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BRIMSTONE CORE AUDIO – DECEMBER 2026 PREVIEW
Your music. Your memories. Your Meridian.

After months of testing, we're aiming for a December release that brings easier installation, better recovery and much more than an ordinary music library. We're keeping older hi-fi useful, not telling everyone to replace it. Here's what's coming; anything still in development is described as a target, not a finished feature.

A simpler, safer Core

For December we're developing a new Debian installer with a clear choice of normal system, backup system or recovery tools. A protected, largely immutable operating system and an A/B-style recovery design aim to make updates easier to roll back if something goes wrong. Two or more drives are recommended so music and personal data can remain separate from the operating system. These are release targets, not a reason to stop making backups.

Your own music — and concert films

Core brings your owned albums, bootlegs, radio, podcasts, audiobooks and concert media into one organised library. It is designed for high-resolution stereo and multichannel playback, with continuing support for Meridian/Sooloos and compatible audio endpoints. Supported import workflows include audio CDs, DVD-Audio, Blu-ray Audio and suitable DVD/Blu-ray concert recordings, subject to the disc, equipment, format and applicable rights. Concert video playback on iPad and Apple TV is part of the December release plan.

Control wherever you listen

Control runs across macOS, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, with its own layout for each screen. CarPlay is integrated: music can be streamed from your Core or downloaded to the iPhone to play offline. Your own collection remains the centre of the experience, whether at your desk, in the living room or in the car.

A look at the running beta software
macOS Control · 15 October beta


iPhone Control · October beta


iPad Control · October beta


Gig Guide: keep the memories, not just the tickets

The Gig Guide is a personal, interactive record of concerts you've attended. Add your photographs, scanned tickets, notes, memories, sound and video to each gig; browse and enjoy the digital version on your own computer.

For December we are targeting an optional professionally printed hardback. The proposed standard sizes are UK A4 and US Letter, with a target book price of £15 including Brimstone's 50p contribution; postage is additional. The printer, page allowance and final price still need confirming. Where practical, printed QR codes can point back to your media, whether privately hosted or deliberately shared online. We hope to offer direct ordering from within the system.

More ways to enjoy and preserve music

Eligible material from the Addams, Jacob and other Internet Archive collections will become easier to browse and download through updates over the following months. That includes freely available audiobooks and historical recordings where downloading and reuse are permitted.

We also plan optional ordering of CDs, vinyl records and cassettes at a later date, with a proposed 50p contribution to Brimstone per order. Manufacturing prices, postage, availability and rights requirements will be confirmed before that service launches.

Which computers will run Core?

Debian remains the main dedicated Core platform. Native macOS Core editions for Intel x64 and Apple Silicon M-series computers are the other focus, including compatible older hardware. Standalone Windows Core development is not continuing; we're concentrating testing and support on the platforms we can maintain properly.

What's next?

December 2026 is our Core and Control release target, with the revamped installation and recovery work, concert media and interactive Gig Guide. By March 2027 we aim to provide both remote streaming of your own Core library and integrations with supported third-party streaming services. From May 2027, the Gig Guide is planned to help you find upcoming gigs near you. All dates are targets and depend on testing and partner availability.

A note for beta testers

Please back up your music, Gig Guide memories, settings and downloads before any future beta upgrade. The move to protected operating-system layouts and a multi-drive recovery design may involve storage migration. Do not treat an unfinished beta as a substitute for a verified backup.

More information and current test downloads: https://core-audio.uk/downloads.html
Full preview with screenshots: https://core-audio.uk/december-2026.html

Thanks to everyone testing and reporting problems. Your music belongs to you; your equipment deserves to keep playing.

**BRIMSTONE CORE — R1 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE**
**A New Operating System, Built-In Recovery and Onboard Diagnostics**

A little update on where Brimstone Core is heading as we work towards our planned 1 December 2026 R1 release.

Over the past few months, Brimstone has grown considerably beyond the original idea of a simple replacement for ageing music-server hardware. We've now reached the point where it makes sense to rethink the operating system underneath it, rather than continually adapting a general-purpose Linux distribution.

**Moving from Debian to Buildroot**

Our current development systems are based on Debian Linux, which has served us well. However, Debian is designed to do thousands of different jobs, whereas Brimstone has one principal purpose: playing music reliably and at the best possible quality.

For R1, we're developing a dedicated operating system using Buildroot and the Linux 6.18 LTS kernel.

Buildroot isn't another Debian derivative. It allows us to assemble a Linux system specifically for Brimstone, including only the components we actually need.

The advantages are straightforward:

- Fewer unnecessary background services.
- Less software to maintain and fewer potential security vulnerabilities.
- A cleaner, more predictable operating environment.
- No conventional package-management updates interrupting normal use.
- Better control over hardware drivers and audio services.
- A stable operating-system foundation that doesn't need constantly changing.

We're not chasing the latest kernel or rewriting perfectly good software for the sake of it. If something works reliably, the intention is to keep it working.

The existing Brimstone music engine is being preserved. The new operating system is designed to run it, not replace it.

**Three Operating-System Slots — A, B and C**

One of the most significant changes is our new multi-slot boot and recovery architecture.

Rather than relying on a single operating-system installation, Brimstone will have three separate system environments.

**Slot A — Primary Operating System**

This is the normal working system, running Brimstone Core.

