StudioWhiteNoise Upgrades to the Rupert Neve Designs 5088
StudioWhiteNoise, originally established in Washington, DC, recently relocated to Orlando, Florida. With that move came a new console: a Rupert Neve Designs 5088, supplied by Vintage King Audio.
After establishing a presence in the DC music scene and touring nationwide with his band 23RAINYDAYS, StudioWhiteNoise founder Abe Elmazahi decided to focus more on music production. Elmazahi says, “Our philosophy has always been to create an atmosphere that inspired the best performance from our artists, and one that elevates their art to the next level…we are hopeful that we have achieved this in the new space.” The studio tends to work mostly on rock and hip-hop music, due to their experience in those areas, but Elmazahi is open to all types. “If we click on a personal level with a client, which is most important to us, we are happy to work with them regardless of genre.”
When the studio was moved to Orlando, Elmazahi says he knew it would be the perfect opportunity to do a complete overhaul of the studio design and workflow. The decision was made to move to a full analogue console, and “choosing the 5088 was a very easy choice for us.” According to Elmazahi, most of his favorite albums were recorded on Rupert’s vintage consoles. “To me, they have a distinct and recognizable character. In my quest to achieve that same flavor in my recordings, I realized that the only way to do so is through an authentic Rupert Neve Designs console.”
In the original establishment, Elmazahi had several pieces of Rupert Neve Designs gear including a rack of 511s, 543s, and 551s, plus the Portico II Master Buss Processor and 5059 Satellite. “Those pieces of gear helped us achieve an amazing sound, and when used in conjunction with one another, gave us that signature Neve sound.” Elmazahi’s new 5088 has an eight-channel mainframe with a penthouse of Shelford 5052s, a meterbridge, and SwiftMix™ automation. “I will never forget the first time I heard music running through this console. It is rare when a piece of gear exceeds your expectations, especially when expectations are so high. The best way to explain it is that ‘this is how the music should sound.’ The clarity is outstanding. We heard harmonics on prerecorded tracks that we have never heard before. It is simply amazing!”
“The headroom on this console is unmatched…the 90V power rails make it near impossible to overdrive. The best part is that if you do manage to push it hard enough, the overdrive is very nice and musical. I have even started to overdrive some channels purposely on tracks to use the distortion as an effect.”
Moving to an analog console from their previous workflow has also simplified the studio’s recording and mixing process. “The 5088 and 5052s immediately add the character and tone we’ve always sought. Therefore, less time is dedicated to the technical aspect of the process, and more time to the artistic side.”
The 5088 was also chosen due to its fully modular design. “When making such a big investment that will probably last you for the rest of your life, it is very comforting to know that you cannot outgrow it.”
StudioWhiteNoise uses Apogee conversion, and has an extensive collection of mics and instruments – paired with a Rupert Neve Designs RNDI, of course. To learn more about StudioWhiteNoise, you can visit their website below.
