Bassist Paul “Pablo” Stennett is a winner of multiple Grammys with a long list of credits as a producer, composer, session player, and performer with such artists as Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Raphael Saadiq, Chaka Chan, Diana King, Pink, and Jimmy Cliff.
His reputation depends on top-quality sound, which is one reason Stennett is a devotee of Mackie‘s DL32R 32-channel rack-mount digital mixer.
“I’ve always loved Mackie products, and my studio is based on Mackie gear,” Stennett begins. “Mackie’s sound quality is consistently excellent. I used a Mackie 32-channel 8*Bus analog mixer for 20 years, and I did a lot of good work with it. But now I’ve switched to the DL32R digital mixer, and I’m even happier. It has all the features I need, and I love the sound. Everything in the studio is patched into the DL32R, including my vintage keyboards, my outboard gear, and my computer DAW. From the mixer, my audio is routed to a Mackie Big Knob, which controls my Mackie monitor speakers. I control the DL32R with the Master Fader app for iPad. So it’s a Mackie system from end to end.”
In addition to his work with major artists, Stennett creates music for film soundtracks, stage productions, and video games. He composes, tracks, edits, and mixes everything with the DL32R.
“The DL32R is at the core of everything I produce,” he explains. “I can track a group, add live instruments, then pull it into the computer, add virtual instruments, and mix-all with the DL32R. I often cut live drums in my studio, and they sound totally authentic coming from the DL32R, with no grit or coloration.”
Although he long relied on the physical faders of his Mackie 8*Bus console, Stennett is very happy mixing with an iPad. “The interface in Mackie’s Master Fader control software is amazing,” he maintains. “It made the transition to iPad mixing easy.”
A long-time fan of Ampeg’s SVT-4PRO bass amplifier head and PN-410HLF and PN-115HLF bass cabinets, Stennett has recorded and toured extensively in recent years as the bassist for Ziggy Marley. He also maintains a busy studio schedule for his other projects.
“Right now, I’m doing a lot of music for Sony Playstation games,” he relates, “and I use my DL32R for everything. I know I can rely on it completely, as I have always relied on Mackie.”
