Jordan Hall

This article was originally published in Playback Issue 002. Subscribe to Playback for free to stay up to date with our latest articles, interviews, product reviews and more. In our new column, Presets, we'll be sitting down with Vintage King Audio Consultants to talk about classic pieces of gear and how to use them for specific sound sources. For the first installment, Audio Consultant Stephen Earnest is setting you up for success with the Neve 1073 microphone preamp and equalizer. Continue reading →

When he isn’t mixing for film and TV, Louis DeFelice is building custom studio desks and racks for his new studio furniture company, Carpenter Studio Gear. Since starting the brand in 2020, things have picked up rather quickly for Louis. He's won over lots of fans with an aesthetic that blends simplicity and durability with a mid-century modern style. We recently sat down with Louis as a part of our Behind The Gear series where we talk to the makers behind our favorite pro audio brands. Continue on to read our conversation and learn how Louis got his start in woodworking and why he feels it's important to invest in good, affordable studio furniture. Continue reading →

Apogee has just unveiled Duet 3 ($599), the latest generation of the widely popular desktop interface that set a new industry standard for recording professionally at home or on the go. The Duet 3 interface builds on the key aspects that made the original a hit, while introducing software that enhances control of channel FX and basic input controls. In 2007, the first Apogee Duet entered the market as the new industry standard in the realm of home and mobile recording. The Duet 3 keeps the series alive in a new low-profile design, featuring studio-grade preamps, legendary AD/DA conversion and onboard hardware DSP. Pairing the Apogee Duet 3 with the new Duet Dock ($149) creates a whole new desktop experience. Continue reading →

After many successful years producing the 527 compressor/limiter, API Audio is proud to announce the new 527A ($1135.25). The original 527 quickly gained a great reputation for its versatility, so API has built upon it by adding improvements to make it even more convenient to use. API retained the circuit of the former 527, so you’ll feel right at home...

When looking back at the most treasured recordings in American history, Al Schmitt's name appears in the credits of countless legendary songs and albums. His production and engineering work was truly one of a kind. It all started with an apprenticeship at Apex Recording Studios. A nineteen-year-old Al Schmitt would come face-to-face with the legendary Duke Ellington and say, "Mr. Ellington, I'm really not qualified to do this. This was a huge mistake." Mr. Ellington assured the young engineer that they would make it through the session and the rest is history. Continue reading →

Over the course of the past eight years, Soyuz Microphones has been building a reputation for impactful mics. Innovative creations like the 017, 023 Bomblet and 013 have been adopted by engineers around the world as studio standards that offer impressive sounds. In this Buyer's Guide, we'll take a closer look at the brand’s lineup of high-end condenser microphones and hear them in action. Before we get to the specifics of each release, let's learn a little about the history of Soyuz and how they handcraft these beautiful mics. Continue reading →

Heavy Melody Music is led by a team of composers and sound designers with long resumes in the worlds of film, TV and video games. Since its formation by Dave Fraser and Neil Goldberg in 1999, the company has worked with elite clients like Electronic Arts, 2K Games, Atari, NFL, Sony, Gillette and NBC. In addition to sound design, the brand's sister company, Heavyocity Media, makes award-winning virtual instruments.   Recently, Heavy Melody Music and Heavyocity Media moved into a new facility and found themselves with enough space to fit a large-format recording console. The group had previously worked with Vintage King Audio Consultant Jacob Schneider to install three API THE BOX consoles and wanted to scale up with something they were familiar with. Continue reading →

With 2021 nearly here, we're concluding our blog wrap-up of the best selling pro audio gear of 2020. You didn't think we would skip synths and pedals, did you? Fear not, filter sweepers and fuzz lords! We've got you covered! While few will reminisce about 2020 with great fondness, one positive to come from this year is an overwhelming amount of new tools for tinkering in the studio. From pedals built in collaboration between companies to synthesizers that revive classic designs, this is the gear that got our customers through the past 365 days. Continue reading →

Cyber Monday has become a huge deal for music makers, as it offers them a chance to save on the best plug-ins and software around. This year at Vintage King, you don't need to wait for Cyber Monday. You can get started saving right now! That's right, Vintage King's Black Friday Sale has already kicked off and we have plug-ins and software on sale from over 25 different brands. Whether you are in need of a new subscription to your favorite DAW, a hot compressor plug-in for your mix bus, or some virtual instruments, we've got you covered. Continue below to see what's on sale. Continue reading →