Blaugspurger

The Augspurger Monitors Blog

[blaugspurger]

Mastering Guru Alex DeYoung chooses Augspurger Solo 12MF

Alex DeYoung of DeYoung Masters is a mastering engineer’s mastering engineer. Based in LA, his list of credits is more than impressive, with names like Michael

[blaugspurger]

Mix Class of ’17 highlights two new Augspurger-equpped studios.

Mix Magazine Class of ’17 highlights two new studios with Augspurger monitor systems.

Mix Magazine has once again released its annual “Class Of” roundup. Two of the exciting new rooms featured this year are outfitted with Augspurger main monitor systems, as implemented by Dave Malekpour of PAD Group, Hanover, MA.

WEST: First up is multi-Grammy winner Rafa Sardina’s private studio, Afterhours. Sardina’s is among finest and most well-equipped private rooms in LA, with all high-end and vintage gear, centered around an SSL Duality. Knowing he needed the most precision monitoring possible within a tight space, Sardina chose an Augspurger Duo 8 three-way active system with Sub 12s. The modest-footprint monitors, with gorgeous Tiger Maple baffles, provide Afterhours with 2500 watts of pure Augspurger power and unequalled performance. Duo-8’s width and depth of soundstage is essential for Sardina’s orchestral film-score work.

Rafa's Room: Close-up of Sardina's Augspurger Duo 8 monitors. 

EAST: Next in the Class of ’17 is NYC’s new Penthouse Studios, located just one block north of Times Square in the Quad Studios complex. It’s on the top floor; naturally! The Penthouse project was designed and equipped from the ground up entirely by Dave Malekpour and PAD Group. The room is built around Augspurger Duo 15V-S218 mains finished in high-gloss Arctic Whiteauga. The system boasts a whopping 5Kw of pristine, punchy Augspurger DSP-controlled power. “Penthouse Manny,” as it’s being called, has instantly become one of New York’s hottest tracking and mixing suites.

Penthouse Power: The control room featuring a 5Kw Augspurger Duo 15 Sub 218 system.

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger Solo 12MF Up For 32nd NAMM TEC Award.

For the second year in a row, a new Augsurger monitor system has been nominated for a NAMM TEC Award in the category of Technical Excellence in Studio Monitors.

Augspurger’s new Solo 12MF is a powerful and compact active reference monitor is ideal for tracking, mixing, and mastering, featuring Augspurger’s renowned DSP-based tuning capabilities. Free-standing or soffitable, the single 12” cabinet is built around the breakthrough “MF” (MidField) horn, which was introduced in 2015 with the TEC-nominated Duo 8 MiniMian. The Solo 12MF is a perfect design for smaller control rooms with a tighter zone between the monitors and the mix position.

The system pushes 650 watts per side and extends down to 30 hertz without a sub. Add any of the optional subwoofer packages - 1X12, 2X12m 1X18 and 2X18 - and you get a 3-way system boasting 1650 per side and bass extension to 20hz.

“The MF horn has opened up a whole new range of monitor solutions for engineers with limited space. They may have thought they couldn’t have a true main monitor due to lack of distance between the front wall and mix position. The 30% smaller horn enables free standing monitors in the midfield area, as close as 5ft from the mixer,” said Dave Malekpour, president of Augspurger and designer of the Solo 12.

Solo 12 MF pricing starts at $13,000 for a stereo two-way system.

The 32nd Annual TEC awards ceremony will be January 21, 2017 during the NAMM convention in Anaheim, CA.

http://augspurgermonitors.com/systems/solo-12mf/

Breathtaking Power. Unmistakable Clarity.

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger Producer Profile: Jason Livermore’s Blasting Room Rocks an Augspurger Duo 8 system!

"I love my Duo 8’s.  They get face-meltingly loud and also let me really get a feel on what is happening in the bottom end.  Great for tracking, mixing and mastering. Also after Dave Malekpour tuned them for me, they sound better than almost any other speaker I’ve heard!"

--- Jason Livermore, Blasting Room Studios, Fort Collins, CO

Jason Livermore doesn't call his studio "The Blasting Room" for nothing. He specializes in producing loud rock and punk music. His latest project is a reunion album for punk legends, The Descendents.

The Blasting Room w/ Augspurger Duo 8 MiniMains. Chris Shary drawing.

