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Dulcet Voice from The Crow Hill Company Dot Allison Dulcet Voice captures the unique, instrument-like vocal style, combining a range of recorded articulations with a collection of sound-design tools and effects.

This is the absolute best album of all time, according to Apple MusicApple Music recently unveiled its selection of the top 100 albums of all time, with Lauryn Hill’s classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill securing the top spot.
The list, compiled by Apple Music’s team of experts in collaboration with renowned artists like J Balvin, Charli XCX, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as industry professionals, takes listeners on a “journey through the albums that shaped, inspired and fundamentally changed music”.

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The first 10 albums – spots 100 to 91 – were unveiled on 13 May, followed by daily announcements of subsequent selections, accompanied by a new Best 100 microsite and dedicated episodes on Apple Music Radio. The countdown culminated last week (22 May) with a special broadcast revealing the top 10 albums during a radio event.
“Putting this list together was a true labour of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it,” Apple Music’s Zane Lowe says of the project.
“We were tasked with selecting the 100 best – that’s practically mission impossible. But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context.”
According to AP, members from Apple Music’s internal team submitted their personal lists of albums via the company’s voting microsite. The votes were then weighted based on the ranking of each album, with higher-ranked albums receiving more votes.
The list spans a wide range of genres and eras, from contemporary game-changers like Daft Punk’s Discovery to legendary classics like Nirvana’s Nevermind and Abbey Road by The Beatles. Hill, whose 1998 debut record came out top, told Apple Music upon receiving the news: “This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love.”
Aside from her work with The Fugees, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is Lauryn Hill’s only solo studio album to date, but nevertheless helped solidify the New Jersey native as one of the most influential voices in the history of hip-hop. She is credited by many as being an early pioneer of blending rap with melodic singing.

Apple Music, meanwhile, has stressed that the list is purely “editorial” and independent of streaming numbers.
Check out the top 10 albums below:

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill — Lauryn Hill
Thriller — Michael Jackson
Abbey Road — The Beatles
Purple Rain — Prince & The Revolution
Blonde — Frank Ocean
Songs in the Key of Life — Stevie Wonder
good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) — Kendrick Lamar
Back to Black — Amy Winehouse
Nevermind — Nirvana
Lemonade — Beyoncé

And view the full list at Apple Music.
The post This is the absolute best album of all time, according to Apple Music appeared first on MusicTech.

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition: Iconic studio headphones updated for the brand’s centenary$199, beyerdynamic.de
There are some pro audio products that have, over many years, become a part of the landscape, so widely used are they in studios around the world. You could count Yamaha’s iconic NS10 monitors and Shure’s SM58 microphone among these, and also, Beyerdynamic’s DT 770 Pro studio monitor headphones. First introduced way back in 1985, they quickly became a benchmark for general-purpose listening, tough enough to withstand the rigours of everyday use but also reliable and detailed enough to command the confidence of musicians and producers. If you’ve ever worked in a studio there’s a good chance that a pair have graced your ears.

READ MORE: Is Lewitt Connect 2 really the “most user-friendly audio interface” ever made?

