Circle stock price jumps 167% on first day of trading after IPOCircle had boosted its IPO to a range of $1.05 billion on June 4 as investor demand grew significantly.

Turning the Pluto SDR into a Network Analyzer
Usually when we see a project using a software-defined radio (SDR), the SDR’s inputs and outputs are connected to antennae, but [FromConceptToCircuit]’s project connected an ADALM-Pluto SDR to an RF bridge and a few passive components to make a surprisingly effective network analyzer (part two of the video).The network analyzer measures two properties of the circuit to which it is connected: return loss (S11) and insertion gain or loss (S21). To measure S21, the SDR feeds a series of tones to the device under test, and reads the device’s output from one of the SDR’s inputs. By comparing the amplitude of the input to the device’s output, a Python program can calculate S21 over the range of tested frequencies. To find S11, [FromConceptToCircuit] put an RF bridge in line with the device being tested and connected the bridge’s output to the SDR’s second input. This allowed the program to calculate the device’s impedance, and from that S11.The RF bridge and other components introduce some inaccuracies to the measurements, so before making any other measurements, the system is calibrated with both a through connection and an open circuit in place of the tested device. The RF bridge’s directivity was the biggest limiting factor; transfer back from the bridge’s output line caused the reflection under load to exceed the reflection of an open circuit in some frequency ranges, at which point the analyzer couldn’t accurately operate.[FromConceptToCircuit] was eventually able to make measurements throughout most of the 0.1-3 GHz range with a dynamic range of at least 10 dB, and expects a more directive RF bridge to give even better results. If you’d like to repeat the experiment, he’s made his Python program available on GitHub.We’ve previously seen [FromConceptToCircuit] use the Pluto SDR to make a spectrum analyzer. We’ve also featured a guide to the Pluto, covered a project that improved its frequency stability, and seen it used to transmit video.

Black Octopus Sound Dubbed Out Techno by BlackwarpBlack Octopus Sound and Blackwarp have released Dubbed Out Techno - a collection of samples ideal for Techno, Tech House and a variety of other electronic music genres. What's inside: 100% Royalty Free. 24-bit high quality wavs. Cleared for: Spotify, Youtube, Soundcloud, Record Label Releases. Inspired by: Dubfire, Boris Brejcha, Tale of Us. 1+ GB unzipped. 349 Total Sounds. 111 Synth Loops. 82 Drum One Shots. 65 Drum Loops. 50 Bass Loops. 17 FX One Shots. 14 FX Texture Loops. 10 Synth Pad One Shots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16B8RZyNA84 Read More

Save over 70% on Melodyne 5 Essential at Plugin Boutique
Melodyne has long been the industry standard for pitch correction, and it’s a great tool to have in your arsenal if you can get a good deal. You can save over 70% on Melodyne 5 Essential at Plugin Boutique. Plugin Boutique is offering Melodyne 5 Essential for £22, rather than the regular price of £63, a [...]
View post: Save over 70% on Melodyne 5 Essential at Plugin Boutique

Ableton Live 12.2 is coming out of beta – Here’s all you need to know, from launch date to new featuresAbleton Live 12.2 now has an official launch date following its public beta testing phase, which began back in March this year.
Now, with a confirmed release date set for this June, Ableton Live 12.2 is due to bring increased creative capabilities and introduce new devices and workflows, completely free for all Live 12 users.

READ MORE: Best MIDI controllers to buy in 2025: 12 best Ableton Live controllers to buy

What are the new features of Ableton Live 12.2?
Ableton Live 12.2 brings new key features like the introduction of Bounce to New Track, plus improvements to the search and browsing experience. It also brings the launch of Expressive Chords and the new Auto Filter. There are also major new features for Push.
Expressive Chords is a new MPE-enabled Max for Live device, for all editions of Live and Push. It lets you play interesting progressions intuitively, one key or pad at a time.
With the update you’ll also be able to bounce clips or time selections on any MIDI or audio track, including all processing, to a new audio track with a few clicks. Similarly, you can also use Bounce Track in Place to convert the whole track to audio.
Auto Filter – which now comes to Move for the first time – has also been redesigned with new filter types, real-time visualisation, and a revamped modulation section.
To view the full list of new changes, you can view the beta release notes. Check out the videos below for more:

