How It Was Recorded

John Newman · Album, 2013

Tribute

This is an album-level record: the sources describe how the album as a whole was recorded, not one song. Where a detail belongs to a single song, the row says so.

Songs this record stands for: Love Me Again. We found nothing specific to this song, so this album record is the closest account we have.

Lead vocalGuitarBassDrumsPiano and synthTubular bells, choir and brassVerified13Reported12

What the sources do and do not say

One Sound On Sound article (February 2014) on the making of Tribute, read in full. It says 'Love Me Again' was produced separately by Steve Booker and mixed by Mike Spencer, and that Ant Whiting did not record it, so every row is album-level and none is claimed for this single. The article gives no gear for the single itself; the gang vocals are said to sit under its chorus.

Lead vocal

John Newman

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Verified

Lead vocal microphone on the album sessions, chosen because it flattered the rasp in his voice.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Input chain

API 512c

Reported

Mic preamp for the lead vocal on almost all the album tracks, as Whiting recalls it.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Universal Audio API Vision Channel Strip Collection

channel strip

Models the channel strip of API's Vision console, whose preamp comes from the same family.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

UREI 1176

Reported

Compressor after the preamp on the lead vocal on almost all the album tracks, as Whiting recalls it.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

compressor

Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey)).

Empirical Labs Distressor

Verified

Compressor used on one deluxe-edition song, 'Nothing'; Newman wanted to hit it hard but it ended up at 6:1 and sounded subtle.

Settings
6:1 ratio

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor

compressor

Model of the Distressor made with Empirical Labs.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Empirical Labs Arousor (Empirical Labs' own plugin, built on the Distressor design rather than copying one unit).

Mix effects

Unidentified Plate reverb (model not stated)

Verified

Plate reverbs at RAK that Newman ran his vocal to, to soften imperfections.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Universal Audio EMT 140 Classic Plate Reverberator

reverb

Models EMT 140 plates. The source does not name the plate used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates (Models the EMT 140 plates at Abbey Road. The source does not name the plate used).

Guitar

Instrument

Epiphone Guitar (model not stated)

Verified

Cheap Japanese 1970s guitar that Whiting says was the main guitar on everything.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Fender Twin (silverface)

Verified

Old silverface Twin, the only guitar amp used, valued for its spring reverb and vibrato.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Verified

Close microphone on the guitar amp, one of two.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Shure SM57

Verified

Second close microphone on the guitar amp.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

Bass

Instrument

Moog Little Phatty

Verified

Synth that supplied the sub-bass on most of the album.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Arturia Mini V

instrument

A Minimoog emulation. It has the Moog filter and character, but this is a different Moog.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Fender Precision Bass

Reported

Vintage bass tried for live bass during the drum sessions; it features on only a couple of songs.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A bass guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Ampeg Portaflex

Reported

Amp for the vintage bass, placed in a cubbyhole to limit spill.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Reported

Close microphone on the bass amp.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Shure SM57

Reported

Second close microphone on the bass amp, alongside a DI signal.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

Drums

Leo Taylor

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Reported

Microphones on the toms and kick of the kit in RAK Studio 1.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

AKG D12

Reported

Microphone paired with the U47 FET on the kick drum in RAK Studio 1.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Shure SM57

Reported

Snare microphone on the RAK Studio 1 kit.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

Coles 4038

Reported

Ribbon microphones used as the overhead pair, flanking a central capacitor mic, on the RAK Studio 1 kit.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Shure SM57

Verified

Dynamic mic sealed in a plastic bag in a tub of water near the kick drum, for a wobbling sub tone.

Position
near the kick drum, in a plastic bag in a tub of water

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

Telefunken Magnetophon C2100

Verified

Old Dictaphone recording throughout, placed near kick and snare and driven hard for crunch and saturation.

Position
near the kick and snare

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Wavesfactory Cassette

tape

Recreates the saturation and wobble of cassette tape driven hard, which is how this machine was used; it is not a model of this unit.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Piano and synth

Microphone

AKG C28

Verified

Pair of mics placed behind the piano player's ears with the front taken off the Broadwood upright at State Of The Ark.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

AKG C 12

Verified

Microphone in the middle of the opened-up Broadwood upright at State Of The Ark.

Position
in the middle

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Tubular bells, choir and brass

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Verified

Microphones used on the tubular bells in RAK Studio 1.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Neumann U 47

Reported

Pair of valve U47s used as room mics for the gospel choir at RAK Studio 2.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Unidentified Ribbon microphone (model not stated)

Reported

One ribbon mic per instrument on the four-piece brass section at State Of The Ark.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Sources

  1. John Newman & Ant Whiting: 'Love Me Again', Sound On Sound, 2014-02. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

Disclosure: plugin links currently go straight to the maker and earn us nothing. If that changes, affiliate links will be marked here. Suggestions are chosen on fit, never on commission, and are kept separate from the recording facts. More.