Earthworks in Milford, New Hampshire, announces that Battle Born Studios, The Killers’ facility in Las Vegas, is equipped with Earthworks ZDT Zero Distortion Technology preamplifiers, as well as Earthworks omni and cardioid microphones. Chief engineer Robert Root—whose credits also include Imagine Dragons, Motley Crue, BB King, and Elton John—has recorded all of The Killers’ albums at Battle Born Studios since 2008.
Root explains his experience with the ZDT preamps: “We ran all sorts of mics through the ZDT preamps and I found them to be exactly as the slogan claims―‘Like Wire with Gain.’ The ZDT preamps are very transparent, like the preamps are not even in the chain, and let the mic do the work it is supposed to, and translates it beautifully. However, as many different mics as we tried using the ZDT preamps, I was never really able to get that ultra-realistic ‘being there’ sound as I was when using the Earthworks mics through the ZDT preamps.
“We also have other high-end preamps such as the Neve Porticos and Universal Audio 610s,” Root adds. “It gives one perspective when using these other types of preamps because they are very ‘colored’ and do a lot to the signal, and many times that is not desirable. When you care so much about the source sounding good, such as tuning your drums and using the right drums, and you put an Earthworks mic in front of that, a lot of times you don’t want it to be colored through a preamp.
“So, going through the ZDT preamps with the Earthworks mics is a perfect combination. I know a lot of people who buy high-end preamps want ‘color,’ but I am not of that frame of mind, as you can always color after the fact. You can never undo the color, once it is captured and recorded. If you want the Neve sound, you can dial in that type of color when you mix.”
Visit Earthworks at www.earthworksaudio.com.
