When it comes to exemplars of the audio industry, there are few companies as revered as Neve, but can they apply that same status to their new audio interface? We bus-power-up some classic mic preamps.

In case you’d missed it, ‘Vintage’ is not so much the next big thing, as the beautiful-new-thing that has been rediscovered, yet again! While there is a quest for ever quieter and more discrete audio interfaces, there’s also a great demand for vintage sounding equipment, from hardware to software emulations.

Boxing large and clever

Neve’s new 88M audio interface perfectly straddles both ubiquitous territories, with a sense of the old, through the re-versioned use of preamp technology, but with the contemporary angle of a bus-powered interface.

Before we get into the sonics, let’s consider what we have in this box. Firstly, and most obviously, the 88M is a reassuringly weighty device, at 1.675Kg. That’s quite a number of bags of sugar, and might suggest that while it’s slightly larger than many other similar desktop audio interfaces, (it offers a18x20cm footprint) it’s going to feel pretty heavy in transit. Place on your desktop, and the rubberised feet keep it securely in place, while its tolex-style wraparound finish looks classic and stylish.

The front of the interface provides 2 x mic/line/DI inputs, via XLR/1/4” jack connectors, with 4 pots which double as push-button switches. Due to the added functionality, the pots don’t feel quite as sturdy as they might if they were just dampened pots, but the ‘made in the UK’ quality shines through. Each of the input channels toggles between mic/line/DI input, with phantom powering available from a button next to input connector.

The presence of a see-saw monitoring pot allows easy balancing between incoming signals and DAW playback, with the ability to dictate your signal priority, along with the option to switch to mono, proving to be flexible for playback and tracking possibilities. These elements are very simple to access, which is just as well, as the 88M does not offer any accompanying software, to fine tune your interface preferences.

Around the back of the interface, there are monitor outputs on TRS 1/4” jack only, with send and return insert points for both input channels. You may also extend the number of inputs via the on-board ADAT light pipe, making the 88M a perfect partner for outboard mic pre’s with ADAT functionality, which include Neve’s own excellent 1073 OPX, albeit with the optional digital card fitted.

Neve’s classic numbers

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the 88M is a premium quality product, with a premium price. If you buy into this device, you’ll be dialling in to Neve’s history, which might make you wonder why they haven’t placed their legendary 1073 pre amp at the front end? Put simply, it all boils down to power; one of the major party tricks that the 88M has to offer is its ability to run solely on bus power, which is to say that it powers directly from your computer. This explains the presence of the heftier USB3 connector to the rear, with included cables for conventional USB A and newer USB C connectivity, supplying the 88M with the appropriate amount of power. It still blows my mind that you can bus-power an interface such as this, and connect a condenser microphone using phantom power.

USB power has its limits, which explains the move toward a tweaked incarnation of Neve’s very own preamp circuit, culled from the legendary 88RS console. There is a reduction in headroom, over a fully powered channel, but it’s impressive and useable nonetheless, being reliant on the very same input transformers.

Sonically Neve

So having bought into the whole classic preamp argument, it’s time to take the 88M for a test drive.

I used several different mic’s, in different recording scenarios, to get a flavour of what the 88M could offer. Beginning with a U87, tracking was a total cinch! The low-latency monitoring proved to be impressive, with more than enough headroom for vocal work, both at the channel and monitoring stages. Some like their playback loud; that’s not me, although I would defy anyone to suggest that the 88M cannot crank to high enough levels.

While recording vocals, the depth of capture feels impressive, with what I would describe as a full-tone, particularly in the middle frequency band. My other day-to-day interfaces do feel different, with a suggestion of greater brightness in the upper frequency bands, but this is more likely due to a lessening of mid-register frequencies, providing more of a perception than a reality.

Reaching for a Coles 4038, paired with a Fet Head transformer, I picked up a trombone and layered up some tracks. In this scenario, the Neve sounds fantastic. Its classic calling pays enormous dividends here, where the richness of mid-register tone lends itself beautifully to the sonority of the instrument.

While the presence of some mighty channel preamps will provide one reason for the tonal colour, it’s worth noting that the 88M uses a SABRE 32 convertor, which is not the more usual D/A and A/D convertor, found in other interfaces. Under all circumstances, it’s a class act, but as with all timbral colours, you may well gravitate to your preferences, possibly directed by the music you choose to record and produce.

