Vintage King Blog

Sarah Register is a GRAMMY-nominated mastering engineer whose credits span from Black Midi to Faye Webster, but that's only part of the story. A self-described music obsessive, Register cut her teeth in New York’s underground scene as half of the beloved avant-pop duo Talk Normal, and more recently, as a live guitarist and sonic co-conspirator with Kim Gordon. We sat down with Sarah for our 20 Questions Series, diving into her love-hate relationship with New York, the unexpected meal she’d cross the globe to relive, and why mastering might be the most psychological—and misunderstood—step in the creative process. Read on for her thoughts on AI’s role in the studio, the gear she’ll never give up, and the one thing she wishes more artists understood about the art of mastering. Continue reading →

Dante is an AV-over-IP technology that makes it possible to send hundreds of channels of high-resolution, low-latency audio between devices using standard Ethernet cables. Created by Audinate and licensed to third-party manufacturers, the Dante protocol has been widely adopted by top brands like Focusrite, Universal Audio, Apogee, Avid, PreSonus, and RME. Dante networks are used in major recording studios, post-production houses, broadcast facilities, and music venues around the world, but even the humblest home studio can take advantage of it, too. While networked audio may seem complex at first glance, it’s actually very easy to implement and has the potential to dramatically streamline your setup and workflow. In this guide, we’ll explain how Dante works and how to configure a few different types of Dante systems for different applications.  Continue reading →

You swore you were done. The rig was perfect. The studio was locked in. You even cleared out space on your desk and promised yourself no more synths this year. Then 2025 happened. From vintage-inspired revivals to innovative hybrid designs, the synth scene has been firing on all oscillators this year. Whether you're building a new modular rack, need a new studio centerpiece, or searching for the ultimate stage synth, this year's releases have something for everyone. In this blog, we’re rounding up the best synths of 2025. Ready to dive in?  Continue reading →

Hazelrigg Industries has earned a reputation for bringing the warmth and musicality of classic tube gear into the modern studio. Built in collaboration with legendary designer Doug Fearn, the Hazelrigg 500 Series lineup delivers the sonic character and build quality you'd expect from their full-size rack gear, but in a compact, portable format.  In this edition of Hear The Gear, Vintage King’s Bryan Reilly put the DVA tube microphone preamp, DLC inductor EQ, and DNE PWM compressor to the test across a range of instruments. Below, you’ll hear the raw, unprocessed recordings of each instrument, along with detailed breakdowns of the gear and settings used. But first, let’s dive into what makes each module unique.  Continue reading →

For nearly four decades, Apogee has been at the forefront of digital audio, crafting powerful interfaces that have shaped the sound of countless GRAMMY-winning records. Since the debut of the original Symphony I/O in 2010, Apogee has been a studio staple, setting the standard with cutting-edge converters and pristine preamps.  Now, the brand is ushering in a new era with the Symphony Studio Series, a trio of audio interfaces that bring the legendary Symphony sound to a wider range of producers, engineers, and immersive audio specialists.  Continue reading →

Solid State Logic has a remarkable history of audio innovation that dates back to 1969. The brand established its legacy with iconic consoles like the 4000 Series and has continued to evolve with modern masterpieces such as the Origin and Duality Fuse. More recently, SSL has expanded its reach by incorporating technology from its consoles into outboard gear, audio interfaces, and software solutions. Continue reading →

There’s something about the pedal world that never sits still. Just when you’ve convinced yourself that your board is finally complete, a new fuzz, delay, or multi-effect drops, and suddenly you’re rearranging everything at 2 a.m. with a flashlight in your teeth. It’s OK, we’ve all been there. The first half of 2025 has already delivered some impressive new pedals, from fresh takes on vintage circuits to innovative AI-powered effects. In this blog, we’ll break down our picks for the best pedals of the year so far, featuring new releases from some familiar faces, plus a few wildcards that'll have your bandmates asking, "What the hell was that?".  Continue reading →

Every great recording starts with the right microphone. Whether you're tracking vocals in a world-class studio or capturing a guitar amp in your bedroom, the right microphone can make or break your recording. Thankfully, there are plenty of great microphones available at every price point—from budget-friendly workhorses to high-end studio legends. In this guide, we’ll break down the best microphones for any budget, covering dynamic, condenser, and ribbon mics that deliver professional results. Whether you're just starting to build your mic locker or expanding an already impressive collection, there’s something here for everyone.  Continue reading →

At his Dolby Atmos-approved Nashville studio, i65sound, Brent Barcus records, mixes, and designs sound and music for some of the biggest names in entertainment, including FOX Sports, NASCAR, Comedy Central, Verizon, and Warner Bros., to name a few.  When he steps out from behind the desk, it’s for another high-profile gig: live guitarist and music director for superstar Shania Twain, whom he’s worked with since her first ever concert tour back in 1998, when he was handpicked by Twain and producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange to be part of her original touring band.  Continue reading →

While DAWs have technically made analog mixing consoles obsolete, many studios still use them because running tracks through real transformers and op-amps imparts a subtle tonal coloration, even without engaging any channel EQs or bus compressors. But what if you don’t have the space or budget for a full-sized console? Enter the summing mixer: the perfect solution for getting the sound of an analog console without sacrificing the convenience and flexibility of a DAW-based workflow.  A summing mixer is essentially a console stripped of its faders, preamps, EQs, and most other bells and whistles, leaving just the line inputs and the circuitry that combines (or “sums”) them to a master output. Multitrack outputs or mix stems are sent from a DAW and combined inside the summing mixer, and the two-track output is then routed back to the DAW and recorded.  Continue reading →