Digital music

Ever wondered what it would sound like if Michael Jackson, Cardi B and Jay-Z made a song together? Now you can find out with a new app that uses AI to help you make a mashup of your favorite songs – no DJing experience required.

Deep learning neural nets have begun a roughshod rampage through the creative arts sectors, and if musicians thought they were safe from the AIs that plague the nightmares of writers, artists and others, they've got another think coming.

Astell&Kern has announced an upgrade to 2021's "mass premium" A&norma SR25 MkII digital audio player. The SR35 comes with new amplifier technology, four DACs, a 20-hour battery life and a fresh new user interface.

Danish luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen has announced that its high-style Beosound A9 has moved into its fifth generation, and the shapely 360-degree-sound Beosound 2 grows into its third iteration. The company is also aiming for usage longevity thanks to a future-proofing module installed in each wireless home speaker.

Collaborative music creation platform Endlesss has launched "the world's first beat-making arcade machine." The Beat Machine combines gamified music missions, live jamming online, social networking and powerful music creativity.

There's no denying that streaming rules the roost for the way we consume our music these days. But if your perfectly good living room hi-fi is feeling very unloved, a little black box from NAD could help bring your aging setup into the 21st century.

There's often quite a price premium for folks who opt for hi-res portable audio. Indeed, the company who kicked off personal groove machines has been known to charge a small fortune – which makes the latest Walkman something of a pleasant surprise.

Astell&Kern has launched a combined a digital audio player and desktop headphone amplifier that's built around a dual-tube Triple Amp System and is the first product to feature the latest flagship DAC from ESS.

There's no denying the convenience of true-wireless earphones, but audio quality can be less than stellar. Boutique in-ear-monitor maker Campfire Audio is promising an "out-of-this-world sound" from its first entry into the TWS space, the Orbit buds.

Many mobile devices either rock a poor quality audio jack or don't have one at all, so if you want to plug in your favorite legacy ear candy you'll need a USB DAC. Luxury audio brand Astell&Kern's cable DAC has just entered its third generation.

Synth wizards Critter & Guitari have launched a successor to the company's first product – the Pocket Piano – in the shape of a portable music box called the 201, which sports six sound engines, a built-in speaker and a bunch of funky wooden keys.

From the eerie tones of classic B-movies to atmospheric warbling on modern music tracks, the Theremin is instantly recognizable. An open-source version called the Theremotion uses a Leap controller to add a new layer of expressive control.