Jun 1, 2011 9:00 AM, By The Mix Editors

A COLLECTION OF THIS YEAR'S HOTTEST NEW STUDIOS

ONLINE EXTRAS

WATCH:
All "Class of 2011" Submissions

Each June, we canvas the studio scene to find the hottest new facilities to open in the past year. This year’s survey brought in more than 50 great rooms, making for some very tough decisions. Here, then, are the top 20 studios to come online since June 2010. For a look at all submissions and more detailed descriptions, go to mixonline.com for an extended photo gallery.

Photo: Fredjonny

Ocean Sound Recordings (Giske, Norway)
Date Opened: February 2011
Designer:/Acoustician: Ric Vaughan Audio Designs
Console: Neve VR60 with Flying Faders
Monitors: Dynaudio M3s with Chord SPA 1032 mono blocks, ProAc Studio 100
At-a-Glance: “The design criteria was to build an ambient room with controllable acoustics,” says Vaughan. “The control room is an even natural space so there is good imaging frequency response, no matter where you sit.”

Photo: Lou Johnson

Red Door Studio (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Date Opened: January 2011
Designer: studio bau:ton
Acoustician: Carl Tatz Design
Console: Yamaha DM2000
Monitors: CTD Dual PhantomFocus System: pair of custom TEC:ton Engineering mains with double 15-inch TAD woofers and Sony compression drivers; multiple Bryston 7B amps; Event Opal near-fields
At-a-Glance: Middle Tennessee State University professor and Grammy-winning producer/engineer John Merchant’s new space houses a large control room where he will teach advanced master classes. Other features include massive bass trappings in walls and soffits, diffusive stone-front monitor wall and louvered monitor ceiling.

Photo: Diana Lynn Ring, DiLynnRing.com

Media Right Productions (New York City)
Date Opened: January 2011
Designer/Acoustician:: Joe Salvatto
Consoles: Vintage Neve discrete 40-channel console 
featuring 33114s (40), Euphonix System 5
Monitors: Barefoot
At-a-Glance: This new 15,000-square-foot studio environment was built for composer/producer Doug Maxwell and a select clientele. It also serves as a teaching facility where Visionary Media, a charity founded by Maxwell, trains and employs blind musicians and audio professionals.

Photo: Amanda Myers

Stonewall Studio (Cantonment, Fla.)
Date Opened: January 2011
Designer/Acoustician: Jeff Hedback
Console: Euphonix MC Mix, MC Control (3)
Monitors: Blue Sky System One 2.1
At-a-Glance: This private-use facility 
features a control room that uses hallway spaces and membrane characteristics of 
wallboard systems to balance isolation and 
an accurate LF response. Shown: live room.

Photo: James F. Wilson

Wire Road Studios (Houston)
Date Opened: March 2011
Designer/Acoustician: Russ Berger Design Group
Consoles: Euphonix DSP S5 Fusion 40-fader, Avid C|24
Monitors: ATC SCM200ASL, SCM150ASL, SCM0.1/15 Pro, SCM25A Pros; Focal Twin6 Be near-fields
At-a-Glance: This 5,000-square-foot, ground-up, 
two-story facility features Control Rooms A and B that 
share a central machine room. Studio C on the second 
floor serves as a video-editing studio. Control A looks 
onto a live room with 18-foot ceilings and two iso booths. Control B has a production iso booth.

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