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Studio Capabilities

The centerpiece of any studio is its console, and the Capricorn Sound Studios console is in an elite class.

Capricorn’s famous sound was born from the soul of API consoles, and that is how the famous sound will continue in a whole new class of API consoles. The main tracking room studio will feature a state-of-the-art, custom-built API 40-channel 2448 Series console.

Designed to the same standard of excellence as the 1608, Legacy AXS and Vision consoles, API proudly announces the debut of this new 2448 Recording Console. The 2448 offers a powerful and impressive feature set including dual inputs on each channel, stereo returns, and optionally, API’s new cross-platform Final TouchTM fader automation system. The 2448 expands API’s powerful line of world-class analog recording consoles and continues API’s 50-year legacy of combining functionality and reliability with the unmistakable warmth of the API sound.

Soundbooth

Capricorn API 2448 Console Features

  • 40 Channel Frame and Pro Tools center console monitor screen
  • Each channel equipped with Mic Pre and Equalizer
  • API 500 Series Equalizers
  • Each Channel features Dual Inputs (small fader rotary pot, pan, solo, mute, safe and flip)
  • 88 Channels available to the Mix Bus
  • 8 Multitrack Buses
  • 8 Auxiliary Buses
  • 1 Stereo Bus
  • 4 Stereo Returns, 100mm faders (automated) with Multitrack and Stereo Bus assign
  • Full Center Section Control
  • Surround 5.1 Center Section Monitoring
  • Classic Analog Metering
  • Global 0dB Small Fader Bypass
  • 529C Stereo Bus Compressor

Final TouchTM Motorized Fader Automation System

Derived from API’s Vision Automation System used extensively in the Vision, Legacy Plus and AXS consoles, API’s Final TouchTM fader automation is on board the 2448 console. Final TouchTM automation combines system reliability, user flexibility and operational simplicity and offers a host of features found only in the most sophisticated console automation systems.

Final TouchTM Automation Features

  • Reliable, self-contained system requiring no external computer
  • Individual Switch Control on each fader
  • Global Control Panel in the console Center Section
  • Hi Resolution 7.5″ Touch Screen Control
  • Files are easily saved to standard memory cards
  • Automated Mute and Insert switches on each channel
  • Unlimited Fader Groups with 2 dedicated Group Master Faders
  • Motorized Stereo Program Fader
  • 4 Motorized Stereo Returns
  • DAW Control with unity gain audio bypass
  • Unlimited Mix Restore points

The Mix Room Studio

The Mix Room Studio features an AVID C-24 console and Pro Tools. The Pro Tools C24 is a sleek and powerful work interface. The full Pro Tools HD system is a complete set of hardware and software created for premium professional sessions and ultimate reliability for professional audio engineers, mixers, and mastering engineers. With the fashion- and function-primed 24-channel C24 control surface, you can speed up your Pro Tools recording, editing, and mixing tasks, whether basic or HD. The C24 gives you direct control over most of the software functionality in the package.

The C24 control panel offers 24 additional high-quality analog inputs. Additionally, a 5.1 analog monitor section is included to use with the audio interface of your Pro Tools system. Impressively, the hardware easily integrates with your DAW.

C24 Features

  • Gives full hands-on control
  • Allows you to navigate and edit projects quickly
  • You can plug in and mix or record overdubs

Additionally, with the Pro Tools C24:

  • You can have easy access to the recording, editing, routing, and mix functions in Pro Tools through its 24 banking channel strips.
  • You can control levels, pan EQ, dynamics, plugin settings, and more using the 24 touch-sensitive, motorized faders and 24 multi-function encoders.
  • The C24 also has dedicated switches in each strip that is used to quickly mute, solo, enable, select, and automate tracks on the system.
  • There are two rows of LED displays that allow you to view and quickly read channel names, view absolute time, SMPTE, feet/frames, and Bars/Beats, additional parameter settings, and more.
  • There is an ergonomic design which means you can scrub through audio, edit clips, and shuttle through sessions quickly using the jog/shuttle wheel.
  • You can save and recall windows configurations and memory locations, switch encoder functions to the faders using flip mode.

Additionally, with the C24 you can easily integrate your analog equipment with your digital equipment fairly easily. With the digitalization of most devices, it seems counter-intuitive that the modern C24 is an analog audio device and all of the audio digits are inside your Pro Tools rig, to which the C24 attaches using an Ethernet cable. The digits within the C24 are not there to store or transport audio. They are just there to control Pro Tools and display parameter values.