Further recording explorations yield a very solid sound-stage, which is wide and detailed in all respects. Everything just feels like it slots into place. As my time with the 88M increased, I found the overall sonic makeup really great to work with, although referring back to my usual day-to-day high-end interface, the 88M definitely presents what could be regarded as a slightly more vintage or classic tone, which is very desirable. It sounds just as sublime with bass and guitar based content, as it does with drums and synths.

Final summing

There can be no doubt that the 88M is a class performer. One point, that you will either love or hate, is its total reliance on hardware operation. The lack of Neve software could feel like a moot point, dependent on how you choose to use the device. Even more surprising then, that at the input stage, there is a lack of pad, phase reversal switch or low-cut. Granted, you can handle these elements elsewhere, but there is no option on-board. The convenience of USB powering does present less top-end gain, but for most recording scenarios, this is unlikely to be an issue for working.

If you are a Mac user, the 88M is class compliant, and will just plug-and-go. I also tested the 88M, using GarageBand on an iPad Pro, and it worked amazingly well, although Neve recommend using a powered USB hub in this scenario, to provide the full-power-grunt required by the preamps. Connection without a hub did deplete my battery relatively quickly, which is unsurprising! PC users will also need a driver, to couple the device to their DAW.

It’s also surprising, that on a device of this calibre and price, that there is no provision for Word Clock connectivity. With the possibility for ADAT connected devices, this is often a useful preference for digital stability, although Neve confirmed that both the Core Audio driver for Mac and the AMS Neve USB ASIO driver for Windows have the ability to clock from the optical ADAT input or from the internal clock, allowing for accurate synchronization of external ADAT devices.

If you’re looking for a Stereo-based interface, which will provide a quick and easy route to tracking, with one of the classiest signal paths available in this format, the 88M is something of a winner. The price really reflects the overall quality of the product; cheaper interfaces are available, but this has a sonic identity all of its own, and it’s got Neve stamped all over it. Quality costs, and the 88M oozes quality in bundles.

Pricing  (RRP)

Neve 88M – £1075

Welcome to issue 7 of Audio Media International

The post Neve 88M USB Audio Interface review appeared first on Audio Media International.

Packing in the very same transformer-balanced tech of the iconic 88RS, The Neve 88M interface manages to fit the power of a two-ton desk into a USB-powered box. We take a deeper look at this powerful interface to learn more about how it incorporates its control room-swallowing parent

Wowing the hordes of gear-hungry attendees of the NAMM show is no easy thing, but Neve’s debut desktop interface – the diminutive 88M certainly turned heads when it was unveiled at this year’s show back in June. Astoundingly packing in the same Marinair transformer-balanced preamps that powered the company’s large-format flagship, the 88RS (as used in Abbey Road, AIR and Capitol Studios), the 88M promised to provide a refreshingly compact route to achieving Neve’s hallowed world-class quality in a small or project studio.

By their very nature, transformer-based preamps eliminate any and all RF interference, and can add up to 70dB of microphone gain, not to mention that all-important coating of a much sought warmth and colour to a chain. This special blend of aural magic is very often the indefinable element that elevates a vocal recording. Neve’s bus-powered 88M contains two of these preamps, faithfully replicating the ones found within the colossal 88RS.

Further to the two analogue inputs on the interface’s front, the 88M also includes ADAT optical I/O at the exterior which allows expansion by up to eight ins/outs. There’s also a balanced insert send and return loop – allowing for the connection of analogue outboard. Let’s put it simply – 88M brings all of this pro level wizardry into an affordable USB 3.0 desktop interface. But just what prompted Neve to branch out, for the first time, into the world of USB desktop interfacing?

NEVER SAY NEVE AGAIN

The road to the release of the 88M started around half a decade ago, when – after countless requests from customers – Neve began seriously considering how to go about releasing a bespoke microphone preamplifier/interface. “Some of the other popular units just appeared to be the circuit diagram of the components data sheet, but we knew we could make something better, something built from the ground up to be optimal for sound and home recording.” Explains Mark Crabtree, the MD of Neve , “We had a lot to live up to with the 88M, because the 88R microphone preamplifier has probably been used for more legendary recordings over the past 20 years than any other, as the 88RS is the console of choice for the world’s top studios.”

USB connectivity was important, but so was maintaining the 88RS’s beloved sound quality and conversion, without compromise. “The breakthrough came from using USB3/USB-C, which provides a substantial amount of power and is available on most modern computers.” Mark tells us, “For USB-2 users, a simple powered USB hub would stand in for the unpopular power brick”. With this greater flow of power, there was nothing to stop the incorporation of the Marinair transformers into the interface – a major facet of the 88RS sound.

