With more artists swapping time in the studio for time spent on the computer, recording studios need to differentiate themselves now more than ever in order to survive and thrive. Keeping that in mind, GRAMMY-nominated engineer/producer Hal Winer makes certain that his facility, BiCoastal Music, offers something that computer programs can not: a warm, smooth and rich vintage sound provided by his new AKG Perception 820 Tube mic.
Winer has been using the Perception 820 Tube in every recording since he first acquired it, applying it to both lead and backing vocals as well as guitar, bass and various other feature instruments. As the flagship for AKG’s Perception series of microphones, the Perception 820 Tube was specifically designed and perfectly suited for use in studios like BiCoastal, where clarity and precision is key.
It has a dual 1-inch true condenser large diaphragm that leaves it perfectly suited for
lead vocals, brass instruments, overhead miking and many other applications, and the ECC 83 dual-triode tube circuitry and output transformer emphasize even-order harmonics for rich, smooth and 3-dimensional sound. The elegant remote control unit allows selection of nine different pickup patterns and provides a switchable second-order bass-cut filter.
“I’ve been using my Perception 820 Tube microphone for every conceivable application; it really is one of the best all-around microphones I have,� Winer said. “It delivers a smooth, rich sound and it certainly adds some harmonics and warmth to every voice or instrument. It sounds like it’s already appropriately eq’d to everything I put it on, plus It’s got that tube mic character everyone is looking for.�
For Winer, the Perception 820 Tube is just the latest addition to what has been a 20-year development of his BiCoastal Music Studio facility. What started with a mixing board in his bedroom and some microphones in the living room has progressively grown into a spacious, acoustically correct recording studio that rivals even the most noteworthy world-class recording facilities.
After being nominated for a GRAMMY for his work with Jack Wilkins in 2002, Winer began hosting Jazz and rock artists at his studio in Ossining, New York. Today, he sees a wide variety of musical styles; from indie-rockers to hip-hop artists. Winer has worked with some of the most popular artists in the industry, including Rob Thomas, Tony Levin, Mike Stern, Art Garfunkel, Björk, Joe Lynn Turner, and more. Regardless of the musical style, he says that the he can turn to the Perception 820 Tube for all of his recording needs.
“After I first got the microphone, I hooked it up alongside of some much more expensive mics and recorded some male vocals through each mic to test them out,� Winer explained. “We compared the various microphones and the Perception 820 Tube was the clear winner every time.�
