June 2026

EVE Audio Origin — an application for controlling studio monitors

29 June 2026

EVE Audio has released software for remote control of all DSP functions in its EXO active monitor range. It supports Windows and macOS.

Photo: official website eve-audio

Origin adjusts volume, input sensitivity, delay and EQ through a graphical interface. A dedicated section combines Smart Filters with interactive visual feedback for room calibration. An eight-band parametric equalizer provides frequency, gain, Q and filter-type control for each band, using either numerical entry or interactive points on the graph.

Photo: official website eve-audio

All settings take effect in real time, making A/B comparison and sound adjustment easier. Scenes saves and quickly loads different configuration presets. Although the application controls all DSP parameters, settings are stored in the monitors' own memory. Presets therefore remain active when the computer is disconnected.

Photo: official website eve-audio

EVE Audio Origin is available as a free download for all EXO studio monitor owners from the official website EVE Audio.

AKAI MPC Key 37 G2 — a standalone synthesizer and workstation

29 June 2026

Following the One G2groovebox, AKAI Professional has released the second generation of its well-known standalone instrument in the classic cream finish of late-1980s MPCs.

Photo: official website akaipro

The new model has 37 synth-action keys with aftertouch, pitch and modulation wheels, and 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads with eight banks. The workstation has a 7-inch multitouch display, an eight-core processor, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. A project can use up to 32 instrument plugins and 16 stereo audio tracks. USB-C provides 24 × 24 audio channels, 32 channels of expanded MIDI and external peripheral support for studio integration.

Photo: official website akaipro

The instrument supports exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, EXT4 and HFS+ drives, plus AIF/AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG and WAV audio files. Connections include eight 3.5 mm CV/Gate outputs compatible with TS cables, USB-A and USB-C, five-pin DIN MIDI I/O, two 6.35 mm TRS line inputs, two 6.35 mm TRS line outputs, a 6.35 mm stereo headphone output, three 6.35 mm pedal inputs and an SD card slot. Other features include Ableton Live project import/export, direct USB-C sampling from smartphones or tablets, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Stem Pro, Super Timestretch, more than 1,000 factory sounds and 100 multi-effects algorithms.

Photo: official website akaipro

AKAI MPC Key 37 G2 will be available for $1,000.

Waldorf Microwave 1 V2 — an updated virtual wavetable synthesizer

26 June 2026

Waldorf has introduced a major update to its precise software emulation of the 1989 hardware synthesizer.

Photo: official website waldorfmusic

V2 supports up to four voice cards, giving up to 32 voices in total. The plugin also emulates subtle differences between the cards. Round Robin cycles through voice cards with each new note, while Random Robin selects them randomly. Other additions include a polyphonic arpeggiator for each part, a global arpeggiator with Round Robin mode, Creative Delay with filter, tremolo, diffusion and pitch shifting, a redesigned preset browser, simultaneous editing of several instrument parts and new presets from Chuck Zwicky.

Photo: official website waldorfmusic

Waldorf Microwave 1 V2 is available for $100.

Arturia Rev OCEAN — a versatile reverb plugin

25 June 2026

Arturia has introduced a software reverb inspired by the ocean.

Photo: official website arturia

The plugin uses an FDN (Feedback Delay Network) engine with multistage diffusion, deep modulation and dry/wet control. Three expressive modes create smooth, flowing reverb tails, from subtle movement to deep immersive spaces. Abyss adds layered reverse textures with pitch shifting for a rich, evolving tail. Tide adds modulated filtering for smooth phase movement across the spectrum. Foam gives a soft, diffuse attack, producing a blurred, rising reverb texture.

Photo: official website arturia

Arturia Rev OCEAN is available for $50. More information is available on the official website Arturia.

Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen2 — a compact effects pedal processor

25 June 2026

Eventide Audio has introduced the second generation of its well-known pedal with many improvements.

Photo: official website eventideaudio

The new model has more than 74 algorithms, including H90 and H9 Max libraries with over 1,000 presets. A modern ARM processor supports four main modes: Select, Perform, Presets and Parameters, each with a dedicated button. Other controls include three quick-adjust knobs, two programmable footswitches and HotKnob/HotSwitch macros. A 2.5-inch display has a simplified interface for easy navigation.

