Vintage King Blog

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to talk about the making of Purple Rain: the album, the film, the song, and how it all came together. After scoring a Top 10 hit record with 1999, tapping into rock audiences with “Little Red Corvette”, and becoming one of the first Black artists to be featured on MTV, Prince was riding pretty high in 1983. But The Purple One always had his eyes on the next prize, and he had his sights set on the silver screen. As the story goes, he gave his manager the choice between landing him a starring role and finding a new job, and after some negotiation, Warner Brothers agreed to back the project. Continue reading →

When it comes to ribbon microphones, the Royer Labs R-121 is one of the most widely used in recording studios around the world. The mic features a unique offset-ribbon transformer that offers full-frequency response on high SPL sources while producing its signature warm yet natural sound. The success of the R-121 sparked a wave of innovation at Royer. In 1998...

Adding life to a source, mix, or master isn't always easy, unless you're using the Black Box Analog Design HG-2. Dubbed a "saturation processor," Black Box's line-level stereo unit can add saturation, harmonics, and natural compression to any signal passing through it. But this isn’t a one-sound, set-it-and-forget tool. The HG-2 offers a remarkably wide range of possibilities, from light color to full-on fuzz-like fury. Continue reading →

Located in Robbinsville, New Jersey, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu mandir (temple) campus established by Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu socio-spiritual organization based in India. In addition to the temple and its grounds, the sprawling campus features a state-of-the-art multimedia studio designed by Walter Storyk Design Group, a renowned firm whose clients include Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, Green Day, and Jay-Z. Here, BAPS records and mixes everything from traditional Indian instruments and playback singers to video podcasts and multimedia content for the on-site museum.  Continue reading →

The Neumann U 67 is a legendary large diaphragm condenser microphone, introduced in 1960 as the successor to the U 47. There were several technological advancements made with the U 67, including a new glass vacuum tube, a dual-diaphragm capsule with Mylar membrane, and a switchable high-pass filter and pad. The mic also departed from the U 47's tubular body and cylindrical grille, adopting a slender, tapered body and an angled grille. Continue reading →

Since the early 2000s, Barefoot Sound has built a reputation for creating some of the most respected studio monitors in professional audio. Known for their detailed imaging, powerful low end, and innovative designs, Barefoot monitors have become a go-to choice for engineers and producers working on everything from major label albums to film scores.  Continue reading →

With a scenic river view, serene atmosphere, and a state-of-the-art recording studio, Stump City Studios in Charleston, Tennessee, has everything an artist needs to relax and disappear into the music. Owner/musician Paul Ragland designed it that way, and when he retired from his banking job earlier this year, he was ready to take the next step and give back to young artists and the music community with a studio he built from the ground up on his property. Paul sat down with us recently to talk about his vision for Stump City Studios, his favorite gear, and what it was like working with Vintage King to select the gear that brought his dream studio to life. Continue reading →

Looking for a stage and studio-ready keyboard that puts iconic instruments and sounds right at your fingertips? Something easily mobile with no computer necessary? Arturia's Astrolab Series offers expansive sonic exploration with an extremely deep palette of tools and on-board effects. Continue reading →

At Vintage King, we’ve always believed that the right piece of vintage gear can transform a recording, adding warmth, character, and a touch of history that modern equipment simply can’t replicate. With one of the largest and most diverse collections of vintage and used pro audio gear anywhere, Vintage King is proud to offer access to these timeless tools for today’s studios. In this blog, we’re spotlighting some of the hottest vintage pieces currently available at Vintage King. From sought-after compressors and equalizers to iconic microphones that have shaped recording history, these pieces aren’t just tools; they’re storytellers. Continue reading →

Over 30 years ago, Empirical Labs' Dave Derr set out to design a compressor that would combine the sonic characteristics of faves like the 1176 and LA-2A. The end result was the EL8 Distressor, which debuted in 1996 and quickly became one of the most utilized compressors of the modern recording era. Continue reading →