Hell Yes Loop Lab Ears and EarsEars and Ears is a standalone application for comparing mixes, masters and reference tracks without being misled by loudness. Load up to eight audio files, switch between versions instantly and use Fair Compare to match playback to the quietest loaded file. Louder files are turned down rather than quieter files being boosted, helping remove the common impression that a version sounds better simply because it is louder. Ears and Ears includes LUFS and True Peak readouts, streaming loudness previews, a Focus Loop for comparing the same musical section across multiple versions, waveform navigation, Find Hot Spot and The One marker for identifying the preferred version. It does not master, limit, normalize, export or modify the original audio files. It is a focused listening tool designed to make mix, master and reference comparison faster, clearer and more honest. Main features: • Compare up to eight audio files • Instant switching between versions • Fair Compare loudness matching • LUFS and True Peak readouts • Streaming loudness preview • Focus Loop with Set In and Set Out • Waveform navigation • Find Hot Spot • The One marker • Standalone operation with no DAW required. Supported formats include WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3 and M4A. Available for macOS and Windows. Read More

MUEDsp releases two FREE macOS mastering plugins
Developer MUEDsp has released two free macOS plugins, MUEDsat and MUEDlim. Both plugins are taken from MUEDsp masterchain, a mastering suite that is currently in development. According to the developer Atsushi, each plugin is an actual stage from the master-bus chain used by the developer, pulled out and made free. So basically, these are not [...]
View post: MUEDsp releases two FREE macOS mastering plugins

MAP Audio PAM is a deep pattern-based sampler with an exclusive BPB discount
MAP Audio’s PAM is a pattern-based sampler and drum-synth instrument for macOS and Windows, currently available with an exclusive 15% BPB discount. Use the coupon code BPB15 at checkout to get 15% off PAM until August 15. The regular price is $150, and MAP Audio also offers a rent-to-own option and a 7-day fully functional [...]
View post: MAP Audio PAM is a deep pattern-based sampler with an exclusive BPB discount

Launchkey MK4 88 joins Novation line-up Rounding off the Launchkey MK4 collection, the new arrival pairs a semi-weighted 88-note keybed with the DAW integration, built-in creative tools and intuitive workflow features offered by its 49- and 61-key siblings. 

MIDI Innovations Awards 2026 Now in their sixth year the MIDI Innovations Awards are a joint venture between The MIDI Association, NAMM and Music Hackspace, and serve to shine some light on both commercial and non-commercial products that use MIDI in interesting ways.

Semedo Audio semedo PURESEMEDO PURE Clean. Control. Restore. Semedo PURE is a modern audio plug-in built around one intelligent cleanup engine instead of a rack of separate tools. It listens to the signal, tells the difference between what is getting in the way and what is being buried underneath it, and lets you dial in exactly how much of each to fix - all from one focused workflow. Where a traditional chain forces you to reach for a de-esser, a dynamic EQ, a resonance suppressor and a noise reducer separately, Semedo PURE runs one adaptive engine that reacts to whatever the material actually needs: harsh resonances, sibilance, boxiness, mud, room build-up, background noise or masked detail. You are not switching between five specialised tools - you are pointing one smart engine at the problem and telling it how hard to work. Semedo PURE is made for everyday mixing and mastering. Use it gently for transparent cleanup, or push it harder when a recording needs real correction. WHAT SEMEDO PURE IS FOR. Semedo PURE is built to improve audio that sounds harsh, cloudy, noisy, dull, muddy or unbalanced. Use it when a vocal has painful high frequencies, when drums sound too sharp, when guitars or synths build up harshness, when a bass or low end feels muddy, when a room recording has too much unwanted build-up, or when a full mix needs a cleaner and smoother final polish. It is not only a noise remover and it is not only an EQ. Semedo PURE works more musically: it listens to the signal, reduces the areas that are getting in the way, brings hidden detail back into focus, and lets you balance cleanup and recovery from one simple workflow. MAIN Features. One Engine, Every Kind of Problem Instead of separate tools for separate symptoms, Semedo PURE runs a single content-aware engine across the full spectrum. Whether the issue shows up as a harsh resonance, sibilance, a boxy midrange, low-end mud or a noisy room tone, the same intelligent process finds it and reacts - so the plug-in stays simple even when the material is not. Tame The Tame side focuses on cleanup. It reduces unwanted resonances, noise build-up, harshness, mud and unstable frequency areas. This helps make the sound smoother, cleaner and easier to mix without making it feel lifeless. Recover The Recover side helps bring useful musical detail back into the sound. It can restore presence, clarity and forwardness when important parts of the signal are masked or hidden - useful for vocals, instruments and full mixes that need more definition without simply adding harsh EQ boost. Balance Control The Balance control lets you move between more cleanup and more recovery. Turn it toward Tame when the sound needs more control and reduction of harsh or messy areas. Turn it toward Recover when the sound needs more presence, detail and musical forwardness. Noise and Room Build-Up Reduction Semedo PURE reduces unwanted background build-up, room tone and broadband noise with a soft, gradual response rather than a hard noise gate. This makes it useful on vocals, samples, recordings, instrument tracks and older or imperfect audio. Smooth Preset and Quality Changes Preset changes, quality changes and speed changes transition smoothly, so you can switch settings while working without hearing clicks or jumps. Factory Presets Semedo PURE includes a collection of factory presets to help you start quickly, covering common real-world tasks such as vocal cleanup, instrument control, mix balancing and detail recovery. Modern Visual Feedback The plug-in shows exactly what the engine is doing in real time - a live curve of where it is taming and where it is recovering, laid directly over the input and output spectrum. You do not just hear the change, you can see where it is happening. WHERE TO USE SEMEDO PURE. Vocals Reduce harshness, sibilance, boxiness, nasal tones, room build-up and background noise. Helps vocals sit more clearly in the mix while staying natural. Drums Control sharp cymbals, aggressive hi-hats, harsh snare tones, room resonances and muddy drum bus build-up without losing energy. Bass and Low End Clean up low-end mud, unwanted rumble and frequency build-up that can make a mix feel heavy or unclear. Guitars and Synths Reduce harsh mids, sharp resonances and crowded frequency areas, making layered sounds easier to place in the mix. Samples and Loops Clean old samples, noisy loops and harsh recordings before further processing. Mix Bus Apply gently on the mix bus to smooth harshness and reduce build-up without changing the balance of the mix too aggressively. Mastering Use it when the final track needs more polish, less harshness and better control before release. WHY USE SEMEDO PURE. Semedo PURE is made to save time. Instead of reaching for a different tool every time a new kind of problem shows up, you use one plug-in that recognises the problem and reacts to it - then lets you choose how much to clean up and how much detail to bring back. It is designed to stay musical. The goal is not to strip everything out of the audio, but to reduce what is getting in the way of a professional sound. The result is cleaner audio that still feels like the original performance. Formats AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. Semedo PURE is available as VST3 and AU (Audio Unit) for Windows and macOS, plus a Standalone application on both platforms. Read More