Photo: official website eventideaudio

Eventide Control updates firmware, manages presets, adjusts routing and MIDI mapping, and imports or exports user lists. A 12 V power supply is included. The processor supports stereo operation, MIDI, expression pedals and AUX control. Connections include USB-C, two 6.35 mm TS mono inputs, two 6.35 mm TS mono outputs, 6.35 mm EXP and CTL inputs, and full MIDI In/Out/Thru. Bluetooth support is planned for the near future.

Photo: official website eventideaudio

Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen2 will be available for $600.

Softube Console 1 Compact — a compact mixing controller

24 June 2026

Softube has released a more affordable version of the Console 1 in a portable format for project and home studios.

Photo: official website softube

Analog Feel touch-sensitive knobs and a wide choice of compatible native plugins make DAW mixing more hands-on. Console 1 Compact controls preamplifiers, compression, equalizers and tape saturation in one workflow. A small high-resolution display provides quick visual feedback. Bright RGB LEDs change colour to match the screen, and the sturdy anodised aluminium enclosure has a Nordic Night Sky finish.

Photo: official website softube

Alongside Softube software, the controller supports popular third-party products from UAD, Plugin Alliance and FabFilter in all major DAWs. It also complements the Flow Studiosoftware environment with extensive portable controls. The included Core Mixing Suite contains Softube Tape/Preamp, a Shape section for transient control, passive and digital equalizers, and three compressors emulating the 1176, SSL Bus and LA-2A.

Photo: official website softube

Softube Console 1 will be available for around $500.

Violet Audio dMix 128 — a networked rackmount mixer

23 June 2026

Violet Audio has released a professional digital mixer with DSP processing and integrated control. It suits studios, live venues, broadcasting, installations, corporate spaces and immersive systems.

Photo: official website violetaudio

The new model uses FPGA technology to process 128 audio channels at up to 96 kHz with latency below one millisecond and transparent sound. It operates in Audio over IP (AoIP) environments and includes AES67 as standard. ST 2110-30 compatibility is planned for future updates. The mixer has 32 analogue XLR inputs and 24 analogue XLR outputs and supports a wide range of remote I/O and stageboxes. Standard MADI I/O and three Ethernet ports are included. An optional expansion card adds Dante.

Photo: official website violetaudio

For studio and hybrid use, low-latency 64 × 64 drivers connect the interface to any DAW for recording, broadcasting and virtual soundchecks. Redundant power and automatic recovery after a restart or power failure are included. There are two independent 6.3 mm headphone sockets and USB-A and USB-C ports. An HTML5 web interface provides simple setup and control from any computer or tablet. The system can also be configured for a dedicated control surface.

Photo: official website violetaudio

Violet Audio dMix 128 is available for $6,000.

Allen & Heath SQ6+ — a digital mixing console

22 June 2026

Following the compact SQ5+ , Allen & Heath has expanded its SQ+ range with a model offering 24 XLR inputs and 14 XLR outputs.

Photo: official website allen-heath

The mixer has 25 motorised faders, 16 assignable buttons and four programmable knobs with individual mini displays for quick adjustment of parameters such as pan or sends. Like the smaller model, it has a 9-inch touchscreen, a dark-themed interface and remote control through the free SQ+ MixPad app for iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. There are 48 input channels, a 128 × 128 SLink port and two USB ports for audio interface operation and direct multichannel recording. Four RackUltra FX processors match those in the flagship dLive range, each with its own send and return buses for flexible routing.

Photo: official website allen-heath

Like the rest of the range, the SQ6+ has an I/O expansion slot for Dante, MADI, Waves and SLink cards. The built-in algorithm library includes amplifier emulations, reverbs, saturators, vocal correction and extra channel plugins. Other features include 12 stereo Aux/Group mixes plus LR, six Mono/Link matrix outputs, full channel and mix processing with HPF, PEQ/GEQ, compressor and gate, and DEEP expansion support. Connections also include an AES3 digital output, three stereo line inputs using one 3.5 mm and four 6.3 mm sockets, an XLR talkback input, two TRS outputs and a stereo headphone output.

Photo: official website allen-heath

Allen & Heath SQ6+ will be available for around $6,000.

