Jun 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Mix Editors

MIX PRESENTS THIS YEAR'S COOLEST NEW STUDIOS

Photos: Jozef Richelieu and Steve Donato

Night Sky Sound SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

Longtime New York-based engineer/studio owner Steve Donato relocated his studio business to a Mediterranean-style estate in sunny San Diego last October. The facility was designed by Frank Perez-Perez of Dauntless Designs and the late Louis Altuna. The 800-square-foot Grand Live Room features a nonparallel design with 17-foot vaulted ceilings, custom woodwork, tile flooring and views of the rolling hills of San Diego County. A second, 450-square-foot live room includes custom fabric panels and bass traps, and stage-style lighting. Equipment includes a custom Allen & Heath Sigma console; Dynaudio Air 25 5.1 monitoring; vintage Neve, UREI and dbx processing; a large collection of vintage synths; and more in a control room that features floating floors, custom absorptive panels, bass traps and diffuser arrays, and the studio's trademark starry “sky.”

Rocking Horse Studio PITTSFIELD, N.H.

Photo: Nivea Howard/LocA PhotO

Designed by Michael Blackmer of Blackmer Sound (Cambridge, Mass.), Rocking Horse centers on a Trident Series 80B console and Pro Tools HD3. Monitoring is via ADAM S3As, Genelec 7070As and Yamaha NS-10s. Acoustical room features include Brazilian koa hardwood over floating floors, birch-panel spatial deflectors, broadband frequency absorbers and 20-foot cathedral ceilings. Among the studio's big attractions are its large live room and collection of vintage keys (Mellotron, Hammond A100 with Leslie, Optigan, Wurli, etc.). The studio also offers B&B accommodations in an 18th-century farmhouse.

Life Studios ROME, ITALY

Photo: Marco Del Bene

GGD Productions and recording artist Gigi D'Alessio own Life Studios, which was designed by Francis Manzella of FM Design. The live room is suitable for recording string sections and pop ensembles, and includes three iso areas with differing acoustic signatures. The control room is set up for 5.1 mixing with a custom Griffin monitor installation and projection system, as well as an SSL Duality console and Pro Tools HD. The rear of the control room also looks outdoors through a custom, clear acrylic RPG Diffusor.

Alexus Records KAWARTHA LAKES, ONTARIO

Photo: Marco Resendes

This production studio is owned by indie label Alexus Records (Toronto, Ontario). Designed by Marco Re sendes and Chris Tedesco of Rectech Rooms Inc., the facility includes a stereo control room, machine room, iso booth, tracking room and residential accommodations. Acoustical treatments include fabric panels to complement natural stone and wood sections, and a large diffuser wall in the high-ceiling live room. Alexus is equipped with an SSL 4056 G/G+ console, Pro Tools HD, custom Kranis K12 main monitors and Yamaha near-fields powered by Bryston amps.

Lime Studio South SANTA MONICA, CALIF.

Photo: Hanson Hsu

Hanson Hsu of Delta H Design Inc. designed the latest addition to one of Santa Monica's favorite post-production facilities catering to the film, television and advertising industries. Adjacent to the large, theatrical-style control room is an ADR/Foley booth as well as a visually appealing screening room for clientele. The 2,200-square-foot addition centers around the latest gear from Digidesign, Mackie and Genelec.