Blog

ARI Melbourne Gear Talk

Abbey Road Institute Melbourne is home to state-of-the-art recording technologies both digital and analog. Our students here get their hands on amazing equipment from day one.

From the beginning of our course, students start in our Avid S6 production studio. In this studio, they begin the journey of audio production. Including principles of mixing and the basics of audio signal flow. The Avid S6 is a modular control surface, it is the most advanced control surface ever built. It has been designed for flexible workflows and used throughout the world in leading studios.

If you’re into gear as much as we are, here’s a comprehensive overview of what is under the hood at Abbey Road Institute Melbourne!

Avid S6 console:

This is our state of the art control surface. This console is primarily used for mixing in the digital world. The Avid S6 allows us to teach advanced mixing methods and advanced post production workflows. As the S6 is a highly flexible console, students are able to create their own unique workflows.

Students also have the ability in this studio to work on their productions utilizing our Apogee interfaces. Using these units we can use up to 16 high-quality preamps. This allows students to really utilize this space as not only a mixing space but as a full production space.

Universal Audio – Apollo Twin Interfaces:  

These units are used as interfaces throughout our classroom and edit suites. The UA Apollo twin is a powerful little unit, these units give our students access to the full UA plugin list and the ability to use UA’s console feature. Console, allows us to use digitally modeled analogue equipment in our signal chain as if we were running our signal in an analogue studio. The Twin has a versatile monitoring section, two high-quality preamps, and a Hi-Z input for instruments. These interfaces are a key piece of equipment for our students here at ARI.

API 1608 Console:

Thierry Boudan Photography Abbey Road institute Opening

The API 1608 is our analogue console here at ARI. This is a fantastic console for our students to learn fundamentals and advanced analogue signal flow knowledge. This includes the use of a patchbay and outboard equipment.

The API 1608 is an amazing sounding console, perfect for all recording and mixing situations. Our API is fitted out with the API 550a 3 band EQ’s and the API 560 Graphic EQ’s. Students also have access to a great range of selected outboard including compressors such as the LA-2a, 1073  preamps, UA channel strips and multi-FX units.
T.C. Electronics M6000 Multi Effects Unit:    

This is a multi-effect unit that has lots of different reverbs, delays, choruses, and other effects built into it. It is controlled with a touch screen remote that sits on top of the console. It enables the students to get their hands on a state of the art system that is found in pretty much every major studio. As it is a complicated unit, it takes the students time to learn how to use it. Once they have an in-depth understanding of this unit, it gives them an experience with using a high-quality multi-effects unit. The M6000 can be seen in studios all around the world, it is a sought-after piece of equipment. The reverbs on this unit sound amazing!!
Shadow Hills Dual Vandergraph Compressor:

This is a high quality 500 series stereo compressor. It decreases the dynamic range whilst giving a “warmth”. to the signal and helping “glue”. the mix together. This is a fantastic compressor to insert across the mix buss and your drum buss. By using this compressor students get a good understanding of compression, and how a little touch of compression can go a long way.

Shadow Hills have a history in building high-quality mastering compressors,  the Dual Vandergraph packs a huge punch in a small package.

Coles 4038 Stereo Ribbon Pair:

micrtophone-fullsizerender

These microphones have to be in our top five favorite microphones. They have a very flat frequency response and a beautiful smooth tone. The 4038’s have a rich recording history, and can be heard throughout albums across multiple generations and genres.

The Coles 4038 are just one of many prized microphones that we are lucky to have in our huge microphone collection. For more information on our microphones here at Abbey Road institute, check out our previous blog  http://blog.abbeyroadinstitute.com.au/abbey-road-institutes-house-microphone/

If you would like to see first hand the amazing gear that we have and enquire about the Advanced Diploma of Sound Production we invite you to join us for our October Open Day by clicking here. (blog.abbeyroadinstitute.com.au/october-open-day)