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In this month’s Staff Picks blog, we’re chatting with Vintage King Audio Consultant Alex St. Cin about his favorite outboard gear for tracking and mixing.
Alex owns and operates Lighthouse Sounds studio in Alton, Illinois, where he records and mixes a variety of musical artists. While engineering sessions at Lighthouse, Alex has developed a deep-seated knowledge of pro audio gear, one that would endear him to helping others develop their own sound.
Find out more about Alex’s favorite outboard gear, what he appreciates about each piece, and how he incorporates them into his studio setup below.
The first module in Alex’s rack is the BURL Audio B1D, a versatile 500 Series preamp that makes it easy to dial in a wide range of sounds, from clean and modern to warm and vintage.
“The twin sibling to the popular BURL Audio B1 preamp, the B1D uses the same input transformer, but instead of the BX2 output transformer in the B1, it utilizes the BX4 iron transformer for a warmer, darker tone.
I find this preamp works incredibly well on anything that I would typically reach for an API. It has amazing transient response and a midrange that helps things like guitars and drums sit well in a mix.”
Up next, Alex opted for an API 5500 EQ to help with sound-scultping duties. Essentially a stereo version of the brand’s best-selling 550B EQ, the 5500 is perfect for subtle enhancements, detailed sonic surgery, and everythig in between.
“The API 550, in all of its forms, has always been an EQ that is close to my heart. It’s truly one of the only pieces of gear that you can send anything through and it just comes out sounding better, even without any EQ moves. That’s due, in part, to the universally loved 2520 op amps that API has been using for ages.
The 5500 takes what’s great about the 550 EQ and puts it in a stereo package that works great for tracking and mixing, as well as more granular operations like mixbus and mastering duties. Its ability to alter the gain steps allows you to be even more precise with your EQ moves.”
So far, both of Alex’s choices have leaned into the classic American console sound, so for his next piece, he chose a powerful all-in-one channel strip that includes some of the most iconic British circuit designs ever made.
“A no-brainer to those in the know, the Shelford channel has quickly become my favorite piece of outboard gear in any category. It includes a preamp, EQ, compressor, and saturation circuit in a single rack space, and can achieve tones from vintage to modern and everything in between.
The preamp is one of the most versatile on the market when it comes to tonal pallet variety. The EQ is a sort of ‘greatest hits’ of classic Rupert Neve EQs, and the compressor is one of the only truly versatile diode bridge comps I have ever used.
All of this adds up to what I consider the best of the best channel strips out on the market currently. If you needed a ‘desert island’ channel, this would be it.”
With the essentials secured, it’s time to pick out a color box. Perfect for adding vintage vibe to any source, the RND Portico 542 uses analog tape emulation circuitry to bring out 3rd-order harmonics, and a custom soft-clip circuit that enhances 2nd-order harmonics.
“With the advent of modern digital recording in the 90s, many people were left missing the tone and ‘warmth’ that tape had provided for years prior. Since then, many options for ‘tape saturation’ have come and gone, but the RND 542 is here to stay.
This unit uses actual record and playback head circuits in its design, so it’s not simply emulating a tape machine, it is a tape machine, just without the tape! You also get a mix knob that allows you to tame or dial back the saturation, as well as RND’s famed Silk circuit, allowing even more sonic versatility.
I’ve yet to find a source that the 542 doesn’t sound great on, but some of my favorites are vocals, bass, and mix bus.”
Speaking of analog tape, the last piece of gear on Alex’s list is the Echo Fix EF-XR3 tape echo unit, which combines an analog BBD chorus and authentic spring reverb in a convenient rack-mountable chassis with a sliding drawer for easy tape replacement.
“If you’ve ever delved into the world of vintage tape echo, you know that while they’re some of the coolest pieces of gear ever conceived, they can also some of the most temperamental – especially when it comes to vintage models. Enter the Echo Fix EF-X3, and specifically, the X3R Vintage King Exclusive rack mountable model.
The EF-X3 combines all of the vibe and mojo of a vintage tape delay with modern build quality and serviceability that’s second to none. Plus, the VK edition skips a standalone enclosure in favor of a stamped rack-mountable chassis, making it the perfect addition to any space.”
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