Fantasy Studios’ new Solid State Logic Duality console in Studio A
Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, Calif., located within the Zaentz Media Center with numerous Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum records made on its premises since 1971, has installed a Solid State Logic Duality console in Studio A. Fantasy Studios, originally built in 1971 to service the artists on the Fantasy Records label, opened its doors to the public in 1982 and has since hosted Iggy & the Stooges, Green Day, Journey, Carlos Santana, U2. Lil Wayne, and many more.
Duality opens a new chapter for the recording complex, offering SSL’s signature SuperAnalogue sound, industry-leading ergonomic layout and sophisticated DAW control integrated into the console to attract clients into the future.
“We have had a very successful history with SSL consoles and our move to the Duality continues that legacy,” says Jeffrey Wood, studio director for Fantasy Studios. “We did our due diligence when considering which console would become the centerpiece of Studio A. The consensus from engineers we spoke to was that Duality was the way to go. Our studio hosts nearly every major engineer and producer across the country and, because we are a commercial facility, we need to have a console that translates for all these traveling producers and engineers. We find Duality to be that console.”
In this age of studio diversification, Fantasy Studios shares space in the Zaentz Media Center with some 15 film production companies. As a result, the studio complex serves the post-production needs of TV shows and films out of Los Angeles, as well as offering its generous studio space for video capture. Fantasy also has branched into videogame design post-production, but the studio still relies on music recording as the bulk of its business.
“Duality has a magical look and everyone coming into the studio has that ‘wow’ factor using the console,” says Adam Muñoz, one of the staff engineers for Fantasy Studios. “I have always used SSL consoles, including the SSL 8000 we replaced with Duality in Studio A and the existing 4000 in Studio D. Duality carries on the SSL legacy for me because the surface was immediately familiar to my hands. There was no guesswork sitting in front of the console. The console is extremely well thought out, and obviously designed for the way contemporary artists and engineers need to work. Working with the DAW controller in the console has opened up a literal new world of routing and workflow options. The console has a sound that is clear, crisp, wide and deep, giving me an excellent sonic benchmark to begin every session.”
Find more information about SSL Duality SE at www.solidstatelogic.com/music/duality.
Visit Fantasy Studios online at www.fantasystudios.com.
Read ‘Fantasy Studios at 40’ from Mix magazine’s March 2012 issue.