Several design iterations were mulled over before the final product design was locked after the 12th revision. The shiny black metal chassis is ensconced in a Tolex-like material, while the distinctive red of the monitor level and gain knobs of its twin front inputs just scream ‘Neve’. The 88M’s internal circuit boards were upgraded to four-layer to increase performance. While this creation process took a little over two years, the remaining three years were spent guaranteeing that the interface that had been built was able to meet the standards that the team envisioned for it, via a series of rigorous listening tests.

Beyond its authentic sound, the other essential components of the 88M include the professionally balanced insert loops for each of the 88M channels, a really vital feature that Neve’s design team wanted to bring into the home studio environment. “The ability to combine the preamps with external processors such as the 8803 EQ gives the analogue side of the 88M plenty of flexibility for tracking sessions.” Says Crabtree. “On the digital side, we spared no expense in sourcing premium ADC and DAC chipsets to complement the analogue front end. The addition of ADAT I/O allows for expansion in the digital domain, with external units such as the 1073OPX.”

NEVE 88M – READY FOR LAUNCH

At NAMM 2022, the 88M was finally presented to the world at large “The NAMM launch was extremely successful.” Mark recalls, “We worked with many of our dealers to create pre-launch content and provide ‘stock on the shelf’ so that the early adopters can get their hands on the units straight away. We’re still working through the back-order list, because customer demand is so high. But with each and every machine made in house, we never sacrifice quality for production speed.”

With the 88M, Neve have successfully reconstituted the 88RS’s power into an accessible, authentic-sounding and space-conscious interface, the incredible work of Neve’s designers and engineers has resulted in something that can breathe life into a vocal.

It’s this philosophy, of providing modern producers routes to channel their legacy, that Neve continues to pursue.“Neve’s recent launch of the 8424, a compact console with large console features, plus the OPX 8-channel interface, have been very successful and takes the company into a wider market, including the growing market of home production. We also released the RMX16 in a 500-series rack to reach a wider audience with definitive production tools. The release of the Neve 88M follows this pattern, and we are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive reaction we’re getting from customers worldwide.” Mark says. Fuelled by the past, but with the producer of 2022 in mind, the 88M is certainly among the most characterful, expandable and meticulously-crafted interfaces that money can buy.

The post Neve 88M – Bringing large-format brilliance to the project studio appeared first on Audio Media International.

Producer and engineer Thai Long Ly has enhanced his mobile recording rig by investing in a Neve 1073DPX dual preamp/EQ.

Over the years Ly has worked with some of the best in the business including George Duke, P!nk, Dionne Warwick, Stanley Clarke, Johnny Mathis, Vinnie Colaiuta, Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, Elle King and Robbie Williams. Since 2018, Ly has been the official recording engineer for Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ), a musical collective that reworks popular modern music into different vintage genres, in particular swing and jazz.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ly was based at Bell Sound studios, a commercial facility in Hollywood, California. But during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the studio switched its focus to recording voice overs and ADR, which forced Ly to relocate his equipment to his own home.

“I have a large mobile recording rig and passport at the ready so I can go anywhere I’m needed,” he explains. “With my current set up I am mainly mixing – I don’t do much tracking here, just the occasional vocal or instrument overdub.”

Adding a Neve 1073DPX was a crucial step, as Ly explains: “I already had 26 channels of various mic amps in the mobile rig, but I wanted to incorporate the fatness and warmth of Neve’s 10 series circuits into both of my setups so I could use them for tracking and mixing. With a pair of LINE INS, the 1073DPX is the perfect solution because it gives me two channels of the classic 1073 sound with *that* EQ, all in a two space rack. And for just $3,000 USD it was a total no brainer.”

Ly’s 1073DPX is not his first Neve purchase – he became a Neve fan in 2008 when he bought an 8816 summing mixer for his original home studio.

“I started off working In The Box but went hybrid when I bought my 8816 summing mixer,” he explains. “When I began working at Bell I used their Neve 8232 console and sent everything through that desk. This made for some incredibly fat mixes but it wasn’t sustainable as I got busier and busier.  I couldn’t leave a mix up for days on end, waiting on client’s notes and tweaks when I had sessions backing up, so I reverted to ITB out of necessity, but immediately hated it. I was working too hard for the separation and depth I was accustomed to but could never really get in the digital domain. This led me to a hybrid setup where I’d zero out the board and push stereo pairs through from Pro Tools.  Recalls were super easy as I’d only have to keep notes on the 2 bus chain and more importantly, I could continue to double and triple book my days.”

