Power Station New England has installed a Neve 8068 MkII mixing console as part of an extensive studio expansion. ‘We waited patiently until this historic console came to Vintage King,’ recalls Studio Director Mike DiBiase. ‘We felt that the board needed to be as legendary as the room it was going into.’
Founded in 1995 and located in Waterford, Connecticut, the studio’s recent upgrade centres on its renowned Studio A control room and its recording space with signature 35ft dome, plus four isolation spaces, Power Station NE recreates the design and acoustics of the original Power Station in New York City, which was built in 1976. Power Station was one of the most awarded recording studios in history, thanks to an acoustical design that contributed to hundreds of Gold and Platinum records.
The console was originally installed at Electric Lady Studio in NYC in 1979, and was later located at Record Plant in NYC and most recently at Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota. The console played a role in historic recordings by such artists as John Lennon, AC/DC, Van Halen, and Nirvana.
The studio enlisted console meistro Ed Evans to consult and oversee the restoration and modification of the 8068. Evans conceived and designed all the modifications for the console and between him and the Vintage King shop all modifications were meticulously executed.
‘We cleaned the frame inside and out, cleaned all the wiring looms, and then we recapped and serviced every module in the desk,’ says Vintage King Console Technician Rich Hunt describing the restoration. ‘We cleaned all the switches and replaced all the faders with new P&G faders. We had new faceplates made, recovered the armrest, and did new woodwork on the sides.’
‘It’s always nice when the team that services the board can come out and install it, because we did final testing at Vintage King and then this 40-year old board travelled a couple thousand miles across the country,’ says Vintage King Audio Consultant, Jeff Leibovich. ‘We love it when we are able to see it through to final install, to make sure the job is done to our standards and working flawlessly.’
‘We put Vintage King through the ringer during its restoration and at the end of the day they knocked it out of the park,’ DiBiase concluded. ‘There is something about this console that’s just magic.’
More: https://vintageking.com
