Equipment I Use (aside from ears):
Gear is only part of the equation M+P+V+m+p+S = good recording, where M is a good musician, P is the best performance, V is the right venue, m is the right mic, p is the mic placed correctly, S is the path to the capture device; the sum of which can yield a great recording. ~ This was supposed to be funny! But here’s what I use, if you’re interested:
Microphones
AEA R44ce – Best vocal mic I’ve heard. Ribbon goodness for days! This microphone’s existance is unfair to all other microphones.
AEA R88 MkII Stereo Large Ribbon microphone – very sweet on choirs, but amazing on drum room or overheads!
M-49 handbuilt point to point clone with sublime M7 capsule – just so rich and detailed.
Schoeps CMC6 MK21 Wide Cardioid stereo matched pair – one of the finest ensemble pairs.
Schoeps MSTC 54 ORTF stereo microphone – This is a vintage (#37) in MINIT. Gives instant, perfect stereo.
Telefunken AR-51 Large Diaphragm tube condenser – superb tube vocal mic!
Advanced Audio CM-47 multi-pattern tube condenser – smooth, classic tube vocal mic (also amazing on kick out). If you haven’t heard Dave Thomas’ mics, you need to.
Earthworks TC-20 omni-directional stereo pair – close omnis for orchestral/choral spot.
Oktavamod Ultimate mod MK-012 omni, cardioid, hyper-cardioid capsules (x2) – fantastic mics for nearly everything.
Ambi-Alice Ambisonic 1st order microphone – home-built 3D mic, great for atmosphere
Sennheiser e-604 (x3) – mounted on tom drums
Audix D6 – my favourite kick drum (inside) mic. Just a dominating dynamic mic.
Audio Technica D130 omni dynamic – sounds like a condenser, but takes transients nicely – like on snare, hi-hat.
RØDE NTG-3 Short Shotgun with full suspension – very durable, clear and forgiving dialog mic.
Sennheiser MKH-416T Short Shotgun (x2) – one of the old favorite short shotguns, heard on countless films and docs.
Naiant Violin-mount omni – for a tiny touch of string detail, mount on the violin and mix to taste.
Naiant Universal-mount omni – when I need a close mic with no proximity effect, and it needs to be unobtrusive.
Shure SM-7B Dynamic mic – great dynamic for loud voices
Shure SM-57 Dynamic mic – tried it on everything, left it snare top!
Shure 545SH series 2 Unidyne Dynamic- an older flavor of 57 (also on my snare)
Electro-Voice PL60N/D Dynamic Super-cardioid
Ambient QP408 12′ aluminum boom-pole
Sennheiser Wind Cover
RØDE Wind Cover
Cold Gold Stereo Hydrophone – from coldgoldmicrohones.com – a simple stereo water mic.
Ambient Quiet Pole Boom (x 2)
Cabling
I use Neutrik connectors on Mogami Neglex 2549, or Canare Starquad/L-4E6S cable. These are excellent cables for recording; they both retain high frequencies very well, even on long cable runs. My studio interconnects are Belden 12 ch. snakes with Neutrik connectors. Since I assemble and maintain my microphone and interconnect cables myself, I test them before each session and I am assured of their quality and reliability on every job.
Pre-Amplifiers
Millennia Media STT-1 Origin Channel Strip – verrrry tasty channel strip!
Sound Skulptor AB528 – 500 series version of Abbey Road Preamp.
Hairball Audio LOLA Mic Pre (x2) – Hand assembled w/990 opamps – amazing clarity and punch
CAPI VP26 – Vintage API style mic pre – just nuts on drums!
DR-412 – 4 channel API style mic pre – lives on the drums.
AEA RPQ-500 in API Lunchbox, 2 channels – perfect marriage for the R-88 with a HF EQ and LF filter
DAV Electronics Broadhurst Gardens BG No. 2 , 4 channels – clean, fast pre with a hint of euphonic warmth
Vintech Audio 573 500 series mic pre in A Designs 500HR rack, 2 channels – very nice Neve 1073 style pre
Warm Audio WA412, 4 channels, transformer i/o, punchy on drums
Universal Audio Apollo, 8 Unison channels, very clean and modelling on board makes them versatile
Universal Audio DCS Remote Desktop Mic Preamp, 2 channels with talkback – great all around pre
Sound Devices 702/744T recorder mic pres, 4 channels – I use as a backup, but could easily serve as a main pair of pres and AD
Outboard
ezP1A-500 – Audio Maintenance 500 Series version of a Pultec Program EQ
LA-2A – (x2) hand-built point to point, with superior componentry and wiring – Sowter i/o and Hammond AC trans – amazing copy of the real deal 1968 version.
TK Audio TK-Lizer Stereo MS Mastering EQ – sweet Mid-Side Baxandall EQ for finishing and polish.
SPL Kultube 2049 Stereo Compressor – very versatile compressor with adjustable tube harmonics.
Acme Audio Opticom XLA-500 – This thing has mojo, and endless, juicy gain. Love it on vocals.
IGS Audio Bison 500 Mid/Side parallel mixer.
CAPI FC526 XFMR 500 series Compressor – hand built 1176/api style comp with CA-0252 DOA. Just add this for beef!
Hairball 1176 Rev F Compressor – hand built to within 3 decimal tolerances
SafeSound Audio Stereo Toolbox – Insanely flexible and transparent Mid-Side compressor in 500 series format.
Lindell Audio PEX-500 Pultec EQ – A surprisingly sweet sounding take on the Pultec.
