Videos

Earlier this year, H2 Audio brought new life to the Helios name with fantastic 500 Series reproductions of the classic console brand's mic pre and EQ. H2 Audio is now taking the Helios love to the next level with its latest release, the 0011 Mic Pre and 3-Band EQ ($1999). This painstaking recreation of the original channel module will inspire those who love the sound of classic Helios records like Are You Experienced?, Exile on Main Street, Led Zeppelin I and countless others. Al Sutton and Tim Mead of H2 Audio have worked tirelessly to stay true to Dick Swettenham's original design work and perfect the 0011 down to its smallest detail. Continue reading →

Tegeler Audio's analog outboard gear has certainly become a favorite around these parts. For those that love the brand's opto compressor portion of the VTRC Vari Tube Recording Channel, you'll be excited to know that the circuit is now available in the 500 Series format. That's right, meet the Tegeler Audio Vocal Leveler ($712)! Dialing in compression with the Vocal Leveler is extremely easy as the compressor features a simple two-knob design. We have a Gain Reduction knob (Max Gain Reduction: - 12 dB) and an Output knob (Maximum Output Level: 21 dBu). There are also two three-way flip switches. The left switch is used for engaging the module with an In, Bypass and Link option for stereo use of two Vocal Levelers. The right switch controls the compressor's attack and release time with three options; Fast, Auto and Slow. Continue reading →

Vintage King is known for being a leader in vintage analog recording gear, but sometimes an instrument so special comes along that we just have to take notice. Such is the case with this 1964 Gibson Firebird III, previously owned by influential Motown session musician Eddie "Chank" Willis. Born in Grenada, Mississippi in 1936, Eddie learned to play guitar in the styles of Chet Atkins, Albert King and Wes Montgomery. After finishing school, he moved to Detroit to become part of the city’s bustling music scene. He kept busy with local gigs and session work until Motown founder Berry Gordy came calling and made him a member of the record label’s house band in 1959. Continue reading →

There's something very satisfying about throwing a hulking ribbon microphone up in the studio to capture vocals, drums or room sounds. Maybe it's because engineers have been doing it since the ribbon mic was first invented in the 1920s by Drs. Walter H. Schottky and Erwin Gerlach. It's a piece of the past that we can still relive today. One of the more sizeable ribbon microphone designs from recording history is the Melodium 42B. The microphone was originally built by Charles Bouteleau and Emlie Furn in Paris in the early 1940s with an initial production run that lasted into the late 1960s. The 42B featured four monster Alnico magnets and delivered a smooth, warm sound. Continue reading →

In the first installment of Exploration: LUNA, the team at Trace Horse Recording Studio tracked a song by singer/songwriter Carl Anderson using Universal Audio's LUNA Recording System. The video showcases the smooth integration between LUNA and Apollo interfaces, while also offering an A/B comparison of UAD emulations and the analog gear the plug-ins are based on. Exploration: LUNA is now back for Part 2 and this time we're talking all about the mix. Trace Horse house engineer Scottie Prudhoe is mixing Carl's track "I'll Wait" and offering you an in-depth overview of the UAD plug-ins he's using in his process. You'll also get a firsthand look at how the LUNA Recording System's built-in summing and integrated multi-track tape can be used to your advantage. Continue reading →

Based in Denmark, GOLY’s Gustav Grinderslev has contributed some of the most eye-catching pieces to hit the mastering market in quite a while. Both the GOLY Stereo Dynamic Shelving EQ ($4443.06) and PG Porter Grinder Mastering EQ ($4236.69) offer a unique take on equalizer design that will have mastering engineers salivating. We recently sat down with Gustav and talked about design philosophy, the inspiration behind his current pieces, and more. Before we get to the interview, you're going to want to check out our new demo of both GOLY units below. Continue reading →

In honor of the launch of our new video series, Exploration: LUNA, Vintage King and Universal Audio are teaming up to give one lucky winner an incredible package of hardware and software. That's right, we're setting you up on your own fact-finding mission so you can experience recording, mixing and mastering within the LUNA Recording System. For this month's giveaway, the big prize package includes a Universal Audio Apollo x8p Heritage Edition audio interface and the LUNA Analog Essentials Bundle. Not only do you get to take advantage of the Apollo x8p's eight unison mic pres and HEXA Core processing, but you'll also get the Realtime Analog Classics Plus Bundle and the new Heritage Edition Bundle.  The cherry on top is the LUNA Analog Essentials Bundle, which instantly gives you access to LUNA's built-in Neve and API summing and Studer and Ampex tape machines. Continue reading →

Vintage King and Universal Audio have teamed up with Trace Horse Recording Studio for a new three-part video series titled Exploration: LUNA. Throughout the series, Trace Horse's Preston Cochran and Scottie Prudhoe will showcase how to record, mix and master a song using Universal Audio's LUNA Recording System. The fun doesn't stop there though... No, we're just getting started. Trace Horse Recording Studio has an immaculate collection of analog recording gear featuring the best of the best. The crown jewel of the studio's set-up is a vintage Neve 8014 recording console that was refurbished and modded by the Vintage King Tech Shop. In this video series, we will be comparing how close UAD emulations get to the real thing, including A/Bing LUNA's built-in Neve summing with tracks summed through the Neve 8014. Continue reading →

Solid State Logic has had plenty of new releases in the past few years, most notably the Fusion and SiX. These two best-selling products have garnered lots of customer feedback and SSL has heard you loud and clear. The storied pro audio brand has taken some of the essential elements of the analog processing box and desktop mixer to create two new 500 Series modules. We're excited to introduce you to the SiX CH Channel Strip ($399) and UltraViolet EQ ($1299). As its name implies, the SiX CH Channel Strip takes inspiration from the SiX and brings one of the desktop mixer's channel strips straight to your 500 Series rack. The module includes the SiX's microphone preamp, two-band low and high EQ and a single-knob compressor. The SiX CH offers a clean, ultra-low noise SuperAnalogue mic pre with your standard phase, phantom, high pass filter switches and Mic/Line options. The EQ offers an In/Out button, a knob for HF and LF and a button for each band that allows you to choose between shelving and bell curves. Continue reading →

Earlier this year, Rupert Neve Designs gave its line of summing mixers a significant boost. Two of the brand's classics, the 5059 Satellite and 5060 Centerpiece, were given the Shelford Blue color treatment and the new 5057 Orbit was added to the summing family.  With the addition of the 5057 Orbit, it's easier than ever for studios to achieve Rupert's classic console sound, no matter their size or budget constraints. So how do these summing mixer options from Rupert Neve Designs differ? We'll get way more in-depth in our new demo video below, but for starters, here's an overview of what each piece offers up to recording and mix facilities. Continue reading →