Read the email Jack Dorsey sent when he cut 931 of Block’s staffBlock just laid off 931 employees. Read the email from its co-founder Jack Dorsey for more details on why.

How to use Splice Mobile
Pop artist and producer Esthy showcases how to use Splice Mobile to arrange sounds and record ideas while you're away from the DAW.

Klamper Audio MixBass 2MixBass 2 by Klamper Audio is a bass processing plugin designed to shape and enhance bass sounds through multiple effect modules, including Reverb, Equalizer, Saturator, and Compressor. The interface... Read More

Bitcoin price has 75% chance of hitting new highs in 2025 — AnalystBitcoin network economist Timothy Peterson maintains his optimistic outlook for BTC (BTC), suggesting that there is a 75% chance that the asset will hit new highs in the next nine months. In a March 25 X post, Peterson highlighted BTC’s current position near the lower bound of its historical range. The analyst emphasized that Bitcoin’s current path aligns with the bottom 25% threshold, giving it majority odds for a positive rally. Bitcoin 10-year seasonality chart. Source: X.comPeterson said, “Here is a 50% chance it will gain 50%+ in the short term.”Peterson’s statements follow an earlier study that found that most of Bitcoin’s annual bullish performance occurred in April and October, which have averaged 12.98% and 21.98%, respectively, over the past decade.Bitcoin monthly returns. Source: CoinGlassRelated: Bitcoin flips ‘macro bullish’ amid first Hash Ribbon buy signal in 8 monthsBitcoin onchain cost basis zone key investors’ levelsIn a recent quicktake post on CryptoQuant, anonymous analyst Crazzyblockk said that the realized price for short-term whales is $91,000, whereas most highly active addresses hold a cost basis between $84,000 and $85,000. Bitcoin short-term whales position. Source: CryptoQuantA dip below the cost basis could trigger selling, making the $84,000 to $85,000 range a critical liquidity zone. The analyst added, “These onchain cost basis levels represent decision zones where market psychology shifts. Traders and investors should closely monitor price reactions in these areas to gauge trend strength and potential reversals.”Related: BlackRock launches Bitcoin ETP in EuropeThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Audiomovers releases new MINIBUS plugin – a “virtual aux cord” for local collaborationAudiomovers has today released the new MINIBUS plugin, a “virtual aux cord” designed to unlock even easier collaboration. MINIBUS enables anyone to transmit and receive lossless multichannel audio to and from the DAW in real time, to any machines on the same network, with no additional hardware or software required.MINIBUS makes it easier than ever for studio visitors to get their DAW audio into a session, regardless of their setup. There’s no need for aux cords or interfaces; anyone can begin collaborating with just computers on the same network. MINIBUS does this by bridging the widely adopted NDI® connectivity standard, which enables multimedia systems to communicate with one another, wired or wirelessly over local networks.Cofounder and Head of Product Igor Maxymenko commented, “We are committed to working to remove the unnecessary barriers to audio workflows and collaboration, speeding up processes so audio professionals can concentrate on being creative and making great work.“With the integration of the supporting NDI transmission plugin MINIBUS into OMNIBUS 3, we’re doing exactly that – further empowering audio professionals to achieve seamless audio routing over networks, including wirelessly, on sessions and in studios.”MINIBUS is available as MINIBUS Lite, which is free (a stereo transmitter plugin), and MINIBUS, which retails for $49.99 (containing a 16-channel transmitter plugin and a 16-channel receiver plugin).Learn more at www.audiomovers.com.

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Mad Zach Returns: Playing soundpacks in 2025After a number of years building up an awesome aritist career, Mad Zach is back on the DJ Techtools YouTube channel this week. In a fresh new video, he explains some of the advantages of using the Midi Fighter Spectra for performing soundpacks live. He also talks through some of the things that make playing […]
The post Mad Zach Returns: Playing soundpacks in 2025 appeared first on DJ TechTools.

ASCAP warns US creative economy ‘will be undermined’ if copyright laws loosened for AI developers"The US can win the AI race without abandoning the strong copyright laws that have fueled creativity and entrepreneurship across the country for decades”
Source

LED Filaments Become Attractive Time PieceThere are a million ways to use LEDs to make a clock. [sjm4306] chose to go a relatively conventional route, making something that approximates a traditional analog timepiece. However, he did it using LED filaments to create a striking and unique design. Thus the name—FilamenTIME!
LED filaments are still relatively new on the scene. They’re basically a bunch of tiny LCDs mounted in a single package to create a single “filament” of light that appears continuous. It’s great if you want to create a bar of light without messing around with populating tons of parts and having to figure out diffusion on your own.
[sjm4306] used them to create glowing bar elements in a clock for telling the time. The outer ring contains 60 filaments for the 60 minutes in an hour, while the inner ring contains 12 filaments to denote the hours themselves. To handle so many LEDs, there are 9 shift registers on board. They’re driven by an ATmega328P which runs the show, with a DS3232MZ real-time clock onboard for keeping time.  As you might imagine, creating such a large circular clock required a large PCB—roughly a square foot in size. It doesn’t come cheap, though [sjm4306] was lucky enough to have sponsorship to cover the build. [sjm4306] is still working on the firmware, and hopes to build a smaller, more compact version, which should cut costs compared to the large single board.
It’s a neat clock, and we’d know, having seen many a timepiece around these parts. Video after the break.

