29th December 2009
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#1 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | New API 1608 Console Install
I believe Luis (studio owner) already mentioned this over in the post-production forum, but I thought it appropriate to mention it here.
After many years with an API Legacy, Signature Sound here in San Diego has migrated over to a custom designed hybrid 32 channel API 1608 / control surface setup. Thanks to everyone involved, including Vintage King Audio whom sincerely helped this thing develop from concept to reality.
For those interested in the details, it's an API 1608 with 16 channel expander. The center section is configurable for a separate control surface, which currently is a D Command, but flexible enough to change along with the times. The left side of the 1608 is mounted on a rail system that allows it to slide to make room for additional control surface fader packs, etc for mixing. One of my biggest gripes, computer monitor placement, has been addressed with a custom mounted transportable screen.
Did I mention it sounds INCREDIBLE!?
Christian
P.S. - The Legacy is now for sale on the VK website. If you're looking for one, you'd be hard pressed to find one better - and it's got a cool history! API Legacy 48 Channel Desk (used)   
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Recording Person / Agent of Good Sound
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29th December 2009
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#2 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2002 Location: The Lowcountry
Posts: 1,585
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Great idea on the sliding rails !
You are gonna love that console over time... it's magically delicious !
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29th December 2009
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#3 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 895
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Ive been there before. Just curious-why the change?? How much was it??
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29th December 2009
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#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, TX / New Orleans, LA
Posts: 4,679
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big ups.. new toys are always nice. on top that, its also nice to see neat and clean studios. 
and BTW, who designed your studio? The front wall looks similar to one here in Dallas.
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29th December 2009
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#5 | | Gear nut
Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Ghent, Belgium
Posts: 90
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Woow! Gorgeous setup, very clever!
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29th December 2009
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#6 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubbakron  Ive been there before. Just curious-why the change?? How much was it?? | Mostly I think it was just time for a change, but certainly it was a way to integrate the DAW more efficiently into the room. I couldn't answer the cost cost question.
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29th December 2009
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#7 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by nukmusic big ups.. new toys are always nice. on top that, its also nice to see neat and clean studios.
and BTW, who designed your studio? The front wall looks similar to one here in Dallas. | That would be a great question for Luis - the studio owner. To clarify, it's not my studio, just a project I was involved with and a room where I spend tons of time. I believe the original construction was in the late 70s, but I know it's gone over several major re-designs since.
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29th December 2009
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#8 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Feb 2006 Location: Sevilla, Spain
Posts: 185
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Congratulations.
I think that watch your new console makes more happy to everybody in the forum.
Thank you for those pics.
Wonderful.
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30th December 2009
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#9 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 696
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You....son...of...a...bitch! No seriously, that setup looks totally amazing. Even for an all analog guy I love the way you setup the monitor for workflow. Great hybrid system, I'm sure it sounds ridiculously good!thumbsup
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"Ever hear of Planet of the Apes?"
"Uh...the movie or the planet?"
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30th December 2009
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#10 | | Gear addict
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 467
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Amazing looking desk. I am setting up my 1608 today, with a modest sterling desk. However this is just on another level all together.
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30th December 2009
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#11 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2003 Location: Palma+Stuttgart
Posts: 1,611
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That looks really great, congratulations.
BTW, did you get inspired by this mockup that appeared on these very same forums more than 2 years ago?   | |
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30th December 2009
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#12 | | www.circlestudios.co.uk
Joined: May 2007 Location: UK
Posts: 2,938
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Christian_C I believe Luis (studio owner) already mentioned this over in the post-production forum, but I thought it appropriate to mention it here.
After many years with an API Legacy, Signature Sound here in San Diego has migrated over to a custom designed hybrid 32 channel API 1608 / control surface setup. Thanks to everyone involved, including Vintage King Audio whom sincerely helped this thing develop from concept to reality.
For those interested in the details, it's an API 1608 with 16 channel expander. The center section is configurable for a separate control surface, which currently is a D Command, but flexible enough to change along with the times. The left side of the 1608 is mounted on a rail system that allows it to slide to make room for additional control surface fader packs, etc for mixing. One of my biggest gripes, computer monitor placement, has been addressed with a custom mounted transportable screen.
Did I mention it sounds INCREDIBLE!?
Christian
P.S. - The Legacy is now for sale on the VK website. If you're looking for one, you'd be hard pressed to find one better - and it's got a cool history! API Legacy 48 Channel Desk (used) | This is pretty much exactly the setup I have settled on for my new CR. Awesome to see it in the flesh (rather than just in my mind's eye!)
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30th December 2009
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#13 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Austin, Texas USofA
Posts: 1,680
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That's totally cool! We got our 1608 last week but your integration of the DAW control surface rocks. Our control room is only wide enough for a 32- banger with sidecar patchbay so, sadly, we'll have to use a mouse to drive Pro Tools.
