What recording console was used to record Michael Jackson's Thriller?

Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987) were both recorded on a Harrison 32C console at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, engineered by Bruce Swedien. The 32C was a variant of Harrison's flagship 3232 in-line console, introduced in 1975.

What mixing console did Led Zeppelin record on?

Led Zeppelin recorded their early albums on a Helios Type 69 console at Olympic Studios in London. Led Zeppelin IV was captured at Headley Grange using the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio (also Helios). The band later worked on consoles at other facilities including Neve-equipped rooms.

What is the difference between a Neve and SSL console?

Neve consoles — built on transformer-coupled Class A circuitry with custom-wound Marinair transformers — are celebrated for harmonic warmth, depth, and punch. SSL (Solid State Logic) consoles prioritise transparency, recall automation (Total Recall from 1985), and consistent precision. The classic debate: Neve for colour and character, SSL for clarity and recall. Many studios run both.

What console was used at Abbey Road Studios?

Abbey Road has used several consoles across different eras. The EMI TG12345 — a solid-state transistor desk designed in-house — was used for The Beatles' Abbey Road (1969) and Let It Be (1970). Later installations included Neve and SSL consoles in various studios. Studio Two's SSL 4000 G+ was a fixture of the 1980s–2000s. The Neve 8048 in Studio One is used for orchestral and film scoring sessions.

What is an in-line mixing console?

An in-line console combines the recording input (mic/line) and the tape-return monitoring path into a single channel strip — so one strip handles both functions at once. This design, pioneered by Harrison Audio in 1975 with the 3232, allowed more channels in less desk space and became the industry standard architecture for large-format recording consoles from the late 1970s onward.

Which recording consoles are considered the best ever made?

The most revered large-format recording consoles include: the Neve 8078 (Rupert Neve's masterpiece, used on countless classic rock records), the SSL 4000 E/G (backbone of 1980s–90s commercial studios worldwide), the API 3224/1604 (transformerless punch and depth, defining the LA sound), the Harrison 3232/32C (the in-line console that tracked Thriller), and the Helios Type 69 (Zeppelin, Hendrix, Stones). All are represented in this archive with original magazine ads and studio histories.

Recording Console Archive — Neve, SSL, API, Harrison & 25+ Pro Audio Brands

Neve

Consoles · 12

United Kingdom · est. 1961

The Sound of a Generation

SSL

Consoles · 8

United Kingdom · est. 1969

The Sound of the Eighties

API

Consoles · 5

United States · est. 1968

The American Punch

Trident

Consoles · 4

United Kingdom · est. 1968

Where Glam Rock Was Born

EMI

Consoles · 4

United Kingdom · est. 1931

Built for Abbey Road

Harrison

Consoles · 13

United States · est. 1975

In-Line Architecture. Infinite Precision.

MCI

Consoles · 5

United States · est. 1955

The Sound of Criteria and the Sunshine Sound

Helios

Consoles · 4

United Kingdom · est. 1969

The Hidden Hand Behind British Rock

Focusrite

Consoles · 3

United Kingdom · est. 1985

A Masterpiece Built for One Studio

Soundcraft

Consoles · 6

United Kingdom · est. 1973

Bringing Professional Sound to Every Studio

AMEK

Consoles · 12

United Kingdom · est. 1973

Neve DNA in a New Form

Yamaha

Consoles · 2

Japan · est. 1971

Japan Rewrites the Rules

Siemens

Consoles · 2

Germany · est. 1950

The Ancestor of All Analog Consoles

Sony

Consoles · 4

Japan / United Kingdom · est. 1946

From MXP analog to Oxford digital.

Tascam

Consoles · 2

Japan · est. 1971

The Studio in Every Room

D&R

Consoles · 11

Netherlands · est. 1972

Dutch Precision Engineering

Audient

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1997

Keeping Analog Alive

DDA

Consoles · 5

United Kingdom · est. 1980

The Quiet Genius of British Design

Raindirk

Consoles · 3

United Kingdom · est. 1973

Olympic's Secret Weapon

Quad Eight

Consoles · 5

United States · est. 1965

The Sound of Motown and Hollywood

TAC

Consoles · 3

United Kingdom · est. 1984

Professional Sound, Accessible Price

Sound Techniques

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1965

Fourteen Consoles. A Lifetime of Music.