Bitwig Studio 6.1 — an update to the well-known DAW

19 June 2026

Bitwig has introduced an updated version of its digital audio workstation. A public beta is available to users with an active update plan.

Photo: official website bitwig

Version 6.1 improves Sampler with expanded Slicing in all playback modes. Samples can be divided quickly for triggering from a MIDI controller, using equal slices, the bar grid or pitch-change points detected automatically. Each slice has independent looping and modulation settings. Clips can be sliced directly into Sampler from the Arranger or Launcher.

Photo: official website bitwig

Repitch mode speeds up or slows down samples according to the notes played, offering Bitwig's own take on an auto-tune effect. Spectral mode provides clean time-stretching while preserving sound quality. Preserve Onsets stretches around transients to keep attacks sharp, and automatic tempo detection synchronises samples to the project. Spectral also controls formants and reshapes harmonics with Bend, which supports quantisation to octaves or the project's selected key.

Photo: official website bitwig

The new Fragments engine provides advanced granular synthesis with up to 256 independent grains per voice. Controls adjust grain size, direction and random Motion. Repeats, with up to 16 repetitions, creates dense soundscapes through Massive Density. Updated Repitch adds Analog for saturation and tape colour, and Digital for vintage 1990s sampler character or extreme distortion, with independent per-voice processing. Other additions include three Cycles algorithms for PWM, harmonic balance and phase modulation, Freeze to turn Sampler into an oscillator, and Duophonic crossfading between two Cycles engines for a smoother sound.

Photo: official website bitwig

The Bitwig Studio 6.1 beta is free for users with a valid licence and an active Upgrade Plan.

AKAI MPC One G2 — a compact groovebox sampler

19 June 2026

AKAI Professional has introduced the second generation of its standalone workstation with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Photo: official website akaipro

The blue instrument has a 7-inch multitouch display, an updated eight-core processor, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. It supports up to 32 plugins and 16 stereo audio tracks at once. The optional Pro Pack adds advanced stem separation, Super Timestretch and a clip matrix.

Photo: official website akaipro

The new model runs MPC3 OS, including a linear arranger and Ableton Live import/export. The previous USB-B port is replaced by USB-C, providing 24 × 24 audio streaming, expanded MIDI, host and peripheral integration through one cable. Users can sample directly from a smartphone or tablet over USB-C. Sixteen velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB pads offer eight banks through Pad Bank buttons. Supported audio formats are AIF/AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG and WAV.

Photo: official website akaipro

Connections include two 6.35 mm TRS inputs, two 6.35 mm TRS outputs, a 3.5 mm stereo headphone output, MIDI I/O, four CV/Gate sockets, USB-A, USB-C and an SD card slot. Optional plugin collections include Bassline, Electric, Fabric Select, Hype, Mellotron, Odyssey, Organ, Solina, Tubesynth and Drumsynth. Optional libraries include Acoustic Tools, Classic Drum Machines, Apollo Retro Kits, Percussion Tools, ATL Song Starters, Marco Polo Lo-Fi Boom Bap, Welcome to ATL Kits, Welcome to ATL Melodics and Producer Essentials.

Photo: official website akaipro

AKAI MPC One G2 will be available for $800.

Genelec 9402A — an AoIP audio interface

18 June 2026

Genelec has released a Dante-focused multichannel Audio over IP (AoIP) interface for integration of Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) systems.

Photo: official website genelec

The device distributes high-quality multichannel audio over standard IP infrastructure, bringing Dante and AES67 compatibility to Genelec's smart active monitors. It controls systems ranging from simple stereo to Dolby Atmos 9.1.6 setups.

Photo: official website genelec

The product supports up to 16 digital audio channels through DB25. Additional AES/EBU outputs use XLR sockets, with a dedicated subwoofer channel and extra stereo monitoring. Flexible routing allows smooth switching between studio monitors and headphones without interrupting audio.

Photo: official website genelec

GLM software integration provides full monitor calibration and bass management. A subwoofer output makes it easy to add active subwoofers for higher bass sound pressure levels. Linking several 9402A units expands the system to multichannel formats including 22.2.

Photo: official website genelec

Genelec 9402A pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

Novation FLkey 2 49 — a USB/MIDI keyboard controller

17 June 2026

Following the 37-key version , Novation has expanded its second-generation FLkey range with the 49-key model and native FL Studio control.

