For the love of sound : How vintage hi-fi sound systems are driving boutique club nights forwardFor the at-home enthusiast, audio gear from the 70s and 80s is highly prized – and the price and rarity often reflect this. Older brands, such as Klipsch, Sansui, and Altec Lansing made consistently high-quality audio equipment, while today’s major brands, like Bose, Pioneer, JBL, and Sony had their moments of brilliance too.
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Using this vintage equipment in bars and clubs is a much trickier endeavour. The gear is far pricier and rarer, the speakers less efficient, and the amps less powerful. Yet, it is also this equipment, or designs and components used in this vintage gear, which is most sought after by some of the best-sounding bars, clubs, and speaker designers around.
To find out more, we hear from two legendary club nights and sound systems, London’s Beauty and the Beat and Leeds’ Cosmic Slop; head honcho of Rhythm section Bradley Zero and his excellent new bar Moko in London, Tottenham; custom speaker designer Friendly Pressure; and legendary London hi-fi store Audio Gold.
Beauty And The Beast setup
Why go vintage?
Some reasons for purchasing vintage gear are rational, others are emotional. On the latter point, a chrome face, power gauges, analogue dials, and the glowing valves of an old system are rewarding to feel and see. On the former, they often sound excellent. It’s hard to quantify, as the senses remain subjective, but older audio components are known for their relaxed, warm sound, thanks to the analogue circuitry. This is usually in contrast to the cleaner and more detailed characteristics of modern audio.
Custom speaker maker Friendly Pressure, based in London, plans and builds custom speakers for home or venue use. In the words of founder and owner Shivas Howard Brown, FP aims to combine the sound and component quality of vintage speakers with modern manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing – as shown below sitting nicely at Moko.
Friendly Pressure, Image: giftyphotographer
On the rational side of why and how, Shivas explains that older speakers use materials that are simply harder to come by nowadays – resistors and transistors, for example. Secondly, the majority of the audio market is focused on PAs for public venues rather than home sound systems. In addition, the ways we recreate and amplify sound – in all but the higher end of audio equipment – have swapped quality for efficiency, and so moved to digital from solid state or valve, for example.
A growing interest
Shivas says, however, that this increase in convenient, passive listening has caused an increase in active, dedicated listeners too: “They want a more emotional and sentimental connection to their music.”
Robin, one of the team members at Audio Gold, a three-decade-old audiophile Mecca in Muswell Hill, London, agrees. He says that the uptick in interest has been particularly driven by younger generations. For reference, the global home audio market is expected to grow at an aggregate rate of 11.4 per cent from 2022 to 2027, and for vinyl, 2022 marked the 17th consecutive year that the number sold rose.
There seem to be more bars and clubs using this vintage sound too. One to note is Moko in Tottenham – run by global oddities and house label Rhythm Section head honcho, Peckham legend, and all-round lovely guy, Bradley Zero.
Friendly Pressure. Image: giftyphotographer
Moko may not be quite a ‘listening bar’, but there is a similar attention to detail in the hardware used – if in a setting more appropriate to dancing. Friendly Pressure’s custom FP398s provide the sound, with custom monitors, a Technics 1210 turntable, an Acuphase amp, and a rotary E&S DJR400 turntable “for now,” says Zero.
The space is, however, is in desperate need of room treatment and soundproofing, with its concrete roof and subsequent resonance.
Bradley Zero speaks less about his bars and more about what should be an essential pilgrimage for anyone with two ears and two legs: Cosmic Slop in Leeds. This monthly club night is run by the people behind MAP, a charity that provides children less fortunate the opportunity to learn about music production and gain BTEC qualifications.
Cosmic Slop
To this writer, there is no better-sounding club, more beautiful a crowd, or more noble a cause.
