“No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do”: Behringer hits back at “vapourware” critics following NAMM 2025 announcementEarlier this week, Behringer made headlines after announcing its return to the NAMM show in 2025 after a decade-long absence.
Amidst the celebration, the German manufacturer also took the opportunity to hit back at critics who have labeled it a “vapourware” company — suggesting that it produces more hype than actual products. For context, “Vapourware” is a term that refers to software or hardware that has been advertised but is not yet available or never actually manufactured at all.

READ MORE: Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”

In a new statement, Behringer stressed its prolific output, claiming to be one of the most innovative and affordable manufacturers in the music gear industry. It also revealed plans to launch “another 6 to 8 groundbreaking products” before the end of the year.
“Do you remember the comments some people made not so long ago? They said, ‘Behringer only makes vaporware.’ Well, time has certainly proven otherwise,” states the firm.
“Today, Behringer stands as one of the most prolific manufacturers in the industry. No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do. This year alone, we’ve brought numerous exciting instruments to market, and the best is yet to come.”
“At Behringer, we’re driven by our love for creating exceptional instruments and making them accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or background. This passion fuels everything we do.”
The post continues: “Behringer – the ‘vaporware company’? Maybe. But only if vaporware means delivering more music-making tools than anyone else. Stay tuned. The journey has begun.”

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Speaking of new releases, Behringer recently unveiled the Centaur Overdrive, a $69 overdrive pedal that aims to capture the essence of the legendary Klon Centaur at a fraction of the price.
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VirtualDJ 2025’s new StemSwap Sampler feature lets you capture and interchange stems from different tracks in real-timeVirtualDJ has launched a new version of its flagship software, VirtualDJ 2025, that promises to “revolutionise what DJs can do.”
At the heart of the latest update is a new feature called StemSwap Sampler that allows for instant on-the-fly recording of stem samples, playback with stem replacements, as well as many other improvements. Users can mix the various components of their tracks in real-time (vocals, instruments, kicks, hi-hats, etc), making “on-the-fly remixing easier than ever”.

READ MORE: Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”

For instance, you can sample your choice of stems in real-time from any playing track, and play them over other tracks. The software will automatically mute the corresponding stems on those other tracks, replacing them with your chosen stems. Multiple stems can be captured simultaneously, allowing for creative combinations, such as capturing both the vocals and kick drum.
Image: Atomix VirtualDJ
VirtualDJ 2025 also allows you to lock sampler banks so you won’t accidentally record over samples while you’re having fun with a mix.
“VirtualDJ’s mission has always been to pioneer new technologies that will shape the future of DJing, and help DJs around the world to bring their creativity to the next level,” says Atomix.
“With on-the-fly recording of stem-separated samples, and easy instant playback with stem replacement, the possibilities are endless. Replace the drums with higher-energy ones, reduce a break by keeping the beat going, play creatively with the lyrics, it’s all easy and instant.”
VirtualDJ is free for non-professional use, and the 2025 upgrade comes free of charge for professionals who own a previous license.
Learn more at Virtual DJ.
The post VirtualDJ 2025’s new StemSwap Sampler feature lets you capture and interchange stems from different tracks in real-time appeared first on MusicTech.

Erica Synths launch the Steampipe Erica Synths have announced that the Steampipe, the innovative physical-modelling synthesizer that they unveiled at Superbooth 2023, will be shipping by 17 December 2024.

Get FREE Oxide Tape, Vapor Keys, Nectar Elements, or Rhythm Box With Any Purchase
By making any purchase on Plugin Boutique this December, you can nab yourself a free copy of either UAD’s Oxide Tape Recorder ($149), Karanyi Sounds’ Vapor Keys ($49), Izotope’s Nectar 4 Elements ($49), or Pitch Innovations’ Rhythm Box ($29). All four plugins are macOS and Windows releases, and the December offer will expire on January [...]
View post: Get FREE Oxide Tape, Vapor Keys, Nectar Elements, or Rhythm Box With Any Purchase

Cleerly raises $106M from Insight Partners for AI heart health early detectionAlthough heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, a significant portion of people who experience heart attacks are unaware that they have the underlying condition. Cleerly, a cardiovascular imaging startup, hopes to fix this. By analyzing CT scans of the heart, the company’s AI software aims to identify early stage […]
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Runway-to-Space No More, Reaction Engines Cease TradingIt’s not often that the passing of a medium sized company on an industrial estate on a damp and soggy former airfield in southern England is worthy of a Hackaday mention, but the news of hypersonic propulsion company Reaction Engines ceasing trading a few weeks ago is one of those moments that causes a second look. Their advanced engine technology may have taken decades to reach the point of sustainable testing, but it held the promise of one day delivering true spaceplanes able to take off from a runway and fly to the edge of the atmosphere before continuing to orbit. It seems their demise is due to a failure to secure more funding.
We’ve written about their work more than once in the past, of their hybrid engines and the development of the advanced cooling system required to deliver air to a jet engine working at extreme speeds.  The rights to this tech will no doubt survive the company, and given that its origins lie in a previously canceled British Aerospace project it’s not impossible that it might return. The dream of a short flight from London to Sydney may be on hold for now then.
Writing this from the UK there’s a slight air of sadness about this news, but given that it’s not the first time a British space effort has failed, we should be used to it by now.
Header: Science Museum London / Science and Society Picture Library, CC BY-SA 2.0

The 21 biggest music business deals of 2024: From Irving Azoff to Daddy Yankee, Hipgnosis, and Queen.The year's biggest deals were dominated by private equity, securitization of music assets, and some blockbuster acquisitions by Sony Music
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FLOSS Weekly Episode 812: Firefox and the FutureThis week, Jonathan Bennett and David Ruggles chat with Sylvestre and Brian about Firefox! What’s up in the browser world, what’s coming, and what’s the new feature for Firefox on mobile that has Jonathan so excited? Watch to find out!

