Vintage King Gear Demos

The road to creating legendary EQs was a rocky one for Pultec co-founders Eugene Shenk and Ollie Summerlin. The New Jersey-based duo started the company in 1953 but came close to shutting it down several times before 1955. The boost (pun intended) they needed came when MGM Studios engineer Clair D. Krepps purchased the first batch of Pultec EQs. Continue reading →

Chandler Limited's collaboration with Abbey Road Studios has produced some of the best analog gear of the past two decades. Incredible designs like the TG12345 Curve Bender, TG2 preamp 19" and 500 Series module, TG Opto Compressor, and REDD.47 preamp have delivered the sounds of EMI to modern studios. Continue reading →

When it comes to outboard gear, finding a unit that breaks new ground can be a bit of a challenge. Most modules aim to recreate the past, but Cranborne Audio has chosen to invent the future with the Brick Lane 500 PWM compressor. Designed and engineered in the UK, the Brick Lane takes a bold approach to compression, utilizing Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology to accurately and truthfully recreate a wide range of different compression styles. For this Hear The Gear session, engineer Bryan Reilly put the Brick Lane 500 through its paces on drums, bass, guitars, and vocals to demonstrate what this powerful new compressor can do for your mix. Continue reading →

Few microphones have shaped the sound of recorded music quite like the Neumann M 49. Used by icons like Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, and Bob Dylan, the M 49 helped define the sound of countless recordings throughout the 1950s and ’60s, and still remains one of the most sought-after tube mics ever made.  In 2022, Neumann reissued this classic microphone as the M 49 V, painstakingly recreating the original using archived documentation and period-correct components. But how does it sound in a modern studio setting? We asked Vintage King's Bryan Reilly to put the M 49 V to the test, tracking vocals, drums, bass, and guitars at his Scramble Shack Studios.  Continue reading →

Built on the foundation of Rupert Neve’s pioneering work, Rupert Neve Designs continues to set the standard for modern analog gear. From classic console designs to modern studio staples, RND’s gear has earned its place in control rooms around the world. The brand’s OptoFET dual-stage compressor adds to that legacy, combining a newly designed FET compression circuit with an optimized version of RND’s classic optical compressor in a single rack space. Continue reading →

Getting the right reverb can completely change how your tracks feel. A good reverb doesn't just add space; it can make vocals sit perfectly in a mix, glue the drum kit together, or turn a simple guitar line into something massive. The difference between a plug-in and dedicated hardware often comes down to character and workflow, and these outboard units deliver on both fronts. For this Hear The Gear video, we're checking out six different outboard reverbs that each bring their own unique flavor: the Tegeler Audio Raumzeitmaschine, Bricasti Design M7, Echo Fix EF-X3, Teaching Machines Wellspring, AMS RMX16, and Meris Mercury7. Continue reading →

Shadow Hills Industries and Vintage King are teaming up again for another limited edition Mono GAMA preamp. Available exclusively at Vintage King in 2025, the new Mono GAMA Hammer Forged preamps combine the classic sound of the original with art-deco-inspired aesthetics and a unique fourth transformer setting that you won’t find anywhere else. To hear how the new “Stack” setting sounds compared to the other options, we asked Vintage King’s Bryan Reilly to record a whole song using each setting on every source. Continue reading to learn more about the new Mono GAMA Hammer Forged preamps, or keep scrolling to get straight to the sound samples.  Continue reading →

When it comes to creating a polished, professional-sounding mix, the final stop on your signal chain is often the most important. A great mix bus processor can add cohesion, depth, and subtle character that helps your work translate across any system. Whether you’re chasing clean, transparent dynamics or rich, analog color, the right processor can elevate a mix from good to great. For this Hear The Gear session, we put four highly respected mix bus tools through their paces: the Rupert Neve Designs Master Buss Processor, the SSL Fusion, the Tegeler Creme RC, and the Rupert Neve Designs MBT. Each piece offers its own approach to tone shaping, compression, and stereo enhancement. Continue reading →

Neve has a long lineage of classic analog designs borrowed from the brand’s iconic consoles, like the legendary 1073 preamp, 1081 EQ, and 33609 compressor. Now the storied gear manufacturer is adding to the list with the new 88R LBC 500 Series compressor. The 88R LBC compressor packs the dynamics section from Neve’s popular 88RS console into a compact and convenient 500 Series module. In addition to the brand’s classic VCA circuit, the 88R LBC includes a number of fresh new features like auto make-up gain, simple stereo linking, and variable sidechain filtering. Continue reading →

Universal Audio is expanding its popular Volt lineup with the new Volt 876 audio interface ($999), a feature-packed interface designed for creators who want it all in one box. Designed for bands, producers, and serious home studios, the Volt 876 combines UA’s legendary analog tone with next-generation digital flexibility.  With eight onboard Vintage preamps, classic 1176-style compressors, pristine 32-bit / 192 kHz conversion, and seamless integration with UAD plug-ins and LUNA software, the Volt 876 delivers big studio sound in a rackmount format that fits right into any modern workflow.  Continue reading →