The system in Cosmic Slop, located in Hope House just outside of Leeds city centre, is truly special. It’s so special, in fact, that the sound (and its charitable cause) brings DJs such as Floating Points, Coco Maria, and Bradley Zero himself, who all typically charge pretty hefty fees, to play for free. Furthermore, lineups are often left unannounced, which makes it even more rewarding when you see someone special in the booth.
Tom Smith, the founder and owner, is the custodian of the original blueprints from New York icon Paradise Garage. He went to New York and met some of the last people who worked on the system for Larry Levant and built it to Cosmic Slop’s spec. As Bradley Zero’s says, “when you play there, you feel you’re stepping back in time to this paragon of musical excellence.”
“Every note played gets powered up and comes out earthshaking,” he adds. “Last time I played, Tom ended on a blues song, and it had a room full of young people going crazy. Just the stomp of the foot was causing the room to shake.”
Tom also runs MAP Charity, an alternative education provider working with young people who are unable to access the mainstream school system.
Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat is a party in London with a similar focus on sound quality supplied by pricey vintage components.
They started with two stacks of Klipshorns, and over 18 years, built the system to where it stands today:
• Five Klipschorns (one of these is used as a mono channel)
• Two Tannoys (one York and one Majestic)
• Two Mark Levinson amps (27.5 and 334)
• One Music Fidelity XA50 mono amp
• One Sugden masterclass SPA-4 stereo amp
• Isonoe ISO420 mixer
• Two Technics 1210 turntables with upgraded tonearms (Jelco) + Isonoe isolation feet
• Audio Technica VM740 ML cartridges
BATB adds two more Klipshorns into the mix for a seven-point system in their current venue Hackney Wick Baths. One of the founders of Beauty and the Beat, Cyril Cornet, says that “being surrounded and immersed by music is pretty hard to beat…When dancing in the sweet spot, you forget where the sound comes from”. Plus, they add, there’s a social aspect to the setup – it means dancers don’t end up all facing the DJ at the front.
This is a truly special party, which sounds, feels, and looks excellent. You’re as likely to hear classics like Santana’s //Black Magic Woman// or Talking Heads’ Girlfriend is Better as you are hypnotic tabla solos and spiritual chanting – and all on wax.
It takes years to build such exquisite and priceless gifts to the human ear and heart, but you have to start somewhere. Hence, personal friends Fly Away Hearts, a new party in London, are building their own bespoke Klipschorn system, so they deserve a shout-out here too.
Dedicated to the cause
It’s not just the gear used that makes these places special. With this sound comes an ability for DJs to truly play whatever they like – as illustrated by Tom Smith’s closing tune. People playing here usually, and should, exploit this freedom to the fullest, dredging the bottom of their record bags and finding oddballs and gems.
Cosmic Slop is unashamedly fun and free, – and totally without pretension. Beauty and the Beat differs slightly. Its ethos is almost spiritual, much less anarchic, and verges on serious and sophisticated, with a focus on global, percussive, and psychedelic tunes.
The music played is, of course, the star of the show. After all, I’ve had more enthusiastic dances around a decent portable speaker than high-end vintage audio systems. However, the music is given new life when played through systems of this quality and becomes truly transcendental.
But it’s more than just sound quality. These sound systems are a mark of dedication. It may not be the most accessible of pursuits, but running these rigs shows a love for music that’s been built over a lifetime. Instead of hoarding such high-end (and expensive) equipment inside their living rooms, they share the love with a room full of dancers and trust no one pokes their key through a driver. Brave.
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David Guetta claims world no.1 DJ title in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs pollDavid Guetta has once again claimed the title of World’s No.1 DJ in DJ Mag’s annual Top 100 DJs poll.