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/
https://briangrinstead.com/blog/firefox-webcomponents/
https://browserbench.org/announcements/speedometer3/

Subscribe to catch the show live, and come to Hackaday for the rest of the story!

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Theme music: “Newer Wave” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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Disney Music Group Needs a Digital Sales and Marketing SpecialistThe Sales and Digital Specialist focuses on and supports multiple verticals within the Sales and Digital Department. This includes guiding DMG's efforts in opportunities with voice technology and marketing for smart speakers, handling the editorial placement of music on fitness applications and being the liaison with select digital accounts. They are responsible for the delivery of podcasts produced by DMG to podcast platforms via the corporate distribution agreement, ensuring accurate lyric delivery to DSPs, facilitating UGC sound delivery and claiming, oversight for pertinent Wiki pages, as well as managing pivot pages and QR Codes as needed.Apply via EntertainmentCareers.net.The post Disney Music Group Needs a Digital Sales and Marketing Specialist first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”While one might assume the Apple Vision Pro is marketed squarely towards users who are not visually impaired, CEO Tim Cook says getting feedback from visually impaired users was integral in the design process.
In a new interview with Wired’s Steven Levy, Cook explains how blind music veteran Stevie Wonder had a demo with the Vision Pro, and that his feedback was “key” in designing the headset.

READ MORE: “I did not get a penny back for any of this”: Producer’s studio robbed of $40,000 worth of gear through Peerspace booking

Describing Wonder as a “friend of Apple”, Cook explains: “It’s great to get feedback from Stevie. And of course, his artistry is just unparalleled. He’s so fantastic. But accessibility was always important for us, from designing all of our products. One of the common threads through Apple over time is that we don’t bolt on accessibility at the end of the design process; it’s embedded in the design process. And so getting that feedback was key.”

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Cook is also asked about poor Vision Pro sales, to which he replies: “It’s an early adopter product, for people who want tomorrow’s technology today. Those people are buying it, and the ecosystem is flourishing. The ultimate test for us is the ecosystem. I don’t know if you’re using it very much, but I’m there all the time. I see new apps all the time.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Cook speaks once again on Apple’s desire to ensure accessibility is at the heart of its products. Asked about the company’s AirPods Pro 2, which sport a clinical-grade hearing aid feature, Cook says: “The vast majority of people with hearing issues have not been diagnosed.
“For some people, hearing aids have a stigma, and we can counter that with AirPods. And we can have people diagnose themselves. It’s the democratisation of health.”
The post Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie” appeared first on MusicTech.

Maximizing Spotify Wrapped 2024 to Connect with Fans (even if you missed the deadline)Spotify Wrapped 2024 is finally here and it is not too late for every musician to hop on board this global cultural phenomenon - even if you forgot to update your profile before last week's deadline.
The post Maximizing Spotify Wrapped 2024 to Connect with Fans (even if you missed the deadline) appeared first on Hypebot.

Why Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 20241,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 2024. Kevin Kelly’s "1,000 True Fans" theory is outdated in today’s digital world. Learn how creators must adapt to thrive in the age of streaming and fan-driven content.
The post Why Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 2024 appeared first on Hypebot.

TikTok reveals its top songs of 2024; says that 13 of 16 No.1 hits in the US this year are linked to trends on its platformTikTok has published its Year-End Music Report for 2024. Gata Only by Chilean artists FloyyMenor and Cris Mj was revealed as the platform's top track globally.
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The Resurgence of Record Stores: Exploring the Vinyl RevivalDive into why vinyl has become so popular in the digital age and driven a resurgence of record stores.
The post The Resurgence of Record Stores: Exploring the Vinyl Revival appeared first on Hypebot.

Behringer to attend NAMM for the first time in 10 yearsFancy meeting Uli Behringer? Well, you may be able to do just that in January, as Behringer is heading to The NAMM Show for the first time in 10 years.
NAMM is set to take place on 21-25 January at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Behringer will join brands like Casio, Pioneer DJ, NORD, and a whole lot more in showcasing their next and best products.

READ MORE: Best speakers to buy in 2024: 11 best small studio monitors for any budget

Behringer has not explained why it took a NAMM hiatus, or why it’s now decided to return. Breaking the news in a post on social media, the budget brand states, “Behringer is back at NAMM after 10 years! Don’t miss the chance to meet Uli and the team, and be among the first to experience our groundbreaking new products!”

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So, what new products might we be able to expect at NAMM? Well, Behringer has recently just launched its Centaur Overdrive stompbox, inspired by the iconic and highly sought-after Klon Centaur. Given that NAMM is heavily attended by guitarists and guitar-oriented merchants, this could well make an appearance. In a statement on the pedal, Behringer said it can provide “legendary transparent boost overdrive with huge dynamic range”, and it retails for only $69.

Back in October, it also launched Grind, a hybrid semi-modular synthesiser. With a price tag of $199, the synth was launched as a new addition to Behringer’s Producer series — featuring the Edge, Crave and Spice. It was described as a “jack-of-all-trades synth” that can do anything from “percussion, searing leads to dreamy soundscapes.”

Other recent launches include its 69 VIBE pedal – an emulation of the Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe from Japan which aimed to recreate the sound of the Leslie rotating speaker – and the WAVES tidal modulator and function generator for Eurorack. Given that Behringer is an absolute machine when it comes to the pace of its new launches, perhaps there may even be some unannounced products due to launch at the event too.
Behringer will be at booth 10902 in Hall A. Find out more about NAMM, or check out the full product range from Behringer.
The post Behringer to attend NAMM for the first time in 10 years appeared first on MusicTech.