Now that Ly is mixing from home, he is 100% hybrid and has racks of outboard feeding his summing mixer and tethered to two 96 point TT patchbays.

“I know mixing ITB is simpler and plugins have come a long way but I still prefer the sound of electrons cruising through a vacuum along a circuit or the sweet mojo a transformer can inject,” he says.  “I consistently feel and hear the difference a nice discrete signal path makes over a digital one and plan on staying analogue hybrid for as long as I can. It’s more satisfying to crank a knob than a mouse, and I much prefer the workflow. Plus, it just sounds better.”

The post Producer Thai Long Ly adds Neve 1073DPX to his recording rig appeared first on Audio Media International.

Building a recording studio from the ground up is certainly no mean feat, but when two great visions come together, the results can be spectacular. We discover how a rural facility in the North of England has produced just that.

Joss Worthington’s Distant City Studios reopened in 2017 after a year of refurbishment. Despite its locale and appropriate titling, however, Distant City – which has been in its current setting for nearly 25 years – is still within close proximity to big cities like Leeds and Manchester. For a number of years, local bands have brought the area’s strong folk music scene to Worthington’s doorstep, choosing to record their material at his facility.

Worthington, who took over the studios around 20 years ago, has in fact been putting out his own material for the last four years as Postcards From Jeff, including an EP and an album. “I’ve got some background in film and have done a bit of soundtrack work, so the music I produce is quite cinematic,” says Worthington. “This actually helped draw some attention to the studios, including that of Blackpool four-piece band The Membranes. I did their album in 2015, which was rather well received.”

It turns out that Worthington’s ownership of Distant City came about somewhat accidentally. While visiting the studios on a regular basis as a musician, he quickly formed a partnership with its previous sound engineer, whose role he eventually assumed.

“I just got more and more involved with the scene as time went on, and as a result of that I began to realise some of the acoustic problems that the studio had,” he recalls. “There’s quite a bit of industry in this little village now and it has become a bit of an issue. I’d always dreamed about doing things from scratch in my own way, and was very keen to build the studio with my own vision in mind.”

John Holmes, Studio People’s technical solutions manager, adds: “Joss first got in touch with us after he found our website and at the time, we were on projects along the M62 corridor between Manchester and Hull so an initial on-site visit was arranged swiftly and proposals starting appearing from that point onwards.”

“When I got talking to Studio People,” continues Worthington, “I soon realised that this was a once in a lifetime thing to do on such a grand scale, and to do it all at once. I wanted to integrate the downstairs areas as much as possible and that’s when the crazy ideas started coming.”

Raising the roof

Perhaps the craziest idea of them all was a motorised acoustic drop ceiling that Studio People specified to allow for a double-height drum room, which according to Holmes “appeared very early on in the process as our acoustic consultant Chris Smout’s way of maximising the volume of the drum room within the given footprint.”

Yet there were a number of considerations with regards to health and safety for the new ceiling, which has several microphones installed within it: “We came up with a failsafe mechanism in the control room that means we can record at different heights to hear the change in sound,” Worthington remarks. “It sounds absolutely fantastic – better than I had imagined. I think it is definitely something rather unique about what we offer here.”

Worthington’s other primary brief was for the control room to be as flexible as possible to allow for any producer to come in and apply their workflow to the studio’s gear, so it was eventually decided that lots of careful, complex consideration should go into the patch bay layouts and cabling infrastructure in particular: “Each room has mic, line, instrument, speaker and data tie lines to it, including the stairwell, store room, chill out area and even outside,” Holmes reveals. “If Joss wants to record an instrument in an area, he can. Integrating his 24-track Otari MX 80 tape machine to the system was fun too, enabling him to track to tape, mix from tape, or a hybrid combo of tape and Pro Tools.”

“We worked intensely together over the space of a year so would certainly consider them [Studio People] friends now,” Worthington adds. “All the building and wiring guys were fantastic and there were very few things that were turned down as completely crazy. It’s a very versatile space now, utilising every room as a recording environment.”

New heights

A major problem that was discovered just weeks into the build, though, was the state of the roof, which on a building over a century old in a high-risk flood area was a big concern. Following the strip-out, Studio People’s structural engineers forcibly advised the roof to be repaired as the joists and purlins were in quite bad condition.

