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Dark Pines Studios in Graham NC installs first Custom Series 75 Console from Burbank Audio Systems

Graham NC: Dark Pines Studios has installed the first Custom Series 75 console from Burbank Audio Systems. Originally built in 2009 as an overdub studio to cater to the wide local music scene, Dark Pines Studios was built as an overdub and mix facility to provide a cost effective studio to accommodate their remote recording client base. When the studio was built, owner Max Dearing wanted to purchase a large format analog console, and commenced a search for the best solution. Due to cost overruns in the studio build, budget constraints ruled out the consoles that were being considered, and eventually the studio installed an AVID D-Command.

After 5 years of working with the D-Command, they weren't satisfied with their productions working in a primarily Hybrid/In-the-box workflow. So, the search began again for a medium to large format console. A wide range of used large format consoles were considered, as well as a short list of new consoles. Max Dearing recalls “Just before AES 2014, I was actually in negotiations with Dave Malekpour at Professional Audio Design about 2 different used SSL consoles when he called me and let me know about a new company that was moving the manufacturing facility of a console manufacturer to the US; Burbank Audio Systems.”

Burbank Audio Systems is the US based manufacturer of the Custom Series 75 Console. Originally established in Australia in 2006, Custom Series 75 was developed in conjunction with AMS Neve. In 2014, Burbank Audio Systems, under the leadership of Bruce Millett, purchased Custom Series 75 and relocated the manufacturing operations to Burbank California.

After meeting with Dave Malekpour and Bruce Millett at the 2014 AES convention, Dark Pines Studios decided to purchase the first production console, and had requests to customize the physical layout of the desk. Dearing recalls “Bruce Millett and the entire team at Burbank Audio Systems were so accommodating and easy to work with, along with Dave Malekpour and the staff at PAD. As Bruce will tell you, “The name IS CUSTOM Series 75”... so having it “my way” was clearly what Burbank Audio Systems wants to deliver to their clients”.

Since installing the console, Dark Pines Studios has been quite busy with six major projects since March 2015, including an artist for Atlantic Records, and another artist signed to an independent label. Dearing states, “The Custom Series 75 is the best of all possible configurations of ALL the small, medium and large format consoles we looked at. From the silky smooth 1073 pre's, to the 1081 EQ's, inline operation, to the built in 2254 bus compressors to the routing and scene recall. The biggest feature of the CS75 is that it has dual busses of current summing and voltage summing, making the console not only a magnificent tracking console, but a wonderful and versatile mixing console.”

Future plans for Dark Pines Studios includes integration of video production services, as well as expanded audio recording facilities. When asked how he expects to expand his facilities, Dearing responds “We'll definitely be working with Dave Malekpour and PAD again, and another Custom Series 75 WILL be in those plans as well. I think it says a LOT about a company when the owner would steer a client away from his own inventory to another manufacturer, because Dave Malekpour was simply doing what was best for us as a client.”