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April 14, 2025
Road Map to Los Angeles Pop/Rock Recording Scene

The Gear That Made the LA Sound

The Los Angeles recording scene has welcomed many genres over the decades -- surf rock, hair metal, West Coast rap -- but what they all have in common is a slick studio sound. After all, L.A. has been home to such famous recording studios as Sunset Sound, Ocean Way, and the Record Plant. To achieve the polished sound of modern pop/rock production, check out our picks for the ideal recording chain.

Start by treating your walls with absorptive panels, then add a killer condenser mic on a rolling stand. Run your microphone through a high-end preamp/compressor like the LA-610, then into an interface with pristine A/D converters. To edit and mix your music, we recommend DAW software like Pro Tools or PreSonus Studio One -- and Universal Audio DSP accelerators that let you run UAD plug-ins to emulate classic rock gear. Finally, no studio would be complete without a serious pair of studio monitor speakers. Return to the Map.

Warm Audio WA73-EQ 1073-Style Microphone Preamplifier and Equalizer

$799.00
  • 12 x  
    $66.58
  • 8 x  
    $99.88
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $133.17
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $199.75

On-Stage SB96 Plus Studio Boom Microphone Stand

$199.95
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $33.32
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $49.99

Primacoustic London 10 Room Kit

$748.00
  • 12 x  
    $62.33
  • 8 x  
    $93.50
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $124.67
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $187.00
LAST ONE

Universal Audio LA-610 MkII Classic Tube Microphone Preamplifier

$2,499.00
  • 12 x  
    $208.25
  • 8 x  
    $312.38

Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Diode Bridge Compressor

$2,999.00
  • 18 x  
  • 12 x  
    $249.92
  • 8 x  
    $374.88

Black Lion Audio 17 Seventeen FET Compressor

$699.00
  • 12 x  
    $58.25
  • 8 x  
    $87.38
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $116.50
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $174.75
SALE

Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo Gen 2 Thunderbolt Audio Interface, Studio+ Edition

$1,199.00
  • 12 x  
    $99.92
  • 8 x  
    $149.88
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $199.83
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $299.75

Avid Pro Tools Studio Software: 1-Year Subscription

$299.00
  • 8 x  
    $37.38
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $49.83
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $74.75

Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 OCTO Core DSP Accelerator

$999.00
  • 12 x  
    $83.25
  • 8 x  
    $124.88
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $166.50
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $249.75

Yamaha HS8 Active Studio Monitor

$398.99
  • 8 x  
    $49.87
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $66.50
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $99.75