See the Mix Online story about Jason here: http://www.mixonline.com/news/profiles/separate-together/428517

Learn more about Jason, his studio, and his Duo 8's, here: http://theblastingroom.com @BlastingRoom

[blaugspurger]

Tony Anderson Music

Tony Anderson | Sonic Architect | Crafting Music For Your Story

Check out the web-site of Sonic Architect and new Augspurger user, Tony Anderson. Tony will be creating aural atmospheres for film on his Duo 8 MiniMain system with 1X12 subs. We are super pleased to have Tony in the Augspurger family! @TonyPterodactyl

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger Nation: East, west and central, top studios continue to choose Augspurger Monitors

Part One, by Drew Townson

The basis of their design goes back over 30 years, yet there’s no shortage of professional studios and artists that continue to rely on Augspurger monitors. Along with venerable old names like Neve and Neumann, Augspurger has never stopped being the sonic standard in the world’s best studios. In the past year alone, a dozen of music’s A-List producers and artists have chosen Augspurger monitoring environments to make their critical creative decisions. It’s a testament not only to Augspurger’s timeless design, where power and precision meet, but to the modern Augspurger company’s ability to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of pro audio. Artists appreciate the big Augspurger sound, coupled with the vast DSP tunability of their new generation of systems. 

DOGGSpurgers! Snoop and the Augspurger Quattro 10K system at Beach City.

LA’s recording scene has always been Augspurger-equipped, and that trend continues to grow. Recently, Snoop Dogg’s massive Beach City Studio complex in Inglewood was completed and fitted with three Augspurger systems. The A Room, which Snoop has dubbed “The Mothership,” rocks one of Augspuger’s most powerful systems, known as the Quattro 10K for its four 15′s pushing 10,000 watts, atop dual 2X18” subwoofers. B has a pair of 2X15 Classics, and the smaller C room has the new Solo 12MF with 2X12 subs.

Elsewhere in LA, Mega-producer Rafa Sardina, winner of 12 Grammy’s and counting, arranged for the Grammy Award voting committee (of which he is a member) to use an Augspurger Duo 8 system with 1X12 subs to listen to, evaluate and judge all the nominated tracks for this past year’s Grammy Awards. Sardina wanted to insure that the judges experienced the music with full clarity, dynamics and depth. The listening sessions took place at Village Recorders in Hollywood in the fall of 2015. After the Grammy committee was done (and impressed) with them, Sardina insisted that the monitors move permanently to his beautiful home studio near LA. He is now using the Augspurger system to mix everything from film music to rock to latin pop.

Mali-Beauty! Gibbs Duo 8 with 1X12 subs finished in a hand-rubbed cherry.

High atop Malibu, veteran film composer Richard Gibbs has upgraded his stunning Woodshed Studio with a Duo 8 MiniMain 3-way system. Among the many artists who tracked with the Gibb’s Augspurgers was Coldplay and their engineer Rik Simpson, who used his very own set of Duo 8s to mix the chart-topping 2015 album, “A Head Full of Dreams.”

Cobb at the Console: RCA Studio A now rocks Augspurger Duo 12′s

Speaking of Grammys, Nashville-based roots producer Dave Cobb has been pulling in Golden Gramophones by the handful for his work with breakout artist Chris Stapleton and alt-country veteran Jason Isbell. In a world of formulated Nashville pop, Cobb is the producing power behind the new gang of Outlaws, including Sturgill Simpson and Shooter Jennings, who are dedicated to bringing the twang back in to Country. Cobb was recently granted “Producer in Residence” status at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, originally designed in the 1960s by Chet Atkins. Cobb’s first act upon moving in to the studio was to install a pair of Augspurger Duo 12 Mains with 1X18 subs. The purchase was made through Chad Evans at Vintage King Nashville. Because he does the majority of his work with Atlantic Records, Cobb had used the Duo 12s in various Atlantic rooms around the country, and has come to rely on them. Atlantic now owns SEVEN Augspurger systems in NY, Atlanta and Nashville.

In another neighborhood of Music City, rock-pop studio owner and producer Brandon Metcalf worked through Vintage King to outfit his South X Sea Studios with TWO Duo 8 MiniMain systems. The A room system had 1X12 subs and the B room uses the Duo 8 Mains without subs, pointing to the fact that even as a two way system, the Duo 8′s low end is capable of producing 30hz.

The Music City Sound! Augspurger’s Drew Townson and Brandon Metcalf of Nashville’s South X Sea at Summer NAMM ‘16. 

Augspurger. Precision Meets Power.