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This is the fourth time the French producer-DJ has ranked top on the poll. Commenting on the win, Guetta says, “It’s incredible! It’s wonderful! It’s great because I feel like every time I’m on the top of the Top 100 DJs, it’s for a different reason.”
“You know, the two previous times were probably thanks to Future Rave. This time is probably thanks to I’m Good and those big crossover records. I love that I can express different feelings in different ways.”
Last year, Guetta’s longtime collaborator and friend Martin Garrix topped the poll. Both DJs are now the owners of four No. 1 titles, second only to Dutch trance legend Armin van Buuren, with his five No. 1s.
A luminary in the realm of electronic dance music (EDM), Guetta’s breakthrough came with the release of his 2009 album, One Love, which catapulted him to international fame. The French DJ’s prowess has also been acknowledged with multiple Grammy Awards, including Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his work on Madonna’s Revolver and Best Dance Recording for When Love Takes Over with Kelly Rowland.

Within the last year alone, Guetta has partnered with artists such as Britney Spears, Zara Larsson, Bebe Rexha, Kim Petras, and BTS star Jung Kook.
A total of 1.3 million votes were counted from 237 countries in this year’s Top 100 DJs poll. Check out the full list at DJ Mag.
In related news, David Guetta has dismissed claims made by Deadmau5 that “[at] most major festivals, [DJs] have to play pre-recorded sets”.
“I was looking online at Deadmau5 who was saying every DJ, including me, is playing a pre-recorded set,” the Titanium producer said in a recent interview on The Daily Star’s Wired column [via NME].
“I won’t speak for other people, but I’ve never done that. You often see comments from people that I do this, but it’s not true. I love DJ-ing, and DJ-ing is about reading the crowd and connecting to them.”
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Yamaha’s new HS3 and HS4 studio monitors are the brand’s lightest and most compact yetYamaha has announced the latest addition to its iconic HS Series with the HS3 and HS4 speakers. These new two-way bass reflex powered studio monitors feature a premium, compact design, delivering “faithful sound reproduction” for professionals and audiophiles who require a small, lightweight footprint.

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The HS3 and HS4 are said to “continue the design philosophy and know-how of previous Yamaha studio monitors”.
To start, their compact size was made possible thanks to the use of a highly efficient class-D amplifier. Using one amp for two speakers allows for a reduction in the weight of the speakers and simplifies the cable connections, making the HS3 and HS4 perfect for home studios or on-the-go use.
While they’re both pretty tiny by studio monitor standards — and certainly the smallest of the HS range, the HS4 does come with larger cone woofers and dome tweeters compared to the HS3. It also boasts a slightly wider frequency response of 60 Hz – 22 kHz (-10dB) versus the HS3’s 70 Hz – 22 kHz (-10dB).
The monitors feature Yamaha’s proprietary “Twisted Flare Port” technology which reduces air turbulence noise in the bass reflex port for clear and accurate bass. Users can enjoy outstanding resolution, sound image, and depth, with a flat response across all bandwidths and no colouring of the original sound.
In addition, the rear panels of the HS3 and HS4 are equipped with Room Control and High Trim functions so you can adjust the sound to suit your environment, like reducing the exaggerated low-end that may occur when speakers are placed next to walls.
Connections wise, we have XLR/TRS phone, RCA, and stereo mini-jacks, which should cover everything from computers and audio interfaces to audio mixers and electric instruments.
Both speakers are available in a sleek black or white finish. The HS3 is priced at $229.99 while the HS4 comes in at $249.99.

Learn more at Yamaha.
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Why I just resigned from my job in generative AI.Ed Newton-Rex has quit his role at Stability AI. In an exclusive op-ed, he shares why.
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Prism Sound & Ginger Audio collaboration Ginger Audio’s GroundControl Sphere software can now be used to provide monitoring control for Prism Sound's Dream ADA-128 units. 

Singapore startup dtcpay launches retail crypto payments system with Chinese partnersDtcpay, formerly Digital Treasures Center, is MAS-registered and already provides some point-of-sale and online crypto payment services.

From Spotify’s 1,000 plays threshold to Taylor Swift’s blockbuster 1989 rerecording… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe five biggest stories to hit our headlines over the past seven days
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What is EQ? A comprehensive guide
In this comprehensive guide, learn about what EQ (equalization) is, its common types, and how to use it in your music.

AI music platform Soundful launches “Soundful Collabs” series with big-name artistsThe AI music production platform Soundful has launched a new “Soundful Collabs” series campaign.

