shared our RD-78 yesterday, people proposed different color schemes. What do you think about this idea?#behringer #NAMM2024 #musictribe #synthesizer #drummachine
Posted by Behringer on Sunday, January 28, 2024

With 14 tones and 10 knobs for control, the RD-78 looks to offer authentic sound shaping, accent, balance, tempo adjustments, and track selection. It also replicates the fade in/out function, offers variation options, and includes a complete sequencer with pattern memory.
Read more about more Behringer products in the works.
The post Jupiter-8 replica JT-16 “will come to fruition”, says Behringer, shares prototype appeared first on MusicTech.

Denon’s PerL Pro are just a rebrand of the excellent NuraTrue Pro – with one crucial benefit£300/$349, denon.com
Why fix what ain’t broke, right? When Denon acquired Nura in 2023, customers shared concerns about how the merger would impact Nura’s current and future products. Denon, it turns out, isn’t yet overhauling the innovative audio devices by the now-defunct Australian brand. Instead, the hi-fi corp has started recycling previous Nura products by slapping its logo on the awesome NuraTrue Pro, and letting you have ’em pretty much as Nura intended.

READ MORE: NuraTrue Pro review: Your new favourite wireless earbuds?

Denon’s PerL Pro, an exact recreation of the NuraTrue Pro, are a pair of earbuds that you simply have to consider buying. With Nura’s trademark extraordinary sound personalisation (now called Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology), easy operation, lossless audio and an intuitive companion app, these are still some of the best earbuds out there.
Since we reviewed the NuraTrue Pro last year, you can apply everything we said about them to the PerL Pro. We’re not going to spend much time on what’s similar about them. There’s almost no difference beyond the name of the app – now called Denon Headphones — and the logo on the case and earbuds. Otherwise, they are literally identical down to the voice assistant and the reference track the app plays you when setting up your hearing profile. There is one benefit, though, which we’ll get to shortly.
Also, note that the whole point of these earbuds is the personal hearing profile. Rtings.com rated these poorly because “the default sound lacks detail”. But this is a feature, not a fault – the default sound intentionally lacks nuance because the app will apply a custom EQ to make them sound uniquely exciting to you. We’re still convinced that the neutral sound is designed to sound incredibly poor just to emphasise the sound personalisation effect, though.

Oddly, no company other than Nura (Denon) has managed to implement such technology in its headphones — sound personalisation is simply a game-changer. There’s also spatial audio capabilities, which should be expected from new major earbuds in 2024 following the spatial race among streaming services, and it works effectively in the PerL Pro.
Anyway, here are the downsides: Lossless audio is superb to have, but most wireless listening devices don’t have compatible hardware, so it’s wasted on many buyers; they’re expensive at £300 — the same price as the NuraTrue Pro — which already makes them more expensive than earbuds favoured by critics, such as the Sony WF-1000XM5; the ANC isn’t best-in-class but we still find it very effective on transport and walking around outside. Some might take issue with the aesthetics of the earbuds, but we like the design — the case is still bulkier than the likes of the AirPods Pro, but very portable nonetheless.
So not much has changed since our review last year.
But there is one crucial benefit to these having the Denon stamp over Nura: Customer service.
Nura was a small company based in Melbourne, Australia, founded by Dr. Dragan Petrovic, Dr. Luke Campbell, and Kyle Slater. The products, led by the flagship Nuraphone, were award-winning and jaw-dropping. But, by the time the NuraTrue Pro rolled around, we were hearing whispers of poor customer service and maintenance.
Denon PerL Pro
We received several emails from customers who highlighted the poor experience they had with the Nura team after they faced difficulties with their products. We can only assume that the operation was becoming more complex than Nura expected and could handle, resulting in long response times to customers and troubles in getting replacements sent out within a reasonable timeframe. Also, the company’s subscription service has raised a whole host of problems with people demanding returns and refunds.
Denon ain’t no ma and pa brand. The Japanese company has been around since 1947 – 1910 if you count the company before its first mergers — and holds significant weight in the consumer and DJ markets. We bet this will have a positive impact on the rebranded Nura products. Plus, Denon didn’t just buy the Nura branding, it bought a lot of the personnel and engineers from Nura, which suggests a continued high standard of audio expertise.
To clarify, most problems users faced with the NuraTrue Pro were Bluetooth connectivity and range. Although, after around eight months of use, we noticed power and charging failures with the NuraTrue Pro — weirdly, the issue resolved itself after a couple of weeks without use and they’ve been fine ever since. But we’re yet to face any connection issues with either the PerL Pro or the NuraTrue Pro, and the range is pretty reliable.
Denon PerL Pro up close
All things considered, it’s a surprise to see the PerL Pro absent in any ‘best earbuds in 2024’ guides from other publications. The price is probably the main deterrent, but we’d still recommend these to anyone who cares about sound. Multipoint connectivity is excellent, too, as are the customisation options in the app, the microphone for calls, and the battery life.
A year ago, this reviewer said the NuraTrue Pro are his favourite earbuds. With the PerL Pro, this is still true. And I even alternate between the NuraTrue Pro and PerL Pro because, frankly, I just prefer the Nura logo. It really doesn’t matter — they’re still the same excellent earbuds.
Key Features