DJ with Apple Music announcement DJ with Apple Music is a new integrated experience that will allow users of leading DJ hardware and software platforms to build and mix sets directly from their Apple Music catalogue.

Output’s new Co-Producer plugin uses AI to curate the perfect samples for your project – all from within your DAWPlugin and virtual instrument purveyor Output has unveiled Output Co-Producer, a plugin designed to help find the perfect samples to compliment your music projects.
Compatible with any DAW, Output Co-Producer uses AI to analyse your track’s harmony and rhythm, serving up the perfect musician-made, royalty-free samples in order to reduce your time spent searching.

READ MORE: The 14 best websites for free music samples in 2024

After being served a selection of samples, producers can audition them in the context of their track, synced to the session’s key and tempo. Users can also refine results with a simple text prompt, or explore sounds similar to any chosen sample.
These samples can then be dragged and dropped from Co-Producer directly into a session – meaning everything is done within the DAW, and users can also drop samples into Output’s Arcade sampler to slice, chop and transform them into playable instruments.

“We built Co-Producer to address the real frustrations of music makers,” says Gregg Lehrman, founder and CEO of Output.
“After talking with thousands of writers and producers, it was clear that endlessly scrolling for samples held back creativity. Artists want sounds that fit their track from the start, with the ability to preview them in context and drag-and-drop directly from within their DAW.”
Lehrman also explains that from the company’s research, producers “don’t like the credits system that many companies have”, so Co-Producer offers unlimited access to all samples for $9.99 per month, with new samples added daily.
Credit: Output
Output also addresses producers’ desire to stay in control of their workflow while tapping into AI algorithms.
“We’re not using AI to generate audio – we’re using it to improve how music makers work,” says Spencer Salazar, Output’s Head of R&D.
“By combining language models, audio analysis, and a scalable engine, we deliver high-quality, musician-made results that are 100% free and clear to use. Today, musicians discover samples they love in 73% of their searches – and with continuous improvements, that number is only going up.”
Co-Producer is available now for $9.99 per month. To celebrate its launch, though, Output is offering existing Arcade subscribers the chance to get it free for 60 days.
For more information, head to Output.
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Infinite Reality buys Napster, plots shift to interactive musicNapster, the platform that triggered the streaming revolution in 1999, has been acquired by Infinite Realty, a digital media and ecommerce company for $207 million.
The post Infinite Reality buys Napster, plots shift to interactive music appeared first on Hypebot.

Join NITO’s Pay Her Respect fair pay for radio play campaignToday would have been Aretha Franklin's birthday and NITO (National Independent Talent Organization) is using the occasion to launch "Pay Her Respect,” a national day of action in support of the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA) which will guaruntee payment for the use of songs on AM/FM radio.
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DJ With Apple Music lets you create sets directly from its catalogue via integration with AlphaTheta, Serato and moreApple has introduced DJ with Apple Music, an “integrated experience” with leading DJ software and hardware platforms, enabling Apple Music subscribers to build and mix sets directly from Apple Music’s catalogue.
The integration sees Apple Music team up with AlphaTheta, Serato, and inMusic’s Engine DJ, Denon DJ, Numark, and RANE DJ, plus Algoriddim’s djay Pro software. The initiative has been set up so that DJs at all levels have easy access to Apple Music’s catalogue, and can create and rehearse their sets on any of these DJ software and hardware platforms.

