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In our new Staff Picks series, we’re sitting down with Vintage King Audio Consultants to learn more about their favorite gear. This month, we’re chatting with Cody Angel about his mixing rig.
In addition to being an accomplished country musician and steel guitar player with performances at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry and Stagecoach Festival under his belt, Cody Angel also knows a thing or two about mixing.
During his time here at Vintage King, he’s helped us engineer countless sessions with stunning results and helped his customers build class-leading mixing rigs based on his suggestions and impressive gear knowledge.
Continue reading to learn more about Cody’s go-to mixing gear, what he loves most about each piece, and how he’s using them in the studio.
Your signal chain is only as strong as its weakest link, which is why it’s important to start with high-quality D/A converters. For this reason, Cody recommends the Antelope Audio Orion Studio Synergy Core audio interface.
In addition to class-leading converters, Orion Studio is loaded with powerful DSP and comes bundled with a suite of Antelope’s popular Synergy Core FX analog-modeled plug-ins. Plus, Orion Studio features 16 analog outputs, which makes it easy to interface with all of your favorite outboard gear.
“I’ve been using the Orion interface and I absolutely love it. The software mixing and routing are incredibly intuitive and efficient. One of the key reasons I chose this interface is its 16-line outputs, which integrate seamlessly into my analog summing setup or a combination of summing and processing.”
Speaking of summing, Cody is a big fan of the RND 5057 Orbit, which combines 16 channels of Class A analog summing with Rupert Neve’s famous output transformers and Silk Red and Blue circuitry for variable harmonic saturation.
The Silk Red mode accentuates transformer saturation in the high and high-mid frequencies to help tracks cut through the mix, while Silk Blue accentuates saturation of the lows and low-mids to add thickness and weight to any source.
“I'm planning to add a Rupert Neve Designs Orbit summing mixer to my chain soon. For me, the biggest advantages of analog summing are the progressive tone enhancement from running a large channel count through analog gear and reducing the converter bandwidth required to reach an analog mix chain.”
When it comes to mixing, a quality bus compressor is an absolute must-have. Unlike many of the popular “one trick pony” bus compressors on the market today, API’s 2500+ is perfect for dialing in a wide range of sounds suitable for any genre.
Thoughtful features like API's patented THRUST circuit, selectable "old" or "new" compression styles, and built-in Mix/Blend controls for parallel compression make the 2500+ a versatile studio workhorse.
“One of my favorite mix bus processors is the API 2500+ bus compressor. It sounds clear and direct and I get a lot of mileage out of the stereo link control.
As a ‘top-down’ mixer – where I add the mix chain early in the process to mix through what will end up on the bus – I usually set the stereo link around 80%. This way, I achieve a nice "glue" effect without a runaway cymbal or harmony vocal on one side overly collapsing the mix.
This approach offers the best of both dual mono and stereo. If elements are squeezed too much, I reduce the link; if dynamics are better controlled during tracking, I can go full stereo mode.”
Although the IGS Audio 825EQ is often cited as a favorite of mastering engineers for its smooth, subtle sound and convenient stepped controls, it’s equally at home in any mixing rig.
Equipped with UTM transformer-balanced inputs and outputs and three audio transformers per channel, the 825EQ delivers unparalleled warmth.
Plus, the 825EQ comes loaded with six ECC88 tubes, which can easily be swapped out with 6N23P or 6N1P tubes in between mixes to suit the vibe of any session.
“I have been very impressed by the IGS 825 parametric EQ. The IGS 825 is quite flexible and my customers who use it are very pleased.”
The cherry on top of Cody’s mixing rig is the Rupert Neve Designs MBT Master Bus Transformer, offering five stages of flavorful processing to sweeten, enhance, drive, widen, and transform your mixes.
In addition to RND’s custom transformers, the MBT features a smooth hi-pass filter, a colorful optical compressor, a versatile stereo enhancer, new enhanced Silk circuits, and high-quality Class A input and output amplifiers.
Perfect for adding the finishing touches to any mix, the MBT is the ultimate tool for tonal coloration.
“The MBT is one of the coolest processors to come out recently. It combines analog high-pass (essentially to improve converter bandwidth and bit depth) with simple EQ, another flavor or stage of mix bus compression, and PURPLE SILK, making the MBT incredibly flexible as a tone-shaping tool. Paired with RND summing, the possibilities for dialing in tone are endless.”
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