The Recording Studio London Adds Automation To Its New Neve® 8424 Console

Swapping a vintage large format console for one with a much smaller footprint could have spelled compromises for the team behind The Recording Studio London, especially if creating more space in the control room meant sacrificing sonic quality, channel count and automation.

But luckily for the facility's owners, there was a solution available that delivered on all their requirements – the small format and highly versatile Neve® 8424 console.

Producer and artist Paul Visser, who co-owns The Recording Studio London with Joe Barboza and Dave Ferguson, said: "The 8424 is unique in its class and perfect for us. It was a no-brainer. Having the benefit of the top-flight analogue path combined with the very well implemented flying fader DAW control has already been a game-changer. It reminds me of mixing on a large format console."

Spread across two commercial spaces in East London, The Recording Studio London is a music recording and production company that specialises in writing production, recording and artist development. Paul, Joe and Dave are not only producers and artists but also band mates in the successful rock band, Black Orchid Empire. They set up the studio in 2014 and since then they haven't looked back.

"We used to produce in other studios but eventually decided to get our own place," said Paul, who is the band's singer and guitarist. "We now have a larger tracking, mixing and mastering studio with a live room in Mile End and a smaller writing and production space in Star Lane. The 8424 has been installed in the Mile End studio and our clients love it! The few attended sessions I’ve done so far have been great, and ergonomically the studio is now a much nicer place to be, which is a huge bonus."

Designed to fit the needs of a modern hybrid studio, Neve's 8424 console is a flexible and cost-effective centralised platform that is very straightforward to use and delivers all the sonic warmth of the iconic large format Neve 80 Series. Since its launch in 2020 it has proved hugely popular with artists, producers and commercial studio owners alike who appreciate its unparalleled connectivity and its ability to easily link the worlds of analogue processing and digital DAW workflows.

"The console's layout and small footprint are very well thought through and powerful without being overly complex," Paul said. "Actually, one of the main reasons it worked as an option for us was that the preamps and EQ are external to the console. We already have outboard for those - meaning we weren't spending money on features we didn't need to duplicate. That said, we also ordered a Neve 1073OPX and two 1073EQLBs, which are also amazing."

Neve recently introduced an automation package for the 8424 and this, says Paul Visser, was another reason why The Recording Studio London chose the console.

"We knew the automation package was coming and it was a big deal to us," he said. "I've always wanted physical control over the In The Box mix, but never found a solution like this before. As we were one of the first 8424 users to receive the flying faders, we weren’t sure exactly what to expect but the functionality is great - the scribble strips are awesome and the faders feel perfect. It's actually better than I'd hoped! Having the benefit of the analogue path combined with the very well-implemented DAW control has already been a major benefit to us."

Paul added that 8424 has now become the backbone of the studio’s entire set up and is already having an impact on his own workflow.

"I've always tracked through as much colourful hardware as possible and then actually mixed ITB - the need for recalls and changes makes it more efficient," he explained. "With the 8424 I'm definitely going to be tempted to run an analogue mix bus more often and possibly sum through the desk too. The low end weight supplied by the console is undeniable."

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