Gearbox Records

Founded in 2009, Gearbox has already built a catalogue of over 25 releases, including limited editions and deluxe box sets, sold around the world through a network of specialist record stores and through its own online music store.

Analogue Chain - Vinyl Mastering Studio

Gearbox has its own studio to master and cut its records exactly how it wants, with no digital in the signal path - not even a digital-to-analogue converter to generate preview signals. It features an all-valve playback area for vinyl and digital playback, and for demonstrating great hi-fi provided by partners Audio Note.

Key gear in the studio

Lathe

• Vintage Haeco Scully with Westrex (Western Electric) heads and cutting amps.

The EQ

• Vintage Lang Pultec EQ and limiter.
• Maselec master control and de-esser.
• Prism Maselec EQ, plus an ex-Decca all-valve bespoke mastering desk.

Tape machines

• Studer H37: 1969 all-valve 1/2 inch interchangeable 3 and 4 track tape machine. One of only 2 left in the world, and one of the only ways to read 1/2 inch valve multitrack.
• Studer C37: 1965 1/4 inch interchangeable all-valve stereo and full-face mono tape machine.
• Philips Pro51: 1965 ex-Decca modified 1/4 inch germanium transistor 2 channel tape machine incorporating 30 ips.
• Studer A671: interchangeable quarter and half track professional machine for playback of historic domestic and broadcast tapes, where both sides of the tape were used for economy.

As Philip Johnson of The Independent puts it, "LP specialist Gearbox is becoming one of the wonders of the age".