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One question we always get asked here at Vintage King Audio is, “How do I get huge sounding vocals that have warmth and color?” Over the years, we’ve shared our gear picks for how to do it on an unlimited budget and a somewhat stricter one. For today's blog, we want our social media fans to know that we've heard them loud and clear. You wanted us to do this with a smaller budget, and so here it is! We understand that not everyone can afford Neumann U47s, Neve 1073s, or Fairchild 670s. With that being said, most people still want their recordings to sound like they have used these titans of the studio for tracking and mixing. Read our blog below to discover some microphone, preamp, and compressor options that will get you a big sounding vocal chain for right around $1,500. Continue reading →

The roots of BAE Audio were planted back in the 1980s with the original Brent Averill Enterprises. It began with a focus on repairing and racking original Neve and API modules to bring the sound of a full mixing board into rack-mounted gear that could fit into any studio workflow. As the business evolved, Brent began replicating the original designs to the nth degree, using original spec components from OEM manufacturers (particularly the transformers) and wiring these all-discrete designs by hand. A reputation for build quality and sonic excellence was established that continues to this day. In the late ‘90s, Brent decided to retire. Enter Mark Loughman, a tech at the firm who decided to buy the business and continue the excellence. He renamed it BAE, a nod to both the original name and an acronym for British Audio Engineering, which was and still is the focus of the sonic signature created by BAE products. The classic “British EQ” and the sound heard on countless records emanating from the UK for the past five decades is at the heart of BAE. Continue reading →

To know Zach Fisher and Jack Ruley is to know two best friends living out their best lives. Shooting guns for sport out in Joshua Tree? Check. Playing stoner rock opuses in a band called Jurassic Witch? Oh yeah! Building one of the most awe-inspiring new recording studios in Los Angeles? Not only did they do it, but they did it with impeccable aesthetic and gear selection. Big Bad Sound originally started out in Zach's house in Silver Lake, but the size of the artists he was working with quickly outgrew his homestead. Jack quit his job to help Zach grow the studio, and the two ultimately settled on moving to a former movie prop house they found while looking for spaces. Continue reading →

Solid State Logic is launching an incredible promo that makes purchasing an AWS Delta Series console even easier for studio owners. Through December 31st, 2019, when you purchase an AWS Delta 924 or AWS Delta 948 console, SSL will give you the corresponding patchbay and cabling for the console for FREE! Continue reading →

For Needlz, the creation of music has always centered on finding new sounds that intrigue him. Whether by way of a snare hit, synth melody or sample, the world has provided plenty of inspiration for the Atlanta-based music maker. He's written and produced multi-million-selling records for the likes of Bruno Mars, Cardi B, G-Unit, Lupe Fiasco, and countless others.In order to capture his song sketches in the moment and turn them into hits, Needlz has relied on Universal Audio's Apollo audio interface series for as long as he can remember. "I started with the silver one and I've gotten each new version since," Needlz says from the confines of Dry Rain Studio. "Now I've got two Apollo x16s in my set-up, which gives me 32 channels to work with." Continue reading →

Update March 2020: API Audio has announced an expanded 2500+ stereo bus compressor with updated features, including an Expanded Threshold control (+20dv to -20dv) and the new Mix/Blend function that was added to the 50th Anniversary Edition of the 2500 released last year. Learn more here. Finding a stereo bus compressor that works for you is an important part of being a mix engineer. For many, the API 2500 has become the industry standard, as the discrete compressor offers you the ability to glue together mixes via two distinct styles of compression and add punch to the low end. API 2500 features a dual-channel design that can be used individually for single-channel compression or paired together in tandem for stereo use. When it comes to the styles of compression, users are able to choose between “old” and “new.” Old style employs the “feed back” compression of the API 525, while the new style gives a “feed forward” compression feeding the side chain directly from the input. Continue reading →

For more than 25 years, Sterling Modular has designed, manufactured and crafted high-quality studio furniture for recording, mixing and mastering. Proudly made in Boyertown, PA, the brand offers several lines of high-end custom and configurable studio furniture solutions. With Sterling Modular currently preparing new custom desks for the Avid S4 and S1, we caught up with owner Rick Lawrence to find out what makes their furniture so special, what separates them from other pro audio manufacturers, and what’s in store for the future. Continue reading →

In late 2017, BAE Audio announced that they would be starting a new brand that continued to build on their legacy of recreating classic pieces of audio gear. Dubbed UK Sound, the company would kick off their product line with the 1173, which brought together a 1073-style mic pre and 1176-style compressor into one piece of gear. Since the release of the 1173, UK Sound has been steadily increasing their output and announced four new products in late Summer 2019. Read our new Buyer's Guide below to get a complete breakdown of all of the offerings from UK Sound and learn the differences between each product. Continue reading →

For many years, Antelope Audio has been best known in the pro audio community for the outstanding features and sound quality of their Master Clocks like the 10MX. Thanks to Antelope Audio's Founder and Lead Engineer Igor Levin’s decades of circuit design experience across a broad range of industries, the brand's product range has opened up to include audio interfaces, modeling microphones and software. When it comes to designing Antelope Audio's technology, Igor's approach to his work is characterized by a willingness to take unusual, innovative approaches in order to achieve exceptional results. With each new design, Igor and his team strive to balance the clarity and fidelity of digital with the warmth and life of analog audio. Continue reading →

Universal Audio has announced that next-generation connectivity for the brand's powerhouse DSP accelerator is here! The new UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 QUAD and UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 OCTO will now be available to add processing power to your rig via Thunderbolt 3 connection. Not only do the new UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 QUAD and UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 OCTO offer you the ability to run plug-ins via Thunderbolt 3, but the accelerators also offer backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 1 and 2 devices. You also instantly get access to Universal Audio's Analog Classics Plus bundle, which features many of the brand's classic plug-ins from Neve, Pultec, Fairchild, and more. Continue reading →