Photo: official website novationmusic

The controller has 49 full-size semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys, nine faders and an extra row of function buttons. These include Fader Mode (Plugin, Mixer Volume, Channel Volume, Custom) and Zones (Part A, Part B, Layer, Split) sections. Like the 37-key model, it has pitch and modulation wheels and buttons for Score Log, Undo/Redo, Pattern/Song, Metronome and Mixer Bank. USB-C supplies power, while a 3.5 mm MIDI output and a 6.3 mm sustain pedal input connect external equipment.

Photo: official website novationmusic

Like the rest of the FLkey range, it has a built-in arpeggiator, 16 RGB pads with polyphonic aftertouch, an OLED display, eight rotary encoders, octave transpose buttons and Play/Stop/Record controls. It supports NKS and class-compliant operation. Included software covers a six-month FL Studio Producer Edition trial, Melodics, Novation Play, GForce Bass Station, GForce Oberheim SEM, GForce Oberheim OB-EZ, GForce AXXESS, Klevgrand LUXE, Klevgrand Slammer, Parallel Orchestra and Native Instruments Komplete Select.

Photo: official website novationmusic

Novation FLkey 2 49 is available for $290.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE — in-ear monitoring headphones

17 June 2026

Beyerdynamic has expanded its IE range with an affordable entry-level IEM model for stage performance.

Photo: official website beyerdynamic

The ergonomic headphones are designed for demanding stage conditions. They deliver clear vocals and detailed instruments in monitor mixes. IP54 protection resists moisture, and passive isolation reduces noise by up to 39 dB. The DT 30 uses 11 mm dynamic drivers.

Photo: official website beyerdynamic

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE specifications

Type: in-ear, closed-back
Frequency range: 5 Hz–20 kHz
Sound pressure level: 137 dB
Weight per earpiece: 2.7 g.

The package includes a durable detachable 1.4 m Kevlar-reinforced cable with MMCX connectors and a 3.5 mm plug. A branded carrying case and silicone and foam eartips in three sizes, S, M and L, are also included.

Photo: official website beyerdynamic

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE will be available for $120.

GForce Software Prophet~5 — an analogue synthesizer emulation

16 June 2026

GForce Software and Sequential have introduced an official software version of the well-known 1978 instrument. The plugin supports Windows 7 or later and macOS 10.15 or later in AU, AAX, VST and VST3 formats, and as a standalone application.

Photo: official website gforcesoftware

The instrument recreates the original Sequential Prophet-5 sound and adds modern features. It includes the sound of all three revisions, Rev.1, Rev.2 and Rev.3, plus 38 original factory presets and more than 420 modern patches. Two selectable effects slots offer Chorus, Phaser, Distortion, Multimode Filtering, Tremolo and Compressor. Dedicated Delay, Reverb and Pan Spread effects are also included.

Photo: official website gforcesoftware

Layers offer up to ten voices each. They can be split across the keyboard or used in Alternate mode to switch between two layers while playing. X-Modifiers provides dedicated envelopes and LFOs for almost every parameter. Other features include full MPE support, an arpeggiator and chord mode for each layer, a scalable high-resolution interface, a preset browser with tags and search, and extensive MIDI CC mapping.

Photo: official website gforcesoftware

GForce Software Prophet~5 is available at an introductory price of $84 until the end of July 2026. The regular price will be $220.

Fender Studio Pro 8.1 — an update to the well-known DAW

15 June 2026

Fender and PreSonus have introduced an updated version of their audio software. New features improve the creative workflow, including advanced effects and virtual instruments. The DAW supports Windows 10 or later and macOS 13.5 or later.

Photo: official website fender

Studio Assistant provides quick answers by bringing documentation, tutorials and support into one place. It is available as a public beta to Fender Studio Pro+ users. Moises Studio transforms vocals, generates new tracks from existing material and separates stems to develop new ideas or refine older ones. Integration is available to all version 8.1 users. At no extra charge, it includes ten stem separations, 120 track generations and five voice transformations per month.