READ MORE: Apple to introduce new ambient music feature with iOS 18.4

DJ with Apple Music builds upon the success of its DJ Mixes programme, which it announced back in September 2021. In December, Apple Music also launched Apple Music Club, a live global radio station where mixes from “the most important and forward-thinking DJs” are curated together for a never-ending set, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
From today, users can also access a new dedicated DJ with Apple Music category page, spotlighting a series of DJ-friendly editorial playlists, along with new curator pages for each DJ software and hardware platform.
“Apple Music is committed to supporting DJs,” says Stephen Campbell, Global Head of Dance, Electronic & DJ Mixes at Apple Music. “With this latest integration, we’re taking that commitment even further – seamlessly connecting Apple Music with the industry’s leading DJ software and hardware. This innovation brings the full power of Apple Music into the creative workflow, making it easier than ever for DJs to access, play, and discover music in real time.”
“The integration of djay with Apple Music across mobile, desktop and spatial devices opens up a world of creative possibilities for both beginners and seasoned pros,” says Karim Morsy, CEO at Algoriddim. “With instant access to Apple Music’s catalogue of over 100 million songs, DJs can mix anytime, anywhere – transforming the way they discover and play their favourite music. Whether using Automix for a seamless, hands-free experience or crafting their own unique sets with djay’s powerful mixing tools, this integration marks a major milestone in making DJing more accessible than ever.”
“We are thrilled to bring this integration with Apple Music to DJs around the world and in their creative process,” says Yoshinori Kataoka, President and CEO of AlphaTheta. “This marks a significant step forward in making DJing more accessible, and we couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities it opens up.”
“At inMusic, our goal has always been to empower DJs with innovative tools that enhance creativity and performance,” says Morgan Donoghue, VP Marketing, DJ Brands at inMusic. “Integrating Apple Music into our Engine DJ platforms marks a major step forward, giving DJs instant access to a vast library of over 100 million tracks and expertly curated playlists to build and refine their sets with ease. This collaboration ensures DJs at every level can seamlessly discover, play and integrate new music into their creative workflow.”
“Teaming up with Apple Music is a milestone moment for Serato’s artist community, said Young Ly, CEO at Serato. “We are excited to see established and new DJs alike combine their passion and creativity with access to one of the largest streaming catalogs in the world.”
In more Apple news, the tech brand has newly announced that a software update arriving this April will add lossless audio and ultra-low latency to its AirPods Max headphones.
Find out more or try it out now over at DJ with Apple Music. 
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VEMIA’s 60th auction approaches VEMIA’s 60th vintage gear auction is fast approaching, and as always, there’s a vast collection of sought-after instruments and equipment up for grabs.

Audient’s iD48 goes all-out for channel count and routing flexibility£799 / €899 / $999, audient.com
Recently, we’ve seen a flurry of flagships being added to popular USB audio interface lines. These interfaces are loaded with additional monitoring and preamp functions, plus higher input/output counts required by producers who want to track a whole band simultaneously or dabble with analogue outboard gear.

READ MORE: Native Instruments Traktor Z1 MK2 review: A massive upgrade – but does it go far enough?

