Pricing and availability
We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated .
Store
Reviews
Price
Average Price: $3,450
High-end/Boutique
$100
$501+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.
Description
Elevate your studio recordings with the Thermionic Culture Rooster, a versatile 2-channel tube mic pre/EQ that boasts rich harmonics and unparalleled warmth. Its unique "Attitude" circuit injects your tracks with the perfect dose of harmonic distortion, ranging from subtle glow to full-blown saturation. Whether you're sculpting vocals, guitars, or synths, the Rooster's EQ section provides the flexibility to shape your sound with precision. Experience the difference in your mixes with this studio gem.
Key Features:
- 2-channel tube mic pre/EQ for versatile studio applications.
- Unique "Attitude" circuit offers adjustable harmonic distortion, from gentle warmth to aggressive saturation.
- Flexible EQ section with bass boost, presence lift, mid and bass cut, and a switchable low-pass filter.
- Offers a significant gain range up to +87dB, allowing for a wide variety of sound sources to be amplified with clarity.
- Equipped with both mic and line input operation capabilities, plus a DI input for direct instrument recording.
- Ideal for adding texture and depth to vocals, guitars, synths, and more, enhancing recordings with a distinct character.
Videos
ThermionicCULTURE
Thermionic Culture Rooster Audio Demonstration
Thermionic Culture Rooster Audio Demonstration
ThermionicCULTURE
Thermionic Culture The Rooster Equalizer @ ZenPro Audio
ZenProAudio
Thermionic Culture Rooster - Pure Wave Audio
purewaveaudio
Thermionic Culture THE ROOSTER - Preamp Valvolare - Funky Junk Italy
Funky Junk Italy
Reviews
PROS
-
Fantastic mic preamp, works well on vocals, guitars, cello
-
Versatile in mixing, enhancing vocals and VST instruments
-
EQ and Attitude control provide powerful sound shaping
-
Can produce both clean and colored sounds as desired
-
Adds body and soul to synths before digital conversion
-
Superb with high-quality mics, offering great tone or transparency
-
Provides warmth and smoothness to music/bass unachievable with plugins
-
Thick, satisfying distortion for a unique sound
CONS
-
EQ is initially complex and requires time to master
-
High cost, though considered worth the investment
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Thermionic Culture Rooster.
Features and functionality
-
The Rooster's EQ uniquely interacts and changes curves with gain adjustments, creating distinct tonal characteristics not easily replicated by plugins.
Source -
The Thermionic Culture Rooster is preferred by some for its slower response rate compared to solid-state options, which some users find too fast for their liking.
Source
Comparisons
-
Soundtoys Decapitator modes T and P are modeled after the Thermionic Culture Vulture, a close relative to the Rooster, offering similar harmonic distortion characteristics.
Source -
Users find modern tube preamps, including the Thermionic Culture Rooster, attempt to build in distortion, contrasting with the natural distortion of older tube preamps.
Source
Software and compatibility
-
Arturia's Dist TUBE-CULTURE is cited as a close digital alternative, praised for its faithful emulation of Thermionic Culture gear.
Source
Use cases and applications
User experience
-
Users report the Rooster as a favorite piece of gear for its ability to deliver both subtle grit and aggressive distortion, enhancing recording versatility.
Source -
The Rooster delivers a clean yet artistically pleasing sound, described as not ruler flat but with a unique depth, surprising some users who expected more distortion.
Source -
Even when run clean, the transformers in the Rooster contribute to a perceived depth, enhancing the overall sound quality without relying on overt distortion.
Source
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 2 Reviews and 5 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
"The distorted vocal sound in ‘Dance Little Liar’ was recorded with an old ribbon through the Thermionic Rooster," explains rock guitarist Josh Homme about the Thermionic Culture Vulture, an important component in his studio equipment setup.
In this video of linkin park studio session, the gear is focused at 5:10!
“I’ve got a mish-mash of outboard. I have a Pendulum MDP1, which is really cool and is my go-to pre. I use it for most things. I’ve also got a Thermionic [Culture] Rooster, which is fucking amazing, and I’ve got a pair of Telefunken V76s. I’ve also got some of those Classic API VP26s and I used a few of those for drums. Then, I have a pair of Neve 1272s, the Vintech ones with the old blue box. I used those for drum overheads and for room mics."
"Both the Culture Vulture and the Rooster are totally awesome," says Chris Taylor, in this Sonic Scoop article, which states that Taylor owns a Thermionic Culture Rooster.
Is there one piece of equipment that sits at the centre of your operation?
MacBook Pro Retina running Ableton Live. Hardware would be TL Audio Ivory 5013, Culture Rooster/Vulture, and Korg MS20. Other key VSTs are Soundtoys’ plugins and Native Instruments’ Kontakt.
Page 10 of his FACT magazine piece shows the Rooster sitting on top of his Crane Song STC-8:
“My tracking and processing combo. You don’t really need to do much with these other than have them on. I run stuff through them into the soundcard to Logic for warmth and sonic quality. The compressor / limiter keeps everything in control and can slam or just massage sounds. The Rooster gives everything a bit of bite and harmonics. I got these in a deal with an ex-hire company along with Madness’s rehearsal mixing desk, a Midas Venice 24.”
.jpg)
"My secret weapon ! Thermionic Culture - Rooster from tracking synths and instruments to punch and warmth on my mixbus"
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Thermionic Culture Rooster, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
-s.webp?v=1782070354)
More Thermionic Culture Effects Processors
$2,399.00 - $2,699.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$3,317.30 - $3,799.00
$5,079.19 - $6,599.00
$4,999.00
$3,904.58 - $6,349.00
$1,759.99
in Effects Processors Rank
.jpeg?v=1781992297)
-m.webp?v=1782053955)
$800.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$167.46
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,799.00 - $1,839.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,549.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,999.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$749.99 - $839.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$160.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,100.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$3,866.00 - $4,725.00
in Effects Processors Rank
-m.webp?v=1782050466)
$40.00 - $2,999.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$5,799.00 - $6,999.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$944.94 - $1,799.95
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,153.00 - $2,635.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$4,545.30 - $4,799.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$759.16
in Effects Processors Rank
$200.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$40.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$199.99 - $236.00
in Effects Processors Rank
-m.webp?v=1781967598)
$334.92
in Effects Processors Rank
$749.99 - $4,999.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$75.00 - $566.00
in Effects Processors Rank
-m.webp?v=1782054014)
$450.00 - $699.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$1,710.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$629.99 - $1,329.03
in Effects Processors Rank
$2,850.00 - $2,999.00
in Effects Processors Rank
$35.88 - $199.00
in Effects Processors Rank
-m.webp?v=1781967689)
$321.76 - $936.00
in Effects Processors Rank
Accessories & Related Items
Community setups
Similar
Most Popular Effects Processors
Most Popular Brands
-
Added to Equipboard on by
equipboardGear IQ 4934
-
