Independent Portuguese audiovisual project Porta 253 has been using the Audient iD14 MkII audio interface to produce artistic films on YouTube, and was recently invited by TV network Canal180 to curate a selection of pieces recorded around the city of Braga.
Founded by Joana Jorge in 2015, Porta 253 aims to promote Portuguese music by filming intimate, 20-minute concerts and interviews with local and international artists in unusual settings. Jorge is the creative mind behind the project, often selecting the venue – which could be anywhere from an ice cream shop to a railway station – as well as handling video direction and editing of each performance.
Producer João Figueiredo looks after all things audio and, since the arrival of his iD14 MkII, he has put the Audient audio interface front and centre of the production – for every Porta 253 project requiring just two audio channels, the iD14 MkII is his go-to interface.
‘I love the audio quality: stellar preamps, very clean, transparent and articulated, with lots of headroom and very low noise floor,’ he says. ‘Also the DACs which contribute to the overall clarity and articulation of the soundscape,’ he says. Indeed when he’s back in the studio, iD14 MkII is the main interface for mixing as well as recording.
‘As I use an external stereo compressor, the 2-input/4-output configuration of iD14 MkII makes it the perfect combo,’ he continues. ‘I run the mix from the DAW through Outputs 3/4 into the compressor, then back again to my DAW via Inserts 1/2 – always monitoring via Outputs 1/2 either on my monitors or headphones. This means – amongst other things – that I use the Audient’s preamps as makeup gain after compression.
‘I also love how easy it is to mute/select/mono your outputs; the internal routing options and the iD button feature for “blind” tuning of every parameter inside the DAW. As for the drivers, I have never had any issue with them, even with very low buffer/latency levels.’
Reflecting on the early days of Porta 253, Figueiredo says: ‘I had very little to no gear at all when we started; a condenser mic and a DI box.’ Finding quirky locations for performances such as a cocktail bar, riverbank or rooftop – although aesthetically stunning, can make capturing audio tricky. ‘If recording full bands in places with no sound treatment at all wasn’t hard enough, try doing it with barely no gear.’
Happily Figueiredo’s dedication has allowed him to grow his set-up to align with his ambitions: ‘Eventually, I had all the gear I needed to do a good job, but most importantly the skillset to use it: some experience, a full cup of ingenuity and lots of eagerness to do better.’
Figueiredo started picking up studio work, recording full length albums, EP’s and live sessions, setting himself up as a music production studio, Senhor Engenheiro Recordings (Mr Engineer Recordings) ‘Nowadays I record using a 24-channel digital mixer, my laptop and mostly close mics and direct inputs, because I have to get the best sound I can without relying on ambience,’ he explains. ‘Nevertheless, I still don’t own an actual studio – only a treated room where I do some of the recordings, my own room and a lot of nomad work.’
The iD14 MkII also has its benefits when it comes to those location recordings too, as it is powered via his computer. ‘It’s very easy to carry in a backpack wherever you go, without the need for an external power supply.’
Porta 253 has built up an extensive video library of performances and interviews on its YouTube channel, continuing to shine a light on interesting, independent artists.
More: www.audient.com
