Mix Magazine Feature Story

A Fantasy Studio Shopping Spree

By Strother Bullins for Mix October 2004 feature cover story

IDEAL RECORDING RIGS FOR $25K, $100K AND $250K

BUDGET: $250,000
THE FANTASY TRACKING ROOM

After budgeting for two studio rigs of very different purposes, my final ideal rig will be configured as a tracking studio centered on a high-quality, yet reasonably priced, analog desk: a 48-input Trident Audio Series 80 5.1 console ($100,000). I carefully chose a comparatively low-cost console because for my tracking setup, I would rather have more available budget to spend on analog outboard processors and high-quality microphones. There's nothing like sitting near a wall of glowing tubed gear awaiting signals from a band passionately flailing away at full blast. That's recording excitement!...

...Here is where the fun starts. With around $89k remaining in the budget, I still have a clutch of cash to spend on great analog outboard gear and microphones. To start, I will purchase eight channels of Wunder Audio's PEQ1R, a rack-mounted version of the stellar PEQ1 1970s-style mic preamp/equalizer. Compared to the classic Neve 1073 that the PEQ1 was modeled upon, the Wunder Audio unit offers more equalizing ability with fully developed lows, more presence in the mids and clearer highs. It's truly a great front end for any tracking session and is sure to be used constantly in my tracking room scenario.

CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES
Looking back at the many pages of gear and prices listed here, I have determined that outfitting a fantasy studio is a worthwhile exercise, regardless of whether you have an available budget or not. It's simply a great way to understand the choices available in outfitting an appealing, realistic and flexible recording rig at a variety of price and purpose points. Doing so also reveals the incredible amount of manufacturers that create interchangeable, yet ultimately different, recording products.

PACKING LIST
(1) 48-input Trident Audio Series 80 5.1 $100,000/ea
(1) Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel $14,000/ea
(5) Digidesign 192 I/O units $3,995/ea
(1) Dual processor Apple 2GB PowerPC G5 $2,949/ea
(1) Apple 20-inch cinema display $1,299/ea
(3) Glyph GT-Key 80 GB hard drives $435/ea
(1) Dynaudio M3A $8,945/pr
(1) Genelec 8040A $2,500/pr
(1) ADAM S3A $4,850/pr
(1) Aviom AN-16/I $899/ea
(6) AviomA-16/II $499/ea
(6) AKG K271 $249/ea
(8) Wunder Audio PEQR1 $2,000/ea
(1) Manley SLAM! $6,600/ea
(2) Empirical Labs Distressor 'British Mode' EL 8-SX $4,599/ea
(1) API L200 $675/ea
(10) API 255L $695/ea
(2) API 205L $595/ea
(1) Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro $1,050/ea
(1) Lexicon 960LS $16,649/ea
(1) Soundelux E47 $3,950/ea
1) Neumann U87-AI $3,149/ea
(2) AKG C 414 B-XLS $999/ea
(10) Shure SM-57 $149/ea
(1) AKG D112 $299/ea
(1) Audix D6 $349/ea
(4) Sennheiser MD-421 Iis $485/ea
(2) DPA 4011 $1,850/ea
(2) Sony C48 $1,675/ea
(1) Neumann KM84-styled SKM184 $1,949/ea
(1) BLUE Dragonfly $1,095/ea
(1) Earthworks SR77 $995/ea
(2) Royer R-121 $1,195/pr
(1) Yamaha SKRM-100 Subkick $499/ea
(2) Herman Miller Aeron chairs $1,000/ea
misc. cables, microphone stands $2,500

Strother Bullins is a North Carolina-based freelance writer specializing in the professional audio and entertainment industries. To see the article in its entirety, visit: http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_shopping_spree/ÿ