STUDIOS
-
At Alphabet Electrical, we use RME conversion. We have 28 channel of D/A and 28 channels of A/D. The converter units are
-
1 x RME UFX
-
2 x RME ADI 8 DS
-
-
DAWs:
-
Pro Tools
-
Ableton Live
-
-
Tascam 122MKIII Professional Cassette Recorder
Our console is a Pacific Recorders & Engineering ABX 18 configured for 20x4x2 operation. I bought it in South Carolina in the summer of 2014 and have lovingly restored and modified it over the last few years. It was built with the highest quality components (Jensen transformers and discrete opamps, Penny & Giles faders, Grayhill switches, etc…) in order to be reliable enough for broadcast use. Modifications include:
-
Improved monitor section
-
Microphone channels modified for line operation as well
-
Processor bay retrofitted to accept 500 series modules
-
Ioaudio Mk7 - I built this from a partial kit supplied by a German called Max Kircher. It is a U47-styled microphone that uses an EF86 tube. The M7-type capsule was made by a Canadian called Dale Ulan. It sounds very good and is a good choice for vocals, drum room mic, acoustic guitar, and anywhere else you might use a large-diaphragm condenser.
-
Advanced Audio CM 47-Fet - This microphone is for your kick drum.
-
2x AKG C414 B-ULS - Large-diaphragm, solid state condensors
-
Modified Apex 205 - Cheap ribbon with a fancy, Lundahl transformer.
-
2x Sennheiser MD421U - bass cabinets, etc… We like them for guitar cabs.
-
Shure SM7 - Large diaphragm dynamic mics popular in broadcast and famously used to record Michael Jackson’s vocals for the “Thriller” record. Good for certain voices, guitar cabs…
-
3x Shure SM-57 - These are Shure SM57s.
-
Coles 4038 - Classic BBC-designed ribbon mic.
-
Beyerdynamic M88N(C)
-
Astatic Model 77-L
The following mics are available to use on most sessions:
-
Warm Audio WA-47U
-
2x Royer R10
-
2x Warm Audio WA-87
-
3x Audio Technica ATM230
-
Beyerdynamic M88TG
-
Beyerdynamic M201TG
-
DBX 165 - This is basically a 160VU with adjustable attack and release controls. You can bypass the attack and release controls and turn it into a 160VU with the ‘AUTO’ button. Awesome for many things
-
Gates Sta-Level - The Gates Sta-Level is a “variable-mu” broadcast compressor designed in the 1950’s. It uses the famous 6386 tube for gain reduction. The meter is scaled for 45dB gain reduction, which is crazy. It can do massive amounts of gain reduction without batting an eye. Ours is modified with a breakout panel that has adjustable attack and release controls, microphone/line input select, and a hard bypass. Useful for vocals and many other things.
-
Stereo Pico VCA compressor - This the DIY ancestor of the Foote Control Systems compressor. It has 3 selectable detector circuits and but no user control over attack and release times. It is very transparent and useful for mix-bus duties and other stereo sources.
-
Valley People Dyna-Mite Stereo Compressor- This is the most obvious, grabbiest, smashiest, nastiest compressor we own. It is also a gate and an expander. It has user-definable release, but not attack. It is really cool for drum bus and anything else you want to destroy. It does not do subtle.
-
Sound Workshop 242A Stereo Spring Reverb - Classic-sounding spring reverb.
-
Yamaha E1010 Analog Delay - Really cool analog delay. Echos are pretty low in fidelity. Try adjusting the delay time while its working for cool pitch-shifting of the echos. Makes a great slap-back box. Pretty noisy, so watch your gain staging.
-
4x Auditronics 110 Channel Strips - From my old console. Overdrive these on drums. 3-band eqs with 2 frequencies per band. These use the “swinging input” topology and are very similar to API 553s.
-
8x Yamaha MLA8 Preamplifiers- Clean and easy: transformerless, 26dB pad, low-pass filter, phantom power switchable on each channel.
-
Klark Teknik DN-22 Graphic EQ - Stereo, 11-band graphic EQ
-
Stereo Cinema Engineering 7080 Tube Graphic EQ - Now this is a neat one. From what I understand, this was the first graphic eq ever made. When I bought it, it did not have the control section with the sliders and I had to recreate that section on rotary switches. It uses a pretty unique active topology where the cathode of a tube stage is bypassed only at a particular frequency for boost. The frequencies are 63, 160, 400, 1000, 2500, & 6300, and the steps are 1dB. I like to use it on the 2-bus sometimes.
-
Arp Omni - Do not sleep on this synthesizer. It is broken into a string section and a synthesizer section. It uses a divide-down method to generate all the notes and thus is paraphonic (you can play all the keys at once, but there is only one filter and VCA). It has a phaser/chorus built in. The synth section has a beautiful-sounding filter that shares the same envelope as the VCA. It is capable of super spacey 70’s sounds and really mean/funky bass. The string section is equally amazing and sounds stunning through the SoundToys Microshift (Eventide H3000 Micro Pitch Shift).
-
Yamaha CS-15 Synthesizer - 2 oscillators, 2 multi-mode filters, 2 envelopes, plus portamento and glide. A beast of a monosynth.
-
Wurlitzer 140B - The older sibling of the 200A, this is a real Wurlitzer and sounds deep and beautiful.
-
Farfisa Compact - Fuzzy psych/garage organ and a real looker. Sounds incredible.
-
Akai AX-73 - The AX-73 is a 6-voice analog polysynth from the 1980s. It has a horrible programming interface (one data slider and keys to cycle through parameters) but it is capable of some cool sounds. It functions as a 73-key midi controller as well. The AX-73 uses the Curtis CEM3394 “synth-on-a-chip”. It can do great pads, a decent bass, and good leads.
-
Ableton Push 2 - Excellent and unique midi controller
-
Silvertone Bobkat/Harmony H15 - Garage guitar with gold foil DeArmond pickups
-
Silvertone 1431 - Small, sing-ended tube amp. Sounds awesome.
-
Alphabet Electrical Tremo-Champ - Mostly a 5e3 tweed champ circuit with the vibrato from a blackface Vibro Champ.
RECORDERS
MIXERS
MICROPHONES
OUTBOARD GEAR
MONITORING
INSTRUMENTS
-
Proac Studio 100s
-
Yamaha P-2200 power amp
-
Genelec 1092A Subwoofer
-
Rane HC Six Channel Heapdphone Amp
Equipment
Listen to a few things we've worked on to get an idea of the quality of work we do.
Services & Rates
Need beats? Need a score for your video project? Need an experienced second set of ears for your songs, performances, or recordings? Let us help - we can create custom compositions to meet your needs or you can browse our beat store for something that fits your vibe.
MUSIC PRODUCTION:
$20 per hour
Wether you recorded here, at home, or at another studio, we want to mix your record and make it sound incredible. We have the tools and experience to make your music have the impact you want it to.
MIXING:
$20 per hour
No matter where you recorded and mixed your music, bring it to us to provide the professional finishing touches and you can be sure it will sound great when goes into the world.
MASTERING:
$20 per hour
At Alphabet Electrical, we take care of the sound so that you can focus on the performance. We have the facilities and the experience to make your recording sound great.
RECORDING
$20 per hour (Engineer incl.)
