Taipei’s J.studio commercial recording facility has made a Neve 8424 console the centrepiece of its main control room, bringing the routing flexibility, modularity and freedom it needs to combine a modern, digital workflow with its extensive collection of analogue outboard equipment.

Audio engineer Zhu Chiao Chen opened J.studio in 2019, and now offers recording, mixing and mastering services to clients from musical genres including classical, jazz, EDM and pop.

‘We especially love working with Taiwanese indie bands as many have had their full creative potential realised in our studio space,’ Zhu says. ‘Our approach is to bridge old school gear and apply modern techniques to achieve sonically unique results. The studio is equipped with Urei 813C main monitors and we love collecting all types of vintage audio gear. The 8424 console is what connects everything together.’

Zhu’s background in audio encompasses live sound to composing, producing and directing music festivals. However, it was his love of recording that inspired him to open J.studio, and to this end he has created a perfectly acoustically treated environment that allows him ‘to pick out every detail of the music, without compromise’.

J.studio’s new 8424 replaces an older console that had reached the end of its working life: ‘We were starting to encounter a lot of problems because buttons and knobs were slowly wearing out and this was hindering our workflow,’ Zhu explains. ‘As an alternative, the 8424 was an affordable option in this market segment and it allows us to seamlessly use the gear we want to use alongside it. Plus we are big fans of the iconic Neve sound.’

He adds that he prefers to use a hybrid workflow that delivers the best of both analogue and digital worlds: ‘I initially assign all my channels, groups, sums etc to the console,’ he says. ‘We have six Switchcraft 9625 patchbays that are connected to a lot of 500 series gear. This allows us to maximize the space we have in our studio and create a more ergonomic environment to work in. At this point, I’ll be ready to start mixing, and use a combination of outboard gear and software plug-ins to achieve my mix.’

The 8424 console has helped Zhu improve his workflow and has integrated with J.studio’s collection of analogue outboard equipment. ‘Another benefit is that it retains an analogue signal path, but allows digital control,’ he says. ‘This means we can preserve a vintage tone while benefiting from modern workflow enhancements.’

Like many businesses, J.studio has had to come to terms with the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic that has seen many sectors, especially live music, take an unprecedented hit. Determined to be part of the solution, Zhu Chiao Chen and J.studio hosted a live jazz show that was broadcast from the studio to Japan.

‘The show was performed by Taiwanese musicians playing in our studio, and broadcast via the internet to another jazz band in Japan,’ he says. ‘They performed the show in real time with the Taiwanese musicians for a live audience. Being able to connect musicians from two different countries and have them play as if they were in the same space was a very humbling experience and it was a huge honour to be involved in this project.’

The studio is also currently producing a rock band consisting of Taiwanese indigenous people, using a mixture of modern instruments and the traditional Taiwanese instruments. ‘This is proving to be a really fun experience,’ Zhu Chiao Chen adds.