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When top producer Rob Aubrey needed to service his trusted Neumann U67, he discovered a worthy sE replacement for only marginally more than the U67’s service charge!
“Sound Engineering was destined to be my passion from the moment I laid eyes on a mixing desk at school,” so says Rob Aubrey looking back at the start of a successful career that stretches back 22 years. In that time he has worked with bands like It Bites, Transatlantic, Pendragon, Wills And The Willing and Big Big Train, not to mention artists like Geoff Downes and John Wetton, both in the studio and on stage as Front Of House engineer.
“My latest project is called PULSE and features Tony Levin on bass, Thomas Lang on drums, Mike Holmes (IQ) on guitar and Nick D’Virgilio (Tears for Fears/Genesis/Spock’s Beard) on drums and vocals. I vow never to let any band leave my recording sessions with something they are not proud of. My repeat bookings speak for themselves!”
Over two decades Rob has dealt with just about every studio and live recording challenge and has now chosen an arsenal of sE gear to help him in this fight for perfection. But this choice has sometimes been at the expense of more expensive studio stalwarts…
“My first purchase was the sE Gemini,” he says. “I then heard great reports about the ICIS and Z5600, so those were next on my shopping list along with the Reflexion Filter, mic stand and a stereo pair of SE3s.”
“With the Gemini I needed a large diaphragm mic to replace my trusted Neumann U67, which was in desperate need of a service. I was so happy with it that I sold the U67 after it came back from the service. That service cost me nearly as much as the Gemini itself! It is a superb replacement for the U67 and on both ICON albums I used it to record John Wetton’s lush vocal arrangements with ease.”
“I used the Gemini with the Reflexion Filter for all main vocals and then without for all complex chorus harmonies that are so beautifully typical of John. The vocals sat together with ease and the Gemini proved a perfect combination with such a magnificent singer. I was astounded at the signal-to-noise ratio of the mic. The Gemini 2 is apparently even quieter – so I’ll be saving my pennies and getting that very soon!”
“The ICIS is fantastic for female singers and, for the money, is a must buy, as is the Z5600, which has found use as an all rounder on acoustic guitars and drum room mics. The SE3s are always my first choice for overhead duties and stereo miking for acoustics.”
“sE mics have changed the speed I work at because I know what each mic is going to give me, so I can quickly judge which mic will suit what vocalist or instrument. Having a range of mics gives me those options, while the financial outlay is minimal, so I have no hesitation in recommending these mics to my clients.”
“I have also had a few occasions when only the biggest mic will do – the ‘ego’ of the vocalist requires something of equal magnitude. And I’m happy to say that the Gemini delivers on all counts!”
Rob is close to completing the PULSE project and still enjoying his work as much as he did when he first spied that mixer. “I still have the same passion,” he says. “I consider myself extremely lucky to be part of a profession that offers so much in the way of fun, reward, long term friendships – and it takes me to places I would never normally go…”
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