An Audient ASP8024 Heritage Edition is now installed at the brand new recording studio in LIPA Sixth Form College. Sound technician, John Kershaw – a LIPA graduate himself, therefore fully conversant with Audient products – is very pleased at its arrival. “It is our hope that tech students from LIPA Sixth Form will graduate and gain a place at LIPA HE to study on the Sound Tech degree programme. Having already used the ASP8024-HE in college, they should feel right at home with LIPA’s studios housing two original ASP8024s,” he says.

 

“…ASP8024-HE provides students with the best of both worlds; analogue inputs and digital control”

 

With a variety of courses on offer including Sound Technology and Music, the studio is already enjoying heavy footfall. “We take in around 15 Sound Technology students every academic year, who will spend most of their time between the recording studio, Mac lab and theatre. All our Music students will complete a recording module during their time here too,” he explains.

 

 

“We also have a couple of Audient iD4 audio interfaces dotted around the college. These little boxes are great for recording vocals, dialogue and for re-recording individual tracks on studio projects. They look and feel like the master section of an analogue desk,” continues John.

 

iD4: “These little boxes are great for recording vocals, dialogue and for re-recording individual tracks on studio projects.”

 

So, what is it about Audient products that makes them so effective in the classroom? John speaks of his experience as a student and technician: “At the time and now, what struck me the most with Audient’s designs was the simple and logical signal paths used in the desk architecture. This is obviously great for mixing engineers, but also makes it the best choice for teaching students.

 

“When students can easily retrace their signal path from input to output, they will nearly always be able to pin-point and resolve any issues without having to ask for help.” A technique that clearly worked for John back in the day.

 

He runs through the current setup. “In our new studio, we are running an Audient ASP8024-HE desk with 12 input channels, DLC control and master section with an Audient ASP880 patched in for expansion when needed.”

 

John Kershaw on Audient products: “great for mixing engineers, but also […] the best choice for teaching students.”

 

“Using an iMac running Logic and Pro Tools, the ASP8024-HE provides students with the best of both worlds, analogue inputs and digital control. Students are able to set up their sessions based on 2 preset projects:

• 12in/12out for analogue tracking and mixing through the ASP8024-HE
• 16in/2out, using the 12 inputs on the ASP8024-HE and utilising a further 4 from the ASP880, mixing within the DAW using the DLC control faders and monitoring back through the ASP8024-HE.

 

 

“Both project mixdowns can be routed through the console’s master section to make use of the retro iron, tone shaping and mix bus compressor. Both projects can also be routed easily through the foldback. For instance, a drummer can monitor from the analogue inputs whilst playing to a click coming back from a Logic return so as to avoid latency,” he says.

 

“One understated feature of the ASP8024-HE is its noiseless power supply. This is a huge advantage for anyone working in a small control room where fan noise from the desk, computers and other devices can really affect your mixing.”

 

Everything in the building is networked, so that studio projects can be accessed anywhere. “This is great for teaching staff who need to check the progress of work without disturbing current sessions. It is also great for students who need to work on projects without having to book the studio, saving precious time,” concludes John.

 

One of the newest colleges in Liverpool, LIPA Sixth Form College focuses on performing arts and is now entering its third year.