When will Ableton Live 12.2 be released?
Ableton Live 12.2 will officially launch on 11 June. This update is free and automatic if you own a Live 12 licence, but if you have Automatic Updates turned off, you’ll need to download 12.2 in your user account on release day.
Am I eligible for the Ableton Live 12.2 update?
If you own a Live 12 licence you are automatically eligible to receive the Ableton Live 12.2 update for free. Ableton Live licences can be purchased online directly from Ableton Live Shop, with three tiers available – you can pay in full or in three instalments for these. System requirements are also listed on the shop website.
For more information, you can head over to the Ableton website to read its new blog post on the update.
The post Ableton Live 12.2 is coming out of beta – Here’s all you need to know, from launch date to new features appeared first on MusicTech.

Concord’s film and TV division acquires legendary studio RKORKO was behind numerous classic films such as 'King Kong,' 'It's A Wonderful Life' and 'Citizen Kane'
Source

AI futures: Culture warsAI is transforming culture, entertainment, business, and society at a pace unprecedented in the digital era. Unlike previous tech, AI is evolving at the speed of computing, not the speed of the human brain. While some disillusionment with AI will inevitably follow, it is likely to be shallow and short lived. Meanwhile, entertainment business and culture will have been turned upside down. 

Building on MIDiA’s already-extensive body of AI analysis, we have just released our biggest and most comprehensive report yet. The report provides an exhaustive view of where AI is at right now, where it is heading, and how entertainment companies need to respond and adapt. With more than a hundred companies and brands referenced, nearly 30 pages of analysis, new data, workflow analyses, and scenario mapping, if you are in entertainment or the creator economy, this report is a must read. The report is immediately available to MIDiA clients.

Here are a few highlights…

The early buzz around AI has focused on what it can make rather than what it can do. The simple fact is, it is easier to gauge the potentially transformational impact of something by seeing or hearing what it does than by thinking about how it might change processes and workflows. Yet, it is the latter that we should pay most attention to – and this is where AI’s most important work will be done.

AI will reshape entertainment from three directions:

Creators using AI

Consumers using AI

Companies using AI

AI alone will not drive change and disruption to entertainment – it needs consumers, creators, and companies to use it. While the first wave of AI hype focused on creation, creators’ primary needs lie in their wider workflows, and the AI vendor landscape is evolving to meet this wide array of needs. The following are key workflow focuses:

●  Inspiration (e.g., Songstarter, CoSo, vidIQ) 

●  Creative co-pilot (e.g., CoPilot, Descript, CoProducer)

●  End-to-end creation (e.g., LTX Studio, Mubert)

●  Final touches (e.g., LANDR, Captions AI, Resound.fm)

●  Workflow(e.g., Podcastle, COSMOS, Dream Screen)

●  Career (e.g., MNGRS.AI, Replo, Albert)

While creators are leaning into workflow tools, consumers are engaging en masse with utility and creation tools. While much of this leans towards functional creation (writing cover letters, writing college papers, etc.) AI is also presenting wider creative opportunities to consumers, and this behaviour will grow. Rather than a blurred line between creator and audience, the overlap is more like a segment of a Venn diagram. AI will result in more consumers creating – not just for the results, but because creation will become a form of entertainment in its own right. 

Entertainment companies are adopting AI at pace too, integrating it across their workflows, from sourcing content through to royalties and reporting. The most interesting area to keep an eye on is entertainment companies using AI to stamp their visual or sonic identity on their releases and output and using AI to identify talent before it is talent. In other words, the top of the funnel is going to start outside the funnel!

It is becoming clear that, unless specific lanes are built for it, AI will encroach upon everything. There is a growing body of thinking about how to compete against AI, but the harsh reality is AI can compete with everything where it can exist, and we are going to reach a point where it is hard to distinguish between “AI” and “non-AI” content. It is the platforms, therefore, that must actively build walls around AI.