Price was always a factor in their popularity too. While it’s possible to spend thousands on headphones, Beyer asks far less for these cans. This Pro X Limited Edition, celebrating a century since the company was founded and bearing a special decal to that effect, costs just $199, with the regular version widely available for around $119. It is, in the grand scheme of things, not a lot of money for such a crucial component of your studio. So can they still cut it all these years later?
The headphones are light in weight at a shade over 300 grams, with comfortable cushioned ear pads and a grip that is secure but not overly tight. With studio ‘phones these factors are even more important than with regular ones since you are likely to be wearing them for much longer periods – hours of tracking, recording or mixing will exacerbate any comfort niggles but these are very pleasant to wear even for long periods. Their closed-back design, essential to prevent bleed during recording, does make them a little warmer to wear than open-backed models but not to any problematic extent.
DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition
One difference from the regular edition is that this limited model has a detachable cable that terminates at one end with a 3.5 mm / 6.3 mm jack (via the bundled adapter) and at the other in a mini XLR that plugs securely into one of the cups. The regular model is hard wired which can be a problem when you suddenly forget yourself and start to move away from the desk, likely yanking the wire free. That can still happen here of course though you now have the freedom to unplug at the headphone end and the wire will be easier to replace should disaster strike. The cable itself is suitably lengthy at 3 metres to cope with the various tasks that might be asked of it in regards to being a bit further away from your interface or desk.
The other big new feature is the newly-developed STELLAR.45 driver system that we previously experienced in earlier Pro X models. This uses a three-layer speaker diaphragm and a new neodymium ring magnet. It’s designed to perform on a variety of devices, recognising the fact that most of us switch fairly frequently between a mixing desk, a portable interface, an iPad, laptop and so on. As such it also has a relatively low impedance of just 48 Ohms and is able to push out plenty of volume even when connected directly to smaller devices like tablets.
There’s a staggering frequency response of 5 Hz – 40 kHz which is significantly wider than the human ear can detect – but also means you can be sure that you are hearing the widest range your ears can manage and that the phones aren’t failing to reproduce anything at the bottom or top ends.
DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition in use during recording
Your experience of these headphones will depend on what you are using them for. They are, first and foremost, studio headphones but as well as tracking instruments they are also intended for general production listening (arranging, editing and so on) as well as other work like making podcasts or playback while editing video. All kinds of creative work, in other words. As such they are designed to give you an accurate picture of your audio and not colour it. In this, they succeed spectacularly. The soundstage is incredible – there’s no fancy spatial audio or digital tricks, it’s all analogue and stereo, and the separation and placement of sounds is superb; far better than you might expect at this price.
The frequency reproduction too is magnificent, with crisply rendered mid and high frequencies and a bass end that’s tight, rich and accurate, and more well defined than some much more expensive phones can manage. It’s in the bass that you’ll notice the difference between working and listening for pleasure. Feeding the phones a flat signal (i.e. no EQ applied), the low end can seem slightly subdued compared to what you might be used to from your wireless earbuds, but this is actually an accurate portrayal of the uncoloured sound. And that’s what you want when tracking, editing and mixing.
DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition in use during music production
Using these phones for pleasure listening to our music library, we find some value in adding a little low end via EQ which helps balance things out a bit, especially as vocals that were very strong in the mid range could otherwise seem to dominate a little at higher volumes. You may disagree – and they still sound excellent with no tweaking – but as always it’s a matter of personal preference. One thing that really strikes you whether you’re listening from an interface or a laptop is the sheer volume they can pump out and that they don’t struggle or distort even when you push them hard.
With more people than ever making music on the move or in small spaces, perhaps at home, a really good pair of comfortable headphones is an absolute must. With their mini XLR plug, rugged build and longer cable, the DT 770 Pro X also fit the bill for more prolonged studio work. They are tremendous workhorse cans that sound superb across any genre you throw at them, provide an accurate sense of what’s really going on in your music and with their excellent frequency and stereo response also make for very enjoyable phones for general listening.
At this price they have always been, and remain, a very easy recommendation and something of a steal.
DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition
Key features

Closed, circumaural design
45 mm STELLAR dynamic transducer
Frequency response of 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Detachable mini XLR to 3.5 mm / 6.3 mm cable
112 dB maximum SPL
48 Ohms impedance
Less than 0.05 % total harmonic distortion
Weight: 305 g
Comes with drawstring carry bag

The post Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition: Iconic studio headphones updated for the brand’s centenary appeared first on MusicTech.

Tom Hanks’ Music Supervisor on the Evolution of Sync LicensingAri is joined by Deva Anderson, an award-winning music supervisor of over 70 films and productions, such as Masters of the Air, Blade Runner 2049, and Band of Brothers.

Judge dismisses Debt Box case, orders SEC to pay $1.8M in feesThe civil lawsuit initially filed by the commission in 2023 ended on May 28, with a judge ordering the SEC to pay attorney and receivership fees.

