News
Neve 1081s supply the missing ingredient for 20Hz20kHz’s masters
19 March 2009
Channel strips 'add a drop of old school magic'
Starting as a DJ in the early 90s, Davide Barbarulo went on to qualify as a professional sound engineer specializing in the scientific aspects of sound recording and reproduction. So in his position as the owner of 20Hz20kHz Mastering Lab, a high-profile mastering studio in Naples Italy, it’s natural that he constantly seeks out the finest digital and analogue equipment available. His monitoring system, for example, comprises B&W Nautilus 802s paired with Velodyne subs, intergrated with the room acoustics for flat line response down to 24Hz.
His latest acquisition is a pair of Neve 1081 Classic mic preamps with EQ.
'I added the 1081 Classic channel strips to my signal chain because the Neve signature is a common factor in so many reference records,' he says.
As well as using the 1081s in their time-honoured roles as preamps for vintage mics or to tweak stems at mixdown, Davide Barbarulo also uses them to replace the vintage quality lacking in some modern recording systems.
'I found it really interesting that less than 1dB of the 1081’s EQ can make a special contribution even to complex material,' he adds. 'These days, "big-gun" projects using large consoles for tracking and mixing are few and far between, so my intention is to use the 1081s to add a drop of that missing old school magic.'