READ MORE: “She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the Year

It’ll be working with some of the biggest artists and producers to capture their “Sonic DNA”, giving users of the platform the opportunity to create tracks that sound like them, as well as “simultaneously pioneering a clear and ethical path for content monetisation.”
Among the names involved in the initial launch are 3LAU, Autograf, CB Mix, DJ White Shadow, Kaskade, and Starrah. But Soundful will be working on numerous other names throughout the campaign. The programme will provide a new revenue channel for artists, producers and labels involved, too, as they can earn income from every tranasction.
Soundful’s founder and CEO Diaa El All said in a statement, “Working directly with this elite group of talented stars to adapt our technology to their signature sounds was a very ambitious undertaking, and quite honestly, took some world-class creativity and engineering to pull it off.
“I’m incredibly proud that our subscribers can now create tracks in the sound of some of their idols. It’s a huge step towards leveraging the promise of AI to inspire creativity while also rewarding artists and other rights holders with ethical and meaningful income.”
Premium subscribers to Soundful can access the collabs by paying an extra fee for finished track creation and downloads.
Soundful launched its beta a year ago, and has grown to have over half a million users – and brands are using Soundful for content for advertising, social media, promo videos and vlogs.
Soundful co-founder and board member Neil Jacobson, CEO of Hallwood Entertainment said, “My thesis is and has always been that the growing number of musicians coming online globally who are learning that they don’t need to be instrumentalists in order to be copyrightable musicians, is one of the most exciting movements in music.
He continued, “Soundful is the bridge to both creators and those who need affordable, licensable music at scale through the most seamless platform that exists. The more people learn to create music, the more their ear as a listener will be developed. The developed ear is what will drive sophistication, thereby higher quality music overall.”
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Analog Obsession Releases FREE FetCB Dynamics Plugin
Analog Obsession released FetCB, a freeware compressor plugin for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. Although I’ve told myself, “No more compressors,” here I am with another free compressor plugin. Ultimately, who can deny the charm and appeal of a shiny new plugin compressor? This will surely make my drums sound fatter, punchier, and [...]
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“She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the YearTaylor Swift has been named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2023, after reaching the accolade of the most-streamed female artist in Apple Music history.

READ MORE: Major labels “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music like Taylor Swift has

The global superstar has seen incredible success in the last 12 months with the release of two re-recorded albums: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
In addition, the start of her Eras tour in March saw her streaming figures grow by 61% globally according to Apple Music, and saw the 2019 track Cruel Summer re-enter and remain in the charts since April.
While Ed Sheeran holds the top spot for most streamed Apple Music artist ever, with more than 9.5 billion plays globally, Swift has seen an impressive 65 songs reach Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 in 2023, which is more than any other artist in the streaming service’s history.
“I am so honoured to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year,” says Swift. “Thank you to every single one of you for making this year the most incredible, joyful, celebratory year ever. From streaming the music non-stop to screaming it together in real life at the shows, dancing chaotically in movie theatres, none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much.”
“Taylor Swift’s impact on music is absolutely undeniable – not just this record-breaking year, but throughout her entire career,” says Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music and Beats. “She is a generation-defining artist and a true change agent in the music industry, and there is no doubt that her impact and influence will be felt for years to come.”
Taylor Swift has been in the headlines over the last few weeks as it’s been reported that major labels are “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music.
Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group are three major labels who have recently overhauled contracts for new signees to introduce these new restrictions.
Their hope is that future artists will not be able to re-record their own albums no earlier than 10 years or more after leaving their label.
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What is MIDI?
MIDI is a communications protocol for connecting audio devices. It’s also one of the most widely used music-making tools and the core of every production software setup. Today, we’ll answer what MIDI is and how to use it, as well as break down MIDI terms, devices, and setups. Learning more about MIDI will help you [...]
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Waves Audio Will Release A New FREE Plugin On Black Friday
Waves Audio has announced they will offer a new plugin for FREE on Black Friday, November 24th. Only 10,000 free licenses will be available, and users can sign up now to reserve their licenses. Receiving a free plugin from Waves on Black Friday has become a tradition in the music production space, much like getting [...]
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Soundtoys Little Plate reverb plugin is FREE for a limited timeSoundtoys is giving away its Little Plate reverb plugin for free until 1 December 2023.