As an analog mixing console, it has many microphone inputs. Most systems use the microphone preamplifier as an outboard device. The C24 puts it back inside the console. The C24’s 16 preamps are as clean as you can get to control the console with excellent specifications to boot. It boasts a frequency response that is flat within 1dB up to 100 kHz, an equivalent input noise of -127dBu and a total harmonic distortion plus noise of 0.004 percent at 1 KHz.

The C24 has many inputs and likewise monitoring options. There are connections for at least four monitor input sources: two six-channel surround and two stereos, and there are also two cue inputs and two outputs, one of them being six-channel surround also.

Integration

Integrating the C24 with your Pro Tools system and the rest of the studio is not complex. It should be noted that the C24 is not an interface to your Pro Tools system; it works with your current interface. Your line-level sources will connect to the line-level inputs. Guitars will use two separate input jacks. The output of the preamplifiers is analog and at line level. They connect to the line-level analog inputs of your interface.

Speakers

Both the main tracking studio and the mix overdub studio feature 5.1 mixing with an elite line up of speakers. Both rooms feature a pair of Focal Solo Be 6.5 studio nearfield speakers, a pair of industry-standard Yamaha HS8 speakers with sub speaker and a 5.1 Surround Sound Genelec 8020 system for 5.1 mixing.

Preamps

The main tracking room features 40 elite API pre amps, Vintech Neve Preamps and Midas Preamps. The mix and overdub studio features Vintech Neve Preamps, Midas Preamps and Avid C24 Preamps

Antelope Digital to Analog Convertors 

  • The Platinum Pro Tools Plug-In Package and other plug-ins
  • Antares Tuning and Vocal Package plug-in

Microphones

  • Sennheiser E600 drum mic
  • EV ND 68 kick drum mic
  • AKG C414 matched pair
  • 2 Audio Technica 4050’s
  • 4 Audio Technica ATM-450’s
  • EV-RE20
  • Neumann U87 Ai
  • Golden Age R1 Active MKIII ribbon mic
  • Royer R-121
  • 2 Sennheiser MD 441U
  • 3 Sennheiser MD 421
  • Shure BLX24R/sm58
  • Shure KSM 141’s matched pair
  • 2 Shure SM7B
  • RCA 44 Jr
  • AT 4050
  • AT 2020
  • Shure SM7
  • 2 MXL Mogami  603 Pencil Condensers
  • 4 Shure SM 57s
  • MXL BCD-1 Large Diaphragm Dynamic

Outboard Gear

  • Teletronix LA-2A
  • Vintech 473 Neve Clone Mic Pre’s
  • 2 EL8 -s Stereo Distressor
  • 1176 Blue Stripe
  • 1176 Black Face
  • Midas xl48 8 Channel Preamps
  • T.C. Electronics D-2 Effects Processor
  • T.C. Electronics M-2000 Effects Processor
  • Alesis Quadreverb
  • DBX 1046 Quad Compressor
  • DBX 266 2 Channel Compressor /Gate
  • DBX 166 2 Channel Compressor/Limiter/Gate
  • Klark Teknik 8 Channel Compressor/Limiter/Gate
  • Tascam CD Recorder

Guitar Amps

  • Vox AC 30 Alnico Blue speakers
  • Vox extension 2-12 Vox Bulldogs Speakers
  • Mesa Boogie MKiii Combo
  • Mesa 1-12 cabinet loaded with JBL
  • Fender Champ
  • Marshall Combo
  • Lots of Pedals available

Guitars

  • 1983 Fender “Smith” Stratocaster w/ Khaler Tremelo
  • 1983 ESP Telecaster Seymour Duncan Hot Rail in Bridge
  • 2007 Reverend Warhawk w/ Tremelo
  • 2002 Martin DC-16GTE Acoustic
  • 70’s Yamaha Acoustic
  • 1963 Hofner 12 String Acoustic
  • 1961 Silvertone Archtop Acoustic

Keys

  • Yamaha 6 ft. Grand Piano
  • Wurlitzer 200A
  • Hammond B-3 with Leslie
  • Kurzweil PC2

Percussion

  • Tama Prostar 5 piece Kit
  • Aquarian Kick Heads
  • Coated Ambassador Heads
  • Assorted Cymbals available
  • Congas
  • Bongos and assorted hand drums

Additional questions regarding Capricorn Sound Studios can be directed to capricornbooking@mercer.edu.