Equipment

Virtual Vocals Equipment

At Virtual Vocals there is no compromise on our equipment which is amongst the very finest available in any studio.

We have Blue’s top of the range hand-built tube microphone – the “Bottle”, retailing at around USD$6000, this is one of the world’s elite microphones with amazing sumptous sound quality.

Our world class microphones and preamps will ensure you get the best possible sound quality on your tracks.

Microphones

BLUE “Bottle” – Blue’s flagship microphone featuring hand-built class A tube circuitry and interchangeable capsules for a variety of sounds and recording applications. We have the following capsules for this microphone :

  • B0 : (based on the Telefunken 251) “The ultimate big vocal sound!”, airy top end, silky sonic signature
  • B1 : (cardioid small diaphragm) “The accuracy plus capsule”, the ultimate for acoustic instruments such as nylon or steel string acoustic guitar
  • B6 : (the Blue standard – modern presence vocal sound) “Larger than life” sound – enhanced lows and high frequency presence
  • B7 : (based on the Neumann U47) “The classic vocal sound”, classic vintage detailed mids with airy presence
  • B8 : “The versatile capsule”, crystal clear sound quality and excellent detail for tracking a variety of male and female lead vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, drums, drum overheads, percussion, piano, horns and strings.
 Blue Bottle Microphone

Pre-amplifiers

2 x Universal Audio 6176 Vintage Tube Channel Strips

Universal Audio 6176 vintage channel strip

Combines the alluring, all-tube sounds of the legendary Bill Putnam-designed 610 microphone preamp, with the signature FET compression of the 1176LN compressor, to create the ultimate recording channel strip. The warm, smooth tones of this mic preamp design — employed to record everyone from Frank Sinatra to Van Halen I — and the unique characteristics of the compressor, are two major reasons why the 6176 is found in studios around the world. The 6176 is the signal path of choice for engineering heavyweights like Vance Powell and Joe Chiccarelli, plus artists including Chris Martin of Coldplay, Norah Jones, Wyclef Jean, and James Mercer of The Shins. The ability to “Split” or “Join” the preamp and the compressor sections via a simple switch gives the 6176 added flexibility. This is truly UA’s premier channel strip, and amongst the world’s finest.

“Gavatron Audio” Dual Channel Class A Tube Preamplifier

Universal Audio 6176 vintage channel strip

A very special dual channel tube microphone pre-amplifier custom-designed and hand wired, sound quality being the overriding design directive and cost no object. Based on a circuit originally designed by radiation physicists at MIT for nuclear research experiments in the 1950’s (!), it’s key features include:

  • pure Class A vintage valve circuitry throughout, the finest components and meticulous build quality, imparts a huge amount of sublime “tube” character to the sound
  • circuit specifically designed for ultra-wide bandwidth (up to 100Khz), ultra-low noise and extremely low phase shift for exceptional uncompromised sonic purity
  • variable input impedance including a unique “infinite” setting which creates a more “open” sound for microphones
  • unique input gain circuit also controls the “speed” of the preamp. Lower gain settings emphasise the delicacy and ‘sweetness’ (ideal for strings and other instruments) whereas higher gain settings provide faster transient response (great for percussive instruments)

This pre-amp sounds amazing, definitely our “secret weapon”!

Other Hardware / Software