{"product_id":"thermionic-culture-vulture","title":"Thermionic Culture Vulture Two-Channel Tube Distortion Unit","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eThermionic Culture Vulture\u003c\/strong\u003e is the original and still the only studio unit dedicated to just adding valve produced harmonic distortion to sounds, with no solid state components in the way. This unique unit has changed little since its introduction in 1998.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThere are 3 basic settings for the type of distortion:\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eT gives the typically \"musical\" effect found with triode valves and is good for just \"warming up\" a sound\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eP1 means that the \"distortion\" valve is switched to Pentode mode to add odd harmonic which make the sound more aggressive, but retaining that valve character\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eP2 is the \"No Holds Barred\" setting and is very unusual way of configuring an unusual valve, even giving an extra octave at higher bias settings\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bias control varies the current through the \"distortion\" valve (6AS6 type) and this current is shown on the millimeter. At low current the Vulture is \"starved\" and the sound is inclined to be thinner and \"break up\" easily. High current and the Vulture is over-fed and becomes quite fat and bloated. At medium current (0.25-0.3 mA) it distorts least, and this is the best setting for just \"warming up\" a sound. When the Vulture is over-driven, the meter may \"twitch\" and this gives a good indication of how drastic the distortion is.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Low-pass filter has a 12dB\/octave slope and will remove unwanted frequencies above 6 or 9 kHz (selectable) so as to make the sound more \"rounded\". The Drive control and Overdrive switch give the user ample control over the amount the input signal is boosted before it hits the 6AS6 valve.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Output Level controls the amount of signal going to the output valve. This control should be set at 8 + for low distortion and turned back when Drive is increased for more distortion, except when P2 is selected.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bypass switch completely bypasses the unit so that the Culture Vulture's effect can be accurately compared to the original.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch3 id=\"toc_1\"\u003eSOME CULTURED USERS...\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of their unique blend of flexibility, musicality, and usability, brought about as a result of being hand-built by some of the worlds leading pro audio valve equipment designers and engineeers, Thermionic Culture products attract their fair share of high profile, industry leading producers and engineers from the world of recording technology. Here is just a handful - why not add your name to the list?\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eTony Maserati - Culture Vulture\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBlack Dog Productions - Earlybird 2.2, Pullet, Phoenix Mastering Compressor, Culture Vulture.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAl Schmitt - Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBig Life Music - Phoenix Master Compressor\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eSteve Dub Jones - Earlybird 2\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eThe Dairy - Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAl Stone - Culture Vulture\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eROBERT CARRANZA - PRODUCER FOR LOS LOBOS, SUPER GRASS, JACK JOHNSON - CULTURE VULTURE\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePABLO MUNGUIA - ROBBIE WILLIAMS - PHOENIX \u0026amp; CULTURE VULTURE\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eSTEPHEN STREET - KAISER CHIEFS - CULTURE VULTURE\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eJAMES FORD - PRODUCER - ARTIC MONKEYS - CULTURE VULTURE\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eGROOVE ARMADA - EARLYBIRD \u0026amp; CULTURE VULTURE MASTERING - \" Both myself and Tom Findlay bought the Earlybird and the Culture Vulture Mastering, they're like your first mobile phone, once you've used them for a week you wondered how you ever liver without them!\" Andy Cato - Groove Armada.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eLarry Hammel - Producer, Deepwave Music Productions, Earlybird 2.2 and Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePeter Katis\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChemical Brothers - Culture Vulture Mastering MV \u0026amp; Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e\"The vulture it distorts synths in a truly beautiful way-we used to acheive this effect thru a long,convoluted process now we can get this great sound at a flick of a switch!\" - Tom Rowlands\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePeter Gabriel - Real World Studios - Culture Vulture\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAlan Moulder -Producer\/Engineer The Jesus \u0026amp; Mary Chain, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine,Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails Downward Spiral, U2's Pop.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eMike Caffrey\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eSteve 'Dub' Jones - Engineer\/Producer - Chemical Brothers, Madness. Culture Vulture Mastering MV \u0026amp; Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eTom Findlay - Groove Armada - Earlybird-2, Phoenix\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePietro Taucher - Engineer for Sharrie Williams\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePaisley Park\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eTie Dye Keith\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eJerry Harrison and Eric Thorngren (Talking Heads)\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePeter Katis\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eJimmy Boyle\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKevin Bacon ( Axis Studios, recent credits include Jaimeson )\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAngel Mountain Studios\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eOvertones\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAndy Strange ( recent credits include Robbie Williams )\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eDavid Ives\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBernard Butler\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eTony Hoffer ( Beck , Turin Breaks )\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eEdwyn Collins\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eMick Jones\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eThe Libertines\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eMark 'Spike¹ Stent ( U2, Madonna, Oasis )\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePortishead\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKen Nelson ( Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay )\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eDave Gilmour\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eThe Prodigy\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eHugh Jones\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eStrong Room Studios\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eAir Studios\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eMute Records\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eRoss Hogarth - \"Mondo distorto! dude, I like your box a lot...really liked the musicality of it!\"\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eSan Francisco Soundworks\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e“La Source” Mastering suite - Paris France\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eYves Jaget\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBertrand Blais producer of Etienne Daho\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eWisseloord Mastering\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Thermionic Culture","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44449261748327,"sku":"1102","price":2699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/8848\/5479\/files\/thermionic-vulture-dist-23_1102_1.jpg?v=1787088352","url":"https:\/\/vintageking.com\/products\/thermionic-culture-vulture","provider":"Vintage King","version":"1.0","type":"link"}