Sydney, Australia - October 2014:
A self-proclaimed 'analog-minded person,' Nick Irving, owner of Studio One Flight Up in Sydney, works with independent singers, songwriters and musicians who are driven to create great records. While the studio is home to several vintage analog outboard gear pieces, Irving wanted a brand-new, reliable analog console to bring together the sound he works to achieve. Deb Sloss of Studio Connections Australia advised him towards a 32-channel API 1608 console, fitted with twenty-four classic API 550A EQs, and eight 560 EQs.

"It's a dream console, really," said Irving. "Computers make great multi-track recorders, but for the actual work of recording and mixing sessions, I need to be 'hands-on'." The moveable size of the 1608 played a role in Irving's decision, allowing the studio to eventually grow into a new building. It also comes in 16-channel sections, allowing the actual console to expand, or even be retrofitted. "It's chock full of API's sensational EQs and mic preamps, silky-smooth faders, nice, bright, clear LED lights in all the buttons, and full metering with the brightly-lit VU meters."

Studio One Flight Up uses the 1608 for both recording and mixing needs. "My sounds just get better and better now that I have an API console. Switching the metering between input and direct out is fantastic and very useful. Having buttons to engage the insert points is also a great and useful feature." With the 1608, Irving and his crew do not need extra DI boxes, as each channel of the console has an instrument input. "It's also great that the power supplies are quiet enough that they don't have to be housed in a separate machine room," Irving added.

Now that the studio renovations are complete, "it is proving to be lots of fun. We're really enjoying working on the API console. Everything I've done on it sounds fantastic — solid, crisp, clear." Irving proclaimed, "I'll never need another console in my lifetime!"