Photo: official website fender

Version 8.1 adds Vocal Tune for precise vocal control. It offers subtle natural correction or stylised tonal changes with formant shifting while preserving the performance's original character. Articulation-based timing offsets, combined articulation conditions and expanded score editing improve realism and precision. Other additions include Pitch Curves for real-time pitch control through track automation without changing the original audio file, Dolby Atmos headphone personalisation, reorderable tabs, a customisable browser layout, improved detection and expanded drum support for audio-to-MIDI conversion, and lower system resource use.

Photo: official website fender

The 8.1 update is free for all Fender Studio Pro+ subscribers and owners of perpetual licences bought or upgraded within the past 12 months.

Licence and upgrade prices:

Perpetual licence: $200
Annual Pro+ subscription, including a perpetual licence: $180
Upgrade to a perpetual licence: $100
Monthly subscription: $20

Light + Audio Tec 2026 — the Corporate Multimedia and IT Solutions conference

12 June 2026

Registration is open for a conference for integrators, end customers and Pro AV/IT professionals. The event is for people choosing technology and partners, following market trends and looking for tools that work in corporate projects.

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

The event takes place on 15 September, from 11:00 to 17:00. The programme has five sections: the AV/IT market in 2026–2027, presales from integrator and customer perspectives, AI, corporate communications, and security in the commercial and public sectors. The AV and IT Experts on the Sofa talk show format offers live discussions focused on practice rather than long theoretical presentations.

Hosts:

Pavel Kudelin, Head of the AV3 Competence Centre
Alena Burtseva, Marketing Director, SpinetiX Russia

SpinetiX Russia & CIS is the conference co-organiser and the exhibition's strategic partner.

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

Venue: Conference Hall B, Timiryazev Centre, Moscow

Attendance requires registration.

Arturia MiniLab 37 — a portable USB/MIDI controller

12 June 2026

Arturia has expanded its popular MIDI controller range with a 37-key model.

Photo: official website arturia

The new model has 37 velocity-sensitive keys. Other features match the original version, including eight RGB pads, eight rotary encoders, four faders and pitch and modulation touch strips. MiniLab 37 has a mini display with a multifunction knob, plus performance features such as an arpeggiator, chord mode, octave control and semitone transposition.

Photo: official website arturia

The MiniLab range automatically maps controls to major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, FL Studio, Bitwig, Reason, Pro Tools and Digital Performer. Connections include USB-C, MIDI output, a pedal input and a Kensington lock slot. The software bundle includes Arturia Analog Lab Intro, Ableton Live Lite and Native Instruments Komplete Select, with access to Loopcloud and Melodics content. RGB pad colours are customisable.

Photo: official website arturia

Arturia MiniLab 37 is available in white and black for $150. More information is available on the official website Arturia.

Light + Audio Tec 2026 — the Dialogues About Sound 4.0 conference and practical workshops

11 June 2026

From 16 to 17 September, sound engineers, music producers, audio operators and anyone interested in sound can attend a busy conference with practical workshops. The programme suits both beginners and working professionals.

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

Workshop presenters:

Alexander Astakhov: a live and studio sound engineer with many years of work with leading Russian artists and major venues;
Andrey Levin: a sound engineer at Mosfilm's Tone Studio since 1999 and a lecturer in the sound engineering department of the Institute of Contemporary Art;
Ilya Knyazev: a specialist in audio system design and loudspeaker tuning across different brands;
Andrey Volkov: a sound engineer at the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre's Historic Stage since 2011;
Maxim Burachenok: front-of-house (FOH) engineer for Piknik and Inkognito, with 15 years of touring and festival experience in Russia and abroad;
Ilya Dontsov: a live and studio sound engineer working with leading orchestras, television productions and music publishers in Russia and abroad;
Andrey Aksenov: a sound engineer, system engineer and ProTone factory engineer.

The full speaker and topic list will be available in August 2026. Follow the news for updates.

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

Venue: Conference Hall B, Timiryazev Centre, Moscow

Attendance is free. No separate conference registration is needed, but visitors must register for the exhibition. A free three-day ticket is available with the promo code LAT26-NBQUD.

UAD Topline Vocal Tune — an automatic vocal tuning plugin

9 June 2026

Universal Audio has introduced a real-time vocal tuner offering both subtle and strong pitch correction for pop, hip-hop and R&B tracks. It supports Windows 10 or later and macOS 11 or later in VST3, AU and AAX formats.

