— About —

Chicago Cathode & Electron exists as a tribute to vintage Chicago Audio and Recording technology. We seek to utilize design elements of vintage technology, and merge these concepts with modern design touches.

In the glory days of recording technology, Chicago was a force to be reckoned with.

Companies like Western Electric, Stancor, Thordarson, and even Altec, which began as a division of Western Electric called ERPI, exerted considerable influence with designs that are still highly sought after to this day.  We seek to merge this technology with modern design and control elements.

In addition to the technology, things like bespoke Daka Ware knobs and custom milled aluminum switches–go a long way in establishing the way a design feels, and how you will interact with it. Our small format desktop summing consoles are an excellent example of this–they are unparalleled in their features and flexibility.

They integrate modern DAW workstation and automation capabilities with vintage elements in an elegant and attractive package.

Our engineering and development team has experience that runs a wide range: vacuum tube audio, transformer magnetics, software programming, digital conversion, USB/audio interface connectivity, lighting controllers, and even recording console design.

Although we are a new company, our team brings considerable experience to the table, and we feel this experience shows. In addition to our product lineup, we have the capability to do customization of equipment. Check out our custom shop section for a fun LA 610 mod we recently designed for someone.