Regarded by many as among the most successful recording studios in the United States, Criteria Studios has renovated and upgraded its Studio D, installing an SSL Origin  mixing console with an SSL UF8 DAW controller and 500 Series dynamics modules.

Founded by jazz trumpeter Mack Emerman in 1958, Criteria has consistently been the first studio in the region to adopt new record production technologies. The facility has also had a long relationship with Solid State Logic, installing its first desk – and the first SSL in Florida – in 1984, with a second SSL following two years later. The complex currently houses two SSL 9096J consoles in Studios A and E, an Duality in Studio F and an AWS 900 in Studio B in addition to the Origin.

Studio D was designed and built in the late 1970s primarily for vocal and overdub recording as well as mixing. ‘We were doing a lot of vocal-oriented work at the time, between Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Bee Gees, Julio Iglesias and so on, so it worked out very well,’ recalls says VP and General Manager, Trevor Fletcher.

Feedback from engineers and producers who have already used the new 32-channel Origin have been positive, Fletcher reports. ‘They tell me that the preamps sound great – modern, clear and open. And the ability to engage PureDrive for a little more grit is great, especially for tracking sessions. It’s reminiscent of how the old 9000 sounds. Although Origin is a simpler console then the Duality or the 9000Js that we have, it builds on the legacy of SSL at Criteria in a complementary way.

‘It has been marvellously received. The console is easy to use and perfect for the modern hybrid workflow,’ he adds. ‘Studio D has been packed since we reopened it. Now my problem is that I don’t have four of those rooms.’

Of the eight E-Dyn modules integrated into the 500 series rack in Origin’s centre section, he says: ‘Our thought process was to provide clients with some dynamic modules since, aside from the SSL computer, the dynamics are probably the biggest difference going from one model of SSL console to another at Criteria,’

The studio will add further dynamics modules if clients demand them, Fletcher says, but there are no plans to add 500 series modules from other brands: ‘The majority of the options provided by manufacturers of 500 series modules are covered by the hardware already in the room.’

The Origin has replaced a much larger 80-input SSL 9000J. ‘We had some custom wings fabricated for the Origin, so it still provides the feeling of a giant large-format console in the room,’ Fletcher says. ‘Essentially, it’s a smaller footprint, but now we’ve got large producer’s desks on either side of the console.

‘Some people prefer to record in the control room, some people in the live room. But we wanted to make it inviting and not have such a separation between the control room and the live room. We also upgraded other elements in the room at the same time as installing the Origin, in terms of crossovers, amplification and replacing drivers and subwoofers, as well as fabric and lighting. So, everything has combined for a completely different feel in that space.’

The time was right for a refresh of Studio D, he says. ‘To keep a multi-room recording facility successful, you have to update. You must keep an eye to the needs of your clientele and adjust accordingly. And the Origin is a natural progression. It dovetails nicely with the way a vast majority of records are being made these days. Plus, it’s economically viable – you don’t have to spend a quarter-million dollars for a nice chunk of metal. Origin still has the same SSL sonic consistency but it’s new, clean and just works – and you can get parts if you need them.’

There are seven rooms at Criteria, from Studio A’s 3,000sq-ft live tracking room, which can accommodate a 70-plus-piece orchestra and is used for film scoring and other projects, to smaller rooms, each with different sonic characteristics. ‘We’ve tried to build a lot of different spaces to serve a lot of different purposes – live rooms, dead rooms, small rooms, big rooms,’ Fletcher explains. ‘We can pretty much accommodate whatever it is that somebody’s looking for. Every room has its own private entrance, private restroom, private lounge. And we also have a common area, so if people want to interact with other people, that can happen. It’s the best of both worlds.’

More: www.solidstatelogic.com