With their first two albums hitting the top of the UK charts, indie-rock band Hard-Fi were keen to upgrade their Cherry Lips studio and get to work on the next. Central to their ambitions was the installation of an Audient ASP4816 analogue mixing console. ‘It is straightforward, easy to use and sounds great – and we have really noticed that,’ says vocalist and guitarist, Richard Archer. I like the compact nature of it, there isn’t too much to worry about.’

The first song out of the new set-up was a cover of ‘Quick Joey Small’, originally a sixties hit for Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus. With the improved studio proven, the band got back to work on more material and exploring the options the new desk gives them: ‘There are a lot of little features that make your life easier,’ says Archer, who is as happy in the studio as he is fronting the band. ‘The ability to switch either path onto the long faders is great. We love the bus compressor too.’

Offering the key features of a large format recording console, the compact, cost-effective ASP4816 features Audient’s design and analogue circuitry. ‘Everything just seems really immense,’ Archer says.

Formed in 2003 in London, Hard-Fi reached number one with their debut album Stars of CCTV and have sold 1.25m copies worldwide to date. The follow-up Once Upon A Time in the West also hit No1 the UK album chart.

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