Seventeen Grand Recording Installs Pair of Sony DMX-R100 Digital Consoles
NASHVILLE (Oct. 15, 2002) --
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| Seventeen Grand Recording partners Dave Cline (seated) and Jake Niceley with linked DMX-R100 consoles (click image for larger view). |
Cascading two DMX-R100 mixers via Sony’s recently introduced MADI option board provides this leading studio with the combination they need: 5.1 surround sound mixing at a reasonable billing rate for their clients. [an error occurred while processing this directive] “When we contemplated our next console move, we had very specific needs,” says Jake Niceley, partner in Seventeen Grand Recording. “We wanted to remain in the digital domain with a cost-effective 24-bit, 96kHz-capable recording tool. Our research led us to Sony’s DMX- R100 digital console.”
Cline and Niceley often record projects across two 48-track digital tape machines as well as on Radar II and Pro Tools audio recorders. The partners selected a digital path that allows them to accommodate high-resolution digital recorders and up to 96 tracks. One of the most important issues driving Seventeen Grand’s decision to move to the Sony DMX-R100 mixers is the current economic climate in Nashville. Their original large desk installed in 1997 was accomplishing the job sonically, but the billing rate was beyond the budget of many clients and it had a steep learning curve. It was important for Seventeen Grand to find a way to provide their mixing talents to clients at a more accessible rate.
“We built a $1 million studio for Surround mixing with excellent monitors, outstanding acoustics and a beautiful, client-friendly environment,” Cline adds. “The Sony consoles are a perfect fit. The DMX-R100 units live up to their reputation.”
“The DMX-R100 console brings us many advantages,” Niceley said. “It interfaces extremely well with all our outboard gear. Connecting everything in the digital domain and running it all from a common clock at 48 kHz significantly diminishes noise.”
The dynamic automation of the Faders, EQ, Filters, and Aux sends are proving extremely efficient for the Seventeen Grand Recording partners.
“The DMX-R100 digital console’s learning curve was a critically important point, both for us and our clients,” Niceley says. “These boards have an almost immediate comfort level. There is no question that this desk is extremely user-friendly and the short learning curve is an especially important advantage.”
According to Cline, the ultimate priority for Seventeen Grand Recording in their purchasing decision was sonic quality.
“Our first project after the boards were installed was a six day mix,” he adds. “We cascaded the boards with the top layer in a 1-24 and 25-48 configuration and we were working with Pro Tools and DASH."
“The Aux sends from both consoles were routed out to a variety of digital devices including our TC-6000, Lexicon 300 and Sony V-77’s and they returned the effects to the sub console on the second layer,” added Cline. “We could see all 48 faders across the R100s like one big desk and remain in the digital domain throughout the entire process. The MADI cascade option board worked like a charm. The artist was not a producer/engineer, but he worked with Seventeen Grand behind the board and was fully involved and very comfortable in making creative decisions.”
Overall, Niceley and Cline are very pleased with the music they’ve produced with the DMX-R100 consoles.
“The sound is great, and the investment is minimal compared to our previous console, which was a high six figure investment,” Cline concluded. “Our two Sony DMX-R100 digital consoles are proving to be a totally sound decision, both financially and sonically.”
Seventeen Grand Recording opened in August 1995 with one multi-purpose recording studio. Designed for Surround mixing from the ground up, Seventeen Grand Recording’s Surround mix room, now dubbed The Sony Room, opened in September 1977 as Nashville’s first full-bandwidth Surround mix room, according to the partners.
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