Gareth Nuttall recently changed his workflow to allow him a more streamlined approach to his work as a producer and songwriter. This also resulted in some equipment changes at his studio in Wigan – out went his console and in its place came a Neve 1073OPX Octal Microphone/Line/Instrument Preamplifier, which is specifically designed to meet the needs of a modern studio environment.

‘The changes I have made have given me a much easier workflow, and key to this is the 1073OPX, which is now my workhorse because everything goes through it,’ Nuttall explains. ‘I almost treat it like I’m running a mini Neve console.

‘I used to track and partially mix on a console, but when I started to do more producing and had to do some sessions in different environments, I found that style of working to be quite restrictive because it didn’t allow me to do what I wanted straight away. I’m now running some outboard on the way into Pro Tools, as I like to try and capture high quality source audio on the way in, and then leave it there. Apart from bits of re-amping, I’m now mixing completely in-the-box – I even swapped over to a MacBook so that I can do my mix prep and editing at home.’

A graduate of Manchester’s School of Sound Recording, Nuttall began playing guitar before discovering music production, and set up a home studio in his parent’s conservatory. After university, he turned the disappointment of not being able to find a full time studio job into endeavour of opening The Lounge Recording Studio in 2011. ‘I built a portfolio by recording local bands and friends’ bands for free and it all took off from there,’ he recalls.

The studio has since attracted a range of artists including The Lottery Winners, The K’s, Frank Turner, Stanleys, The AV Club, Ravellas, Pink Shirts For Pale People, Shallow Water, Gary Quinn and The Jade Assembly, as well as undertaking countless projects that have gone on to achieve Top Ten places in various industry charts.

‘When I’m in the studio I like to dive right into the creative aspects and not kill the mood by having to spend a couple of hours tuning vocals or editing drums,’ Nuttall says of his approach to working. ‘I’m now currently running eight channels of Neve front end with the 1073 OPX, an Audient ASP800 for an extra chunk of inputs and a couple of extra preamps, all plumbed into an Antelope Orion, which I use for my conversion and monitor control. I also have a few outboard compressors and a couple of hardware EQs and FX racks so that I can mould the source on the way in, when needed. The only time anything goes through any pre other than the 1073OPX is when I run out of Neve channels, so I’m probably going to need another OPX at some point.’

Neve’s 1073OPX delivers the same sonic qualities as the company’s 1073 mic preamp. Updated for today’s workflow, it packs eight 1073 remote-controlled preamps with Marinair transformers into a 2U-high rack unit and has front and rear connectors for comprehensive connectivity. Modern remote-control software ensures two-way control with recall of all settings, while the analogue and digital monitor signal path allows it to be used as a complete standalone I/O interface or as a latency-free live room remote preamp.

It was the Neve sound that attracted Nuttall to the 1073OPX. ‘The 1073OPX gives me all the colour and texture I need in my mix, right from the source, and it sounds incredible,’ he confirms. ‘I feel like I’m doing much less fighting in the mix and things are just sitting better right away. The fact that its eight channels in one unit is also amazing. It was so easy to just drop right into my setup and get going instantly.

‘The ability to just plug right in, in the control room, for various scenarios without faffing around routing the unit to patch bays etc is so handy, especially for things like Bass,’ he adds. ‘You just plug into the DI and off you go – and the DI sounds so good on bass, by the way! For me, the unit has been a game changer and it’s definitely taken my productions up several levels.’

Owning a piece of Neve equipment is a dream for many aspiring recording professionals and Nuttall was no exception. Although he’s owned Neve clones in the past, the 1073OPX is the first piece of genuine Neve equipment in his studio. ‘There’s no going back now, that’s for sure,’ he says. ‘Everyone knows what Neve means to audio and this unit does all the things you’d expect from it. Every source I’ve thrown at it sounds better, right off the bat, and in terms of production quality it is built like a tank.

‘I’ve also been so impressed with the help I’ve received form everyone at Neve. They have gone out of their way to answer my questions about the unit and when it came to ordering, the service was really quick.’