Olympic Studios unveils the first XL console installed in UK

Olympic Studios, the South West London recording facility situated in Barnes, has installed a Solid State Logic 80 channel XL 9000 K Series console in studio 1.
With this installation, the studio is fully equipped to offer both stereo and 5.1 surround sound recording and mixing.
The console offers an audio performance to meet the advanced, higher sampling frequencies required by the SACD (Super Audio CD) and DVD-A (DVD-Audio) formats. It also offers full 5.1 mix bus, master fader, mix compressor, monitoring and metering features for the ultimate in surround efficiency and a 5.1/ stereo downmix function.
Commenting on the advantages of the new XL console, Siobhan Paine, Studio Manager at Olympic Studios, said: "The idea is not to compromise on the recording and mixing stereo work that we already do, but to complement it with the option of 5.1 surround. The new set up allows the studio to offer greater client flexibility and to meet the increasing demand for DVD-A and SACD work".
Designed by Sam Toyashima, the recently refurbished Studio 1 has one of the largest live areas and control rooms in London. Artists including Paul Weller, Spanish orchestral group Presuntus Implicados and producer Narada Michael Walden (who is purposely travelling from the USA in order to use the desk) are already booked to use the studio following the installation.
The studio handles a wide range of high calibre projects from album recording and mixing to film and TV scores. Recent projects include Massive Attack, Westlife, Def Leppard, Craig David, Shirley Bassey, Sum 41, Oasis, James Last and Badly Drawn Boy.
The installation of the new XL is part of a large EMI investment in the facility. Both a new Genelec 5.1 monitoring system based around the new 7071LSE subs, with their unique bass management system and a TC Electronics M6000 effects unit have also been installed in studio 1.
Established in 1958, Olympic Studios offers four state-of-the-art recording studios and fully equipped programming and pre-production suites.
The Studio was awarded four out of the last five Music Week "Best Recording Studio" awards.
(SP)