How It Was Recorded

J. Cole · Born Sinner, 2013

Power Trip

Lead vocal (J. Cole)Guest vocal (Miguel)Verified6

What the sources do and do not say

One Sound On Sound feature by Paul Tingen on Born Sinner, read in full; it covers the Power Trip mix in detail (Juro 'Mez' Davis, 10 days at Premier and the Record Plant). The article says SSL desks were used at both studios but gives no model. Tracking gear for Power Trip itself (Cole's vocal chain, Miguel's recording) is not stated; the U87 row is album-level.

Lead vocal (J. Cole)

J. Cole

Microphone

Neumann U 87

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Cole says his voice is recorded in the studio with this microphone when a demo vocal is redone; he describes the album's approach, not this song specifically.

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.

Mix effects

Waves Kramer Tape

Verified

Cole's vocals were run through this tape-emulation plug-in in the mix of Power Trip.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves Doubler

Verified

Applied to a doubled copy of the 'love songs' vocal lines in the intro and outro to spread them out, automated to work harder on alternate lines.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves Doubler

modulation

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Guest vocal (Miguel)

Miguel

Mix effects

EMT 140

Verified

Miguel's vocals, plus the filtered drum parts where his vocals enter, were sent through this plate reverb during the Los Angeles mixing.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio EMT 140 Classic Plate Reverberator

reverb

Models three EMT 140 plates, made with EMT.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Soundtoys Little Plate (A simpler EMT 140 model with one decay control).

Empirical Labs Distressor

Verified

Miguel's vocal was put through it in the mix.

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).

Pultec EQ (model not stated)

Verified

Used on Miguel's vocal to warm it and make him sound somewhat older.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Pultec Passive EQ Collection

equaliser

Models the Pultec EQP-1A, MEQ-5 and HLF-3C. The source does not say which Pultec was used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves PuigTec EQs (EQP-1A and MEQ-5) (Models the Pultec EQP-1A and MEQ-5).

Sources

  1. J. Cole & Juro 'Mez' Davis, Sound On Sound, 2013-09. 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.

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