Eric Johnson with one of his ATC SCM25A nearfield monitors. Photo: Max Crace
Austin, TX (December 1, 2014)—Guitarist Eric Johnson recently installed ATC SCM25As nearfield monitors at his project studio in Austin, TX.
“I became very interested in finding a nearfield system that would ensure our mixes translated outside of the studio, especially as we drew close to working on Eclectic,’” his collaborative album with guitarist Mike Stern, which the pair recorded and mixed at Johnson’s studio. “People with ears I trust told me that ATC was the way to go.”
After performing due diligence with trials of numerous reference monitor manufacturers, Johnson purchased a pair of ATC SCM25As, which feature a three-way active design starting with a seven-inch low-frequency driver. “The ATCs have a great vibe and they’re fun to mix on,” said Johnson. “The imaging is solid and in-phase, and the top end is natural—not glitchy or peaky or spikey. They’re pleasant at whisper volume or blaring, and the response seems pretty linear across that range. I’ve also noticed that we can monitor at high volumes on the ATCs as long as we like and they never become fatiguing. So the in-studio experience on the ATCs is great. Beyond that, however, the mixes we’ve done on the ATCs translate beautifully, and we don’t have to second-guess ourselves anymore.”
The album was mastered by mastering engineer Paul Blakemore, who has been mastering on ATC SCM150ASL monitors for years. “The ATC monitors are the most accurate loudspeakers I have ever heard, and I can’t imagine using anything else,” he said.
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