Mix engineer Ruadhri Cushnan hass added a pair of ATC SM25A studio monitors to his studio set-up, courtesy of refurbished recording equipment specialist, Funky Junk
‘I knew ATC had a great reputation as a monitor manufacturer and I’d specifically heard a few people talk favourably about the SM25s,’ he says. ‘When I mentioned to the Funky Junk guys that I needed to improve my monitors, they suggested that I try them. I did –they were amazing so I bought a pair.’
‘I’ve had my own mix space since 2007, but recently moved to my current studio because it is slightly bigger and gives me more room to accommodate my ever expanding gear racks,’ he explains. ‘Being near Funky Junk was a happy accident, but one that has definitely worked out well. It’s like having a big studio maintenance department right on the doorstep. The guys are very friendly and always happy to help – and they have a good coffee machine.’
Cushnan began his career as an assistant engineer at Metropolis Studios before taking up freelance projects. Having worked as a programmer, writer and re-mixer, he is now best known as a mix engineer – an area he has been focusing on since 2007. Recent projects have included album and singles mixes for Ed Sheeran, Half Moon Run, The Maccabees, Nina Nesbitt and Foy Vance. He was also responsible for mixing Mumford & Sons’ album Babel, for which he received a Grammy in 2013.
Virtually all of Cushnan’s mix projects are carried out at his project studio, where he mixes ‘in the box’ traditional analogue outboard as part of the workflow.
‘I occasionally record some vocals and overdubs, but 90 per cent of my time is spent mixing,’ he says. ‘Obviously, monitoring is critical and that’s why I needed to upgrade. I’m delighted with the ATC SM25s, which I’ve been using for a little while now. They have an incredible amount of detail and are very easy to listen to. I can mix on them at a good level for hours and not get tired. When I first got them I put on some old favourite vinyl that I thought I knew well and, although it’s a real cliché, it was like hearing them for the first time.’
Cushnan adds that he was very happy with the help and advice Funky Junk’s technical boffins gave him: ‘They have a great support system and are always very competitive on price.’
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