Focusrite crowned its 4th Gen Scarlett series with the 18i20. SSL complemented its desktop range with the rackmount SSL 18.
Now Audient has joined the party, its new iD48 massively outstripping the channel counts of its siblings, and sporting pro-grade features rarely found on any audio interface. Let’s take a closer look…
Image: Press
What connectivity does the Audient iD48 have?
Although the iD48 comes from the factory configured for desktop use, it has a standard 1U enclosure and so its natural habitat is a rack cabinet. Removing the rubber feet and attaching the included rack lugs takes only a few twiddles of a screwdriver, but I’m nonetheless surprised that it isn’t rack-ready straight from the box.
Connectivity starts in a familiar way, with a set of eight XLR/jack combo sockets for mic or line signals, and a pair of front-mounted jacks for connecting instrument-level signals to the first two channels. The use of rear-facing combo sockets on rack mounting interfaces is a bugbear of mine due to the faff associated with changing between mic and line connections, but iD48 mitigates this in a really convenient way.
This workaround comes in the form of a D-Sub (DB25) input connector that carries eight balanced signal paths when the input path is set to ADC mode in the software. One use of this is to feed line signals directly into a channel’s analogue-to-digital converter (ADC), thereby bypassing the preamp and negating the need to dig around in the back of a rack case. An attractive selling point for those wishing to plumb in their own, boutique mic preamps.
Image: Press
Analogue output connectivity is handled by four rear-panel balanced jacks, two independent stereo headphone jacks located on the front panel, and a second D-Sub connector carrying a further eight line outs. The first pair of jack outputs is intended as a main monitor feed, and the second as alternate monitor outs, but you can route main and alt monitor feeds to any of the unit’s physical outputs.
The D-Subs use the standardised Tascam wiring method, so it’s easy to source compatible looms. Prices can vary hugely depending on supplier and cable/connector quality, so expect to pay anywhere between £50 and £150 per loom to break out to jack or XLR plugs.
Digital connectivity is via two pairs of optical in/out ports, with each pair switchable between stereo S/PDIF and multichannel ADAT modes, and supporting up-to iD48’s maximum 96 kHz sample rate. When operating in ADAT mode, each pair provides eight input and output channels at up to 48 kHz, and four channels at 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz. Wordclock in and out allows easy syncing with any external preamps or converters being used to access iD48’s digital channels.
Image: Press
How does iD48 differ from similar interfaces?
The new interface features the Audient Console Mic Preamp used across the iD range. This uses the exact-same discrete Class-A design as the preamps found in Audient’s ASP8024-HE large format console, the only significant difference being that the iD preamps are modified to function at the lower power levels used within an interface.
These preamps perform wonderfully! Sonic details are captured with exceptional confidence and clarity, and benefit from a soupçon of analogue sizzle. They truly do deliver the ‘console-like’ sound boasted by Audient’s marketing literature. Also, with a 100Hz low cut filter, polarity reverse, -10dB pad and opposing +10dB boost, the preamp can adapt to practically any source.
Another feature of iD48 that stems from Audient’s console-building roots is the provision of balanced insert points that can be engaged on any of the eight preamps. When enabled using Mic Insert mode on inputs, a preamp’s output is sent via the corresponding D-Sub output bus (making the bus unavailable for general output duties) and the results are returned to the ADC via the corresponding D-Sub input bus.
I love the facility of being able to make use of iD48’s excellent preamps whilst also bringing outboard EQs and compressors into the signal path. I’m also impressed with the flexibility of being able to choose the routing/ADC source on a per-channel basis. This flexibility has come at the cost of complexity, and I found keeping track of each channel’s particular configuration, and therefore how each D-Sub-based bus is being used and patched, weighed on the mental workload.
Image: Press
How is the Audient iD48 controlled?
iD48’s front panel is rather austere. Each channel has a gain pot and phantom power switch, along with a small light panel that indicates the status of the channel’s 100 Hz low cut filter, phase reverse, pad and boost switches, which are accessed via the iD mixer software.
The monitor section features a level controller, seven-segment meter, and a cluster of four buttons. Two of these can have monitor control functions assigned to them, with a choice of phase flip, mono, dim and cut. The other two are dedicated to main/alt monitor switching, and engaging the talkback channel. An abundantly handy feature here is that as well as being sourced from any iD48 input, the talkback mic can also be sourced from any other mic connected to the host computer including a laptop’s onboard mic.
Accessing iD48’s full complement of features and settings means turning to the iD software mixer. This provides access to all channel and monitor switches, shows detailed level metering, and allows five different monitor mixes to be created – a main mix and four cue mixes. These can be routed to any of the system’s output buses.
The software follows the tried-and-tested concept used across the whole iD range, but there’s a sense that iD48’s routing flexibility has pushed this concept to its limits. For example, in the manual and on the mixer’s routing setup screens, DAW output options include ‘DAW Analogue’, ‘DAW ADAT’ and ‘DAW THRU’… say what? The manual tries valiantly to demystify all of this, but you need to be wearing your best thinking trousers to make sense of its often turgid explanations and diagrams.
Image: Press
Should I buy the Audient iD48?
Granted, these complexities lessen as one becomes more familiar with the unit, leaving little to be disgruntled by. The maximum sample rate of 96 kHz may pose a problem for some, but I doubt there are many producers who routinely record at higher than this… in fact I’d bet the majority rarely exceed 48 kHz!
At a full £100 less than the closely-competing SSL 18, iD48’s £799 asking price appears extremely competitive. However, the Audient’s unique selling points rely on utilising D-Sub connectors and, with that cost added, the price differential disappears, or could even swing to SSL’s favour. The extra expense brings tangible benefits, though, enabling a feature set that SSL 18 simply can’t match.
In use, I find that the iD48 preamps sound better than those of the SSL 18 (which are themselves impressive), and that there’s little – if any – audible difference in the conversion quality despite SSL 18’s higher A/D and D/A specifications. On the flip side, I find the SSL more pleasant to work with thanks to a front panel that facilitates more direct control, as well as a personal preference for how the SSL 360° mixer software looks and works. There really isn’t much to separate the two units, though.
In theory, given a price differential of around £2,000, there should be a far larger distinction between iD48 and a higher-end multi-in/out interface such as a Universal Audio Apollo x8. Certainly Apollo’s DSP-powered insert processing, which allows UAD plugins to be hosted on every channel, is more flexible and convenient than iD48’s analogue insert points, and of course doesn’t rely on you owning suitable (and often expensive) outboard hardware.
But the most important consideration is sound quality, and here iD48 does not put a foot wrong. So much so that, pitted against the Apollo x8 in a blind listening test, I found it challenging to tell the difference between Apollo and iD48. There are tiny differences that give the game away, if you know what to listen for – Apollo delivers exquisite high-end detail and pinpoint positional accuracy – but iD48 is not far behind at all. Are such tiny differences worth an extra £2K? Well, it’s your money so it’s your call!

Key Features

USB2 audio interface via USB-C
1U rackmount with removable/refittable rack lugs and rubber feet (included)
24-bit / 96 kHz maximum sample depth and rate
Up to 24 input and 32 output channels
8 Audient Console Mic Preamps
12 analogue line outputs
2 stereo headphone outputs
8 switchable balanced insert points
2 optical ins/outs supporting S/PDIF and ADAT S/MUX protocols
Wordclock in/out

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