Chris Shepard’s CMIX Mobile Recording Studio recorded the Irish choir Anuna at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio for Third Wave Productions.
Chris Shepard, chief engineer for the Chicago-based CMIX Mobile Recording Studio, recently added two 8-channel TRUE Systems Precision 8 preamps to the truck’s existing rack, expanding his Pro Tools HD and RADAR redundant backup systems and increasing his track count to 64 channels. Shepard placed the Precision 8 preamps at the front of his signal chain after comparing and contrasting 10 different preamps that reside in top studios. “No matter what I put the Precision 8 up against, it won!” Shepard says.
“On the practical side, it has split outputs,” Shepard continues, “so I can run one signal to my primary Pro Tools rig and the second to my backup system. On the aesthetic side, the TRUE Systems preamps reveal great detail, and with the very low noise floor, allowing me to meaningfully take advantage of the higher 96kHz and 192kHz sampling rates when we have a gig with low track counts. The sound of those recordings is astounding.”
Shepard’s recording and mixing projects range from HBO comedy specials to independent label recordings for CD or DVD release for artists such as Panic at the Disco, Academy Is, Taking Back Sunday, The Tossers, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Paul Stanley and Jackson Browne. Shepard has been asked to return for his fourth year at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee. He plans to record performances again at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza in Chicago, and at Vegoose over Halloween in Las Vegas.
He recently recorded the Irish choir Anuna at the massive Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio for Third Wave Productions. With individual wireless microphones for the singers and the orchestra, along with enough room mics for a surround mix, 64 tracks was just enough.
“Part of the reason why I wanted to fill out the system with even more Precision 8s is because they’ve proven remarkably road-worthy,” Shepard notes. “In all the years and miles I’ve been using them, I have not had a single problem. No flaws or glitches. And these units get bounced around, kicked and, on one occasion, dropped. One time the entire rack was tipped and fell flat on its face. We’re talking serious hits!”
For more information, visit www.true-systems.com and www.chicagorecording.com.
