Who:Marty Lester

What:Chief Engineer

Where:Austin, Texas

API Gear:512cs, 2 lunchboxes®, 3124+

"The first studio I ever had a real job in had a custom API console, mic pre, 550EQ, pan pot and a fader. When I left, I learned just how lucky I was and how much I missed that gear. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have API mic preamps available for me to use for more than 20 years.

"One day, I shot out every mic preamp I had at my disposal to find out which one had the best DI for a Fender bass. The API had the most low frequency extension and a tight sound across the audio spectrum.

"It's fun to still find real value in hardware, and for my remove recording rig I couldn't be more pleased with the 3124+ and the three lunchboxes full of mic preamps. They're portable, reconfigurable and durable. I've never had a technical issue with any API gear, [and] nearly every project I've worked on in the last 20 years has included at least one API unit of some sort."

Beginning as a small studio in 1996, Tequila Mockingbird has been creating music and sound for radio and television commercials, film, DVD, CD, the Internet and live broadcast for more than 15 years. The studio's chief engineer Marty Lester comes from a background of studio music production but has since branched out into remote recording. Some of Lester's and Tequila Mockingbird's clients include Ani DiFranco, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Jack Black, Alejandro Escovedo and Internet public radio station KCRW's "Morning Becomes Electric."

More: tequilamockingbird.com; Facebook
Contact: email: cheetah@tequilamockingbird.com; Phone: 512-499-8655; Twitter