An SSL G-COMP 500 Series compressor and a Standard Audio Levelor 500 Series module flanking a graphic of a reel of analog tape with the Vintage King logo in the center falling throughh a basketball net made of audio cables. Text at the bottom reads Vintage King Studio Showdown.
What's your favorite piece of new outboard gear on the market right now? It's a challenging question, given the amazing array of releases out there, one that sparks even more thought than definitive answers.

Do you choose a classic design that's withstood the test of time, or something new and innovative that pushes boundaries? Do you choose a "one-trick pony" that does one job exceptionally well, or a versatile "Swiss Army knife" that can tackle any task?

This month, Vintage King is hosting the ultimate Studio Showdown outboard style! Keep scrolling to learn more about the 64 pieces of gear competing in this year's bracket, and how to vote for your favorite gear for a chance to win a $250 Vintage King gift card.

Throughout March, four conferences will compete to determine fan-favorite champions in preamps, EQs, compressors, and summing/effects. At the end of the month, the winners of each conference will head to the Final Flow to see who wins the overall outboard championship for 2024.

Follow Vintage King on Instagram and vote for your favorite gear to climb the ranks every Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to fill out the form below by March 19th, 2024, select who you think will win the championship game, and read the official rules here. Three entrants who select the correct winner will be chosen randomly and win a $250 Vintage King gift card.

Voting Schedule:

3/6: Preamp Conference and Compressor Conference (Round of 64)
3/8: EQ Conference and Summing/Effects Conference (Round of 64)

3/13: Preamp Conference and Compressor Conference (Round of 32)
3/15: EQ Conference and Summing/Effects Conference (Round of 32)

3/19: ENTRIES FOR GIVEAWAY CLOSE

3/20: Preamp, Compressor, EQ, and Summing/Effects Conferences (Round of 16)
3/22: Preamp, Compressor, EQ, and Summing/Effects Conferences (Round of 8)

3/27: Preamp, Compressor, EQ, and Summing/Effects Conferences (Final Flow)
3/29: Preamp, Compressor, EQ, and Summing/Effects Conferences (Championship Game)

4/3: Vintage King Studio Showdown Winner Announced

Keep scrolling to check out the current brackets for each conference and to learn more about how you can win our Studio Showdown!

Preamp Conference

Preamp Conference Champion: Neve 1073DPX

Preamp Conference 500 Series Region Neve 1073LB API 512V Chandler Limited TG2-500 Rupert Neve Designs 511 Solid State Logic SiX CH Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Shadow Hills Mono GAMA Copper Burl Audio B1D

500 Series Region Champion: Neve 1073LB

  1. Neve 1073LB
  2. API 512V
  3. Chandler Limited TG2-500
  4. Rupert Neve Designs 511
  5. Solid State Logic SiX CH
  6. Cranborne Audio Camden 500
  7. Shadow Hills Mono GAMA Copper
  8. Burl Audio B1D

Preamp Conference 19-Inch Rackmount Region Neve 1073DPX Universal Audio 4-710D Chandler Limited REDD.47 D.W. Fearn VT-2 Warm Audio WA-MPX BAE 1073MPF UnderTone Audio MPDI-4 Coil Audio CA-70S

19-Inch Rackmount Region Champion: Neve 1073DPX

  1. Neve 1073DPX
  2. Universal Audio 4-710D
  3. Chandler Limited REDD.47
  4. D.W. Fearn VT-2
  5. Warm Audio WA-MPX
  6. BAE 1073MPF
  7. UnderTone Audio MPDI-4
  8. Coil Audio CA-70S

Compressor Conference

Compressor Conference Champion: Universal Audio 1176LN

Compressor Conference 500 Series Region SSL G-Comp Shadow Hills Dual Vandegraph Retro Instruments DoubleWide Empirical Labs Pump 500 IGS Audio 576 Blue Stripe Black Lion Audio Bluey Acme Audio Opticom XLA-500 Standard Audio Level-Or MK2

500 Series Region Champion: SSL G-Comp

  1. SSL G-Comp
  2. Shadow Hills Dual Vandegraph
  3. Retro Instruments DoubleWide
  4. Empirical Labs Pump 500
  5. IGS Audio 576 Blue Stripe
  6. Black Lion Audio Bluey
  7. Acme Audio Opticom XLA-500
  8. Standard Audio Level-Or MK2

Compressor Conference 19-Inch Rackmount Region Tube-Tech CL1B Universal Audio 1176LN Empirical Labs EL8X SSL Bus+ Bettermaker Mastering Limiter Retro Instruments Sta-Level WesAudio ngBusComp Smart Research C2

19-Inch Rackmount Region Champion: Universal Audio 1176LN

  1. Tube-Tech CL1B
  2. Universal Audio 1176LN
  3. Empirical Labs EL8X
  4. SSL Bus+
  5. Bettermaker Mastering Limiter
  6. Retro Instruments Sta-Level
  7. WesAudio ngBusComp
  8. Smart Research C2

EQ  Conference

EQ Conference Champion: Pultec EQP-1A

EQ Conference 500 Series Region API 550A Pultec EQP-500X Trident 80B EQ Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500 SSL UVEQ UnderTone UTEQ500 Maag Audio EQ4 Pope Audio BAX 2020

500 Series Region Champion: API 550A

  1. API 550A
  2. Pultec EQP-500X
  3. Trident 80B EQ
  4. Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500
  5. SSL UVEQ
  6. UnderTone UTEQ500
  7. Maag Audio EQ4
  8. Pope Audio BAX 2020

EQ Conference 19-Inch Rackmount Region Pultec EQP-1A Manley Labs Massive Passive Gainlab Audio Empress Heritage Audio PEQ-2 Maselec MEA-2 GML 8200 Chandler Limited EMI TG12345 Curve Bender Maag Audio EQ4m

19-Inch Rackmount Region Champion: Pultec EQP-1A

  1. Pultec EQP-1A
  2. Manley Labs Massive Passive
  3. Gainlab Audio Empress
  4. Heritage Audio PEQ-2
  5. Maselec MEA-2
  6. GML 8200
  7. Chandler Limited EMI TG12345 Curve Bender
  8. Maag Audio EQ4m

Summing & Effects Conference

Summing & Effects Conference Champion: Bricasti Design M7

Summing & Processor Region Champion: Rupert Neve Designs 5059 Satellite

  1. Rupert Neve Designs 5059 Satellite
  2. Dangerous Music 2-Bus+
  3. Burl Audio B32
  4. Neve 8816
  5. Overstayer M-A-S
  6. Black Box HG-2
  7. Singular Audio Tubedrve
  8. SPL BiG 500

Effects Region

Effects Region Champion: Bricasti Design M7

  1. AMS RMX16
  2. Bricasti Design M7
  3. Eventide H9000
  4. Tegeler Audio Raumzeitmaschine
  5. Echo Fix EF-X3R
  6. Teaching Machines Wellspring
  7. Meris Mercury7
  8. Pope Audio Dirty-C

Be sure to follow Vintage King on Instagram to vote for your favorite gear and stay up to date on the latest brackets!

Congratulations to Gus Berry of Portland, Oregon who accurately selected the Pultec EQP-1A as the winner of the tournament and was chosen at random as our $250 gift card winner.

Kevin Schuck If you’re interested in purchasing any of the gear included in our Studio Showdown, we're here to help! Contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.