Personalized sound via Masimo AAT
Lossless and spatial audio
Adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC)
Eight hour battery, 24 with case
aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX Classic, AAC, SBC Bluetooth codecs
Denon headphones companion app
Multipoint connectivity

The post Denon’s PerL Pro are just a rebrand of the excellent NuraTrue Pro – with one crucial benefit appeared first on MusicTech.

“That old-ass piece of gear made our vocals come to life in a way they never had up until then”: Chromeo on the magic of the Eventide H3000Chromeo have credited the Eventide H3000 multi-effects unit for making their vocals “come to life” on their upcoming album Adult Contemporary (arriving 16 February).

READ MORE: NAMM 2024: Suzuki announces OM-108, the first Omnichord in 26 years

Speaking to MusicTech, the Canadian electro-funk duo revealed what it was like working with Storm Queen producer Morgan Geist, whom they’ve enlisted to mix their new record. According to member Dave 1, the combination of Geist’s magical, analogue-loving touch and an openness to experimentation helped the group achieve what he calls “their best-sounding vocals yet”.
“The breakthrough on that was [Eventide’s] H3000 on all my vocals, all the time,” Dave explains.
“In our minds, H3000 equals Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, so we never really went in on it. But Morgan [convinced us]. Half the songs have no reverb on the vocal – more than half! It’s just H3000. That old-ass piece of gear made our vocals come to life in a way they never had up until then.”
“When we first approached Morgan to mix the album,” Dave adds, “we asked ‘How long do you need to mix each song?’ and he was like ‘A week’. A week per song? I was like, ‘We’re not gonna make the deadline’. So he said, send me the songs as you finish them, so we re-jigged our schedule. But that allowed us to finish a song, send it, finish a song, send it. So as the process was evolving, our production process also became more cognisant of what this was gonna sound like.”
“Morgan’s not an engineer, he’s an artist. And I think that’s what all mixing should be, personally,” says P-Thugg.
Released in the late ’80s, the H3000 Ultra-Harmoniser was often known as the ‘holy grail’ of multi-effects units. It quickly became a go-to for guitarists, both in the studio and in their live racks, shaping the iconic guitar sounds of artists like Van Halen and more.
The post “That old-ass piece of gear made our vocals come to life in a way they never had up until then”: Chromeo on the magic of the Eventide H3000 appeared first on MusicTech.

Bandsintown adds Artist Growth Workspace integrationTour dates listed on Bandsintown can now also be seamlessly integrated within the popular Artist Growth Workspace app. Last year, 600,000 registered artists posted more than than 1.5 million shows. Continue reading
The post Bandsintown adds Artist Growth Workspace integration appeared first on Hypebot.

The 10 biggest music tech releases at NAMM 2024Just as we thought the popularity for the NAMM Show – one of the world’s largest music tech trade shows that’s been going since 1901 – was starting to dwindle, 2024’s winter edition swiftly became one of the most exciting yet. Taking place last week in Anaheim, California, brands such as Korg, Yamaha and Suzuki shocked us with a heft of innovative new gear releases, reigniting excitement for what will be another exciting year for new music gear.

READ MORE: NAMM 2024 recap: All the biggest synth, studio, DJ and software releases

The team here at MusicTech were there in person on the show floor to learn more about and to have a play on all of these new pieces of gear. Here’s our list of the top 10 music tech releases that took place at NAMM over the weekend:
The MicroKORG makes a macro return
Image: Korg
There’s not much argument to be had about it: Korg stole the show this year at NAMM. We saw an updated Opsix MKII, new Nu:Tekt additions, a fun new portable record player in the form of the Handy Traxx Play. The new Grandstage X electric piano was a big deal and, of course, there was also the re-issue of the classic PS-3300 synth.
The headline act, however, had to be the genuinely unexpected return of the microKORG, a hugely popular synth/vocoder that was originally launched in 2002. The new microKORG 2 “is not just a new instrument; it’s a new chapter in synth history,” says the brand in a bold statement.
Read more about the microKORG 2.
The first new Omnichord in 26 years arrives
Credit: Suzuki
Ever since Gorillaz’s frontman Damon Albarn revealed that the main body of Clint Eastwood was an unedited preset from the Omnichord, Suzuki’s retro strummable synth has been on the lips of gear nerds worldwide. At NAMM, it made a long-awaited comeback with the release of the new Omnichord OM-108, set to commemorate 70 years of Suzuki Musical Instruments. It has all the character of an old school Omnichord but with new presets for modern genres such as trap and an expanded chord pallet from 84 chords to 108.
Read more about the Omnichord OM-108.
Yamaha goes portable with its SEQTRACK creation station

