Consoles to Service Major Studio Expansion
HENDERSON, NV—Odds On Recording Studios, a recording facility serving the Las Vegas market for the past four years with clients like Rap artist T.I., Alicia Keys and Huey Lewis, has embarked on a major studio expansion to meet client demand. The centerpiece of the expansion is a 96-channel Solid State Logic Duality console, the largest Duality in North America, for the main tracking and mix room and an SSL Matrix console with XLogic modules for the writer/voice-over room. The new studios will round out the services offered by the facility, while addressing the needs of interfacing with Pro Tools™ and other DAW systems.
“We wanted to be able to do full mixing as well as full tracking for a rock band or orchestra in one large room and that led us to Duality,� says Robert Ferrari, studio manager and head of A&R for sister company Odds On Records and Publishing. “We already have a very successful smaller room with an SSL XL 9000 K, which we are moving to a much larger room as well, but the demand for live performance over synthesized tracking is growing, even in the world of Hip Hop, and we felt that now is the time to invest in a larger room. Our new tracking room, just the main room without the booth, is 1,200 square feet. We can easily accommodate orchestra dates in there and that is why we went with a 96-channel Duality.�
The new rooms are designed by Carl Yanchar and join the existing XL 9080 K Series room as part of a turnkey complex that includes the studio facilities and the offices for Odds On Records & Publishing in one building and Odds On Disc, the CD/DVD replication facilities housed in an adjacent 35,000 square foot building. The Duality studio is designed to provide a bridge between the world of analogue and Pro Tools, offering the signature sound and dynamics processing of the XL 9000 K, while delivering integrated workstation control of the Pro Tools system.
“First and foremost, the Duality gives us the SSL sound,� states Ferrari. “We purchased the Duality based on our great experience with the XL 9000 K. We think the Variable Harmonic Drive (VHD)™ feature on Duality is huge because we are no longer creatively confined by a one mic-pre sound console. The industry knows what the SSL sound is and how great it is – why would we go backwards by using a different console?
“Also,� Ferrari continues, “all the new up and coming engineers really mix in both analogue and Pro Tools, or in the box with some other DAW at the same time. The Duality is the only console that lets you have the best of both worlds without having to jump through hoops going back and forth between the console and the DAW. The Duality gives us the flexibility to work with any client and engineer the way they are comfortable working. This makes the sessions more focused on creating music and not worrying about technology.�
The room with the Matrix console, purchased from Guitar Center, is equipped with remote SSL mic-pre’s and four X-Logic channel strips. Matrix is a SuperAnalogue™ 16 channel, 40 input, line-level mixing console with inbuilt signal router and multi-layer workstation control.
“We wanted to create a really flexible writing and voice-over room,� continues Ferrari. “We now have a large console sound with DAW control in a smaller room for a very low cost, making our entire facility sonically consistent. We were able to take Matrix, put it in our medium sized room and still had space left to be creative. This is a godsend. The software and DAW interfacing is amazing, and the flexibility of sonic choices with the inserts and stereo routing is just like a large frame desk. We deal with all levels of clientele from veteran artists to new ones. With Matrix, everyone gets a chance to have the SSL sound even if their budget doesn’t fit into one of our big studios. We are very excited about our continuing relationship with SSL.�
Says Piers Plaskitt, Group Commercial Director for Solid State Logic, “The entire design overview of our cascade of products, from the AWS 900+ and Matrix to the Duality, means facilities of all types and sizes can offer the sonic integrity associated with SSL analogue sound to all creative levels. Odds On Recording is the perfect example of using our design consistency throughout their facility, keeping within budget for each room.�
Solid State Logic is the world’s leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles and provider of creative tools for music, broadcast and post production professionals. For more information about our award-winning products, please visit: www.solid-state-logic.com.
