Buyer's Guide: Console & Control Surface

Over the past few decades, Pro Tools has become the industry-standard DAW for recording, mixing, and post-production facilities. Avid has given both home and commercial studio owners several new tools in the past year to help streamline their Pro Tools rigs, including a new interface and several desktop control surfaces.With so many solutions to choose from, it can be tough to tell which is the best for you and your studio. That’s why we put together this Buyer’s Guide to help you find the perfect Avid gear for your space. Read on to learn more about the Avid MTRX Studio, Pro Tools Dock, S1, S3, and HDX series chassis. Continue reading →

The biggest news out of the gate today at the annual AES convention is the announcement of the Solid State Logic Origin recording console. Solid State Logic has long been one of the world's leading console creators and the Origin looks to be another definitive desk in their storied history.The Solid State Logic Origin is an inline, 32-channel analog console with two independent signal paths per channel, 16 buses with centralized bus switching, and advanced communications controls in a compact, ergonomic design. Inspired by the iconic SL 4000 E, SSL Origin combines classic SSL components like the legendary 242 EQ and Bus Compressor with innovative new features like a fully customizable Center section and an all-new transistor-based PURE DRIVE preamp design to deliver unparalleled sound quality and versatility. Continue reading →

Earlier today at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee, pro audio giant Avid announced the release of the Avid S4 Control Surface and S1 Control Surface. These two new control surfaces streamline Avid’s best selling S6 and S3 control surfaces to offer a space-friendly option for medium to smaller sizes recording and mixing facilities. Continue reading our new Buyer's Guide below to get a complete breakdown of what you can expect from the Avid S4 and S1 control surfaces. If you'd like to speak with a Vintage King Audio Consultant about either Avid control surface or put in your pre-order now, please contact us via email or by phone at 866.644.0160 Continue reading →

A decade ago, the Neve Genesys burst onto the pro audio scene to fill an ever-increasing void. The problem studio owners were facing was that as the world of digital continued to expand, there was still a desire for the warmth and character of analog. In order to get the best of both worlds, a studio would need to maintain both a fully analog front end system and a separate control surface. This created workflow problems. Engineers and producers were looking for an analog console that could talk to a DAW and vice versa. Enter the Neve Genesys. Continue reading →

Taking numerical inspiration from his last console design, the Neve 8088, Rupert Neve has carried on his legacy of pure Class A design with the creation of the Rupert Neve Designs 5088 recording console. All the musicality and sophistication of the 8088 has been brought into the 21st century, refined and updated for today’s modern studio. Aside from the improved components and circuitry, the key refinement is the totally modular nature of the console. You can have a 5088 built to your exact needs, including everything you want and nothing you don’t. Take the best of what Rupert Neve Designs has to offer, and make the most of your studio. Continue reading →

The Avid S6 is the world's first customizable work surface with a modular design that not only allows the user to configure it exactly as needed, but also to expand and grow as their needs change. The key is in the modules, and there are plenty to choose from. The S6 M40 is built around the EUCON Ethernet protocol. This allows the S6 to control multiple DAWs such as Pro Tools, Nuendo, Logic and more. Up to eight different DAWs can be controlled from the same surface without moving from your monitors. Continue reading →

Solid State Logic has a wide range of consoles for both recording and mixing purposes. Finding the right one to fit the needs of your studio is not a problem – it’s a solution waiting to be discovered! Today we’ll be talking about the AWS 900 Delta Series recording and mixing consoles. If you’re running a mid-sized production facility, the Solid State Logic AWS 900 Delta Series is most likely the answer for you. These full featured hybrid consoles combine Superanalogue™ sound with a DAW controller. The AWS 900 Delta Series offers a choice of three different channel sizes and configurations. All three contain a variety of inputs within a compact frame size of 24 faders: Continue reading →

API Audio remains at the leading edge of small format analog console design with their newest offering – the 1608-II. Expanding on the architecture of their ever popular 1608 console, which helped revolutionize the analog project studio, API Audio has brought out its latest iteration, the Mk II. The 1608-II is a fully analog board that merges a wealth of modern features with the rich history of API Audio console design in the classic 1604 model. All analog, all day long – this is a realm that API Audio knows like no other. For the 1608-II, API Audio has made some new upgrades, including four Stereo Returns, a global 0dB fader bypass and (optional) new cross-platform FinalTouchTM Automation System. Continue reading →

API Audio remains at the forefront of the analog console domain with their newest offering, the 2448 recording console. Drawing on the heritage of their classic 2488 console, which dominated the LA recording world in the 1970s and 1980s, API Audio has brought out a worthy successor to the legend. The API Audio 2448 is a fully analog console that injects a host of modern features into the rich history of API console design. All analog, all day long – this is a realm that API knows like no other. This reviewed console features a twin audio path design: 2 complete audio paths in every channel, for true ‘inline’ simultaneous analog tracking and monitoring. Continue reading →