[blaugspurger]

Warren Huart talks to LA mixologist Bob Horn about his studio and his process. About four minutes in Bob starts bragging about his Augspurger Solo 15 system. The system is crucial to his incredible mixes. @warrenhuart

[blaugspurger]

THE LONDON SOUND!

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger Producer profiles:  Chris Pinset Keeps the Groove Moving at Mood Recording.

Chris Pinset’s story started in Jamaica Queens in the ‘80s. The production artist and owner of Mood Recording grew up in a time and place where people were being recognized for doing music. His neighborhood was hot! Queens has one of the most diverse demographics in the US. It's the open vibe in this community that allowed Chris to dream and wander his way into the studio music scene.

^ Pinset at the console for a horn session at Mood. 

“I was somehow very aware of the fact that I lived in a town where people took recordings very seriously. James Brown , Metallica , Run Dmc all made albums in my town,” Pinset recalls.

Eventually he became an in-demand production artist, working with the likes of Redman and KRS-1. “Before long, I was doing tons of music for all kinds of New Yorkers and spending countless hours in studios,” said Pinset. Ultimately, the day came where it made sense to build his own room in Rockland County NY .

Studio-designer Frank Comentale took Pinset’s dreams to the drawing board. A year later, Mood Recordings was born. 

^ Mood lighting: Augspurger Solo 15 3-way system w/ 18″ subs. 

Pinset’s choice of studio monitors was simple; he wanted only the best. “I literally built the room around the Augspurger Solo 15 system,” Pinset said. “Frank had the expertise and experience in building mains and he recommended that buying a new generation system from Pro Audio Design had overwhelming advantages. The truth really is, they are the best speakers on earth,” he added.

Pinset’s system is the Augspurger Solo 15 5000watt three-way system with 18” subs. It’s a powerful, ultra transparent and accurate system, with plenty of low end to make hip-hop artists happy. Using Augspurger proprietary DSP technology, PAD’s Dave Malekpour personally tuned the system to Pinset’s environment, making it as flat as possible.

Pinset reports that everyone working at Mood enjoys the speakers at both high and low levels. The room is also being used to score content for film and television. Many editors rely on the accuracy of the room to make their most critical decisions.

“Augspurgers give you the truth,” Pinset said. “In fact, if the mix doesn't sound good, it’s your fault, not the speakers!” he laughed.

^ In the Mood: Chris Pinset dialing in the tones with his Augspurger system.

Chris Pinsett’s recent tracking and mixing projects at Mood: Anhayla , Ellis Dodi , Redman , 33&1/3 , Oran Juice Jones ii , Bhi , & many others . www.moodrecording.com www.augspurger.com

[blaugspurger]

Grammy winning multiplatinum engineer ... and Augspurger user.

[blaugspurger]

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger Duo-12 Monitors  packing a major punch at London’s Livingston 1

February 17, 2016

Very exciting news at UK’s Livingston Studio 1! The immense London tracking studio has just taken delivery of some awesome sounding Augspurger mains. The monitors are a Duo 12 SUB18-A3 system. Each free-standing vertical speaker consists of two 12” MF/LF drivers and one 1.4” high compression driver with 4” beryllium diaphragm and a separate 18” sub on each side. The monitors are powered by Augspurger AAM-DSP3 two way D Class amplifier modules (1000w, 1000w & 500w).

The studio itself reports, “Basically, they sound incredible. Crystal clear with plenty of bottom end and extremely accurate. On cranking them up for the first time - dust (literally) fell from the ceiling and the TV, and the pictures in the rec room next door rattled away. Be scared, be very very scared but above all come and listen to monitors that will literally blow you away - lucky we don't have any residential neighbours. Oh.”

Augspurger: Putting the “stun” in Livingston 1!”

Augspurger Duo 12 monitors stand like Stonehenge monoliths above Livingston 1′s SSL. 

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger introduces the Solo 12 MF Compact Main Monitor Anaheim, CA Jan 21, 2016

Hot on the heels of 2015’s TEC Award Nominated Duo-8 MiniMain, Augspurger Monitors of Pembroke, MA has announced the release of another new-generation studio monitor, the Solo-12 MF (MidField). The free-standing active speaker uses a single12” low/low-mid driver along with the new smaller “MF” horn which was introduced last year with the Duo-8. Power is provided by on-board high definition amps delivering 600watts per side. Like all new-generation Augspurger monitors, the system is fully DSP-tunable to any environment.

