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Want to mix with Neve’s signature rich tone and musical saturation, but don’t have the budget (or space) for a full console? Lucky for you, Rupert Neve Designs offers a range of rackmount summing mixers, channel strips, and 500 Series modules that make iconic Neve circuits accessible at any budget.
This guide will highlight three different ways to build a mixing rig on a budget using Rupert Neve Designs gear: an entry-level setup based around a pair of Newton Channels supplemented by 500 Series gear, an intermediate rig featuring the 5059 summing mixer, and a mastering-grade configuration involving the Master Buss Converter.
If you’re looking to start on a small scale, we recommend investing in just a few pieces of gear that provide maximum utility. Starting with a pair of RND Newton Channels gives you two versatile channel strips that are equally useful for mixing and recording, and you can easily expand your setup with RND 500 Series modules.
Beyond being a tone-packed all-in-one channel strip for recording, the Newton Channel is an excellent choice for mixing as well. Using the line-level input, you can feed tracks through the EQ and compressor stages in either order, and always benefit from the Texture stage on the output. For mix buss processing, you can use the Link function to control both sets of processors on a stereo signal.
When you inevitably feel the need for more outboard processing, it’s easy to add a Rupert Neve Designs 500 Series rack preloaded with a starter set of mixing modules like the Color Bundle or Color XL Bundle. As your budget grows, you can always add more 542 Tape emulators, 535 Diode Bridge Compressors, or 551 Inductor EQs.
A big part of the Neve sound is the magic that happens in the summing stage, so for the next step up, we recommend basing your setup around the Rupert Neve Designs 5059 Satellite Summing Mixer. Add a few Shelford Channels on the inserts and a Portico II Master Buss Processor after the summing mixer, and you’ve got a modular Neve mixer in a rack!
The Rupert Neve Designs 5059 is a 16x2 line mixer that incorporates many of the same circuit topologies and custom transformers of the legendary Neve 5088 console. All 16 channels feature bypassable Inserts for adding additional outboard processors, and each of the two assignable stereo outputs features a Silk circuit with Red and Blue Texture options for different flavors of saturation.
The RND Shelford Channel strip combines a bold-sounding mic/line input stage with a three-band parametric EQ, a very flexible VCA compressor, and—you guessed it—a Silk circuit on the output. With the ability to change the order of the EQ and compression stages, plus a Side Chain insert and stereo-linking capability, the Shelford Channel is a fantastic all-around processor.
The final step in the chain is the Portico II MBP, a sophisticated stereo compressor and limiter built around a high-voltage, class-A signal path made famous by the 5088 Mixer. The VCA compressor features feed-forward and feed-back modes, a Side Chain circuit, and a Blend knob for parallel compression, and the Stereo Field Editor gives you even more control over the depth and width of your mix.
If you’re serious about optimizing your mixing and mastering workflow, the Rupert Neve Designs MBC Master Buss Converter is an excellent final capture device for your Neve mix rig. Paired with one of RND’s summing mixers and your choice of processors, this configuration is the ultimate way to achieve iconic Neve sound on a budget.
The Rupert Neve Designs MBC is a mastering-grade stereo A/D converter that provides a transparent Class-A transformerless signal path as well as an optional inter-stage transformer circuit with Red and Blue Silk saturation. Both channels also feature a compound active-release limiter for pumping up your mixes without compromising the integrity of the sound. With six sample rate options (up to 192 kHz) and Word Clock output, the MBC is the best way to capture your final mix.
The RND 5057 is a streamlined 16-channel summing mixer that gives you that magical Neve summing without complicating your DAW-based workflow. Based around a Class-A signal path with high headroom and variable Silk saturation, the 5059 is a plug-and-play way to imbue your mixes with bold Neve tone.
Discussed above, the RND 5059 provides a bit more flexibility than the 5057. Individual inserts on each channel let you hook up all your Neve outboard gear, and both of the stereo outputs feature variable Red and Blue Silk saturation for different flavors of tone.
If you need the feel of faders under your fingers, the RND 5060 is the next best thing to getting a real Neve console. This 24x2 line mixer gives you 12 stereo inputs, including four on faders with individual inserts, plus a master mix insert, plenty of I/O, and DAW control via USB.
The best thing about building a mix rig out of rack gear is the flexibility. Any and all of the pieces mentioned in this article—along with other Rupert Neve Designs outboard gear—can be combined in whichever way suits your needs. Whether you want to recreate a classic Neve console with the full line of Shelford Series gear or simply run 16 mix stems through a rack of 542 tape emulators, you can make it happen for less than you might expect. Get in touch with a Vintage King Audio Consultant to start planning your RND mix rig today!
