Interviews

Karno's SEPIA is a new audio platform that combines the best aspects of analog processing and digital control. At launch, the SEPIA system consists of the L6 rackmount host unit (available with analog or digital I/O) and 22 SEPIA modules from 15 brands. The L6 fits up to six SEPIA modules and provides comprehensive digital control over the fully analog signal path, allowing you to use real analog hardware with the ease and flexibility of plugins.  Continue reading →

Bob Clearmountain is a mixing engineer’s mixing engineer. Starting out as a staff engineer at Mediasound and Power Station studios in 1970s New York, Clearmountain cut his teeth working with acts like Kool & the Gang, Chic, and Bruce Springsteen. By the 1980s, he was being hired exclusively for his mixing talents by the likes of David Bowie, Roxy Music, and The Rolling Stones, and eventually became the first mixer to receive a percentage of royalties. He was also an early adopter of 5.1 surround sound, mixing countless records in the format before switching to Dolby Atmos—all on his trusty SSL 4072 G+ console.  Continue reading →

Ben Kane is a Brooklyn-based producer, mixer, and engineer who holds three Grammy Awards and a Latin Grammy for his work with D’Angelo, Cultura Profetica, PJ Morton, and CeCe Winans. In 2018, Ben and co-founder Drew Vogelman opened Electric Garden: a colorful, inspiring studio with an eclectic vibe that seems to mirror Kane’s adventurous production style. Kane’s "Five Sounds With" interview offers a blend of creative production, masterful songwriting and musicianship, soulful vocal performances, and occasional psychedelic flourishes. From breathing new life into Bilal’s demo tracks to stacking harmonies with D’Angelo and recording jazz ensembles direct to analog tape, Kane brings unique and thoughtful contributions to everything he’s a part of. Continue reading →

DPA microphones are celebrated for their extremely transparent sound and low-noise performance, and the Danish company’s new CORE+ technology takes that to the next level. Based on the revolutionary CORE technology introduced in 2018, which dramatically reduced Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) levels across the board, CORE+ further reduces THD to levels that can’t even be detected except at the upper limits of SPL tolerance.  To better understand the technology behind CORE+ and its benefits for live and studio applications, we spoke with DPA’s Global Sales Support and Business Development Manager, Paul Andrews.  Continue reading →

A version of this article was originally published in Issue 006 of Vintage King's PLAYBACK magazine – read the full issue online.  Since he moved to the US from Turkey in 2001, two-time GRAMMY-winning songwriter/producer Oak Felder has built a solid career crafting hits for artists like Demi Lovato, Alessia Cara, Kehlani, Chris Brown, Nikki Minaj, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna, to name a few. It’s an impressive discography, and it all began in a small recording studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Continue reading →

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 →

For over 25 years, AEA has been at the forefront of modern ribbon microphone design. Inspired by the iconic RCA 44, AEA has built an entire line of ribbon mics that deliver warm, natural sound with a signature blend of vintage character and modern performance.  While ribbon mics have traditionally been considered a studio staple, AEA has proven they’re equally at home on stage. With rugged construction, innovative designs, and a growing community of live engineers who swear by their sound, AEA ribbons are showing up on more stages than ever before.  Continue reading →

Antelope Audio’s new A4-1B is a one-of-a-kind tube optical compressor modeled after a vintage classic and enhanced with next-gen features. On its own, the A4-1B is already a premium analog compressor, but the A4-1B plug-in unlocks advanced capabilities like DAW control, automation support with motorized potentiometers, and an auto-calibrating photocell.  To understand everything the A4-1B can do, we asked Nik Georgiev from Antelope Audio for a rundown of its innovative features and how to take full advantage of them.  Continue reading →

Suzy Shinn has a palpable joy for music, and her enthusiasm for the craft can be heard on every project she touches as a sought-after producer, recording engineer, and songwriter.  Suzy is a GRAMMY and ARIA-nominated producer who has worked with Panic! At the Disco, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Ghost, SOPHIE, Illy & Anne Marie, and has also produced music for films like Bill & Ted Face the Music and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.  Recently, we sat down with Suzy to ask her 20 Questions about the art of production, her favorite gear, and what it’s like juggling so many roles in the studio. Continue reading →

Universal Audio’s next-generation Apollo X interfaces bring several new features that promise to improve monitor accuracy in any studio. The Gen 2 Apollo Twin X DUO, Twin X QUAD, x4, x6, x8, x8p, x16, and x16D all support the following new features: Apollo Monitor Correction by Sonarworks® Headphone correction for 500+ models Bass Management functionality in UAD Console Individual Solo, Mute, and Trim controls for each speaker Continue reading →