Best outboard studio gear: Get the hardware you need

It might seem like it sometimes, but outboard studio gear is still part of hybrid recording studio setups everywhere. Plugins are convenient and have gotten very realistic, but a lot of producers and engineers prefer a tactile feel when they dial in processing.

We’ve covered a lot of the best outboard studio gear in previous pieces. Here we pull together a “best of” list from them to give you an easy overview of our top picks.

Best audio interface under $1,000: Presonus Quantum 2626 

Best audio interface under $1,000

PreSonus Quantum 2626

With the Quantum you get 26 inputs and 8 preamps. It’s MIDI compatible and comes bundled with StudioOne.

Pros

26 inputs

8 onboard preamps

MIDI I/O

StudioOne DAW included

Cons

Only works with Thunderbolt 3

Buy From

musician’s friend

guitar center

reverb

amazon

The audio interface space in the under $1,000 price range gets more crowded every day. You can’t really go wrong with any option from a reputable manufacturer. We chose the Quantum 2626 for a few reasons.

It has robust I/O, clean and quiet onboard preamps, MIDI connectivity, and comes bundled with the StudioOne DAW which just keeps getting better with each version.

Its only real downside is that it connects through Thunderbolt 3. Other than that slight inconvenience it packs a lot of value in the midrange interface market.

Best outboard channel strip: Warm Audio WA73-EQ

Best budget channel strip overall

WARM Audio WA73-EQ British

If you’re looking for a channel strip based on the popular 1073, this option from Warm Audio is affordable and really well-made.

Pros

Classic 1073 sounds

Carnhill transformers for pristine sound quality

Preamp offers 80dB of gain

Cons

Expensive

1073 sound isn’t ideal for all sources

Buy From

musician’s friend

guitar center

reverb

amazon

The 1073, designed by electronics genius Rupert Neve is one of the most popular preamps of all time. It’s loaded with thick British character outboard studio gear from that side of the pond is known for. But to get a true-to-life version, there’s some spending involved.

Warm Audio changes that a bit with this channel strip that also includes a 3-band 1073 EQ. The Carnhill Transformers are manufactured in England and add to the authenticity of the sound. It’s based on the discrete signal path of the original design.

A preamp with 80dB of gain can pair with the quietest microphones. And an impedance switch offers more sonic options out of your mic locker. Fat harmonics, a broad midrange that doesn’t get in the way, and a top end that sings.

Every studio big or small should have at least one.

Best budget outboard preamp: Golden Age Project Pre-73 MKIII

Best budget preamp overall

Golden Age Project Pre-73 MKIII

An affordable way to get authentic Neve 1073 sound in an enclosure that doesn’t take up too much space.

Pros

Authentic 1073 sound

Air adds lift to upper midrange and high end

Good amount of gain

Great for microphones and DI

Cons

Might be too “warm” for certain sounds

Needs rackmount kit to secure it in rack

Buy From

reverb

Remember just above where I said the 1073 preamp sound usually hurts the wallet? That’s not entirely true, and the Pre-73 proves it.

Not only is it the most affordable 1073 preamp, its tone is very convincing. It has a lot of the features of the WA73-EQ like DI, good I/O, impedance switching, high-pass filter, and easy to read LED metering.

It’s a half rack size and perfect for cramped home studio setups. You won’t exactly get that Neve sound from it, but it’s a great entry point into this style of preamp.

Best outboard 500 series EQ: Rupert Neve Designs 551

Best Neve style outboard EQ

Rupert Neve Designs 551

The Neve sound is classic for a reason. The 551 is a 500 series equalizer with adjustable frequency bands and superior sound and build quality.

Pros

Classic Neve EQ in a 500 series format

Adjustable frequency bands

Cons

500 series only

Buy From

reverb

amazon

Neve EQs are every bit as popular as their preamps. If you’re looking to invest in a great 500 series equalizer the 551 is a 3-band inductor EQ that provides multiple ways to build out what you want it to do. This adds value in using it on different types of sources.

There’s a high-pass filter, four low frequency bands, six that cover the midrange with a button to narrow or widen the bandwidth, and two high frequencies at 8kHz and 16kHz. Semi-parametric EQs can be limiting to some, but Rupert Neve Designs added in ways to increase its utility.

It features a discrete circuit path, so you don’t have to be shy about cranking the gain worrying about too much noise being introduced. So if you’re looking to piece together outboard studio gear that gives you the tone of a console in the smallest footprint possible, it’s a solid addition to your 500 series lunchbox.

Best outboard compressor: Black Lion Audio Bluey

Best blue stripe 1176 hardware compressor

Black Lion Audio Bluey

The Blue Stripe 1176 is one of the best, but they’re hard to find and not cheap. This model from mod kings Black Lion Audio lets you add one to your rack in an affordable way.

Pros

Based on Chris Lord-Alge’s famed Blue Stripe 1176

Blend knob

Cons

A little pricier than other compressors

Buy From

musician’s friend

guitar center

reverb

amazon

There’s just something magical in the 1176’s design, and the Blue Stripe seems to garner consistent praise as the crown jewel of the family. The design team at Black Lion Audio used a highly modified model as their template, and somehow managed to keep the price point manageable.

It’s got the same control set (remember, they work in reverse on the 1176), and it adds in a blend control for achieving parallel compression easily. Two units can be stereo linked as well, something a lot of 1176 outboard compressors don’t offer.

Fast, aggressive, in-your-face, but with some specific knob turning you can get it to clean up pretty well too.

FAQ

What is outboard studio gear, and why should I use it?

Outboard studio gear is physical audio hardware for use in recording and mixing that routes through your audio interface to integrate with your DAW. It includes mic preamps, channel strips, compressors, and equalizers. Character effects also come in outboard format like reverbs and delays, pitch shifters, and modulation. 

Many producers and engineers prefer outboard gear for its unique tonal character, analog warmth, hands-on control, and in some cases, higher fidelity than plugins.

Is outboard gear better than plugins?

Not necessarily. It depends on your workflow and the sound you’re going for. High-end plugins can now closely emulate analog gear, but many engineers still find analog units more inspiring or better sounding, especially for dynamic processing like compression, saturation, and EQ. 

Mic preamps are an outlier. There are microphone preamp plugins, but most agree that analog is the only way to go in that regard.

But outboard gear is typically more expensive and less convenient. You need to consider the space it takes, cabling, and organization. The choice between the two comes down to taste, budget, and your recording setup.

Can I use outboard gear with a budget audio interface?

Yes, but you need an interface with line-level inputs and outputs. Interfaces with dedicated insert connections or multiple outputs are ideal. Good converters produce the best audio quality considering the signal has to go through them twice, digital to analog and then back again.

What’s the most essential piece of outboard gear to buy first?

The most important are mic preamps. Plugin preamps just aren’t there yet, and even if you have an interface with good preamps it’s always nice to have different tonal options to cover different sources.