“This inevitably put a hold on the studio build element but did allow us to design a new steel-based support structure to gain a little more height on the first floor, and revealed the building previously had skylights so these were re-instated too to allow plenty of natural daylight into the first floor,” says Holmes. “So it did have benefits over the shock of the initial uncovering of the issue!”

Three weeks after installing the new roof there was another bout of bad flooding which caused extensive damage in the area, proving the decision was the right one at the right time: “It was a big problem but I think it was dealt with in a very smart way,” says Worthington. “The new control room looks out onto the picturesque village, giving it a particular country vibe, while lots of wood finishing lends it a very natural, homely feel.”

The personal touch

Worthington has spent the last couple of months remixing a synchronisation album which is going out on EMI production music, while he also plans to welcome back The Membranes to use the new drum room: “I think that’s got a lot of people excited, especially local bands, and they’re looking forward to getting in there,” he notes.

An SSL AWS 948 Delta desk is being used in the control room, which Worthington praises for its hands-on approach and ability to integrate seamlessly with Pro Tools, while in the speaker department there are Neumann KM120s with a KH810 sub, and Genelec 1037s with 1091A subs.

The studio’s collection of outboard gear includes Teletronix LA2As, Universal Audio 1176s, Neve 1073s, as well as a whole host of API preamps and 550/560 EQs. Recording options include a Telefunken U47 – the most frequently used in Worthington’s arsenal – along with a Neumann U87, Royer 121s, and AKG 414s and 451s. For writing and MIDI-based composing he uses Ableton software, while for mixing and analogue recording he sticks with Pro Tools.

“Joss knew exactly what he wanted from the space and has a great design eye, so our design team found working with him to be very straightforward and focused,” says Holmes. “This place does not look like any other Studio People studio, and everywhere you look you can see Joss’ input.”

While Distant City Studios’ unique selling point is irrefutably its innovative new drum room, many new possibilities have been unearthed with regards to the new layout and collection of gear. “I think the whole vibe of the place is pretty unique and I’ve had lots of comments about it already,” Worthington concludes. “While there are some great studios in this part of the country and it’s a difficult industry, I’m just trying to do my own thing. I couldn’t really want much more with the space I’ve got now.”

The post Studio Profile: Distant City Studios appeared first on Audio Media International.

The pro sound and music industry has been paying tribute to audio pioneer Rupert Neve, who has died at the age of 94.

One of the most influential figures in pro audio history, Neve’s name was synonymous with high-end audio quality and innovation. The large format analogue consoles bearing his name have long been a hallmark of premium sound, taking pride of place in many of the world’s most revered studios.

His death on February 12, due to non-COVID-19 related pneumonia and heart failure, was announced on February 13 via a statement on the Rupert Neve website. He died in Wimberley, Texas where he had resided for the past 27 years.

“I’ve known and worked with Rupert for nearly 30 years,” said Josh Thomas, Rupert Neve Designs’ co-founder and general manager. “When Rupert, his wife Evelyn, and I sat at his kitchen table and founded Rupert Neve Designs 16 years ago, he had two goals. The first was to set a new standard in the quality of recorded sound, drawing upon his unparalleled depth of experience to create high-end solutions for the modern recording engineer, musician, and listener alike. The second was to pass on his philosophies, techniques, and methodologies to a new generation of designers to carry his life’s work and passion into the future.

“It was always assumed that the company would outlive him on this earth, and for 16 years he poured his energies into creating a team that would become the caretakers of the theories, practices, and ideologies that truly constitute a Rupert Neve design. All of us at the company are exceedingly grateful for the years of careful instruction and mentoring with which he has blessed us, and we will continue to preserve his legacy in everything we do moving forward. The world certainly sounds better because he was here.”

Artists, producers and studios from across the world have been paying tribute to the late audio innovator, with many taking to social media to honour his indelible influence. 

