Minimalist Recording Studio Setup - UAD Apollo Twin & Mac Studio

My Most Minimal Setup So Far!

I have had some form of a recording studio for my entire adult life going back to the early 90s. It has evolved quite a bit over the years, sometimes becoming unbearably overcrowded, making it difficult - if not impossible to be creative.

This is something that a lot of people can get when they become deeply absorbed into one thing or another. It is known colloquially as "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" (GAS). I had some bad GAS, and there was no relief from the bloating.

It took me quite a few years to slim things down, but I feel pretty happy with what I have going on now. The only thing I am not super stoked about are my studio monitors. I purchased these used a while back as a sort of temporary solution. I have a really nice set of KRK monitors and a subwoofer, but they are currently in my father-in-law's house in England. In fact, most of my previous studio setup from a decade ago is still there from when we moved to the UK after my mother-in-law passed away. Since then, I have pretty much ditched using rackmount gear and primarily use software synthesizers, with the exception of my analog synth that I use to make patches from time to time.

I really like my KRK speakers, so I am holding out that I'll be able to get them shipped home soon. We are in the process of getting that worked out, but I worry that they will get damaged. We shall see how it goes!

I have never really been much of a Mac fan. Not that I ever really had anything against the computers, I just never liked the disingenuous marketing and the weird almost cult-like following around the company and founder, Steve Jobs. All of my recording studios have been set up on my own custom built PCs for as far back as 1995. Before that, it wasn't quite as easy for the average person to build his own computer - or at least not with my Rally's Hamburgers paycheck.

That all being said, when Apple released their new Arm processors, it immediately got my attention. There was quite a lot of hype around these computers and I must say, I jumped in and bought an M1 Mac Mini not long after their release. I played with it for a while, and decided that it wasn't quite right for my recording studio, but would be perfect for the stop motion and video shoots. So that one is now dedicated to photography, while this newer Mac Studio is solely used for Audio production.

Our main microphone is an M-Audio Sputnik, which is a phenomenal tube microphone, especially for singing vocals. This particular mic was purchased through a friend who worked at M-Audio over a decade ago. This was the very first version of the microphone which apparently is vastly superior to the ones that ended up on the market shortly afterward. I can't speak for any of the ones that can be bought second hand now, because there is no way to know which version they are as far as I can tell. They have dramatically dropped in price, and would be a steal if you could manage to get an early version.

All I know is that the highs sound crispy, the mids sound buttery and the lows sound smooth and well rounded. I will be pretty upset if this mic fails and I am unable to repair it to its original glory. For that reason I take very special care of it!

My controller keyboard is the Novation 61SL MkIII. This is really the controller keyboard that I've wished that I had for decades. My wife can't stand it because she is a piano player, and she really needs the 88 weighted keys, but for my purposes it is perfect. The velocity response is incredible on this controller keyboard.

My first pro midi keyboard was a Roland JV-35 which I still own. I decided to pull it out of storage recently to see how the keys felt compared to the Novation. There really was no comparison! It's funny, because I used that old Roland for years and loved it. However, the keys feel so clunky now compared to the smooth action of the 61SL. Not to mention that the Novation comes with pads and sliders as well as control voltage outputs that you can hook up to your analog synthesizers. How cool is that? All in a well designed, carefully thought out controller keyboard.

The Audio Interface

Next up, we have the Apollo Twin audio interface. I drooled over Universal Audio's interfaces for years before I finally got an opportunity to buy one. This is another area where I dramatically downsized the studio. In the past I used large rackmount audio interfaces such as the Presonus Firepod and the Echo Layla 3G. These were great interfaces, but also took up a lot more space.

It is certainly true that those older interfaces had a lot more inputs and outputs. But UA is renowned for its superior audio equipment and pristine recreations of hardware signal processors and instruments. I have transitioned completely over to the UAD ecosystem and unless something drastic happens, I may likely never look back. I absolutely love this little gem! The sound quality is just phenomenal and it just works fantastically.

