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Classic 1970's AMPEX master tape recorder.
Custom refurbished by Audio Village in Palm Springs CA, this beauty was modified for 1/2" tape, 30 IPS high speed operation, new Nortronics heads, new capstan and transformerless input option. The resulting sound is marvelously predictable; warm, smooth, pleasantly phat and just generally nicer sounding. The perfect final mix solution for bringing life to sterile digital recording.
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Yamaha upright piano ! It's beautiful, with warm tones, plenty of definition, records beautifully and it stays very much in-tune (regular tuning courtesy of Greg Miller from Miller Piano). Synthesizers be damned ! ; )
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Soundcraft Ghost ANALOG mixing console (with classic British EQ and automation). Not to be confused with older outdated Soundcraft designs, this modern desk sounds very much like vintage Neve or Trident consoles without the huge pricetag. THIS is why Catalyst Recording mixes are so rich, full and fat ... however, if you're music requires it (ie bubble-gum punk, classical or minimalist reference recordings), we can always mix digitally in our DP equipped Mac (see below).
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Mic preamps from Manley (TNT - tube and SS), AMS-Neve 4081 (pristine), Earthworks 1024 (very clean), True Precision 8 (a little gritty, discrete), Sytek MPX4a (Russian/American, Class A, very fast), TL Audio (British, tube), Presonus (with limiters and digital outputs), ART (tube, surprisingly good for cheap or as a DI).
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Microphones (condenser, tube, ribbon, stereo and dynamic) from Neumann, AKG, Berliner, AEA, Sennheiser, Beyer, EV, Shure, Rode, Audio-Technica. Including Berliner U77 (tube, multi-pattern, vocal perfection), AEA R92 ribbon mic (a very sweet top end), Neumann TLM 103's (forward and bright), Neumann KM184's (smooth off-axis), vintage AKG C422 (a stereo C414), AKG D12 (Motown bottom baby) and D112 (today's standard), Sennheiser MD421's/MD504's & AKG D40's (tom toms), Beyer M201 (better than a 57 on snare), A-T 4033SE (electric guitar perfection)... no cheap "budget" condensers here, because mics really matter more than anything else.
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Digital editing via Digital Performer 7.0 running on OS X Snow Leopard, very much like ProTools (far and above their affordable LE version). This workstation allows the ability to achieve today's "over-manipulated" sound common to pop records, or just simply to allow absolute precision control during final mixing. Not all computers (or software) are created equal ... we use a dual processor Mac Pro that is loaded to the gills, WAVES mastering plug-ins and a pair of UAD-1's from Universal Audio (simply the best powered plug-ins), this is the RIGHT STUFF.
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Computer interfacing via MOTU's popular 2408's (both a Mk2 and a MK 3). This allows recording at up to a 96 kHz sample rate with its increased clarity and transparency. Our Alesis HD24XR also has high sample rate recording and can record up to 24 tracks of audio all at once (way more convenient than typical ProTools LE hardware limitations). External word clocking with Lucid GenX6-96 word clock/DA. Digital to analog conversion (for accurate monitoring) from a Mytek Digital Stereo96DAC ultra-clean converter.
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CD Mastering with the EL7 Fatso from Empirical Labs (vintage ANALOG compression, limiting, saturation and transient smoothing). Plus, digitally, Waves heralded "Masters" mastering software and the UAD-1 UltraPak from Univesal Audio. Incredible dynamic EQ control that is surgical and completely transparent if so desired. Not for recordings that require "color" or "texture" (that's for the Fatso or some UAD "vintage" plugs), this is invisble linear phase control.
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Analog mixdown, of unlimited digital tracks and up to 48 analog channels, to high resolution - 24 bit/96 kHz hard disc recorder, with digital conversion from Apogee's UV22 process ... or Ampex 1/2" tape (please see Ampex above).
Processing from Chandler, Universal Audio, Empirical Labs, Lexicon, TL Audio, Yamaha, Valley, Symetrix, Behringer, Alesis, Antares, Peavey and others. Compression and dynamics from Chandler Limited, Waves, MOTU, Brooks Siren (BSS), Symetrix, dBX, Behringer, Valley, FMR and ART.
The EL7 (The Fatso) from Empirical Labs. Ultra high end, digitally controlled analog, mastering grade stereo dynamics/emulation processor ! Whether applied to the mix buss, utilized in mastering or even on individual tracks like bass and vocals esp, this thing sounds classy. It can really warm up harsh tracks and even does a nice job on difficult anomolies like sibilance and over-modulated peaks.
Monitoring from JBL with Room Mode Correction (including 15" powered subwoofer - most studios can't even reproduce these low frequencies) and Avantone Active Mixcubes (modernized super-Auratones). Headphone monitoring from AKG, Fostex, Grado and Sennheiser via high powered amps from Aphex, Behringer and Fostex (up to 5 separate mixes). In-ear monitoring for drummers (this is THE future of monitoring), isolation from drums and amplifiers (using iso boxes) allows lower monitoring levels, clearer mixes, less fatigue and therefore better performances.
A multitude of guitar amps from Rivera, Marshall, Fender, Mesa Boogie, Univox, Roland, Peavey, Chandler and Crate. Active guitar splitting for multi-amp recording setups. More guitar pedals than you could ever use including pedalboard/9V supply/patchbay, switchless wah, Big Muff Pi, multiple distortion boxes, modulation and rack-mount guitar processors too. Guitars from Paul Reed Smith, Taylor (great recording acoustic),Fender hollowbody Telecaster (gorgeous feedback heaven) and a personal fave "Frankenflame" for drop tunings.
Bass rig includes SWR400S amp with tube preamp and powerful sweepable/graphic EQ, ADA preamp with crazy bass distortions and speakers from JBL. Basses from Kubicki (an "original" Factor - incredible for recording), Fender, Godin (fretless) and others.
MIDI and sampling gear from Ensoniq, Alesis, Boss and Korg (including drum triggering). Catalyst Recording has synchronizationgear that allows your sequences to lock up to our audio using MTC, SMPTE or ADAT sync.
All cabling from Monster Cable, Mogami and Canare. From studio to control, from mic pres to tape, from top to bottom. Patching from ADC TT bays, utilizing all Mogami cables and silver solder for superior conductivity and low capacitance. (No budget Hosa stuff here).
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Above photo is Deirdre Kroener of Grown Up Avenger Stuff with AKG headphones for a PAR review
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