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Soundtoys’ Little Plate is a reverb plugin known for its emulation of classic plate reverbs. It features a user-friendly interface, a warm decay, modulation controls for adding movement, and a mix knob for balancing wet and dry signals. This plugin is regarded highly by producers for its simplicity and vintage reverb character, making it a popular choice for enhancing vocals, instruments, and mixes with a classic plate reverb sound.
The brand has now decided to offer the Little Plate reverb plugin, which usually costs around $80, for free. This offer runs until 1 December 2023 and is available via Soundtoys.

“After the release of SuperPlate earlier this year, we thought it the perfect time to give everyone a chance to experience the original (and still awesome) Little Plate plug-in. It’s an amazing-sounding reverb that’s become a staple of many pro users. We’re constantly hearing how much people love the EMT 140 sound, modelled on the plates in our collection,” said Soundtoys’ CEO and lead designer Ken Bogdanowicz.
“SuperPlate dives much deeper into the world of analogue plates with five different plate reverb models and with much greater creative control over the reverb sounds.”
If you’re an avid user of plugins, you’ll no doubt be aware of Soundtoys’ widely-used catalogue of software, which includes the likes of EchoBoy, popular for its versatile echo and delay effects, and Decapitator, offering lush analogue saturation.
Soundtoys also allows you to shape your sound using FilterFreak’s filter and modulation controls. The brand’s own Little Radiator effect is useful too for adding a little ’60s-esque tube heat to bass and synths.
Little Plate is not the only reverb offered by Soundtoys. It released the SuperPlate in August, and in our review of it, we wrote, “a wonderful sound, concise and easy to use GUI, and a few neat tricks up its sleeves”.
Head to Soundtoys to find out more.
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Introducing Beatport Studio, a new cost-effective subscription model for plugins and samplesBeatport has launched Beatport Studio, a brand-new platform which combines Loopcloud, Loopmasters and Plugin Boutique into a singular subscription model.
Structured around a more cost-effective model – as opposed to buying the same number of plugins outright, for example – the new platform gives producers access to thousands of plugins and even more samples in one central hub.

READ MORE: Deadmau5-backed Pixelynx launches BeatKOR AI music collection in partnership with Beatport

Subscribers have access to 10 plugins per month – from the likes of developers like Baby Audio, Excite Audio and more – and can rotate their selection every month. As Beatport explains, if a user finds they’re not using certain plugins, they can deselect them using the Beatport Access app and select a new plugin to try for the following month.
Additionally, Beatport Studio subscribers get access to hundreds of thousands of samples and sounds via the ever-expanding Loopcloud Sounds plugin. Browsing takes place directly within your DAW, and loops are automatically synced to your project’s tempo.
To sweeten the deal, Cubase LE and Bitwig Studio 8-Track are included as part of the subscription price of Beatport Studio.

Robb McDaniels, Beatport CEO, says: “Beatport Studio marks a significant milestone in our commitment to empowering music producers worldwide. We’ve harnessed the collective creative strength of Beatport’s Producer Group to deliver an integrated production marketplace that reflects our dedication to innovation and flexibility to ensure our users are at the forefront of shaping the sonic landscape.”
“It’s an exciting time for music producers,” adds Gareth Halsall, VP of Beatport’s Producer Group. “We’re proud to bring a new dimension to the industry by combining flexibility and choice, ultimately enriching the creative experience for our users. Beatport Studio is more than a membership; it’s a gateway to a vast world of sound, right at your fingertips.”
Price-wise, a Beatport subscription – which includes 10 plugins and 100 sounds per month – costs £11.99/$11.99 monthly, or £119.99/$119.99 annually.
For more info, head to Beatport.
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