The Studio

photo by Maggie Dee  

Services

  • Production
  • Audio Recording
  • Mixing
  • Mastering
  • Video Recording
  • Editing
  • Live Performance

Catherine North Studios has been around since 2000. It was owned by Dan Achen, and is now operated by his good friends Duke Foster and Michael Chambers.

Tracking Room (Upstairs)

The tracking room is an open concept church space that is fantastic for live off the floor tracking captured live with isolation. This enables great live performances while capturing the drums at their best and deciding what other instruments to re-track later, if any. Equipment includes vintage Neumann, Neve, API, Universal Audio with Pro Tools. We also have a MCI 500 C series console with an MCI JH-24 two inch 24 track tape machine for the pure analog experience.

Mixing Room (Downstairs)

The lower floor studio has a Pro Tools HD and a Control 24 console. This room is for mixing, editing and post production.

Equipment List

Consoles

  • MCI 500C (tracking room)
  • Digidesign Control 24 (mixing room)

Preamps

  • Neve 1272 × 8
  • Neve 1073 × 2
  • TM-Audio 1272
  • Tubetech MP1-A
  • API 512 × 2
  • Universal Audio 6176 (610 tube preamp/1176 limiter)
  • MCI console with Jensen transformers × 32

Recorders and DAWs

  • MCI JH 24 two inch analog 24 track
  • Digidesign Pro Tools HD × 2

Software

  • Digidesign Pro Tools
  • Apple Logic Pro (Logic, WaveBurner, SoundTrack, etc.)
  • Plugins from Waves, McDSP, Eventide, Bomb Factory and more

Equalizers

  • Neve 1073 × 2
  • API 550b × 2
  • API 553 – 3 band  fixed frequency × 2

Compressors/Limiters/Gates

  • Empirical Labs Distressor EL-8X
  • Urei LA-4 Blackface limiters × 4
  • Universal Audio 6176 (610 tube preamp/1176 limiter)
  • Compex/ADR stereo compressor (original series)
  • Tubetronics stereo tube compressor (LA2A style)
  • DBX 160X compressor

Monitoring Systems

  • K&H O 300 (pair)
  • Dynaudio BM5A (pair)
  • Yamaha NS 10 (pair × 2)
  • Altec Lansing Model 19 (pair)

Outboard Effects

  • Eventide 3500 Harmonizer

Microphones

  • Telefunken U47 – tube condenser (original tube & capsule)
  • Neumann SM69 – stereo tube condenser
  • Sony C37A – tube condenser
  • AKG 414 – modified with CK12 capsule (sounds sweet & smooth)
  • RCA DX 77 ribbon
  • Altec/Western Electric 639 “bird cage” ribbon
  • Sennheiser 504s
  • Sennheiser 421 and 521
  • Shure SM 7
  • Shure SM 57s
  • Shure SM 58s
  • Many more dynamics!

Amps and Cabs

  • Fender: Super, Deluxe (all vintage)
  • Vox: AC30, AC15, AC10 (all Vintage)
  • Marshall: 100 Watt plexi, 50 watt plexi, 4×12 cabs
  • Ampeg portaflex bass
  • Eden Nemesis bass

Instruments

These are all in-house instruments, other electric and acoustic guitars on request

  • Stratocaster ’57 re-issue
  • Gibson Les Paul Studio
  • Fender Telecaster
  • Danelectro Baritone guitar
  • Hammond B3 with Leslie
  • Mason and Risch 1907 upright grand
  • many vintage synths!

Direct Boxes

  • Jensen

Headphones

  • Sennheiser, AudioTechnica, Sony

Miscellaneous Gear

  • big box-o-vintage guitar pedals
  • big box-o-percussion instruments