Vintage King Pro Audio Hall of Fame

Throughout the history of recorded music, there have been countless pieces of gear that have continued to be looked to as essential tools for recording, mixing and mastering. In the hallowed halls of the Vintage King Pro Audio Hall of Fame, we honor these time-tested masterpieces with an in-depth look at their history, characteristics and lasting imprint on the music industry.

The Collection

Fairchild 660/670

The Fairchild 660 and 670 are the grandaddies of all tube-based compressors, and have become immortal pieces of gear, due to their rarity, price, sophistication, and, above all, sound.

Teletronix LA-2A

Teletronix LA-2A’s unique warmth and compression, especially on the human voice, has made it one of the most popular designs ever made.

Neumann U47 microphone next to Neumann U48 microphone

Neumann U47/U48

The U47 is known for its richness of tone and full body that peaks at just the right frequencies for the human voice.

Telefunken ELA-M microphone hanging in studio

Telefunken ELA-M 251

Once Telefunken stopped making the VF14 tube for Neumann, they began working with AKG and utilized the Austrian brand's C12 microphone as the basis for the ELA-M 250 and 251.

Coles 4038

As one of the most famous overhead drum mics, the Coles 4038 has been used on countless recordings and is still made to the original specs from the 1950s.

Neumann U67

A new look. A new sound. A new decade. These are all true of the 1960s and of the Neumann U60, but the microphone would become more famously known as the U67.

Urei 1176

Urei/Universal Audio’s 1176 compressor/limiter was first introduced in 1968, as the solid state successor to the tube-based 176 limiting amplifier.

Neve 1073

The Neve 1073 Mic preamp/EQ is justifiably legendary for its unique tonal quality and longevity in the marketplace.

Neumann U47 FET

In the four-plus decades since its original release, the Neumann U47 FET has become a legendary microphone that stands on its own from the U47.

Universal Audio 175b

The Universal Model 175B is an extremely versatile professional quality peak limiting amplifier designed for use in the recording, broadcasting and motion picture industries.

TAB / Telefunken V72 & V76

The V72 and V76 microphone preamps from TAB/Telefunken are two of the most time honored pieces of gear in recording history.

Neve 1081 Mic Pre/EQ

The 1081 mic pre/EQ was one of the flagship products of the Neve company and are still in service in every corner of the globe.

When it comes to creating audio masterpieces, the subjects of Vintage King's Make Your Mark series have taken the tools mentioned above and propelled them to another status level altogether. Click below to watch our entire collection of documentary shorts and discover how gear and engineers come together to make the sounds that we celebrate every time we put on a record.

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