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COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - AUGUST 2008: Studie73, in Copenhagen, was not built, rather, it evolved. Over course of twelve long years, owner and chief
engineer, Johan Lei Gellett slowly amassed a truly awe-inspiring collection of top-of-the-heap analog equipment and traded up smaller spaces for
ever-larger and more acoustically-inspiring sites.
Over a decade, since he
started out scheduling recording time around the neighbors' schedules in his
cramped flat, Lei Gellett recently replaced what used to be a Pro Tools
mixing situation with a brand new analog API 1608 small-frame mixing
console. The 1608 joins Neve, Gyratech, TLA, Universal Audio, NTP, and ADAM
outboard gear in creating Studie73's organic, vital sound.
"My demands for a console were that it should be of an extremely high
quality," said Lei Gellett. "I would rather have fewer high-quality channels
than a lot of mediocre ones. I looked everywhere and finally stumbled over
the API 1608! It seemed to fit right into my idea of a perfect console." The
API 1608 incorporates the company's discrete electronics topology and is
built to the same exacting standards as their flagship Vision and Legacy
series consoles. The standard 1608, with sixteen input channels, eight
buses, eight aux sends, eight reverb returns and full center section
facilities, includes a dozen 550A three-band equalizers and four 560
ten-band graphic EQ modules with space available for eight additional 500
series modules.
Although the features and reviews seemed perfect, Lei Gellett wanted to
experience the API sound before committing to the purchase. He contacted
Cyber Farm, high-end audio retailers in Copenhagen, who lent him an API
Lunchbox loaded with 500 series mic pres, EQs, and compressors. Lei Gellett
gushed, "I was instantly hooked! API has a fantastic open sound with great
warmth and, if you gain the preamps enough, a perfect edge; exactly the
things I was looking for. The sound is a bit like if Neve were built in the
American heat and dust."
In the three months since he's had it, Lei Gellett has been able to book a
wider spectrum of jobs, everything from garage rock to delicate pop and even
5.1 film mixes! His next move will truly round things out and put Studie73
at the vanguard of Copenhagen's analog revolution: Lei Gellett is searching
for a used 16-channel, two-inch Studer tape machine. He laughed, "If you
have one for sale, please contact me!"
Automated Processes, Inc. remains the leader in analog recording gear, with
the Vision surround production and Legacy Series recording consoles, the DSM
Series rack-mounted mixers, and the classic line of modular signal
processing equipment.
api audio
