Resident mixer/engineer Roy Hendrickson (pictured) has installed anew 96-input Yamaha DM2000 digital production console in his mix room,Studio R, located on the fourth floor of Avatar Studios (New YorkCity).
Hendrickson initially installed the DM2000 for its 96kHz capabilityafter having mixed on it in a studio in Minneapolis, and was delightedwith the smart, well-thought-out features of the console. “Theinternal patching is better than anything I have seen before,” hesaid. “The console has a very honest, big sound.”
The new Yamaha console is interfaced with a fully loaded ProTools|HD3 rig complete with 48 I/O. Hendrickson utilizes the Pro Toolslayer and locator on the DM2000 quite frequently: a feature that allowshim to mix much faster and not have to look at the computer screen atall during mixing. The built-in USB interface of the console makesconnections very easy, according to Hendrickson. The P2 interface isused to control the collection of analog machines located in Studio R.Now fully capable of 96k digital surround mixing, Studio R has a fullcomplement of multitrack and 2-track analog recorders, including Ampexand Studer machines. Other equipment includes a UREI LA-3A, Pultec EQs,Neve 1073 channel modules, an Eventide SP2016 and an Ampex ATR-102. Theroom is also tied into analog reverb units and an EMT 140ST located inthe basement. Studio R has direct access to Avatar’s vastcollection of outboard gear.
Kirk Imamura, president of Avatar Studios, said, “Roy has donesome amazing work on Yamaha consoles in the past, mixing over 30 albumson a couple of 02R units. We can’t wait to hear what he does onthe new DM2000 with all its digital surround mixingcapabilities.”
Hendrickson is currently mixing a live album in surround for a DVDrelease, and with the addition of the Yamaha DM2000, is gearing up for24-bit/96kHz digital surround mix projects. He has previously worked on5.1 surround mixes for Philippe Saisse and Cassandra Wilson.
For more information on Avatar, call 212/765-7500. For moreinformation on the DM2000, visit Yamaha online at www.yamaha.com/proaudio.
