Harmony 534
534 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Tel.: 212-760-0966
Fax: 212-760-2496
www.harmony534.com
Email: [email protected]
The name truly does say it all. This multilayered, multilevel,multimedia facility, which opened June 1, 2001, represents thedovetailing of the talents of its several principals and staff withserendipity that is unique and complementary. And there’s nothingcryptic about the number: It’s the facility’s address on West 43rdStreet, on Manhattan’s West Side, central to everything New York.
However, Manhattan does not intrude upon Harmony 534. The3,000-square-foot, three-story, four-studio audio/video/Web design andhosting facility was built inside the shell of a former National GuardArmory. The result is an unheard-of degree of acoustical isolation forthe facility’s two audio control rooms and three isolation booths.
Designed by Richard Oliver and his experienced crew–who alsoprovide engineering and support services at Harmony 534–the audiocontrol rooms host two completely digital consoles: a 252 PATH/24-faderNeve Libra, and a 32-input Mackie D-8. Both audio control rooms and thefacility’s two video suites are designed for 5.1 surround monitoringand mixing, using Dynaudio M-2 speakers for mains and Dynaudio Contourspeakers for surrounds, and all studios are tie-lined for audio, videoand network links. Audio recording is to a large Digidesign Pro Tools5.1 system and E-Magic’s Logic 4.7 software. Data connectivity is via amixed 100/1000baseT Gigabit network.
The video post-production suites are fitted with Avid video editingequipment, though Harmony 534’s staff can rent and integrate any systema client wants. DVD authoring services will be implemented in the nearfuture.
“It’s truly a boutique type of service facility, but a verticallyoriented one,” observes Doug Romoff, Harmony 534’s CEO. “We can servicea project from top to bottom–ADR, Foley, audio recording, editingand mixing, video editing, and mix-to-picture–and do it in a veryintimate atmosphere where the client basically owns the facility fromstart to finish.” Romoff and fellow founding partner and president ThomSpahn have long histories in the commercial and industrial multimediaindustry sectors, and both continue to use the facility for their ownmultimedia productions. Romoff and Spahn’s accounts include CBS,Slim-Fast and the University of Pittsburgh Health System, and theirprojects often engage the facility’s entire range of services,including music and voice recording, scoring, picture transfer andediting and layback, all within the walls of Harmony 534.
“If there’s anything that characterizes Harmony 534, it’s that thefacility is a powerful combination of technology and creativity,”observes Spahn. “That goes for the staff and the facility itself. It’sa very relaxed, creative place to work. The kind of place where you’remore productive and more inspired. And that’s a nice combination.”
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