Photo: official website uaudio

The easy-to-use plugin corrects vocals quickly. It includes a section for preserving performance character, provides low-latency monitoring during recording and offers a Shift mode for creative pitch or formant control. MIDI pitch control is supported. The Topline function automatically detects and locks to any key or scale.

Photo: official website uaudio

UAD Topline Vocal Tune is available at an introductory price of $80 for a standalone perpetual licence and is included in UAD Spark.

Light + Audio Tec 2026 — registration opens for technical exhibition tours

8 June 2026

Light + Audio Tec's guided tours introduce visitors to lighting, audio, multimedia equipment and show technology with experienced guides. The exhibition suits sound engineers, event directors, integrators and lighting designers.

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

Schedule and guides:

Sound engineers' tour with Nadezhda Rakhmanova: 15 and 16 September, 12:00;
Lighting designers' tour with Evgeny Toma: 15 and 16 September, 14:00;
Event directors' tour with Oleg Kuzin: 15 and 16 September, 15:00;
Audio, video and IT technology tour: 15 September, 14:00.

More about the guides: Light + Audio Tec 2026

Photo: official website light-audio-tec

The lighting and audio equipment tours include two interactive routes with extra tasks. Winners receive prizes from the exhibition organiser.

Attendance is free; registration.

RME ADI-2 Pro EX — a DAC/ADC converter, headphone amplifier and USB audio interface

5 June 2026

RME has introduced an updated professional converter with a two-channel headphone amplifier and many improvements. macOS support is native, while Windows requires RME's MADIface driver for full WDM and ASIO compatibility.

Photo: official website rme-audio

The updated ADI-2 Pro EX has a larger enclosure with improved airflow for more effective cooling, plus chrome feet in the style of the ADI-2 DAC FS, while keeping its recognisable design. A modern USB-C port uses USB 2.0 without bus power. The upgraded two-channel amplifier output stage provides more power for high-impedance studio and audiophile headphones in balanced and unbalanced operation.

Photo: official website rme-audio

An improved power input has active, fuse-free overvoltage and reverse-polarity protection. The included partially grounded NT-RME-13 power supply prevents ground loops. The product uses an AK5574 ADC and an AK4493 DAC. It supports AES, S/PDIF and ADAT conversion, with monitoring, recording and DSD playback.

Photo: official website rme-audio

Other features include a high-resolution IPS display, a 1.8 m USB-C cable, a 3.5 mm TS trigger output, high-quality PCM/DSD conversion and four-step hardware input/output level adjustment. Connections include two XLR/TRS combo analogue inputs, two XLR outputs, two 6.3 mm TRS outputs, two 6.3 mm Extreme Power stereo headphone outputs, optical S/PDIF I/O with ADAT support, and coaxial S/PDIF RCA and AES XLR I/O through the supplied adapter cable. Binaural crossfeed, M/S processing and selectable ADC/DAC filters are also included.

Photo: official website rme-audio

RME ADI-2 Pro EX is available to pre-order for $2,000.

Aurender N300X and DA100 — a digital music server and DAC

4 June 2026

Aurender has introduced two major products at Vienna High End 2026, with expanded connectivity.

Photo: official website aurender

The N300X digital server uses two enclosures, with Server and Enhance modules. Enhance controls Server remotely over the network, isolating streaming, storage, processing and audio output stages. This reduces noise and improves clarity at the USB, AES/EBU, I2S, optical and coaxial outputs. Two USB 3.0 inputs and an interchangeable Gigabit Ethernet or SFP network port are included. An FPGA board with an OCXO and PLL chips provides precise clocking. An external 10 MHz master clock input supports 50 or 75 ohms. A dedicated toroidal transformer powers each module to isolate the output stage from noise.

The 300X brings Google Cast, Bluetooth and HDMI eARC to the N series for integration with TVs and mobile devices, unlike previous generations. Streaming circuits can be disabled for dedicated source operation with an external DAC. The front 6.86-inch IPS display has 1,280 × 480 pixels. The device supports Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect including Lossless, Qobuz Connect, Roon Ready and UPnP, with control through Aurender Conductor. An eight-core 2.4 GHz ARM processor, 8 GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC run Debian 11, with startup taking under 23 seconds. Storage includes four 250 GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 drives and two bays for 2.5-inch SSDs or HDDs.