China’s $47B semiconductor fund puts chip sovereignty front and centerChina has closed a third state-backed investment fund to bolster its semiconductor industry and reduce reliance on other nations, both for using and for manufacturing wafers — prioritizing what is called chip sovereignty. China’s National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, also known simply as ‘the Big Fund,’ had two previous vintages: Big Fund I (2014 […]
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Attend SONA Indie WeekSongwriters of North America are holding their Annual Family Picnic in New York City’s Central Park on Sunday, June 9 to kick off Indie Week and Songwriter Week. From June 10–13, A2IM Indie Week is a three-day conference built around the needs of the independent music community in America. Taking place this year at the InterContinental Hotel in New York City’s Time Square (300 W 44th Street), the event draws labels, agencies, distributors, and digital streaming platforms (DSPs), and provides valuable discussion and networking opportunities. Details at: a2imindieweek.org/about.The post Attend SONA Indie Week first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Universal Music Publishing inks exclusive worldwide deal with China’s Cheerful MusicCheerful Music's catalog includes hits like YI XIAO JIANG HU (KE MU SAN), which has amassed more than 50bn views on Douyin
Source

Play Giant Tetris On Second-Floor WindowSometimes it seems like ideas for projects spring out of nothingness from a serendipitous set of circumstances. [Maarten] found himself in just such a situation, with a combination of his existing Tetris novelty lamp and an awkwardly-sized window on a second-floor apartment, he was gifted with the perfect platform for a giant playable Tetris game built into that window.
To make the giant Tetris game easily playable by people walking by on the street, [Maarten] is building as much of this as possible in the browser. Starting with the controller, he designed a NES-inspired controller in JavaScript that can be used on anything with a touch screen. A simulator display was also built in the browser so he could verify that everything worked without needing the giant display at first. From there it was on to building the actual window-sized Tetris display which is constructed from addressable LEDs arranged in an array that matches the size of the original game.
There were some issues to iron out, as would be expected for a project with this much complexity, but the main thorn in [Maarten]’s side was getting his controller to work in Safari on iPhones. That seems to be mostly settled and there were some other gameplay issues to solve, but the unit is now working in his window and ready to be played by any passers-by, accessed by a conveniently-located QR code. Tetris has been around long enough that there are plenty of unique takes on the game, like this project from 2011 that uses Dance Dance Revolution pads for controllers.

Suno could get sued by the record business. Who’s backing it with $125m?Here, we take a look at Suno’s investors, their philosophies, and the other businesses they’ve put money behind...
Source

Spark Plug Becomes Glass CutterSometimes a hack doesn’t need to be rocket science to be useful. Take for instance [MofigoDIY] using an old spark plug to build a glass cutter.
Sure, going to grab a glass cutter at the hardware store might be easy, but there’s something satisfying about going the DIY route. [MofigoDIY]’s version of this classic hack is a bit more refined than the quick and dirty route of smashing the spark plug alumina and hot gluing it into a tube.
After using a rotary tool to cut off the threads and expose the narrow part of the ceramic, [MofigoDIY] grinds it down to a fine point. This lets the spark plug itself become the handle, so you don’t need any additional parts to make the cutter. Toward the end of the video, a heated wire is used to break a glass jar apart after it was scored which might be of interest even if you already have a glass cutter. Once you’re finished making your glass cutter, make sure you dispose of any chips left over, since ceramic spark plug fragments are considered burglary tools in some areas.
Would you rather just build the glass up additively? How about using a laser cutter to sinter glass or 3D printing fused silica using a polymerized composite precursor?

Universal Audio launch LA-6176 plug-in Combining the sound of their renowned 610 valve preamp with both an 1176 FET and LA-2A compressor, Universal Audio’s latest plug-in offers all of the features of their 6176 Channel Strip and then some! 

“Analogue heaven in a plugin”: Universal Audio introduces the LA-6176 Signature Channel Strip, combining three of its top plugins into oneUniversal Audio has unveiled its new LA-6176 Signature Channel Strip plugin, offering “the best of UA’s 610 tube preamp, LA-2A, and 1176 compressors, combined into a single Unison-enabled plugin”.
Available in both UADx (Native) and UAD-2/Apollo formats, the LA-6176 can add warmth and presence on your vocals, guitars, bass and more. It gets its name from the classic 6176 Tube Channel Strip, used on records by artists including Coldplay, Adele, Pharrell, and more.