When Yamaha unveiled its new SEQTRACK, a portable all-in-one creation station, just before NAMM, it looked to be the headliner of the trade show. In many ways, asides from the rehashing of classic popular synths, it did.
Taking inspiration – we think it’s fair to say – from Teenage Engineering’s OP-1, the SEQTRACK is a small unit that packs in a drum machine, a sampler/synth and a modulation station so you can create a whole track in the palm of your hand. No, it’s not a big heavy analogue synth, nor is it a blast from the past. What it could be, however, is a nod towards a future of more portable, accessible music creation.
Read more about the Yamaha SEQTRACK.
AlphaTheta makes a splash with two products for on-the-move DJing
Credit: AlphaTheta
Another juicy takeaway from last week’s NAMM Show is that AlphaTheta, the parent company that owns Pioneer DJ, released two products. It also announced it would be retiring the Pioneer DJ name for future products, simply going with AlphaTheta from here on out. How huge is that?!
With big shoes to fill, it did so in style with its ultra-portable DJ setup, consisting of the Omnis-Duo, a denim blue all-in-one DJ system, and Wave-Eight, a Bluetooth speaker that caters for DJs and works seamlessly with the Omnis-Duo.
Read more about the Omnis-Duo and Wave-Eight.
PWM gives us Mantis, a new synth built with synth legend Chris Huggett
Credit: PWM
British synth maker PWM released the Mantis, a duophonic hybrid-analogue keyboard synthesizer, in collaboration with the late synth pioneer Chris Huggett. Inspired by Huggett’s Wasp and OSCar synths, the Mantis features digital oscillators and an analogue signal path.
It was originally teased at Superbooth, and offers two oscillators and a sub-oscillator per voice, analogue filters, LFOs, envelopes, and modulation routes. Additional features include an arpeggiator, digital effects, USB MIDI control, and a 37-note semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and velocity.
Read more about the PWM Mantis.
Audient reveals ORIA, an audio interface tailored to immersive mixing
Image: Audient
More listeners these days are expecting to be offered the opportunity to listen to their music in spatial audio. Heck, Apple Music even recently said it would pay artists who mixed in spatial audio 10 per cent more in royalties.
That’s why when Audient launched ORIA, an all-in-one interface and monitor controller designed specifically for multi-speaker arrays, it really got us excited. That’s because it gives yet more producers and engineers the tools to mix music in this way and keep up with a growing trend. They can also do so for a lot cheaper now, thanks to ORIA, as it comes in at around $3k.
Read more about the Audient ORIA.
Heritage Audio’s i73 PRO I/O range makes “the golden era of recording available to everyone”
Image: Heritage Audio
Heritage Audio’s new family of audio interfaces, the i73 PRO ONE, i73 PRO 2, and i73 PRO EDGE, really sparked major interest at NAMM, as the brand promised to make “the golden era of recording available to everyone”. How? Each interface features built-in Class A 73-style preamps, which is a first for USB-C interfaces. They give you varying input options and analogue warmth reminiscent of the early 1970s, which is certainly an exciting innovation.
Read more about the Heritage i73 PRO range.
Dubreq’s CPM DS-2 is modulation mayhem
Image: Stylophone
Dubreq launched its updated Theremin recently, which was awesome. We were most interested, though, in the Stylophone CPM DS-2 (CPM meaning ‘compact, portable, modular’).
Key features of this small synth include two analogue oscillators, sub-oscillators, and filters, with pitch linking and hard sync options. The robust LFO section offers 14 waveforms, vintage modulated delay, and eight reverb algorithms. Additional features include built-in speaker, stereo outputs, modular patch points, and Eurorack compatibility.
Read more about the Dubreq CPM DS-2.
Korg takes the Opsix up a level with its MKII model
Credit: Korg
Korg delivered yet another new synth in the form of the Opsix MKII at NAMM. It builds on its predecessor with expanded sound components and 30 high-definition effects. With polyphony increased to 64 voices and a 16-step pattern sequencer, users can create intricate soundscapes.
Read more about the Korg Opsix MKII.
New Finnish brand Supercritical unveils a stunning desktop synth, Redshift 6
Image: Supercritical
Supercritical, a new synth name from Finland, looked to make a scene at NAMM with its beautiful Redshift 6. The synth offers a versatile sound palette, from warm analogue tones to digital cleans and chaotic distortion. Featuring an analogue four-pole state variable filter and modern synth features like modulators, flexible routing, MPE, and DSP effects, Redshift 6 is described as a “Variable Character Synthesizer.”
Read more about the Supercritical Redshift 6.
The post The 10 biggest music tech releases at NAMM 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.