This is just a high level overview of the report. There are lots (and I mean, lots) of interesting reads about AI at the moment – but, this is not only an interesting read, it is a necessary read! 

If you are not yet a MIDiA client and would like find out more about the report, email businessdevelopment@midiaresearch.com 

Why DIY Live Music Spaces are more important than everEven as streaming dominates music and the music industry, grassroots and DIY live music spaces remain the heart of real music culture. Learn how they build community and launch careers even in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.
The post Why DIY Live Music Spaces are more important than ever appeared first on Hypebot.

46 Industry Pros named to Leadership Music Class of 202646 industry professionals have been named to the Leadership Music Class of 2026. The 8 month program begins in October and offers an immersive exploration of the music business, fostering cross-sector understanding. Continue reading
The post 46 Industry Pros named to Leadership Music Class of 2026 appeared first on Hypebot.

Softube and Weiss collaborate on Weiss Exciter Designed for professional mix and mastering engineers, Weiss Exciter uses a proprietary algorithm developed in collaboration between the two companies.

JMG Sound releases HyperspaceCore, a FREE version of their flagship reverb plugin
HyperspaceCore originates from JMG Sound’s flagship reverb plugin, Hyperspace, and serves as a successor to the discontinued Hyperspace CM (Computer Magazine Edition). Hyperspace has been around for years now, but a free version will be welcome news to anyone put off by the hefty price tag. Hyperspace developed a reputation as a reverb plugin that [...]
View post: JMG Sound releases HyperspaceCore, a FREE version of their flagship reverb plugin

“It’s better to be friends with the robots,” OSMIUM on jamming with robots for their debut albumOSMIUM stretches the concept of a band to its furthest limits. They fit the traditional description of a small group of artists creating music together under one name — but nothing else about this collaboration is at all conventional.
Three of the four members — the lauded experimental musicians Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sam Slater, and James Ginzburg — built their own instruments for the ambient project. Slater crafted a self-oscillating drum with a feedback system developed with the Berlin-based instrument manufacturer, KOMA Elektronik. Ginzburg designed an apparatus that expands upon an ancient stringed instrument called the monochord. Guðnadóttir uses the Halldorophone, which combines her primary instrument of cello with an attachment that catalyses feedback from the strings and outputs it into a new sound.

READ MORE: Moby at Cercle Odyssey: The closest I ever came to floating through space

