NUENDO

HOUSTON

APOGEE

DYNAUDIO
    ACOUSTICS

DEMETER

API

NEVE

FOCUSRITE

NTI

TC ELECTRONICS
    M5000

MASTERLINK
    ML9600

EARTHWORKS

SCHOEPS

30 YEARS
    EXPERIENCE

LOCATION
    RECORDING
         and MIXING

ORCHESTRAL
    SOUNDTRACKS

		I recently purchased six channels of legendary API 512c mic pre amp. One of the most sought after and emulated mic pre's in recording. Crushing punch, loads of headroom, big bottom, silky top end - what's not to love? Use them a couple of times and you see why most big time studios have a rack of them in the control room, or save the trouble of patching them in and just buy a whole API console.
With all my mic pre-amps, I connect the signal output directly to the input of the recording device, bypassing as many stages of amplification as possible. This allows the cleanest, punchiest, most dynamic signal possible to be recorded. When you route a signal through a recording console, it passes through multiple gain stages and amp sections, and the sound quality is diminished.

I own the first production model of the stereo Demeter VTMP-2 (Vacuum Tube Mic Pre-amp,) which was originally manufactured in 1986. I bought this one when they first came out (serial #237,) but I have replaced the stock tubes with vintage Telefunken "smooth plate" tubes, and it really makes a wonderful improvement in this already great sounding mic pre.

This is the Earthworks LAB 102 stereo solid state mic pre. As close to the audio purity of solid wire as a mic pre can get, but this thing has gain! Frighteningly clean and accurate. Great alternative to the Demeter. Does absolutelty amazing things to an upright bass! Check out the "Little Bill" audio clips on the credits page.

I also have a Focusrite Red 1. This 4 channel mic preamp was designed by the legendary Rupert Neve. The sound is revealing and accurate, and yet has a smooth character to it. It is a wonderful complement to the other mic pre's that I have in my collection.

Following Rupert Neve through his audio equipment design and manufacturing career, I have added a Neve Portico 5012 to my rack of mic pre's. This unit is another wonderful sounding option. Loads of headroom, clean and quiet, with a "Silk" switch to add in a little extra top end sheen to emulate the older Neve console mic pre's.

The True Systems Precision 8 is endorsed by "Neumann USA," one of the world leaders of microphone technology and development, and provides 8 more channels of accurate solid state mic pre-amps.

My NTI EQ3. In 30 years, I have never heard any equalizer do what this thing does to a mix. Cleans up the bottom and opens up the top end with it's amazing "air" bandwidth. Haven't mixed without it since I bought it. As a client once said to me, "It took the blanket off the speakers!"

For wonderful reverbs, choruses, flangers, etc., I have a TC Electronics M5000 which is an extraordinarily powerful digital effects unit, with two independent processing sections. Works as two separate units, or you can combine them for some amazingly rich and detailed reverbs and other effects. Digital In/Out so the audio stays clean. This is a unit you will usually find in only the largest studios.

When mixing, I print mixes in real time to an Alesis Masterlink 9600. This hard disk recorder can do 96kHz/24bit stereo recordings, and is often used in studios as the main stereo recording/playback unit.

I have a vintage dbx 120 Subharmonic Synthesizer. This box will add the "low bottom thunder" that you might need in your mix. EQs can't do what this box does. It makes air move and non-believers BELIEVE! Discontinued version, and sounds a lot better than the recent dbx "re-release."

I have other gear that I won't go into detail about (compressors, noise gates, etc.,) but they all are part of what enables me to do a quality job of recording and mixing at any location you choose. I bring an entire studio with me, except the coffee machine.

You can see a listing of some of the components in my mobile digital recording system on the RECORDING page.