Vienna, Austria (May 10, 2023)—MG-Sound Studios in Vienna, Austria, celebrated its 35th anniversary this year with the installation of an SSL Duality Fuse SuperAnalogue 48-channel mixing console, the latest in a long line of the manufacturer’s consoles at the studio.
The new Duality went into operation in January 2023 at the multi-room music recording, film and postproduction facility, which was originally established in a band’s basement rehearsal room in 1988. The new Duality replaced an SSL 9000K desk that had been in MG-Sound’s Control A, the flagship studio in the seven-room facility, for just over two decades.
MG-Sound installed its first SSL, a 4000 G+, in 1995, followed by a 9000J in late ’97, a 9000K in 2002 and an Axiom MT in the composer’s room in 2000. The new Duality was purchased through Mario Reithofer at TSAMM Audio, SSL’s distribution partner in Austria.
Over the years, the Rolling Stones, U2, Lady Gaga, Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi and Pearl Jam have worked at the facility. Opera stars from Placido Domingo and José Carreras to Anna Netrebko and, most recently, Jonas Kaufmann have also recorded at MG-Sound.
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One of the reasons for the upgrade to a newer SSL console was that it had become increasingly difficult to maintain the aging 9000K, according to facility co-owner Martin Böhm. “What really got us into gear was the exploding energy costs here in Austria and Germany,” he says. “Since last year, energy prices have increased substantially here in Europe.”
Duality’s latest generation technology is reportedly much more energy efficient than that of earlier desks. “Energy saving was really a factor, because we’re not only saving with the energy running on the Duality, but also with the cooling, because it generates a lot less heat,” he says.
“It was a logical choice,” Böhm says, “because we could have our usual automation, dynamics and EQs that we love so much, and also have the benefit of the remote control of Pro Tools on the Duality. It’s the modern approach because now we do almost everything in Pro Tools. It’s extremely powerful, with delta control; it works great, and it’s very well thought out.”