The band’s vocalist, Rully Shabara, is being studied by an Indonesian university because he can make sounds with his voice that humans aren’t supposed to be able to make.
Last, but not at all least, there is a fifth member of the band: a set of robotic beaters playing the custom instruments through automation.
Osmium live. Image: Lawrence Sumolong
“You’ve got a mechanically sequenced band. If we step away from our instruments, they’re just going to sit there and play,” Slater says. “A conversation that we’ve kind of jokingly had is that it’s better to be friends with the robots.”
Through their individually impressive careers, the members of OSMIUM have certainly befriended technology. Ginzburg is a member of the multiplatform art project Emptyset and the boss of the electronic label Subtext Recordings. Slater and Guðnadóttir, as husband and wife, have created experimental synthetic music for various projects, including video games such as Battlefield 2042 and television programs such as Chernobyl.
OSMIUM is the next phase of their experimental journey, and the latest instance of being surprised by music.
“You could actually make a project entirely based on a ‘What if’?’” Slater says.
“It’s always really exciting when you stumble upon a new process, or even a new set of sonic relationships that create something unexpected,” Ginzburg adds. “Obviously, as time goes on, it becomes more challenging to be surprised by music and sound. But that doesn’t stop us from having that spirit of exploration. Creating situations where unexpected things can happen is the primary interest in approaching projects like this.”
Osmium live. Image: Lawrence Sumolong
That situation is built around OSMIUM’s robotic counterpart. Slater and Guðnadóttir had experimented with automated mechanical beaters in previous works. For OSMIUM, they refined the process with the other members, using the patterns to create the traditional idea of a piece of music. The way the beaters engage with the instruments is consistent for every performance because Ginzburg, Slater, and the other members program the sequences in advance.
As this robotic framework performs the pieces, all of the instrumentalists engage with their instruments individually to expand upon the piece. They create a conversation within their own mechanical sequences and with each other, almost like a jam. Then, Shabara contributes his intriguing and almost inhuman vocal tones.
“You can play counter rhythms or you can not play at all. Each one of those ways of agitating the strings creates a different outcome as it interacts,” Ginzburg says. His reimagined monochord is a stringed instrument, and so he has the option to play with bows or his beaters. “I can bow while it hammers. If I hit something, and then the hammer hits it, that mutes what I just hit. So you get very, very strange interactions happening.”
Osmium live. Image: Lawrence Sumolong
“Honestly, there are points where I can’t really add anything,” Slater continues. “As musicians, we come along and join in. We try and affect what’s going on. We alter the dialogue, we add counter rhythms. We might play along the same rhythm as the machine and enjoy the fact that humans are just shitter than the mechanized thing.”
The result of this amalgamation of musical conversations is a mass of clanging, scratching, rhythmic noises and enduring ominous tones. When listening to a recording, it’s unclear at any point which member is making any particular sound. Each instrument is generating its own sonics while also creating feedback at various frequencies. According to Slater, audience members have come close to vomiting during OSMIUM performances because of resonant feedback at low frequencies around 30 Hz.
Osmium live. Image: Lawrence Sumolong
“In this whole project, there are two quite strong variables. One is the ability to deal with chaos. We have live feedback from instrument to instrument going on, and the only thing that is guaranteed is the hammers are going to come down at the same time,” Slater says. “You have a really rigid structure on one side, and you have chaos on the other side. You have to be quite a specific kind of musician to enjoy that process.”
When it was time to record their debut, self-titled album, they used the same specific process. Slater, Ginzburg, and Guðnadóttir visited a studio called Bunello in Berlin and set up their instruments to track live, capturing the musical conversations in the moment. Each instrument has its own direct input, and they also populated the space with room mics to balance the individual sounds with the combined sounds.
They set aside three days for recording, but, unfortunately, Guðnadóttir’s Haldorophone “blew up” on the first day. With the time it took to get hold of a new one, they ended up only having one full day for instrumental tracking.
Shabara was in Indonesia during this session, so Ginzburg recorded him at a later date in his home studio. Ginzburg used multiple mics, distortion chains, and “exotic” compression in processing. To maintain the conversational dynamic of the group, Ginzburg set up multiple reverb returns that he would adjust while Shabara was vocalising. Essentially, he was performing the mix in response to Shabara’s foreboding noises.
Image: Press
“It was very intense because when he gets into it, he goes somewhere else,” Ginzburg says of Shabara. “I followed him, and then you sort of snap out of it and you’re like, ‘Oh, I guess we should go eat some noodles or something.’”
To finish off the recordings, they edited down the raw takes into listenable sections and implemented automation to let different sounds move through the background and foreground. For the final, granular mixing process, they approached it similarly to how Ginzburg recorded Shabara: adjusting parallel processing in the moment to perform the mix.
“Everything can have some kind of organic interactions imprinted on them ex post facto,” Ginzburg says.
“Organic” is an interesting word given the highly mechanical nature of OSMIUM. But these four experimentalists prove that no matter how advanced or idiosyncratic technology becomes, humans can harness it into something new and exciting.
The post “It’s better to be friends with the robots,” OSMIUM on jamming with robots for their debut album appeared first on MusicTech.

Get BFD3.5 Acoustic Drum Plugin for only $35.10 + Free Zynaptiq Orange Vocoder Nano
BFD3.5 is currently available for just $39 on Audio Deluxe, which is a whopping 80% off its regular price of $160. But it gets even better. Yes, $39 for BFD3.5 is already a great deal, but you can use the coupon code SUMMER10 at checkout to shave off another 10%, bringing the final price down [...]
View post: Get BFD3.5 Acoustic Drum Plugin for only $35.10 + Free Zynaptiq Orange Vocoder Nano

PreSonus launches Studio One Pro 7.2, with a new sub bass instrument and transcription features geared towards guitarists – here’s everything you need to knowPreSonus has introduced the latest version of its DAW, Studio One Pro. Version 7.2 includes a variety of new features, including virtual instruments, tuners, transcription tools, and more.
“Recording is gaining more popularity than ever – especially with guitarists,” says Arnd Kaiser, General Manager of Software at PreSonus. “Studio One Pro 7’s latest update offers powerful tools for guitarists and music creators of all types. Our goal with this and future updates is to continue improving our DAW while giving our community the tools they need to feel inspired.”

