Building A 500 Series Rack With Rupert Neve Designs

Whether you’re looking to build your first 500 Series rack or add some new modules to your collection, Rupert Neve Designs is making it easier than ever. Now through March, you can upgrade your studio with four new 500 Series bundles, combining the popular R6 and R10 chassis with some of the brand’s best-selling 500 Series modules.

Rupert Neve Designs 500 Series Racks And Modules

In this blog, we’ll break down what’s included in all four new bundles—but first, let’s take a closer look at some of RND’s offerings in the 500 Series department.

Rupert Neve Designs 500 Series Racks

The Rupert Neve Designs R6 is a 6-space 500 Series rack with a full complement of XLR and TRS I/O for racking up your favorite modules. Best of all, the R6 provides 150% of the required current for standard 500 Series modules, ensuring all of your gear sounds its best. Looking to build a slightly larger signal chain? Check out the 10-slot version, the R10 500 Series Rack.

Portico 511 Mic Pre

The Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 is an extremely versatile preamplifier, suitable for any application. Combining popular features from leading Neve channels—including the preamp circuit from the 517 channel strip, and sweepable high-pass filter from the 5012 preamp—the Portico 511 is a great addition to any studio's 500 Series rack. Not only do you get the signature Neve sound in a compact 500 Series package, but variable Texture controls allow you to dial in the perfect amount of harmonic distortion.

Portico 542 Tape Emulator

Add some mojo to your mixes with the Rupert Neve Designs Portico 542 500 Series Tape Emulator. Equipped with 100% analog tape emulation circuitry, the Portico 542 is perfect for bringing out 3rd-order harmonics. In addition to taming harsh transients, the soft clip feature enhances 2nd-order harmonics, giving you the best of both worlds. Plus, with variable Silk Red and Blue Textures for a variety of transformer tones, and a blend control to dial in the perfect amount of saturation, the Portico 542 is the ultimate "color box" for adding vintage flavor to your tracks.

535 Diode Bridge Compressor

For decades, the Neve 2254 has been one of the most sought-after compressors in the recording industry. The Rupert Neve Designs 535 500 Series Diode Bridge Compressor offers the same sonic quality as the acclaimed 2254 compressor, but with expanded functionality. In addition to technical updates like a reduced noise floor, expanded headroom, and stepped controls for easy recalls, the 535 compressor introduces a number of new workflow enhancements. With expanded ratios from 1.5:1 to 8:1, six variable time constants, blend controls for parallel compression, and a built-in side chain high-pass filter, the 535 meets the needs of even the most demanding sessions.

551 Equalizer

Inspired by Rupert Neve’s most prized vintage designs, the Rupert Neve Designs 551 equalizer delivers the thick lows, powerful midrange, and sweet highs of Rupert’s classic inductor EQ design. Boosting any of the three bands drives the custom-wound inductors and transformers, introducing beautifully musical harmonics that give your tracks a smooth, polished sound, reminiscent of Rupert’s classic consoles.

Rupert Neve Designs 500 Series Bundles

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of Rupert Neve Designs' impressive collection of 500 Series gear, let’s take a look at the custom bundles on sale at Vintage King.

RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS 500 SERIES STEREO TRACKING RIG R6 CHASSIS WITH TWO 511 MODULES

Perfect for building out a custom stereo channel strip or vocal chain, this bundle combines the six-channel R6 500 Series rack with two Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 preamps.

RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS 500 SERIES COLOR BUNDLE RIG R6 WITH TWO 542 MODULES

Want to add some vintage vibe to your mix? The Color Bundle Rig includes an R6 rack loaded with two Portico 542 Tape Emulator modules for adding 2nd and 3rd-order harmonics to your tracks.

RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS 500 SERIES CHANNEL STRIP R6 CHASSIS WITH 511, 535, 551 MODULES

This bundle is a custom Neve channel strip with room to grow, featuring a 511 preamp module, 551 equalizer, and 535 diode compressor. Fill out the remaining three slots with a second chain for stereo recordings or load up on new modules for a unique sound.

RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS 500 SERIES COLOR XL BUNDLE RIG R10 WITH TWO 542 AND TWO 535 MODULES

Last but not least, this bundle combines the 10-channel R10 rack with two 535 diode bridge compressor modules and two 542 Tape Emulators—perfect for tracking, mixing, or even mastering!

If you're interested in purchasing any of these bundles or would like to purchase any Rupert Neve Designs gear, we're here to help! Please contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.