Moving on from his Brixton ‘rave cave’ was a big step for born-and-bred South Londoner Larry Hibbitt, but starting to outgrow the space ‘and all the chaos that came with it’, he was on the lookout for a new studio – and home.
‘I had in my mind that this new space should be based around a large-format console, but not be laden down by it,’ he recalls.
‘I wanted an in-line, large-format desk that sounded awesome but not bog me down with maintenance down time/costs, or ridiculous power needs. If I want that sort of grief in my life, I can just get an old car.’
Producer, guitarist and a quarter of the band Hundred Reasons, Hibbitt consulted friend and Audient owner Romesh Dodangoda, and the 24-channel Audient ASP8024-HE emerged as the preferred console choice. ‘I had also used one a few times at Cenzo Townshed’s Decoy Sound, and had been massively impressed with it,’ he says.
Over the past months he’s been putting it through its paces in his new Hertfordshire studio, and recently finished an EP with singer/songwriter Tom A Smith. He also has rock band Boston Manor booked in for their next album recording. And the desk is rapidly coming into its own...
‘I really love the Retro Iron feature on the mix bus,’ Hibbit says. ‘I tried inserting it on a mix recently and absolutely loved it. It’s subtle, but it’s the kind of thing that you really miss once it’s taken away. It’s going to get a lot of use.’
The ASP8024 is the first large-format console Hibbitt has owned. ‘In Brixton I had an SSL X-Desk at the heart of everything. It was perfect for that room, but I was really at the upper limits of what it was capable of. I love using analogue outboard on the way in – and occasionally as inserts out of Pro Tools – so the options I now have in that regard are outstanding.’
His house and studio in Hertfordshire were previously owned by the drummer Ralph Salmins who built the studio in the 1990s, and was improved upon by legendary engineer, Haydn Bendall. ‘It’s a great-sounding, fully soundproofed studio in the middle of leafy suburbia,’ Hibbit says. ‘No-one would ever know it was here and that makes it feel very special.
‘I’ve been here for a few months now, and have been tweaking the set-up and the sound of the live room to suit my tastes. It really feels like my home now and I love it to bits. It also sounds awesome. I’m planning on staying here for the foreseeable future and I plan on making a lot of recordings here so it feels amazing to be able to tailor a space to my specific needs. I’m really excited to be living and working here.’
The pull of the city is still strong, however, with Hundred Reasons out touring their latest album, Glorious Sunset, produced by Hibbitt himself and mixed by Cenzo Townshend.
‘Heading out on tour for the first time in 12 years is super-exciting as we’ll be headlining Hammersmith Apollo for the first time,’ he says. With the 2000 Trees festival coming up in July as well, he’ll be glad to have the space in his new home to come back to.
‘It’s fun being in a band again,’ he adds, ‘but I’ll be back to making other people’s records again in the summer.’
More: www.audient.com