The 2026 Chroma Drive: Our New DJ USB Drive (with no cap to lose)Our new 2026 Chroma Drive for DJs covers both the USB-C and USB-A ends, and comes in five colors.
The post The 2026 Chroma Drive: Our New DJ USB Drive (with no cap to lose) appeared first on DJ TechTools.

Bjango releases FREE Double Freak frequency follower plugin
Bjango has released Double Freak, a free dual oscillator frequency follower plugin for macOS and Windows. Double Freak is one of the several entries I really liked in this year’s KVR Developer Challenge. I will cover a few more challenge entries separately (James also checked some of them out here and here), but this one [...]
View post: Bjango releases FREE Double Freak frequency follower plugin

Gamechanger Audio launch the Plus Pedal II Built around an entirely new engine, the Plus Pedal II introduces an intelligent automatic layering function, advanced performance controls and expanded connectivity, all of which the company say extend its capabilities to a wider range of instruments and performance contexts.

HoRNet Spikes transient shaper plugin is FREE for a limited time
HoRNet Plugins is offering HoRNet Spikes, a transient shaper/processor for macOS and Windows, as a free download for a limited time. The offer ends on July 16, 2026. To get Spikes for free, add them to your cart on the HoRNet website and use the coupon code SPIKESFREE at checkout. The plugin is usually priced [...]
View post: HoRNet Spikes transient shaper plugin is FREE for a limited time

UJAM offers UFX DELAY plugin as a FREE summer sale signup bonus
UJAM is offering UFX DELAY as a free download for anyone who signs up for the company’s summer sale mailing list. To get it for free, you’ll need to visit the signup page and enter your email. I tested the process yesterday, and the email arrived right away. Clicking the button in the email opened [...]
View post: UJAM offers UFX DELAY plugin as a FREE summer sale signup bonus

Avalanche Tones release Chainsaw Suite Avalanche Tones' debut product is an all-in-one plug-in suite that's been created with ultra-heavy modern guitar tones in mind.

Eldoraudio launches Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter for turning guitar recordings into MIDI
Eldoraudio has launched Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter, a browser-based tool that transcribes guitar recordings into standard MIDI files. The new guitar converter joins Eldoraudio’s existing Piano Audio to MIDI Converter. You upload an audio file, set the BPM if needed, and get back a MIDI transcription for editing in your DAW. For anyone who [...]
View post: Eldoraudio launches Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter for turning guitar recordings into MIDI

XNULLX releases five FREE plugins for sound design and sound mangling
Developer XNULLX has released five free donationware plugins covering granular processing, saturation, wavefolding, spectral smear, and beat slicing. I will be honest right away. I like the tools themselves, but I am getting tired of the current wave of AI-generated plugin websites, where everything starts to feel like the same blocks of text in the [...]
View post: XNULLX releases five FREE plugins for sound design and sound mangling

Montagem Phonk FinisherPhonk Finisher is a single-parameter effect plugin. The Amount control drives a signal chain of saturation, a high-frequency tilt, and output limiting, calibrated for the funk automotivo / phonk genre's sonic characteristics (driven low end, bright top end, consistent perceived loudness). The plugin is currently in public beta: builds are functional and tested on both Windows and macOS but are not yet code-signed or notarized, which requires a one-time manual step on first install (documented in the download). Available as VST3 and Audio Unit, plus a standalone application for use without a DAW. Read More