Retro Instruments

When Retro Instruments first announced the brand's new 500PRE ($799), we knew we were in love before we ever even heard it. After all, what's not to love about bringing the Sta-Level design to the 500 Series world and packing three tubes into that compact module. Little did we know, we had something to do with the inspiration for it. "It was inspired by the Vintage King April Fools’ Day post on the 500 Series Fairchild 670," says Retro Instruments Owner/Designer Phil Moore. "“The performance of the 500PRE exceeded my expectations. It’s based on professional tube console program amplifiers from the era of the Sta-Level and 176. It’s got 75 dB of gain and no compromises." Continue reading →

Retro Instruments has always been known for producing high-quality reproductions of vintage pieces of gear, including the Sta-Level compressor. This morning at AES 2019 in New York, owner Phil Moore introduced his latest release, the 500PRE, which brings a classic design to the 500 Series world. Equipped with three powerful 12AT7 tubes, the 500PRE oozes analog vibe. The new 500 Series module features class-leading frequency response, noise, and distortion, which deliver the same musical performance and pristine sound that Retro Instruments gear has always produced. Keep reading to discover what makes the new Retro Instruments 500PRE 500 Series microphone preamplifier a must-have for modern recording and mixing engineers. Continue reading →

Since the 500 Series format became en vogue, the Retro Instruments Doublewide has been one of the best selling modules at Vintage King. As its name implies, the Doublewide takes up two rack spaces offering premium single channel compression with huge, tube-powered punch via your lunchbox. Late last year, Retro Instruments announced a new successor to the compressor, the Doublewide II. This new version features faster attack and release time, stereo linking capabilities and a greatly improved signal to noise ratio. The Doublewide 2 still features the signature Single and Double timing modes that made the original such a favorite on drums, bass and well… Just about everything. Continue reading →

Vintage King wanted to create something special to celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, so we teamed up with our friends at Retro Instruments to release a reproduction of the 175-B compressor. There will only be 150 of these limited edition 175-B recreations available worldwide and they will be sold exclusively through Vintage King. Why bring back the 175-B? Simple. It’s a classic compressor that has been a staple since its release. Designed by Bill Putnam, the product was created to make up for the lack of compressors created specifically for recording studios. It’s huge and clear sounding tube circuitry and aggressive nature has made it a favorite of many engineers on drums, guitars and vocals. Continue reading →

Since 2006, Phil Moore's Retro Instruments has been bringing back icons of the bygone era of the recording studio and updating them for modern engineers. From reimagined pieces like the Sta-Level, 176, OP-6 and Revolver to new 500 Series innovations like the Doublewide, these tools have the look and feel of the classic gear that they are inspired by. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Phil Moore and talking to him about all things related to Retro Instruments. Read on to learn about Phil's sonic journey from working as an engineer to designing his own gear and find out what he thinks sets Retro Instruments apart from other gear manufacturers. Continue reading →

With the release of their latest creation, the Revolver, Retro Instruments has done it once again by reviving a beloved studio staple and updating it for the modern workflow. Just like other Retro Instrument releases in the past, the vintage vibe extends far beyond the Revolver's classic looking exterior.   Based on the legendary modded Altec 436, the Revolver is a dual-channel, all tube compressor that has been hand-built in the USA with that classic British tone. It’s also loaded with expanded features, making it a compressor that works in any stage from tracking to mastering. Continue reading →

It's only Tuesday of NAMM week and new gear is being announced left and right. We're extremely excited about the brand new piece from Retro Instruments Inc. called the Revolver. This release from the brand who gave us classics like the 176, Sta-Level and Doublewide, is a dual-channel tube compressor inspired by the British Invasion. The Revolver began as an experiment over seven years ago, as Retro built several units and began testing them in different studios. Designers took inspiration from the much-beloved British mod of the Altec 436, the classic compressor that was made famous by its use during sessions with The Beatles. Continue reading →