Rupert Neve rest in peace, and thanks for the sounds, tone and inspiration…

— FRASER T SMITH (@FraserTSmith) February 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/p_money/status/1360690260238237696

Sad to hear that the legendary Rupert Neve has died. What an incredible legacy. The sound of every record you like was shaped by his work. RIP

— Frank Turner (@frankturner) February 14, 2021

We're heartbroken to hear of @Rupert_Neve's passing. He was a true legend and icon in the audio and music industry — Rest in Peace#riprupertneve #rupertneve #rip #inventor #engineer #audio #music pic.twitter.com/hYtJJad03V

— Avid (@Avid) February 14, 2021

This is sad news. This man is responsible for some of the greatest innovations in audio. His designs are arguably the best there has ever been. I use his equipment every day in my work. Thank you Rupert Neve. https://t.co/7h2BcSYxwt

— david wrench (@davidwrench) February 13, 2021

RIP Rupert Neve. Thank you for everything. We'll miss you so much. @Rupert_Neve @genelecusa

— genelec (@Genelec) February 13, 2021

Where would we be without you… the legend, Rupert Neve.
1926-2021#rupertneve @Rupert_Neve pic.twitter.com/6JFFk9dPbg

— Capitol Studios (@capitolstudios) February 14, 2021

RIP Rupert Neve pic.twitter.com/u8lUwMgnXy

— Paul Arthurs. (@BoneheadsPage) February 13, 2021

A great loss to our community today: Thank you to the great Rupert Neve for shaping the sound of recorded music forever. No one did it better than you. No one. pic.twitter.com/JlDAoCEftG

— Electric Lady (@ElectricLady) February 13, 2021

Abbey Road Studios has a long and proud history recording with equipment that bears Rupert Neve’s name, dating back to the EMI Neve console of the mid-1970s, and we are very saddened to hear of his passing. His name will continue to epitomise audio excellence. pic.twitter.com/YcDZhUogAg

— Abbey Road Studios (@AbbeyRoad) February 14, 2021

His legend and genius lives on in uncountable recordings of music in every genre. Amazing how one man can touch so many lives in a good way and yet most people wont know who he is… but we do!!!!! RIP Rupert Neve https://t.co/s2hKMQZMX8

— Joe Perry (@JoePerry) February 13, 2021

Rest in the Sound @Rupert_Neve .

— Garbage (@garbage) February 13, 2021

Very sad to announce the passing of my amazing grandfather-in-law. RIP #rupertneve https://t.co/h2qoYzjez4

— Cheryl Neve (@cheryl_neve) February 13, 2021

An end of an audio era. RIP Rupert Neve https://t.co/uNRvCa7jvj

— IPS – The Institute of Professional Sound (@InstOfProSound) February 13, 2021

RIP Rupert Neve. The greatest of all time. pic.twitter.com/oi4CeLMnpe

— martin from chvrches (@doksan) February 13, 2021

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The post ’He changed the sound of music forever’: Industry pays tribute to Rupert Neve appeared first on Audio Media International.

It is no secret that serious audiophiles are willing to spend serious amounts of money on personal listening equipment. The South Korean hi-fi AK240 player from Astell & Kern alone costs £2,200 – and that’s just the base model.

To fully enjoy the AK240’s capabilities, you’ll need something along the lines of Japan’s Final Audio Design FI-BA-SS – the flagship model from the company’s Heaven series – that’s £800 for earphones.

For £3000, you can have the best audio setup in world – but only in terms of single-person listening. When it comes to actually building the perfect recording studio or your dream listening room at home, the money can get much, much crazier.

Neve 88RS

Cost: $800,000 (£600,000)

There’s a reason why this mixing console costs so much. It’s the actual analogue console that was used in Studio 1 of the famous Abbey Road Studios, a place that still strictly uses the best possible mixing equipment. This is because the clientele and talent that the studio caters to still believe that even the best digital tools are still not up to the standards of top-of-the-line analogue recording.

The studio’s list of clients has included the likes of The Beatles and Pink Floyd, whose Piper At The Gates of Dawn album was finished at Abbey Road – just to give you an idea of the standards that the Neve 88RS is capable of duplicating.

Backes & Muller BM 100

Cost: £295,000

At more than a quarter of a million pounds, the BM 100 by Backes & Muller actually falls into the “reasonable” price range of high-end speaker systems. What Hi-Fi reveals that you’ll need quite a bit of room if you’re planning to purchase and install the 230cm (or 7ft 6in) behemoth. It has crisp and perfect audio by way of something that looks like an alien starship.

Smart Studio

Cost: As much as it takes

Like our readers, AMI is all too familiar with the fact that when it comes to professional recording, the recording space itself is as integral to the process as the equipment. No one knows this better than Smart Studio, who specialise not just in audio equipment, but also the modern building techniques and materials necessary to get the most out of whatever equipment is available. Their services aren’t cheap, but if you’re serious about creating a professional recording space, they’re the best money can buy.

Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure

Cost: £5 million

The formula for the most expensive pair of speakers in the market is simple. Take the best available speaker technology and surround it with a pair of 24-carat gold-cast 76cm cabinets. Many top-of-the-line sound systems can similarly promise the perfect sound, but only the £5 million Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure can do it with this much retro-futuristic swagger.

The post Ever wondered what the most expensive audio equipment in the world looks like? appeared first on Audio Media International.

HD Pro Audio is holding a Technology Workshop in the Oak Room of the h Club in London’s Covent Garden on Monday, 25 March.

Presentations on the day will include KLANG:technologies’ immersive IEM mix engine, and the Waves eMotion LV1 live mixing console, based on SoundGrid technology with industry-standard Waves plug-ins. This compact and customisable software-based mixer will be complemented by the latest Rupert Neve Designs RMP-D8 8ch preamp with Dante audio networking and remote control.

Lastly is the Green-GO networked digital intercom system, offering flexibility and routing using a traditional network infrastructure. The event will also provide the opportunity to evaluate the increasingly popular 10EaZy sound level monitoring and logging system, designed for venues and events of all shapes and sizes.

HD Pro Audio staff and manufacturers’ representatives will be on hand to provide a comprehensive overview of all technologies on show, as well as hands-on demonstrations.

The workshop will run from 11:00am to 5:00pm and lunch is provided. The event is free but numbers are limited, so anyone wishing to attend should book their place as soon as possible online at https://goo.gl/5ZGERk or by email to info@hdproaudio.co.uk

HD Pro Audio’s sales director, Andy Huffer, commented, “These popular workshops provide a relaxed environment in which attendees can familiarise themselves with new products and real life use of advanced technologies, with experienced professionals on hand to discuss and answer questions.”

The post HD Pro Audio to hold Technology Workshop in London appeared first on Audio Media International.

Nebula Studios – located on the outskirts of the Italian city of Milan – have chosen the Neve Genesys G32 as the main feature within their facilities, complete with three rehearsal rooms and a large recording studio.

Edoardo Naridello is the brainchild behind Nebula Studios and says the Genesys G32, which is configured with 16 preamps and eight 88R dynamics modules, and both 88R and 1084 EQs, was the only desk for the job.

“We looked at a variety of consoles, from the vintage SSL 4000G+ to a modern digital Studer desk. The thing that grabbed my attention, was the compact size of the Genesys. You really have everything within reach,” he said. “The 5.1 routing, the Recall, and Encore automation system and, of course, the Neve sound were also key factors for us.”

Naridello went on to praise the hybrid nature of the Neve Genesys G32, which has an analogue signal path with DAW control: “Nebula is designed to work in an old-fashioned manner but with modern thinking – a bit like the Neve Genesys,” he added. “We’re looking forward to working with some of the bands of the independent scene here in Milan, which is quite prolific at the moment!

“The rooms are ideal for those who require a “roomy” sound, such as a big jazz band or a string quartet but also the drums on a blues or jazz recording would benefit from our natural reverberation! The Genesys is really the centrepiece of the sound of Nebula, because everything passes into the summing of the console, benefiting from the Neve sound.”

Naridello summarised by saying that the scalability of the Genesys G32 means that the console can cater for the studio’s growth. “Thinking about the future, the expandability is a massively great thing about the Neve Genesys G32.”

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Grey Noise Studios has installed a Neve Genesys Black G32 as the centrepiece of its modern recording studio located in the heart of Times Square.

The facility boasts two recording studios and three production suites including the largest live room in New York City.

The duo behind Grey Noise is Christina Chirumbolo and Stephanie Conte, who setup the studio in 2017. Grey Noise Studios was once part of the famous QUAD studios and Conte explained this was a key factor in their choice of location:

“723 7th avenue is one of the most iconic music buildings left in New York. Tupac, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston have all recorded in this building” said Conte. “Making it a studio once again felt like preserving a bit of history, whilst also providing a younger, cleaner vibe to fill that space in the market.”

The addition of the Genesys Black has also been appealing to the large Hip-Hop community in NYC: “After installing the console, the first comments from our clients were that they felt bass was fatter and tighter on their mixes,” said Chirumbolo, whose clients include Goldlink, Smokepurpp and Lil Pump amongst others. “They love the desk!”

