As part of a recent facilities expansion, Drexel University has installed a 32-channel Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console loaded with twenty-four Shelford 5052 mic preamp / EQ modules and outfitted with Rupert Neve Designs’ proprietary SwiftMix™ automation. Drexel turned to AVN SYSTEMS to provide the 5088, as well as all the equipment and integration services for the flagship studios, which were designed by Walters-Storyk Design Group.
“We are all familiar with the quality and transformer-rich tone of classic Rupert Neve designed modules like the 1073, and we recently added some of Rupert Neve Designs’ 500-series 511 preamps to two of our existing recording studios,” says Recording Studio Manager Ryan Moys. “We were really impressed with the quality and character of the preamps and when it came time to pick a board, Rupert Neve Designs was an obvious first choice. We wanted a console that would provide fantastic preamps as a frontend, as well as a design that compliments the modern workflow that our students expect.”
Moys continues, “The extremely low noise floor was jaw-dropping at first listen. The 5052 preamps sound a bit more transformer heavy than the 511 mic preamps – in a good way – but more modern and open compared to a classic like the 1073.”
“The console imparts a great blend of transparency with a bit of transformer thickening that adds some size to any signal passed through it. The ability to add harmonic content via the Silk features makes the signal path extremely versatile. For mixing, the simple signal path, bussing features, Stereo bus insert bypass, 5052 EQs and SwiftMix automation all combine to help make modern mixing effortless … the console sounds fantastic,” says Moys.
Drexel’s Music Industry program now has a total of eight recording studios serving both music business and Recording Arts and Music Production students in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. Recent studio guests have included Wyclef Jean and Bitty McLean.
