Part of a rebranding and major equipment upgrade, West Australian Sound Production (Wasp) Studios has recently installed a Solid State Logic AWS 948 hybrid mising console/ DAW controller.
‘We saw the AWS 948 at a local distributor and were immediately blown away by the sound quality,’ says facility owner and engineer, Derek Fernandez.
‘We use an iZ Technology Radar system for capture, so we loaded a file I had previously recorded using our digital console and played it back from Radar’s analogue outputs through the AWS. The sound of the console was awesome, revealing every detail of the music. I thought that using high-end outboard gear –including an SSL XLogic X-Rack full of mic preamps and EQ – would give me the clarity I needed, but that was only one piece of the puzzle. Having the AWS takes our sound to a higher level.’
Fernandez and his brother were co-owners of the the Perth facility when it was known as Gerico Recording Studios, opened in 1983. In 2011, Derek became sole proprietor and began requipping the control room and rebranding with the Wasp name. Today, the facility offers a comfortable control room with a recording space large enough for a six-piece band and an abundance of high-end outboard gear and microphones.
‘Before the AWS, we used my analogue outboard gear as the input path to the digital console,’ Fernandez explains. ‘Once in the console, we would record to the digital inputs of the Radar system. It was a major pain to recall a session and all the outboard gear settings. With the AWS, our workflow is now streamlined as the console acts like an outboard signal router that also has automation and the Total Recall system.’
In operation, the studio hosts international and local bands performing everything from Brazilian Pan-Pot dance music, blues, rock, jazz and funk to traditional English dulcimer music.
‘With the digital console, I had to fight the desk to get the sound, even when using a high-end mic pre,’ Fernandez adds. ‘With the AWS, there’s no problem. A bit of EQ here, a little level tweaking and the sound is right in front of you, clear as day. The AWS easily lets us capture the essence of any style of music with a sonic honesty that delivers every nuance of the creative intent of the client.’
More: www.solidstatelogic.com