**Slot B — Secondary Operating System**

A separate operating-system image, used for updates and rollback.

When an update is installed, it can be written to the inactive slot while preserving the known-good installation.

If the updated system fails its startup checks, the machine can return to the previous working version.

**Slot C — Dedicated Recovery and Maintenance**

This is a separate recovery environment with its own operating system and tools.

It is designed to remain available even if both normal operating-system installations become unusable.

Slot C provides:

- Operating-system repair and restoration.
- Installation of verified OS updates.
- Boot-slot selection and rollback.
- Storage and filesystem diagnostics.
- Network diagnostics.
- System health reporting.
- Diagnostic log export.
- Recovery from USB media.

The recovery interface is deliberately text-menu based, so it does not depend on a working graphical desktop.

**Why does this matter?**

Because a music server should not become unusable simply because an update failed or a system file became damaged.

The intention is to provide recovery facilities built into the appliance itself, rather than requiring the owner to reinstall Linux from scratch.

**An Operating System That Cannot Easily Be Altered**

Another important change is that the normal operating-system images will be immutable.

In simple terms, the operating-system files are read-only during normal operation.

This helps protect against accidental system modifications, inappropriate software installations and other changes that can destabilise an otherwise working machine.

Music, playlists, metadata, databases and user settings remain separately stored and writable.

The system software is protected without making the customer's music collection read-only.

**Independent Brimstone Core Updates**

We're also separating operating-system updates from Brimstone application updates.

A correction to the music library, streaming services or playback interface should not require replacing the entire operating system.

Core will have its own signed application packages and a separate rollback mechanism.

The intention is for OS updates to be comparatively infrequent, with Core improvements delivered independently.

**Single-Disk and Multiple-Disk Installation**

Not everyone has a machine with several drives.

The new installer is being designed to support both single-disk and multi-disk computers.

Where multiple drives are available, the operating system and music storage can be separated.

The installer will also identify existing disks and provide clear choices before making changes. Existing music collections must not be inadvertently erased during installation.

**Audio Hardware**

Brimstone Core remains an audio-focused system.

Our planned output support includes HDMI multichannel PCM, external USB DACs, USB-to-SPDIF interfaces and compatible network audio endpoints.

This is particularly relevant to Meridian users, including those using the HD621 HDMI audio processor and digital loudspeaker systems.

Video playback and its associated audio remain functions of the iPad and Apple TV Control applications, rather than adding an unnecessary video playback system to Core itself.

**Where Are We Now?**

The new Buildroot appliance is already undergoing development and testing in an isolated virtual machine.

Initial tests have included successful booting, multi-slot recovery, failed-update rollback, USB recovery and operation of an unchanged Brimstone Core runtime in the new environment.

However, there is still work to complete, particularly with physical hardware, audio interfaces, installation and full system integration.

Our current Debian development installations are being retained while the new platform proves itself.

Nothing will replace the working system simply because the new one boots successfully in a virtual machine.

**The Aim for R1**

Ultimately, Brimstone should behave like a dedicated piece of hi-fi equipment.

Switch it on, select an album and enjoy the music.

The operating system, recovery facilities, diagnostics and updates should quietly take care of themselves without the owner needing to become a Linux administrator.

For those familiar with older Meridian and Sooloos equipment, that philosophy should sound familiar.

The technology underneath may be considerably more modern, but the objective remains the same: a reliable music system that concentrates on music rather than computer maintenance.

We're still targeting 1 December 2026 for R1, subject to completing the necessary testing.

More updates as development progresses.

**Chris**
**Brimstone Core**
https://core-audio.uk

Brimstone — heading towards the December release 🎶


As we approach the planned December release, I want to say a proper thank-you to everyone who has helped test Brimstone. Your time, patience, suggestions and bug reports have made a real difference — especially when something that worked yesterday decided otherwise today!

It has grown considerably from where we started, and we’re now bringing the pieces together.
Two Core options
There will be two Core editions: a Debian-based version with an immutable operating system and three boot slots, providing separate system and recovery environments, and a new, purpose-built Core platform developed from the ground up.

The Intel x64 and Apple Silicon Core builds are now finished, with both audio and video playback working. Attention is now on bringing Control through the remaining development and testing.
More ways to enjoy your music
Apple Music integration is native, Spotify playlists play directly through Meridian outputs, and Bandcamp Radio is working.

TIDAL is the remaining service awaiting partner go-live, so that part is still pending rather than something I’m announcing as available today.

The aim remains the same: bring your collection and supported services together, without making listening to music feel like an IT project.
Live music, concert archives and a little something for Christmas
Brimstone also brings together three online archives of live concerts and authorised bootleg recordings, with downloads available where the recording’s permissions allow.

And it isn’t just about listening. You can rip supported concert discs to Core for video playback, where copying is permitted — so those concerts on the shelf can become part of the library you actually use.

Core also supports compatible videos recorded on Apple and Android devices. That means the footage you took at a gig, the family recordings and those slightly shaky but irreplaceable moments can have a home in your own library, rather than being forgotten on an old phone. Do keep a separate backup of anything irreplaceable.

Your albums, your playlists, your concerts and your memories — brought together to enjoy.

There is still testing to finish before December, and I’ll keep sharing progress as we get closer. To everyone who has helped get Brimstone this far: thank you. This is a small independent project, and your support genuinely matters.

Chris