Multi-platinum music producer and songwriter Ronnie “Lil’ Ronnie” Jackson has unveiled the new A1 control room at his Einnor recording complex in a northern suburb of metropolitan Atlanta that’s equipped with a Solid State Logic ORIGIN 32-channel analog mixing console.
The 100,000-square-foot facility, located in Alpharetta, includes multiple production and writing rooms, including two main control rooms with live spaces, plus a host of amenities. A1, the larger of the two main record production control rooms at Einnor — Ronnie spelled backwards — and was completed this past January.
“It’s the best room,” Jackson says. “For me, you don’t have an official studio unless you have an SSL; that’s the truth of the matter. Some of the bigger SSL consoles are staples, but I wanted to have the newest equipment and the best equipment. So when SSL came out with the ORIGIN, I said, this is it.
“It’s analog,” he continues. “The truth of the matter is that maybe 80 percent of the people work in the box. But you have to have an SSL for cutting drums or other live instruments — you need that sound.”
Plus, he adds, “It’s not going to kill me in power,” referring to the efficiencies afforded by ORIGIN’s power supply designed. The new console is stated to consume about 40 watts when in sleep mode, and also generates less heat while functioning.
Jackson also has an SSL UF8 DAW controller in his ORIGIN. The combination of the console and the controller fits very well into hybrid music production workflows. “You have the analog audio, but you can literally recall something up in the workstation,” he says. “I very much appreciate the UF8.”
Three music production B rooms at the complex are also very close to completion. “I’m putting a lot of money into each computer, so every room will be just as powerful as any other,” he notes. In addition to the five music rooms, once the Einnor complex is fully completed it will also encompass a variety of shooting stages for video production, edit bays and rehearsal facilities. “Everything is moving along fast,” he reports.
The two large A control rooms and smaller B production suites are networked together over Dante. Because the live room attached to the A2 room offers more space, Jackson says, the network enables anyone working upstairs at A1’s ORIGIN console to cut drums in A2’s tracking room on the floor below. “So the SSL will have the capability to access and be used in every room, thanks to Dante,” he says.
“I could even have two different sessions going on, using the same board,” he notes. “Even if there’s a session going on in A1, I can still use ‘x’ amount of channels to cut drums downstairs and it won’t interfere with the session.”
Jackson was born in Kansas City and over the years has worked in both Atlanta and Los Angeles, including with the L.A.-based Underdogs production team of Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas (who is also from Kansas City), as well as with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def record label, to which he was signed. Over the years he has built a list of clients that includes Queen Naija, Bow Wow, R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige, 2 Chainz, T.I., T-Pain, Britney Spears, Tyrese, K. Michelle, Ludacris, Ciara and Usher.
