Vertigo Sound is a German maker of analogue mixing and mastering hardware, based in Munich and building since 2007. Four devices cover four different points in the chain: the VSP-2 records, the VSE-2 shapes, the VSC-3 handles dynamics, and the VSM-2 Mix Satellite ties it together with M/S working and parallel compression.
Who it's for
- Mastering engineers who need settings they can repeat — every control here is stepped, so last month's session comes back click for click.
- Hybrid mix engineers — the VSM-2 puts the stereo outboard you already own into M/S without building a matrix.
- Rooms that track and mix in one place — the VSP-2 and VSC-3 give you the same character at both ends of the process.
This is not first-rack gear. If your room isn't treated and your monitors don't show you a 1 dB move, the money works harder earlier in the chain.
What the range covers
- VSC-3 — two-channel compressor built on four discrete VCA 1979 circuits, in standard and mastering versions.
- VSE-2 Gyrator Equalizer — three-band dual mono EQ whose frequency selection runs through a discrete gyrator circuit.
- VSM-2 Mix Satellite — the hub: M/S matrix, two inserts, parallel compression, stereo width. Basic and Full versions.
- VSP-2 — two-channel mic preamp around the discrete Twin Op Amp OPA 1976.
How the models differ
| Model | Function | Key feature | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| VSC-3 | Compressor | Soft TipToe: a level-dependent ratio rising smoothly from 1:1 to 8:1, plus fixed 2:1, 4:1, 8:1, 10:1 and Brick 40:1, Peak or RMS detection | Mix bus, subgroups, mastering |
| VSC-3 Mastering | Compressor | The same design prepared for mastering work | The last stage of the chain |
| VSE-2 | Equalizer | 18 frequencies per channel, Q that narrows as the move gets bigger, stepped ±1 to ±8 dB, A.I.R. mode | Mix and mastering EQ, M/S work |
| VSM-2 Basic | Mix Satellite | M/S matrix, two hardwire-bypass inserts, parallel compression, stereo width — no colour of its own | Getting more out of outboard you already own |
| VSM-2 Full | Mix Satellite | All of the above plus harmonic generators | When the box should add character too |
| VSP-2 | Preamp | 12–72 dB in 6 dB Grayhill steps plus a 0–6 dB trim, instrument input straight into the input stage | Tracking with gain settings you can recall |
What to choose
- Your first Vertigo box — the VSC-3. A bus compressor changes the mix most and gets used in every session.
- You have compression covered and want EQ with character — VSE-2. The variable Q keeps a big boost narrow instead of smearing into the neighbours.
- You own stereo outboard and want to work in M/S — VSM-2 Basic. Treat the middle and the sides separately without buying a second set of boxes.
- You want that same box to add colour — VSM-2 Full.
- You track and need repeatable gain — VSP-2: both controls are stepped, so next week's overdub matches.
- You only ever work on finished mixes — VSC-3 Mastering.
Browse also: compressors and limiters, equalizers and preamps.
Before you decide
- Studio monitor placement — without it you won't hear what a mastering compressor is doing.
- How to read a frequency response curve — useful before you work with a stepped EQ.
Why buy from us
All four are in stock, so comparing a VSC-3 with a VSM-2 doesn't have to happen on paper. In our Warsaw showroom (Nowogrodzka 6A/102) we'll patch one into your own material and you listen there. Selected gear qualifies for our Test-Drive: 30 days, free, under a written agreement. Everything carries 36 months of warranty and 30 days to return, with delivery to every EU country.
Brand history
Vertigo Sound launched in June 2007 in Munich with the VSC-2 Quad Discrete Compressor, a discrete-VCA design that set the direction for everything since. The later boxes hold the same line: discrete signal paths, stepped controls, and features that in other racks need an extra unit to achieve.