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Users can record and mix with “three of the most historically-significant pieces of analogue gear ever made”, with the new plugin set to deliver the smooth harmonics and rich overdrive of a vintage UA 610 tube preamp, the famous punch of the 1176, and the smooth warmth of an LA-2A, with the flip of a switch. You can also record in real time with Apollo interfaces.
Unlike the original UA 6176 hardware unit, the LA-6176 plugin lets users select between fast 1176LN Limiting Amplifier compression, and slower, gentler LA-2A Levelling Amplifier compression, a feature never before found in a UAD plugin that lets music creators ‘tune’ the channel strip to better match the source.
“This is really a ‘what if we just…’ type of plugin,” says Bill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio. “It started out as a 100 percent faithful emulation of our original 6176 Channel Strip in celebration of its 20th anniversary. But our team couldn’t help but add in the LA-2A circuitry that we couldn’t actually fit into our 2U channel strip in the physical world.”
Currently, there is an exclusive introductory price of $99 for the LA-6176 plugin due to UA’s Half Yearly Sale, running from 28 May – 30 June. After this period, it will be priced at $299 MAP.
Find out more over at Universal Audio.
The post “Analogue heaven in a plugin”: Universal Audio introduces the LA-6176 Signature Channel Strip, combining three of its top plugins into one appeared first on MusicTech.

Is Lewitt Connect 2 really the “most user-friendly audio interface” ever made?£169 / €199, lewitt-audio.com 
If you’re just getting started with your studio setup, the last thing you need is equipment with a load of functions you don’t know how to use. Thankfully, Lewitt says its new Connect 2 audio interface is the “most user-friendly audio interface” ever made — that should make things pretty simple, right?

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Lewitt’s first venture into the world of audio interfaces, the Connect 6, was aimed squarely at content creators and streamers. Its blend of input and internal loopback options makes it a perfect match for small-scale video and broadcast production. It can make a decent fist of working in a music studio too, but doing so will waste some of the unit’s talents.
The Connect 2 retains some of the features that make the 6 so attractive to streamers – chiefly internal loopback and stylish design – but its input configuration is clearly geared towards individuals and solo performers. And, it does feel like it could be the “most user-friendly audio interface”, which is great – let’s hug it up. But we’re not aware of any modern interfaces that are particularly user-unfriendly!
Connect 2 in use
How does the Lewitt Connect 2 look and sound?
Connect 2 is small and compact with a slim, low-profile control panel area and a raised bridge accommodating the rear-facing input and output connectors. The interface is USB-2 class compliant, meaning it’s compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS and many flavours of desktop Linux and Android. It can also operate as a standalone preamp and mixer.
Its recording and playback quality do not disappoint. There is a slight loss of detail at the very lowest and highest frequencies when compared to a high-end interface such as a Universal Audio Apollo, which is to be expected with a small and affordable unit like this, but everything is clean and well-balanced with faultless stereo imaging.
Connect 2 input and output connectors
What are the key specifications of the Lewitt Connect 2?
As its name suggests, Connect 2 features just two input channels, the first dedicated to microphones and the second to instrument level inputs such as electric guitar and bass.
Inputs are fed by an XLR and mono jack socket, respectively, and while this is a common enough socket configuration for smaller interfaces, the lack of standard line inputs may be a deal breaker for some. It does, however, speak to the “user-friendly” claim because there’s no ambiguity about what should be connected where!
Outputs are served by a pair of jacks for hooking up to your monitor system, plus a Zero-Ohm headphone amp that can drive an incredibly wide range of headphones from its dual (6.35 mm and 3.5 mm) jack sockets. Although all outputs carry the same master mix signal, both the monitor and headphone buses have independent volume and mute controls.
Connect 2 in use
How do you control the Lewitt Connect 2 interface?
Most configuration tasks can be performed directly from the interface’s slimline control panel. There are no physical buttons or dials here though; rather, there are touch-sensitive spots with raised surrounds and backlit symbols that act as buttons, and a larger circular groove that serves as a data entry dial.
This is all quite intuitive to use: touch the ‘button’ corresponding to the input or output you wish to configure, causing its symbol to light, then manipulate the dial to set a gain/output level value. An LED ring surrounding the dial gives visual feedback on the selected channel’s gain/output level setting and current signal level.
As is common on smaller interfaces, direct monitoring is handled by balancing the direct input signal and the computer playback signal. The Connect 2 lets you choose which inputs are included in the direct signal, which is handy, but we also find that, when monitoring inputs via a DAW, the input signal can be doubled in the monitors (although not the recording).
This issue appears to be related to the loopback bus and the optional macOS Streaming Mode that determines which of the internal “software input” buses carries the loopback signal, and it seems that it will only occur under certain elusive circumstances.
Lewitt’s Connect 2 manual needs to go into a lot more detail about what the macOS Streaming Mode is for, how to use it, and what some of the potential pitfalls are if it’s set incorrectly.
Control Center software
How do you access signal processing on the Lewitt Connect 2?
While the Connect 2 hardware allows access to essential functions, the full suite of features can only be accessed via the Control Center software. Here, you can toggle the low-cut filter and Clipguard system available to each input, the latter preventing overly-hot signals from causing digital clipping that would ruin your recording or stream.
The software also allows the interface’s onboard audio processors (DSP) – unusual in a unit of this size – to be accessed. First is a choice of preamp mode, with a selection of Clean, Warm and Vivid, which is essentially a high-end EQ cut (Warm) or boost (Vivid). This is followed by Denoise, which enables a noise filter, and Comp, which applies a progressive compression to louder signals.
None of these processors can be tweaked or controlled – they are just on or off for each channel – and they can’t rival the basic plugins provided by most DAWs. They can be useful, though, especially for streaming, content creation, video conferencing and such.

