Audient

Audient Ltd.
Private limited
3450730
Industry Mixing consoles
Studio hardware
Founded 1997
Headquarters Herriard, Hampshire, UK
Products ASP8024 Console
Zen Console
ASP2802 Console
ASP008
Number of employees
14
Website www.audient.com

Audient was founded in 1997 by David Dearden and Gareth Davies, previously of Soundcraft. They had been founding partners of DDA – a company known for designing good value mixing console in the 1980s and 1990s.[1] The company carried on that philosophy, producing professional equipment at a mid-range price. Flagship designs include the ASP8024, a large inline mixing console with up to 80 inputs on the 36 channel version. Recent development has seen digital audio workstation automation control implemented in the Zen and ASP2802, while still retaining the traditional analogue mixing console interface.[2]

The company is based in Herriard (near Basingstoke, Hampshire, England) but has employees in Bulgaria, France and Luxembourg. A widespread distribution network is in place outside of the United Kingdom, with Audient taking British distribution in-house as of July 2010.[3]

Early products included the Aztec, a large console for live use, and the One loudspeaker processor.[4] Since then the company has produced a range of new units, such as the ASP510 surround sound controller[5] and the ASP008 eight channel microphone preamplifier.[6] Some of the company's most successful products are the Black Series signal processing units.[7]

Mixing consoles

ASP8024

Audient's flagship analogue console is the ASP8024. A version of this desk with an integrated control surface is known as the ACS8024. It has 80 inputs, with 36 channels and full 24-track routing. It also has 14 auxiliary buses and equalisation.[8]

Zen

2009 saw the release of the Audient Zen console. A more compact desk than the ASP8024, it was also the first to offer digital audio workstation automation facilities – for use with Pro Tools, Logic Pro and other similar computer software. It has 16 channels with motorised faders, and is therefore designed to be the main desk of a project recording studio.[9] It has no equalisation or channel processing built in, but offers simple implementation of outboard equipment. There is a stereo bus compressor in the master section that has been reviewed particularly favourably.[10]

ASP2802

The latest console is the ASP2802, which offers improved digital audio workstation control in a smaller 8 channel interface. It is designed to provide simple integration of analogue audio mixing techniques in a computer-based studio environment.[2]

Outboard equipment

Audient also produces a number of microphone preamplifier and audio signal processing units, such as the Black Series (compression, equalisation, word clock generation and analogue to digital conversion)[7] and the ASP008 and MiCO microphone preamplifiers.[11]

Equipment use

Audient equipment is in use at many major studios worldwide, such as Abbey Road Studios, Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Studios[12] and House of Blues,[13] USA.

Previous work

David Dearden famously worked on the console at Ascot Sound Studios during the recording of John Lennon's album, Imagine. Following the sessions, which were produced by Phil Spector, David went on to design and build consoles for George Harrison and Ringo Starr.[14]

See also

References

  1. "Audient Contact Us". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 31 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Musikmesse 2010: Audient ASP 2802 (Video)". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  3. "Audient UK distribution goes in-house". Pro Sound News. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  4. "Audient Legacy Products". Audient Ltd. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  5. "Audient ASP510". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  6. "Audient ASP008". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Audient Black Series". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  8. "Audient ASP8024". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  9. "Audient Zen". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  10. "Audient Zen Console Review". Mix. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  11. "Audient Work Station Peripherals". Audient Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  12. "Audient Sumo Summing Amplifier with Compressor/Limiter and 192k/24 bit Digital Output Card". Music 123. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  13. "Audient ASP8024 Analogue Console". Recording.org. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  14. "Video: Dave Dearden on John Lennon's Imagine". Electronic Musician TV. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.