READ MORE: HEDD Audio’s Type 05 A-Core monitors are practically perfect

PreSonus is owned by Fender, so many of the new updates are geared towards guitar players, the company says. Incidentally, Fender also recently launched Fender Studio, an a new app-based DAW that we dubbed “the closest thing to Studio One in your pocket”.
First up among the new additions in Studio One Pro 7.2 is a new virtual instrument, Sub Zero Bass, which opens possibilities for all manner of low-end creativity including synth basses, bass guitars, bass textures and more. The instrument was designed by the established film scoring team, The Solos.

Studio One Pro 7.2 also features an updated tuner – Tuner² – which now has over 30 presets for guitar with the ability to save both open and custom tunings. Whichever tuning you prefer, just save it in there, click a button and start tuning up.
7.2 also now features the Nashville Number System, a method of transcribing music which denotes the scale degree on which a chord is built, designed to simplify and speed up any transcription you do within Studio One Pro.
Additionally, users can now use a footswitch to punch in and out manually or use Auto Punch – now with the ability to use adjustable Post-roll, Pre-roll and Auto Punch in any combination.
A feature which PreSonus says has been widely requested by users and now added in Studio One Pro 7.2 are continuous cursor options, which mean the play cursor can now be fixed either to the centre or the left-hand side of an arrangement, with Parts and Events scrolling continuously underneath.
Studio One Pro 7 came out back in October, which added Splice integration and AI-powered stem separation among many other add-ons.
Studio One Pro 7 is priced at £118.99 for new users, with existing users able to update to 7.2 for free.
Head to PreSonus to check out the full range of new updates in Studio One Pro 7.2.
The post PreSonus launches Studio One Pro 7.2, with a new sub bass instrument and transcription features geared towards guitarists – here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

HEDD Audio’s Type 05 A-Core monitors are practically perfect€599 each, hedd.audio
Berlin-based manufacturer HEDD Audio stands out from the competition with its innovative and accurate audio products. Now, it’s bringing two new active monitors to its portfolio, which promise unparalleled quality in their price range. The larger of the two, the Type 07 A-Core, features a seven-inch mid/bass driver, while the smaller Type 05 we have here comes with, you guessed it, a five-inch unit.

READ MORE: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Superb for on-the-go producers and for creators with poor acoustics