Is the Lewitt Connect 2 as user-friendly as the brand claims?
So, what about this “most user-friendly” business? We’ve already mentioned the unambiguous input options, and the simple on/off nature of the onboard processing, but there are a couple of other features aimed at snuggling-up to users, too.
Autogain monitors 10 seconds of incoming signal and then sets an ideal input gain. This can be done on individual inputs or both simultaneously, and we find the resulting gain settings to be just about how we would have set them manually – impressive given that similar tools we’ve seen on other interfaces have tended to leave more headroom than we would have liked.
Taking things a stage further is Autosetup. This presents a series of screens asking about which inputs are being used, what type of mic is connected, and so on, with helpful explanations provided at each stage. Once you’ve worked through the questions the appropriate settings are applied and the Autogain process is triggered.
This really couldn’t be easier, and will be particularly welcome to those who don’t want to get bogged down with audio engineering details that may have nothing to do with what they’re actually doing. In the post-Covid world of working from home and remote meetings, Connect 2 also presents an interesting choice for those who want their audio as clean and clear as possible.
User-friendliness is subjective. If you already know your XLRs from your SPLs and your mind doesn’t turn to exorcising ghosts at the mention of phantom power, then “easy” can be more like “restrictive”. But if you have no interest in the technicalities of audio engineering and just want to get on with creating – whether that be music, videos, YouTube shows, or whatever – then Connect 2 is sure to appeal.

Key features

USB-2 class-compliant audio interface
Supports sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz and 96 kHz
Mic and instrument level inputs
Phantom power on mic input
Low-cut filter and Clipguard on both inputs
Stereo line output
Zero-Ohm headphone amp with 6.35mm / 3.5mm sockets
Clean, Warm and Vivid preamp modes
Onboard audio processing
Touch-sensitive hardware control panel with no moving parts
Lewitt Control Centre software for accessing all features
Includes licences for Steinberg Cubase LE and Cubasis LE

The post Is Lewitt Connect 2 really the “most user-friendly audio interface” ever made? appeared first on MusicTech.