How did they decide on the British-made ASP4816 mixing desk? Studio owner Eric Malamud was keen to ensure that The Analogue Café lives up to its name, and his research into analogue gear led him straight to Audient. Discovering that console designer David Dearden is Audient's co-founder piqued his interest. "I already own a vintage Midas XL200, so I'm a Dearden fan by default," confesses Malamud.
General manager and in-house technician Robert Unger is happy that Malamud didn't compromise on the desk, and lists a few of the many benefits it offers the studio. "The routing flexibility is excellent, especially the buss assignments to subgroups and outputs. The integrated internal power supply is silent and energy efficient, and the console has the best fold-back and monitoring system integration ever," he says.
The fully featured in-line console packs all the key features of a larger console into a compact, ergonomic form, also including the very same pre-amps found in Audient's Dearden-designed flagship console, ASP8024. "The Audient pre-amps are time tested, and very clean," confirms Unger. "In the old days EQ was for surgery, we never use EQ when tracking," he continues. "When we do need it the result is excellent - especially the filters."
"The studio maintains the feel of a 1950s - 1970s analogue studio using 48 tracks of iZ RADAR and classic outboard," adds Malamud. "As the studio motto goes, No computers are harmed in the making of our records."
Both Unger and Malamud were used to big consoles with external power supplies. "I was a little worried when my guitarist carried the board in by himself," laughs Unger, but he had no cause for concern. "The build quality of the new desk is excellent, I really appreciate the engineering. Everything works."
(Jim Evans)