The Type 05 A-Core has a small footprint ideal for home producers and creators with limited space, but would be equally at home sitting atop a console, for near-field monitoring in a professional studio.
Although these are new products, they are essentially analogue-only versions of the company’s coveted DSP-enhanced MK2 monitors. For those who aren’t interested in the digital capabilities of the MK2, you get all the benefits of the MK2’s sound without the added expense of the DSP system. As such, the new A-Core series offers a more affordable entry into the prestige HEDD line-up. Like all the brand’s products, these new monitors are designed and hand-assembled in Germany.
The hand-built AMT is an electrodynamic transducer that works on the principle of a folded Kapton diaphragm, with the multiple folds offering an effective driving area over three times higher than moving coil drivers and planar-magnetic and electrostatic types. As well as providing a superb transient response, the larger area avoids high excursion, with vanishingly low distortion, especially at the lower end of its operating frequencies. As it is, the AMT crosses over from the mid/bass driver at 2.5 kHz and extends all the way up to 50 kHz.
Image: Felix Zimmermann
Having such a quick tweeter is all very well but, unless the woofer can keep up with the pace, the sound can become disjointed. Thankfully, Type 05 A-Core’s mid/bass unit is made from a stiff yet lightweight honeycomb compound material, which pairs extremely well with the tweeter in terms of both speed and timbre. It digs pretty deep for such a small driver, reaching down to 43 Hz, so it can reproduce the lowest notes of a bass guitar, for example. The low-end is supported by two front-firing ports and if you monitor at high SPLs, you can feel a gust of air from them, so you know they are working hard to reinforce the bass produced by the little five-inch mid/bass driver.
Each driver is powered by a dedicated 100-watt Class D-ICE amplifier, enabling a maximum SPL of 112 dB, ample for any real-world monitoring situation.
Without the fine sonic tuning available from the DSP-equipped MK2, Type 05 A-Core features simple bass and treble controls for those who find them useful. They are located on the rear panel, either side of the larger volume control, so it’s easy to make level and tone adjustments if you are unable to see the knobs you wish to turn. Also on the rear panel are input sockets for unbalanced RCA connectors as well as balanced XLR and TRS cables. The IEC mains power socket and switch are located here also, however, a physical standby switch appears on the front panel for convenience.
Image: Press
Tonally, the monitors are beautifully coherent from top to bottom, with no emphasis on any part of the audio spectrum. Low-end response from the five-inch driver is quite remarkable, sounding far deeper than you might expect. Bass quality is superb too; aside from digging deep, the bottom end is delivered with great agility, keeping things tuneful and making bass lines easy to follow.
Upper bass and low-mids are super clean, without a hint of muddle or muddiness, and integration into the broad midrange is seamless. There are no audible peaks or troughs in the crossover region as the mid/bass driver mates with the AMT tweeter, so you don’t get the impression of two speakers coming out of one box with a mismatch in timbre or timing.
In terms of treble accuracy, HEDD’s AMT unit is up there with the best ribbon and electrostatic designs, sounding crisp yet sweet with no rough edges or sharpness. Cymbals, percussion and other sounds with plenty of high-frequency content are reproduced naturally and realistically, with none of the clangorous hardness of inferior designs.
Image: Felix Zimmermann
The way that these monitors express atmospherics is extremely impressive, giving mixes a hear-through quality. This makes creating ambient cues, such as reverb and delay effects, intuitive.
Set up with the right amount of toe-in, the Type 05 A-Cores are able to deliver an almost 3D holographic image with a real walk-around quality.
While they are capable of great delicacy, sounding enchantingly ethereal with the right material, they also pack a powerful punch when monitoring more aggressive rock or electronica. It’s only when dealing with tracks that rely on a foundation of sub-bass that you might crave a larger monitor or a system comprising a subwoofer. While there’s more low-end weight and extension than you might expect from monitors of this size, you can’t, however, defy the laws of physics.
Image: Felix Zimmermann
I am extremely impressed with HEDD’s new and most affordable monitor. Individual sound sources are reproduced faithfully, and constructing complex mixes is made easier by both their top-to-bottom coherence and their deep, immersive sound staging. They don’t flatter recordings to the degree that mixes then sound flat and lifeless through domestic equipment, yet they aren’t as ruthless as, say, Yamaha NS10s, which become tiresome during lengthy mixing sessions. You can work with the Type 05 A-Cores all day and exclusively, not just to check mixes created with larger monitoring systems.
HEDD’s MK2 range is rightly regarded as class-leading monitoring with all the brilliant onboard DSP technology and, more crucially, superb sound. So if you require simple, accurate analogue monitoring, without the need for added digi-tech, be sure to lend an ear to the Type 05 A-Core. It’s a fabulous near-field monitor that, for most bedroom producers and small studio set-ups, could be everything you need.

Key features

HEDD Air Motion Transformer tweeter
5-inch honeycomb woofer
Dual 100 watt Class D amplifiers
High and low shelving EQ
Frequency range 43 Hz – 50 kHz
Max SPL: 112 dB
Inputs: RCA (unbalanced); XLR & TRS (balanced)
5-year warranty
Dimensions: 308 x 180 x 245 mm

The post HEDD Audio’s Type 05 A-Core monitors are practically perfect appeared first on MusicTech.