“Given its compact size and powerful-punchy sound, I see this as being the perfect main-monitor for LOTS of studios,” said Drew Townson, Augspurger product manager. “Mount a pair of Solo-12s on stands, even in a smaller control-room, and even without a sub, and you have a real main that will knock the lights out of any big, in-wall system you’ve ever heard,” Townson said.

The system, which offers optional subwoofers in 2 X 12” and 18” sizes, is also a budget breakthrough for Augspurger. Entry level price is $13,000 for a Solo-12 MF two-way system.

“Going three-way by adding a sub will increase the depth and range of the system for those who need thunderous bottom to 20hz” said Augspurger president Dave Malekpour. “But, for the majority of engineers, you’re going to get everything you need with the two-way cabinet. It’s already extended down to 28hz.”

“One of the things we find with Augspurger is that producers tend to use them more and more over time for tracking, mixing, etc, while eventually abandoning their other monitors. They’re not just using the Augspurgers for ‘loud,’ they are making all critical tracking, mixing and mastering decisions on them. The trust is there. After a while, the old NS10s start collecting dust. The Solo-12 MF is the poster-child for that one monitor you’ll ever need for anything and everything,” said Townson.

“That’s what we do,” quipped Malekpour, “We make the MAIN monitor that you will use!”

The new Augspurger Solo 12 MF can be seen and heard at Pro Audio Distribution’s NAMM Booth 6510, Hall A, January 21 through 24, 2016. See attached spec sheet for more details.

For more information, contact Drew Townson: [email protected]

Augspurger dealers:

USA: Pro Audio Design Vintage King Audio Wind Over The Earth

UK/EU: Miloco Gear

[blaugspurger]

Come see us in Anaheim, Jan 21-24! 

[blaugspurger]

"A Head Full of Dreams" - NEW Coldplay 2015, FULL ALBUM

Produced and mixed by Rik Simpson on Augspurger Duo-8 MiniMains with 12" subs.

Artist: Coldplay

Engineer/Producer: Rik Simpson

Augspurger System: Duo 8 MiniMian 3-way with pair of 12″ subs. 

Dealer: Vintage King Audio. 

System was employed in both London and LA during the vocal tracking and final mixing phase. 

[blaugspurger]

AUGSPURGER MONITORS APPOINTS MILOCO EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE UK AND EUROPE

Pro Audio Distribution of Pembroke, MA, has appointed London-based Miloco Gear as exclusive UK and EU distributor for Augspurger Monitors.

Studios in the UK and Europe will now have access to the world’s finest active studio monitors, found in many world-class facilities in the US. The Augspurger name has been synonymous with powerful, precision sound for three decades, used by producers and artists like Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Tom Lord Alge and Paul Epworth, and found in world class rooms like Quad in NYC or 17hz in LA. In the last five years, Augspurger has developed and introduced a new generation of smaller, free-standing vertical monitoring systems with proprietary drivers and DSP-driven amplifiers, which combine to provide the absolute highest level or accuracy, tunability, and repeatability.

“We’re excited to have Miloco Gear handling Europe and the UK for us,” said Augspurger product manager, Drew Townson. “Their large presence and unique position in the UK and EU recording scene makes Miloco the ideal partner for Augspurger,” Townson said.

“We like that Miloco Group is widely diversified, from managing producers to building studios to selling the best gear. We feel that this will afford Augspurger the opportunity to get our monitors in front of many potential new clients world-wide,” said Augspurger president, Dave Malekpour. “Once they experience the Augspurger sound and Augspurger’s DSP tuning control, they will become true believers,” added Malekpour.

Miloco Gear has acquired three Augspurger demo systems, two of which will be deployed in permanent studio installations for day-to-day use, along with one portable demo system; a pair of the TEC-nominated Duo-8 MiniMains.

Robbie Dunne, Miloco Gear’s sales manager, said, “Miloco gear is absolutely delighted to be representing such an iconic monitoring solution for the UK and Europe. Now the best demo rooms in Europe truly have the best monitoring.”

The Miloco Group is one of the largest studio management and sales corporations in the world, representing 120 studios in the UK and Europe. The multi-channeled company supports several recording industry services, including studio management, construction and gear sales.

Augspuger Monitors builds highly-crafted active studio monitoring solutions, using hardwood horns, porprietary drivers, and DSP-controlled high-output, ultra-low distortion amplifers. Augspurger monitors and hand-built in the USA.

For more information, contact [email protected], 781-616-6325 www.augspurger.com   www.milocogear.com

[blaugspurger]

Augspurger was thrilled to be a big part of this year’s AES! It was a true Big Apple experience!