Studio Blog post - 11.26.25 - Retro 176 repair

This Thanksgiving I definitely have a lot to be thankful for. I have an amazing workspace, a cute dog, and a ton of people in my life who help me keep this studio business going. I had a few great meetings this week with prospective clients/artists, and the TikTok page continues to grow and bring people here! So hi if you’re new, and welcome!

Today I had to go to my studio tech’s shop and have him put new (old stock) tubes in my Retro 176 and calibrate it. The man is a wiz, and I’m sure it will come back sounding better than ever. The Retro 176 is a cornerstone of my studio and a big part of the sounds we get here. It’s designed to replicate the original Universal Audio 176 - which is an all-tube precursor to the UA 1176 - and it’s got a huge, warm, larger-than-life quality to it. It’s incredible on vocals and bass, and I use it on just about every single session.

The goal is to keep these short, so I’ll just say thanks for stopping by, and Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! Send me a DM on TikTok or fill out the contact form to get in touch.

Jon