Luther Vandross · The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love, 1989
Here and Now
10 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified7Reported3
What the sources do and do not say
Source is the Mix Classic Tracks piece (first published November 2005) with Ray Bardini (spelled Bardani in a second Mix piece), Marcus Miller, Jason Miles and Nat Adderley Jr. The engineer is named Bardini in the Classic Tracks text and the speakerRole for Miles is recorded as other (keyboard programmer). Basic tracks were on 2-inch 24-track at +6 per the text, but no row is given as no machine is identified. The second Mix piece (2001) is about later albums and was not used for rows.
Lead vocal
4 items
Luther Vandross
Microphone
The real chain
AKG C414
Verified
Microphone on Vandross's lead vocal for this song.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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
The real chain
Neve 1074
Verified
Microphone preamp in the lead vocal chain.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
Universal Audio Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Collection
preamp and EQ
Covers Neve's Class A, transformer-coupled console preamps of the early 1970s, the family this module number points to; it is not a model of this unit.
The real chain
dbx Compressor (model not stated)
Verified
Compressor in the lead vocal chain.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
Waves dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter
compressor
dbx compressors are VCA designs, and this models the best known of them, the 160. The source does not name the model, so this stands for the maker's family of units: it is not a model of the one on the record.
Also worth a look 1
- Universal Audio dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter (dbx compressors are VCA designs, and this models the best known of them, the 160. The source does not name the model, so this stands for the maker's family of units: it is not a model of the one on the record)
The real chain
George Massenburg EQ (model not stated)
Verified
Equaliser in the lead vocal chain.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
Massenburg DesignWorks MDW Parametric EQ
equaliser
George Massenburg's own parametric EQ plugin, the same clean parametric design as his hardware. The source does not name the model, so this stands for the maker's family of units: it is not a model of the one on the record.
Synth bass
2 items
Marcus Miller
Input chain
The real chain
dbx 160
Verified
Compressor on the synth bass when it was recorded.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter
compressor
Made with dbx as a model of the original 160.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter (Made with dbx as a model of the original 160)
The real chain
George Massenburg EQ (model not stated)
Verified
Equaliser on the synth bass when it was recorded.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
Massenburg DesignWorks MDW Parametric EQ
equaliser
George Massenburg's own parametric EQ plugin, the same clean parametric design as his hardware. The source does not name the model, so this stands for the maker's family of units: it is not a model of the one on the record.
Drum machine and cymbals
1 item
Ivan Hampton
Input chain
The real chain
Solid State Logic 4000 G+
Verified
Console at The Hit Factory on which the basic-track work, including drum machine parts and live cymbal overdubs, was tracked.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Waves SSL G-Channel
channel strip
Made with SSL as a model of the 4000 G channel strip.
Also worth a look 1
- Solid State Logic SSL Native Channel Strip 2 (SSL's own channel-strip plugin, based on a later desk)
Rhodes-style keyboard part
3 items
Nat Adderley Jr.
Instrument
The real chain
Yamaha DX7
Reported
Played the basic keyboard part using a standard Rhodes sound from this synth into a sequencer.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Arturia DX7 V
instrument
An emulation of the Yamaha DX7.
Also worth a look 1
- Digital Suburban Dexed (A free, open-source DX7 emulation that loads original DX7 patches)
The real chain
Akai MPC60
Reported
Sequencer Miles used while taking Adderley through the programming of the keyboard parts.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Approximate
Akai Professional MPC Beats
instrument · free
Akai's free MPC software. It gives the MPC way of working, not the sound of this hardware.
The real chain
Roland SBX-80
Reported
Used to shift note timings in the sequencer to deal with MIDI timing problems.
Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. A sequencer, computer or synchroniser. It controls other equipment and makes no sound of its own. Any DAW does this job.
Sources
- Classic Tracks: Luther Vandross' "Here and Now", Mix, 2005-11. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
What the ratings mean
Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.
Stated by a reputable secondary source.
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.