Photo: official website aurender

The DA100 streaming DAC complements Aurender's music server and also integrates with other manufacturers' sources. It uses AK4499 DAC circuitry in a dual-mono configuration for channel separation and high resolution. A low-impedance discrete Class A output stage reproduces analogue audio with low distortion. Decoding supports up to 32-bit/768 kHz PCM and DSD512. Four toroidal transformers provide isolated power: separate supplies for the CPU and digital output, plus two for the DAC stage.

Clocking uses an FPGA-based OCXO system with PLL chips. An external 10 MHz, 50-ohm clock input connects a master clock. Inputs include coaxial, optical, USB, AES/EBU and I2S, plus Gigabit Ethernet. Analogue outputs use RCA and XLR. The device supports the Aurender RC1000 BLE remote and has the same 6.86-inch, 1,280 × 480 IPS display as the N300X. Like the server, the DA100 brings Google Cast, Bluetooth and HDMI eARC to the brand's ecosystem. It also integrates Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect including Lossless, Qobuz Connect, Roon and UPnP. Connectivity and streaming circuits can be switched off for dedicated DAC operation and maximum sound quality.

Pricing and availability for Aurender N300X and DA100 have not yet been announced.

Audeze MM-520 — open-back planar studio headphones

3 June 2026

Audeze has expanded its Manny Marroquin Signature range with full-size headphones developed with Grammy-winning engineer Manny Marroquin.

Photo: official website audeze

The design is based on the MM-500 and adds SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator) technology for well-defined bass and detail across the stereo field. Precise 90 mm planar magnetic drivers use ultra-thin Uniforce diaphragms and Fazor phase control for accurate stereo imaging and low distortion. Improved memory-foam earpads are designed for long mixing sessions and attach magnetically for easy replacement. High sensitivity of 102 dB and low impedance of 18 ohms allow easy connection to consoles, interfaces and laptops, inside or outside the studio.

Photo: official website audeze

Audeze MM-520 specifications

Type: full-size, open-back
Driver: planar magnetic
Magnet structure: Fluxor magnet array
Phase management: Fazor waveguides
Magnet type: N50 neodymium
Diaphragm type: Ultra-Thin Uniforce
Driver size: 90 mm
Acoustic management: SLAM
Maximum power handling: 5 W RMS
Maximum sound pressure level: >130 dB
Frequency range: 5 Hz–50 kHz
THD: <0.1% at 100 dB
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 102 dB/1 mW
Minimum power requirement: >100 mW
Weight: 555 g.

Photo: official website audeze

Audeze MM-520 will be available for $1,800.

Akai Pro MPC Live III Retro — a sampler and drum machine

1 June 2026

Akai Professional has released the MPC Live III in a vintage style inspired by 1980s equipment.

Photo: official website akaipro

The new model uses classic Akai colours inspired by its well-known retro drum machines. It runs MPC3 OS with MPC3 Pro Pack, including AIR Reverb Pro, AIR Visual EQ4, AIR Fabric Select and AIR Utility. Clip launching supports Matrix and Clip Edit modes, Follow Actions, Row Launch, Tempo and Snapshots. Other features include Ableton Live set import, expanded CV functions with Q-Link envelopes and LFOs, Super Timestretch and Pro Stems Separation. An Ableton control mode works over USB-C.

Photo: official website akaipro

Other features include a Gen 2 eight-core processor, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage, up to 32 simultaneous plugins and 16 audio tracks. MPCe pads use 3D sensing for expressive X/Y control, sample blending and dynamic note repeat. There is a 16-step sequencer with function buttons, a clip matrix for live loop creation and arrangement, a touch strip for real-time control, a 7-inch colour multitouch display and four touch-sensitive knobs. A rechargeable battery provides up to four hours of use. Stereo speakers, a high-quality microphone and direct USB-C sampling from an iPhone are built in.

Photo: official website akaipro

Connections include two XLR/TRS combo inputs, six line outputs, eight CV/Gate outputs, two bidirectional MIDI ports and USB-C with 24 input/output audio channels and 32 bidirectional MIDI channels. Class-compliant operation, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are supported.

Photo: official website akaipro

Akai Pro MPC Live III Retro will be available for $1,700.