The Vocal Chain Behind Every Basswood Session: U87, Neve 1073, Tube Tech CL1b

Walk into almost any high-end studio in the world and you will find some version of the same three pieces of gear on the vocal chain: a Neumann U87, a Neve 1073 preamp, and a tube compressor to smooth it all out. It is not a coincidence. This combination has been the backbone of professional vocal recording for decades, and it is exactly what is set up in both rooms at Basswood.

The U87

The Neumann U87 is one of the most recorded-on microphones in music history. It has been the go-to vocal mic in major-label studios for generations, because it is flattering on almost every voice without needing much help. When people talk about a mic having a "hit record sound," they are usually describing a U87.

The Neve 1073

The Neve 1073 preamp has the same kind of reputation. It has been sitting in front of vocal chains on countless records across every genre, from soul to hip-hop to pop, because of how it colors a signal, warm, present, and just slightly aggressive in the right places. A lot of engineers will tell you it is the single piece of gear they would keep if they could only keep one.

The Tube Tech CL1b

Rounding out the chain is the Tube Tech CL1b, a tube compressor known for being musical instead of clampy. It levels a vocal out without squashing the life out of it, which is why it shows up on so many major vocal chains as the last stop before the signal hits tape or the DAW. It is reportedly the compressor Kanye West’s longtime engineer Noah Goldstein runs on his vocals in the studio and live, and Kendrick Lamar’s engineer Derek Ali has talked about running a Neve 1073 into a CL1b as part of Kendrick’s vocal chain. It has also been cited as part of the chain behind Drake records. Basswood is in good company.

Why we built our rooms around it

Plenty of studios charge a premium specifically for access to a chain like this, treating it as the upgrade you pay extra for. At Basswood, the U87, the Neve 1073, and the Tube Tech CL1b are just what is already plugged in, in both rooms, for every session. You are not paying more to use the same gear people spend real money to access elsewhere, it is already part of your booking.

Want to see everything else running alongside it? Check the full gear list for both rooms.