__________________
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
- Hunter S. Thompson should have said this, but didn't www.yellowdogstudios.com | |
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30th December 2009
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#14 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2004 Location: mexico
Posts: 5,050
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wow, simply beautiful bro, congratulations. don't think i've seen as elegant a hybrid solution anywhere.
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30th December 2009
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#15 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,962
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That is nothing but sweet
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31st December 2009
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#16 | | 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended.
Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Boston
Posts: 7,119
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wow, sweet
I like your homemade neve 'sidecar' too..
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31st December 2009
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#17 | | Lives for gear
Joined: May 2004 Location: Los Angeles ,Ca.
Posts: 9,409
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Hey Christian who did the outer woodwork/desk,etc?
I need something like that for our 1608  | |
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31st December 2009
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#18 | | 500 series nutjob
Joined: Nov 2004 Location: 500 series Guru SKANK! ; )
Posts: 11,287
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congrats!  | |
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31st December 2009
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#19 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Mexico City
Posts: 641
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whooooaaaa man that's inspiring
beautiful, congrats
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31st December 2009
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#20 | | 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended.
Joined: May 2009 Location: SJCap
Posts: 1,148
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looks great man...nice job.
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31st December 2009
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#21 | | Gear interested
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 14
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Awesome setup all the way down to the wood grain rack spacer!!!
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31st December 2009
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#22 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2006 Location: San Francisco/LA
Posts: 1,934
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Once again, perfection has been achieved.
PS. Your Neve sidecar is soooo sweet.
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31st December 2009
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#23 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Sasquatch, OR
Posts: 4,636
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looks great. Luis is a great guy.
just want to add my 2 cents. signature sound is a great studio w/great people and lot's of resources to meet the needs of any kind of session. they're very well established and have been in continuous operation for a long long time. i worked there for a few years and learned A LOT from all the great people there.
their studio B is also quite excellent.
1st class facility/people. congrats on the changes looks awesome. | |
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1st January 2010
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#24 | | Gear Guru
Joined: May 2008 Location: Mountain View, CA
Posts: 12,255
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Oy! People with better toys than me suck, man :-)
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1st January 2010
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#25 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Chicago
Posts: 509
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Christian_C I believe Luis (studio owner) already mentioned this over in the post-production forum, but I thought it appropriate to mention it here.
After many years with an API Legacy, Signature Sound here in San Diego has migrated over to a custom designed hybrid 32 channel API 1608 / control surface setup. Thanks to everyone involved, including Vintage King Audio whom sincerely helped this thing develop from concept to reality.
For those interested in the details, it's an API 1608 with 16 channel expander. The center section is configurable for a separate control surface, which currently is a D Command, but flexible enough to change along with the times. The left side of the 1608 is mounted on a rail system that allows it to slide to make room for additional control surface fader packs, etc for mixing. One of my biggest gripes, computer monitor placement, has been addressed with a custom mounted transportable screen.
Did I mention it sounds INCREDIBLE!?
Christian
P.S. - The Legacy is now for sale on the VK website. If you're looking for one, you'd be hard pressed to find one better - and it's got a cool history! API Legacy 48 Channel Desk (used) | This is my favorite board to mix on!
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1st January 2010
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#26 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by RoundBadge Hey Christian who did the outer woodwork/desk,etc?
I need something like that for our 1608 | A good friend / carpenter based here in So Cal. PM me if you'd like his contact info. He's done a couple of custom desks now that are very tasteful and have an artistic flair to them.
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1st January 2010
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#27 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by toneguru Once again, perfection has been achieved.
PS. Your Neve sidecar is soooo sweet. | Thanks. Thinking about moving the Neves back into the producer rack behind the listening position. It gets hard to get to them when the patch bay starts filling up. That aside, they may stay there as it looks damn cool!
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6th January 2010
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#28 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego
Posts: 31
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Reid Firstly looks amazing..
What was the reason for changing out the Legacy at your studio ?
It seems to me the Legacy has 4 band eq, dynamics and gates
on every channel whereas the 1608 is much more basic.
Just wondering as they are both made by API, are meant
to be similar in sound but one has way more features. | Well, for one, there are really two different Legacy models - the API Legacy and the API Legacy Plus. The Legacy Plus includes a 225L comp/limiter and a 235L gate, the Legacy does not. The console here was a standard Legacy.
Secondly, I would say the rest is a matter of preference. The new setup allows for a different approach to integrating Pro Tools (or any other DAW for that matter). The Legacy has much more routing options, but depending on your application, that may not be necessary.
-C
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19th January 2010
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#29 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,532
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Originally Posted by getajobhippies Awesome setup all the way down to the wood grain rack spacer!!! | Agreed! This looks lovely. | |
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26th January 2010
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#30 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Hollywood
Posts: 1,580
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Momma  | |
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