Introduction to the studio hardware

Welcome to Gearbox Records

Hi there, my name is Kasper. Welcome to Gearbox Records! We're a vinyl LED and analog LED mastering house and record label.

Our Equipment

We've got some absolutely fantastic vintage gear as well as brilliant modern mastering equipment. Here's a breakdown of what we have:

Vintage Gear

• Analog Hi-Fi Valve Equipment: Gorgeous analog hi-fi valve-driven EQs.

• Tape Machines: Wonderful tape machines including:

  • 1967 Heyco Scully Lathe:
    • This is the original setup that Rudy Van Gelder used to cut all of his Blue Note records.
    • It's an amazing manual fixed pitch lathe that really does the job well, providing clean cuts.

• Studa H37 Tape Machine:

  • A half-inch, three and four-track interchangeable tape machine built in the 60s for the quadraphonic era.
  • There were originally only 12 made, and most have been converted to half-inch stereo machines. Ours is one of the few left in its original format.

• Studa C37 Tape Machine:

  • Our absolute workhorse for most recordings and playback.
  • It's a quarter-inch stereo machine with a classic tape valve sound. Reliable and modular, making it easy to repair.

Modern Equipment

• EMT Turntable:

  • A direct drive solid state turntable that provides a brilliantly neutral sound.
  • Perfect for mastering original lacquers or old records.

• Audio Note Monitoring Equipment:

  • We have high-quality hi-fi amplifiers, preamps, and speakers with hemp cones for a warm and natural sound.
  • Ideal for long listening sessions without ear fatigue.

• Digital Converters:

  • Apogee Symphony IO:
    • Connected to the Symphony Thunder Bridge, it allows us to record or output 64 channels at 192kHz, achieving unreal sound quality.

Outboard Gear

• 1950s Telefunken All-Valve Mixing Console:

  • Modified from a six-channel mono into four channels for stereo recording.

• Dekker EQ:

  • An all-valve, three-band EQ known for its powerful bassy sound, especially useful for old archive recordings.

• Telefunken Equipment:

  • V76 Pre-Amplifier: Great for ribbon microphones.
  • U73B Limiter Compressor: Essential for protecting cutting heads during the mastering process.

Additional Mastering Equipment

• Prism Audio Equipment:
  • MLA2 Compressor: Transparent and easy-going, ideal for a clinical and precise sound.
  • MEA2 Master Series EQ: A four-band EQ that pairs well with the Dekker EQ, providing precision in sound manipulation.

Miscellaneous

• Philips Pro51 Tape Machine:
  • While we don't use this as much as the Studa C37, it's a powerful machine that excels in beefy pop and rock music, especially with its variable spooling speeds.

In summary, we're proud to have a blend of both vintage and modern equipment, each serving specific roles in our mastering process. Here at Gearbox Records, we strive to deliver the highest sound quality while honoring the craftsmanship of analog recording.