How It Was Recorded

Gear · preamp

Tube-Tech MEC 1A

Valve recording channel (preamp, equaliser and compressor), 2000s onwards (reviewed 2005). All-valve audio path combining Tube-Tech's MP 1A mic preamp, EQ 1A equaliser and CL 2A optical compressor, transformer-balanced in and out.

Source, read 15 Nov 2026

Records it appears on · 1

  • Hopes and Fears

    Keane · Album, 2004

    • Lead vocal · Input chainVerifiedChannel strip used for the vocals, with a little compression and a lot of top-end EQ applied while recording.
    • Bass · Input chainVerifiedChannel strip the bass was DI'd through; the same unit was used for the vocals.

Sources for each use are on the record’s own page.

Get the sound

First choice · Close match

Softube Tube-Tech CL 1B Mk II

compressor

Models Tube-Tech's CL 1B, the same maker's valve optical compressor, so it covers the compression half of this strip; it is not a model of the MEC 1A and has no preamp or EQ.

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