I only have two small gripes. One is that I bought it right before Thunderbolt 3 came out, so I have to use a $45 adapter cable from Apple that converts from Thunderbolt 2 to 3. It seems steep for a cable, but there is actually a tiny microcontroller and various other components in every Thunderbolt cable so it is a bit expensive to build. I don't really know why this wasn't built into the port itself, but I am no engineer. The other gripe is really my fault. I wish that I had gotten the Apollo Twin Quad instead of the Duo because I am always running out of DSP and end up having to freeze the effects on some tracks after mixing so that I can work on others. This can be alleviated by spending more money, of course, and getting a satellite DPS device. As we all know, money is not an endless resource. (Universal Audio, if you are reading this, hook me up!)

PreSonus FaderPort

This is a recent addition to my studio, aimed at further streamlining my workflow. In essence, I'm drawn to the concept of going DAWless, which essentially means eliminating the computer from the equation and relying solely on music hardware. The appeal lies in providing creators with a heightened sense of creative freedom, bringing them closer to the production process through a more tactile experience.

While I don't anticipate fully adopting the DAWless approach anytime soon, I am keen on reducing my reliance on the mouse. I prefer knobs and sliders over the mouse and keyboard, and I use them wherever practical. This is where the FaderPort comes into play. When using a DAW like Cubase or Ableton Live, the FaderPort allows me to seamlessly navigate between tracks, control recording, playback, and scrolling without reaching for the mouse.

Although I'm still in the process of familiarizing myself with its functionalities, only time will tell if I stick with this method. The FaderPort undeniably gives a more traditional console feel, but there's a learning curve involved. Once I establish a rhythm with it, I find that it significantly speeds up my workflow compared to using the mouse.

The UAD Console: Vocal Chain

Presently, I'm quite busy in voice-over and spoken word projects, and for this reason, I've configured my vocal chain with a preset saved in the UAD console. A standout feature of UAD audio interfaces is their innate capacity to load Universal Audio's remarkable plug-in suite on their dedicated DSP processors. The capability to record seamlessly while employing software EQs, gates, compressors, channel strips, and more with nearly zero latency sets these audio interfaces leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.

I'd like to write up an article on how I set up my input vocal chain using exclusively UAD plugins if anyone in the community uses this equipment and is interested. One addition that I've recently included in my setup is the C-Suite C-Vox noise reduction plug-in. Wow, does this make a difference!

Typically, I don't like using extensive noise reduction processing. I rely on gates and meticulously eliminating every minute source of noise from the recording environment. Getting a noise-free recording is particularly challenging when the recording space lacks good treatment and setup.

The challenge with removing unwanted noise lies in the inherent trade-off when attenuating a signal. Often, the process inflicts a lot of damage on the desired signal, resulting in audio that sounds thin and riddled with artifacts. This compromise points out the difficulty of striking a balance between reducing unwanted noise and preserving the intended audio.

The other day, out of pure curiosity, I randomly activated the C-Vox plug-in. To say I was pleasantly surprised by the results would be an understatement. I swiftly dialed in the settings and achieved remarkably effective noise reduction without significantly compromising the recording quality.

A persistent issue I've faced is the background noise coming from the fans of my wife's computer, which becomes especially pronounced when the pre-amp is pumped to higher levels. The C-Vox easily eliminated this constant hiss, and, truth be told, I couldn't perceive any adverse effects on the vocal recording. The ease with which it tackled the noise issue has made me a believer.

What's Next?

I think I'm going to stay with this setup for the foreseeable future for simplicity's sake (Other than getting my good speakers back). If anything I will clear up the clutter and try to reduce some of the cables and wires. Those are always the bane of my existence. One thing I can never quite nail down is how I'd like things positioned on my desk for quick and easy access. So far I haven't had any major problems with this configuration, so I might be on the right track! It's just too bad that my eyes aren't as great as they used to be....