RPQ 500 Line input LF Filter and HF Shelf EQ (x2)
Millennia STT-1 – THE ultimate channel strip! Use tube or solid state Pre, EQ, DeESS, Comp/Lim
AvidArtist Mix – 8 channel automated, touch sensitive mix surface
500 Series Enclosures
CAPI – 511-VPR (11 space)
API Lunchbox 6b – with VintageKing rack-ears (6 space)
Heritage Audio HAOST4 (4 space)
A-Designs 500HR (2 space)
AD/DA
Universal Audio Apollo x 2 – 26 channels i/o over Thunderbolt,
two Apollos linked.
Lucid ADA 8824 – 8 channels i/o ADAT into Apollo
Lucid AD 9624 – 2 channels i/o spdif into Apollo
TC Electronic BMC-2 DAC monitor controller
Recorders
Sound Devices 744T Compact Flash recorder,
4 channels with Ambient timecode
Sound Devices 702 Compact Flash recorder, 2 channels
Zoom F8 10 track recorder with timecode – stands right along side the Sound Devices rigs!
Alesis ML9624 Masterlink hard disc recorder, 2 channelsM1 MacMini – 16GB ram, Thunderbay 4
MacMini M1 2021 – 16GB ram, OWC 1TB M2e USB4 drive for samples
MacMini Intel 2018 – 16GB ram, Thunderbay 4, Akitio Titan Rx580
MacPro Trash Can 3.5 Ghz 6 cores, 64 GB ram, Dual D-500 GPUs, Thunderbolt Akitio SSD Array, GTX1080
Monitoring
Neumann KH120 Monitors – sublime!
Yamaha NS-10M Monitors – classic!
Drawmer CMC7 – 7.1 monitor controller
BlueSky 5.1 surround bass management controller
DSM-3 Digital MTM Monitors
Alesis M1 Active MKII Monitors
Auratone 5C Super Sound Cubes (for checking what it’ll sound like on small speakers)
AKG K141 Headphones (2)
Sennheiser HD-280 Pro Headphones(3)
Fostex T40-RP Headphones
Vic Firth Drum iso Headphones
TC Electronic Clarity M Loudness Meter (LKFS)
Dorrough 40-A2 Loudness Meters (pair)
Presonus HP2 Headamp
Crown D-75A Stereo Amplifier
Bryston 2b Stereo Amplifier
T.C. Electronic BMC-2 DAC + Monitor Controller
Software
Pro Tools Ultimate – latest
Logic Pro X
Sonic Studio soundBlade 2.1 – for mastering and Redbook or DLP creation
iZotope Creative Suite – absolutely gifted plugin writing! This set of instruments and filters is limitless!
iZotope RX 10 Advanced – noise reduction, de-hum, de-crackle
Nugen LM2, ISL2
SoundToys bundle
LUFS Meter
Melodyne Studio
ReVoice Pro (ADR secret weapon!)
Maggot Software’s Spanner
Acon Digital Verberate 5.1 reverb
TC Electronic VSS3 Stereo Source Reverb – use this verb!
Algorithmix reNOVAtor – Spectral audio restoration/repair, noise reduction
Tons of high end plugins on UAD Apollo Duo
Adobe CS Master Collection
WaveBurner
X2 Pro for FCPX to ProTools round trip
Final Cut Pro
Plugins from the TC System 6000 including MD3 Stereo Multiband Dynamics processor and VSS3 Variable Source
Stereo Reverb
Vienna Symphonic Library Special Edition I + II orchestral sample collections, Epic Orchestra
Vienna Instruments Pro + Vienna Ensemble Pro
Spitfire Audio – various libraries – amazing orchestral samples!
Kontakt
Substance
iZotope Vocal Synth 2
ReVoice Pro
Evolutions Mutations
Heaviocity Gravity
Arturia Collection
Loomer Aspect, Shift, Sequent
Digidesign Strike drum sample library
Addictive Drums Trigger
Tons of other sound processing plugins and samples
Acoustic Treatment
Primacoustic London Absorbers
Primacoustic Flexifusers
Primacoustic Nimbus Clouds
Primacoustic Reflexion Filter
isoACOUSTICS monitor stands
Instruments
Pearl Export 5 pc. with Ayotte Maple Snare 14×6.5 Ray Ayotte Era, Axis double pedal
Yamaha Vintage Series snare
Various Sabian, Zildjian, Paiste, WuHan cymbals
Orange Micro Terror – Guitar Amp
B&H Vintage Cabinet – single 12″ ceramic B&H cone 16 ohm, 25W – very creamy speaker
Taylor T5 Electric
Taylor GS Mini Acoustic
Yamaha Nylon Classical
Kala tenor Ukulele
Washburn Jumbo Acoustic
Yamaha Electric Bass
Baldwin Upright Piano
Armstrong Concert Flute
Gold Tone 6 string Banjo
Mountain Dulcimer
Various Percussion
Arturia KeyLab 88 note midi controller Oxygen 8 midi controller
Featuring a custom desk by Buso Audio!!!
Latch Lake Mic King 3300 – “It’s a mic stand. No, it’s an anvil stand!”
Video
Panasonic GH-5 with Lumix 100-300mm F4-5.6, Leica 14-50mm F2.8-3.5, Olympus 70-300mm F4-5.6, Olympus 45mm F1.8, Olympus 9-18mm F4-4.6, Olympus 9mm F8 fisheye (body cap lens, but fun)
GoPro Hero 5
GoPro Karma Grip gimble
Manfrotto 501 fluid head tripod
Manfrotto Avenger light stands
Mattebox and filters
Luxpad 23 LED
DaVinci Resolve Studio 18
EGPU (GTX1080)