We have three comfortable, highly specced, and fully sound-proofed recording studios each consisting of a recording booth linked to a control room. Studios 1 and 2 share a green room space and studio 3 is larger and can accommodate guests in the control room. Studios 1 and 3 can be arranged for up to four mics for multi-voice audiobooks, dramas or podcasts.

Technical specifications

MICROPHONES

Main studio microphones are Neumann U89s, chosen rather than the more common U87 since it has a hypercardioid pattern. Wonderfully transparent clean sound. We have three.

For multi-voice work, instruments and location work, we use AKG C1000Ss. We have four.

MIXER

For one or two voices in each studio, we feed directly into channels designed by Rupert Neve (see Preamp below), but for more, or where a premix is required, we have a Mackie Onyx 1220.

MIC PREAMPS AND OUTBOARD

Each studio has two channels designed by Rupert Neve, derived from the famous Neve mixing desks of the 1980s. They have wonderfully flexible and natural-sounding compression and EQ and a very transparent and airy quality, but we tend to just ‘tame’ the signal and leave it unprocessed, since the plug-ins on our Pro Tools system are so capable but non-destructive.

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION

We have the industry-standard Avid (Digidesign) Pro Tools running on Apple Macintosh computers through RME Fireface UFX interfaces.

MONITORING

Genelec monitor loudspeakers in the control room.

Beyerdynamic and AKG headphones.

VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPH

Our high-end Canon DSLR camera and ARRI and Rotolight lighting are available for professional quality stills and video up to 4K.

OTHER DEVICES

We can still read and transfer DATs and audio CD-Rs.

Tascam Portable flash card recorder DR-100 MKII for location recording.

WORKING PRACTICE

We believe that the relationship between reader and producer is crucial to any recording. Our spacious green rooms facilitate planning and discussion in order to ensure the best performance possible. We have found that 90-minute recording blocks are best to maintain freshness and concentration, and it is usually possible to fit four of these in a working day.

We have a good record of facilitating great readings from first-time readers, or readers of their own material. For example, our recording of Elmear McBride reading her debut novel A Girl is a Half-formed Thing won an Earphone award.