“Neve’s sound quality is second-to-none, and the hybrid nature of Genesys Black means that it is extremely versatile,” added Conte. “Clients using the studio recently have commented that the mic buss gives deep bass with clarity and smooth top end.”

The duo also have their eyes on expansion, and aim to open additional studios in LA and London in the near future.

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The RMP-D8 converters have been designed to provide low jitter and high-precision internal clocking to make sure the digital side produces no appreciable reduction in sonic quality. The decision to use Audinate’s technology makes sense for a device designed primarily for live use, as it means the RMP-D8 should work nicely with any device running Dante or the latest AES67 audio-over-IP protocol.

The interface is an extremely well made 19” 2 Unit-high rack-able unit with an uncluttered front panel. The individual inputs have a dedicated 8-segment ‘quasi-PPM’ LED meter, while selected channels also display further information on a nice clear OLED display. There is a network lock indicator, a display of the status of the two redundant Power Supply Units, 48V phantom powering, phase polarity, High Pass Filter, -10dB pad and Line/Microphone level buttons.

There’s a nice friendly press-able red channel gain/parameter control which doubles as a ‘page change’ for the OLED display. The front panel can be locked to prevent accidental fiddling and there is a reset button that disengages all front panel settings to their defaults. In a nice touch, the Line setting disables the phantom power, the pad is engaged and a volume limiter of +30dB set to prevent overload. The Config button displays various system statuses including network information—which is very useful if you have any connectivity issues.

All in all, the RMP-D8 makes easily accessible all the controls and information you’d expect from an interface that is designed to be used in a potentially stressful environment. The rear panel sports the two RJ45 network ports (one redundant), four dual-channel AES digital outputs, eight Neutrik microphone/line inputs, a USB connection for firmware updates and two latching IEC power sockets. The interface’s construction seems determined not to let you down in use and this proved to be so over the review period.

The RMP-D8 can selectively mirror the input channels (1 to 8) through Dante channels 9 to 16. These mirrored outputs are set at-6dB lower than the mirrored channel to avoid clipping—this is set in Gain compensation mode. This system allows, for example, a monitor engineer to receive consistent levels while the Front of House Engineer adjusts the gain of the RMP-D8 input channels.

The Audinate Dante controller software is used to set up the sample rate, bit depth and audio routing of the interface, along with displaying many of the network details that should help clear up any connectivity issues. This software runs via the network and provides an overview of, and control of, any connected RMP-D8 units. You don’t need to run the software to use the RMP-D8, but a synoptic view is often very useful if you have a computer handy—and who doesn’t these days?

The RMP-D8 is compatible (and controllable) from Yamaha’s CL and QL digital desks and you can set the Yamaha ID either on the unit itself or via the software. The RMP-D8 is also perfectly useable with Audinate’s Dante ‘Virtual Soundcard’ (DVS) software–and this is how it was evaluated for the review. The DVS appears in a DAW in the same way as any other type of interface and I used the RMP-D8 on a drum recording session and with the lowest buffer size available on Logic Pro X, there was no issues at all with latency.

As expected, there was plenty of headroom even for a musician who really hits his drums hard and the results were precisely what I’ve come to expect from Rupert Neve Designs–full, solid and with a touch of colour that never gets in the way of clarity. If you’re using this device and getting poor recordings or live sound, the problems definitely lie elsewhere. The beauty of audio-over-IP is that interfaces can be slipped in anywhere in the network and used as if directly connected to the computer or mixing console, so utilising ad-hoc spaces in the studio proved to be very simple indeed.

Never a company to rest on their vintage laurels, Rupert Neve Designs have incorporated their signature electronics in a variety of products that reflect the changes in the working practices of industry professional. The RMP-D8 is a case in point, marrying the company’s Class-A analog transformer-based circuitry with modern networking technology to produce a multi-use device capable of slotting in to many applications. Rupert Neve says that the RMP-D8 “offers the live sound world something that studios have always coveted.” But, as more and more studios install network connectivity, the interface should find applications both inside and outside of the building.

Key Features

• 8 mic / line inputs with 48V phantom power, polarity reverse, input pad & high-pass filter controls
• 1dB-stepped class-A mic preamplifiers with 60dB gain and remote control capability

  RRP: £4,677

Stephen Bennett has been involved in music production for over 30 years. Based in Norwich, he splits his time between writing books and articles on music technology, recording and touring, and lecturing at the University of East Anglia.

www.rupertneve.com

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