“My Fantasy Audio Christmas Present - Rupert Neve Designs 5088”
We discovered this post on the Production Expert website just before the holidays, and excerpts from it are shared below with kind permission from the author, James Richmond. Here’s a link to the full original piece. Thank you James! We couldn't get you a 5088 for Christmas, but we truly appreciated this article.
“My second choice as a fantasy Christmas present is the Rupert Neve Designs 5088 mixing console. Unlike the previous choice, the Minimoog Model D, which is attainable in the sense of just having to stump up the cash to buy it, this one is less so. I have neither the space nor the budget for such a beautiful beast. If these were not factors then this is the console I would buy.”
“Unlike many modern consoles, it eschews integrated circuit chips for discrete, transformer-coupled designs. This choice reflects Neve's philosophy that prioritizes warmth, depth, and musicality in sound.”
“If I was designing a 5088 for myself I’d get 32 faders, with the master section centred between two 16 channel buckets. I’ve spent a bit of time with the RND Shelford channel strips as well as having some RND 500 series modules and I just love the sound of their products.”
“All the appropriate adjectives apply here - warm, gooey, punchy, round. The apex predator product line from a life dedicated to the pursuit of audio excellence, priced accordingly.”
“Owning a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 is the dream of many audio engineers and producers. It's more than just a piece of equipment; it's a testament to one's dedication to the craft of music production. The 5088 is a bridge between the rich analogue past and the modern digital present, offering a tactile and immersive mixing experience. There is definitely a customer for this class of product, and I’d dearly love that it was me.”
– James Richmond
