Rupert Neve, the godfather of recording technology, passed away last year at 94. Numerous obituaries have paid eloquent homage to his legacy, chronicling his tireless work ethic and endless contributions to recording tools. To me, the indelible mark that Neve left extends far beyond enabling the best sounding records of all time. He imbued joy and magic into every tool and innovation he touched, adding spirit and soul to otherwise lifeless electrical circuits. Neve’s craft facilitated the translation of voltage, current, and the push and pull of undulating waves into rich and open sonics that forever changed the world. Although his legacy will proudly continue, the man will be greatly missed.

The son of missionaries, Neve was born in England in 1926 and subsequently raised in Argentina. As a teenager, he would disassemble, repair and rebuild radios and amplifiers locally as trade was disrupted in the early stages of WWII. At age 17, he volunteered for the British Army to aid in the war effort as part of the Royal Corps of Signals. Post-war, Neve designed PA systems and lacquer recording machines. Two of his first gigs included recording a policy speech by Winston Churchill and the inauguration of St. Andrew’s Church by a young Queen Elizabeth, at the time a princess. He worked in broadcast and hi-fi in the 50s before founding Neve Electronics in 1961. At Neve, he began to focus on large format recording consoles that would forever change the history of music.

Rupert Neve. Photo Credit: Joshua Thomas

While it is lovely to behold, the magic of Neve gear is not found in the iconic RAF (Royal Air Force) Blue-Grey finish, nor is it in the click of the knobs and switches, the lamps, the VU meters, or even in the resistance of chunky faders. The magic is in the process – everything is simple, fluid and simply sounds fantastic. This makes recording, tinkering and mixing the pleasure it was meant to be. Much like the performance itself, I believe that the joy and inspiration in the journey of music creation make Neve recordings stand out. Frustrating, clinical, boring gear doesn’t make for enjoyable recordings.

I briefly met Mr. Neve once on the floor of AES, a trade show put on by the Audio Engineering Society to showcase equipment, research and thought leadership in our field. He was seated on a tall stool holding his cane, whilst pony-tailed admirers murmuring in reverence kept their distance, too afraid to approach. I said hello, and he briefly walked me through his 5088 Console. I was struck by how much he cared for and thought about his creations. Rupert Neve focused on details of the process rather than just the end result. Reflecting upon our brief interaction, I found an analog to our approach at Antfood in that the method is what creates the magic.

Rupert Neve wanted to share his gifts and did so with humble pride and coy exuberance. He was able to reduce the complexity of dozens of technical components and explain the feel of what his amplifiers and miles of copper add to a sound, a production, and an experience. This is a man who received the extremely rare lifetime achievement Grammy in 1997 and proceeded to innovate for another 25 years.

Antfood New York’s Neve 8014 Restoration in Detroit

My own journey with music has always been intertwined with technology. I played in bands and made records with 4-track cassette recorders growing up and got into early digital tools towards the end of high school. I started my career working in São Paulo, Brazil and discovered Rupert Neve-Designed preamplifiers. When we founded Antfood in 2007, we could only afford a MOTU 828, a Chinese-manufactured OEM microphone and a Chandler Pre-Amp.

Over the years, we have slowly built a world-class studio, upgrading, expanding and multiplying as we go. In early 2017, Antfood New York was fortunate to acquire a vintage Neve 8014, the smallest full-size version of Neve’s most beloved classic console, the Neve 80-Series, lovingly restored to its original splendor by Vintage King in Detroit. Ours is from 1974, and with minimal upkeep, it still works as if it was brand new. Neve-designed and inspired equipment is a core feature of every studio, connecting the technical and artistic disciplines of our craft. I admire Rupert Neve, a humble tinkerer, approachable perfectionist and inspired giver who, in addition to enabling the greatest records of all time, made the process of what we do every day a true joy.