Location: Chicago, IL

Owners: Rollin Weary, Chris Harden, Jay Marino, and Shane Hendrickson, Manny Sanchez (CEO)

API Gear List: 32 channel 1608, 2500, [12] 550As, [2] API 550bs, [4] API 560As

Who's On the Desk:

• District 97 recorded their third full-length studio album, "In Vaults", with Chris Harden. Producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Counting Crows) tracked the forth-coming debut record by Canyon Spells (formerly Daniel and the Lion) with I.V. engineer Shane Hendrickson for Megaforce Records.
• Producer Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Lake Street Dive, Langhorne Slim) tracked Fort Frances with I.V. engineer Chris Harden for their release No One Needs to Know Our Name. Producer/engineer Greg Magers tracked MONAKR; a collaboration between Matthew Santos and Hey Champ. Ike Reilly's "Born on Fire" on Tom Morello's Firebrand Records with Chris Harden and Manny Sanchez.
• Other artists that have worked on the 1608 in the past include Mavis Staples, GRAMMY nominated band The North Mississippi Allstars, Umphrey's McGee, Hard Working Americans, Save the Clocktower, Sidewalk Chalk, Greg Ward, The Mutts, AM Taxi, and multi-platinum band Fallout Boy.

On API:
CEO Manny Sanchez discusses his process when deciding on an API: "I wanted a new console that maintained my love for analog but would also allow for a fairly simple analog/digital hybrid way of working. The API 1608 was basically a compact 500 series dream with all the pedigree of one of the finest console makers in the world. It was a fairly easy decision when I was comparing consoles within my budget. There was really no competition in the price range."

"I have been using API equipment my entire career and I will continue to use it. There's a consistency of quality that I can count on which is invaluable in today's fast-paced working environment."

"I love that it is an amazing sounding console whether you are tracking or mixing and it easily suits several different styles of production. We have several engineers that use the console and cater their own experience to their liking very easily. It has been one of the best purchases that the studio has ever made and it continues to produce results with little maintenance several years since its installation."

API's "From the Desk of" is a semi-monthly feature showcasing activity in studios with API gear. If you'd like to have your studio covered please contact Jen Schiller: jschiller [at] apiaudio [dot] com.