🇬🇧 Soundtracs

Soundtracs

Consoles · 4

United Kingdom · est. 1982

The Console That Became DiGiCo

Studer

Consoles · 3

Switzerland · est. 1948

Swiss Precision. Legendary Tape.

Mackie

Consoles · 4

United States · est. 1988

The Console That Launched a Million Studios

Behringer

Consoles · 4

Germany · est. 1989

Affordable Access, Endless Debate

Universal Audio

Consoles · 2

United States · est. 1958

Where the Modular Console Was Born

Allen & Heath

Consoles · 3

United Kingdom · est. 1969

Born in the Prog Rock Underground

Rupert Neve Designs

Consoles · 2

United States · est. 2005

The Master's Final Chapter

🇺🇸 Tangent

Tangent

Consoles · 2

United States · est. 1975

Why Settle For A Copy

🇺🇸 Auditronics

Auditronics

Consoles · 2

United States · est. 1966

Masters of Aural Gratification

Neotek

Consoles · 3

United States · est. 1976

American Engineering, Studio Grade

🇺🇸 Sound Workshop

Sound Workshop

Consoles · 3

United States · est. 1972

American Studio Staple

🇺🇸 Spectra Sonics

Spectra Sonics

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1967

Transformerless Clarity

🇺🇸 Wheatstone

Wheatstone

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1976

American Broadcast Standard

🇬🇧 Audio Developments

Audio Developments

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1973

Location Sound Specialists

🇺🇸 MTA

MTA

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1976

American Production Desks

🇺🇸 Biamp

Biamp

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1976

Portland Professional Audio

🇯🇵 Ramsa

Ramsa

Consoles · 9

Japan · est. 1978

Panasonic Professional Audio

🇺🇸 Orban

Orban

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1975

Broadcast Sonic Signature

🇯🇵 Otari

Otari

Consoles · 2

Japan · est. 1964

Tape Machines and Consoles

🇬🇧 Chilton

Chilton

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1968

British Broadcast Heritage

🇨🇦 Ward-Beck

Ward-Beck

Consoles · 1

Canada · est. 1965

Canadian Broadcast Standard

🇬🇧 Tweed Audio

Tweed Audio

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1972

Scottish Cottage Industry

🇬🇧 Audio & Design Recording

Audio & Design Recording

Consoles · 1

United Kingdom · est. 1969

Outboard Pioneers

🇨🇦 McCurdy

McCurdy

Consoles · 3

Canada / United States · est. 1953

Broadcast's Quiet Standard

🇺🇸 Euphonix

Euphonix

Consoles · 3

United States · est. 1988

Digital Control, Analog Soul

🇺🇸 Westlake Audio

Westlake Audio

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1971

A Guarantee of Acoustical Performance

🇺🇸 Flickinger

Flickinger

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1968

Custom Discrete-Transistor Consoles

🇺🇸 Peavey

Peavey

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1965

AMR — Audio Media Research

🇬🇧 Midas

Midas

Consoles · 5

United Kingdom · est. 1970

PR System — Maintaining a Standard

🇺🇸 Audio Designs & Manufacturing

Audio Designs & Manufacturing

Consoles · 1

United States · est. 1965

The Console That Thinks

🇺🇸 Ampex

Ampex

Consoles · 2

United States · est. 1944

Ampex Makes It Exciting

The Consoles

Neve

SSL

API

Trident

EMI

Harrison

MCI

Helios

Focusrite

Soundcraft

AMEK

Yamaha

Siemens

Sony

Tascam

D&R

Audient

DDA

Raindirk

Quad Eight

TAC

Sound Techniques

Soundtracs

Studer

Mackie

Behringer

Universal Audio

Allen & Heath

Rupert Neve Designs

Tangent

Auditronics

Neotek

Sound Workshop

Spectra Sonics

Wheatstone

Audio Developments

MTA

Biamp

Ramsa

Orban

Otari

Chilton

Ward-Beck

Tweed Audio

Audio & Design Recording

McCurdy

Euphonix

Westlake Audio

Flickinger

Peavey

Midas

Audio Designs & Manufacturing

Ampex