‘Every once in awhile someone is surprised I am using PreSonus gear. But when they hear the results, they are believers,’ says Grammy-winning mix engineer Dave Pensado. Having mixed the likes of Mariah Carey, The Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé, and Earth, Wind & Fire, he is now using PreSonus monitor loudspeakers.
‘I own Sceptre S6s and S8s,’ he says. ‘I’ve been using them for about a year, and it is truly hard to choose between them. The S6s are phenomenal and, combined with a subwoofer, will give you great information. Still, the S8s are my main go-to mix speakers. I use five different speakers but I’m on the S8s about 80 per cent of the time, and I use them without a subwoofer.’
‘The depth and clarity are unparalleled,’ he adds. ‘With their coaxial design, they are amazing for placing tracks in the stereo field. I use my speakers to tell me what the mix needs, and the S8s yell at me about exactly what my mix needs. If I need more midrange, they tell me. If my panning is not musical, they let me know. S8s are not shy about directing me through a mix. I just love ’em.’
In addition to his mixing, Pensado and executive producer Herb Trawick co-host the Pensado’s Place web channel, broadcast from the 40-seat Pensado’s Place Theater at SAE Institute’s campus in LA. The show is mixed on a PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2AI
‘We are very happy with the StudioLive 24.4.2AI,’ Pendaso reports. ‘It has performed flawlessly. We like its routing flexibility, and since we mix the show live, its ergonomics are especially important. Of course, this is a show about audio, so our sound has to be top quality, and that was a critical factor in choosing the StudioLive AI.’
