Jay Baumgardner, producer/engineer and owner of NRG Recording Studios, recently installed new Ocean Way Audio monitors in his LA studio complex, with dual-subwoofer HR2EX towers in Moroccan-themed Studio B and dual-horn HR 3.5 reference monitors in the Studio C mix room. Vintage King audio consultant James Good helped in smoothly integrating both Ocean Way Audio monitor systems.
“I’ve known Ocean Way Audio founder Allen Sides for years and have worked extensively in rooms with his speakers,” says Baumgardner. “We first listened to his new monitor systems over at his showroom and were so impressed we set them up at my studios alongside my existing monitors and they just blew us away.”
Baumgardner has been responsible for numerous hit records for well over 20 years, with a lengthy history of breaking new and up-and-coming artists as well as established and upcoming bands. “Our previous monitors were from the 90s and speaker/amplifier technology has really evolved since then,” he continues. “We still have rock clients, but we also have R&B acts, hip-hop and a lot of film dates. We needed more power to satisfy clients who demand a really big sound. Ocean Way’s amplifier technology is impressive, and powerful enough to drive these big cabinets.”
NRG Studio B was conceived with a Moroccan theme and the live area has a ceiling height of more than 20 feet. The control room resembles a Bedouin tent centered around a massive “wrap-around” Neve 8078 console that was sourced in Austria, purchased from Allen Sides, and which has undergone a number of modifications: for example, 24 mic preamp/EQ 1073 modules have been added to the monitor section for a total number of 64 input channels.
Studio B now offers the HR2EX three-way tri-amplified system, which includes Ocean Way tonal balance equalization and electronic crossover, custom electronic equalizers, and crossover tuned and aligned by Ocean Way Audio’s team. Both towers have 18-inch subwoofers on top and bottom.
NRG’s Studio C has elaborately carved oak and was designed primarily as a mixing suite with a Slate Raven MPZ console. The studio also holds a gear collection that includes UREI 1176, Teletronix LA-2A and Neve 2254 compressors and API, Avalon and Chandler Limited EQs.
Baumgardner is currently executive producer and mixing early work in Studio C that was done by Linkin Park leader Chester Bennington. Baumgardner, who worked extensively with the band at his studio, is mixing archival material of Bennington’s first band, Grey Daze, set for April release.
“These HR 3.5’s are excellent sounding monitors and they’re perfect for Studio C,” explains Baumgardner. “This is where I mix, but we also have a wide range of other work done in here. Stuart White mixed Beyoncé’s “Lion King” here, and we also do a lot of hip-hop tracking — the sound has got to be really big these days. These monitors are not only loud, but they are tight and punchy, but with a really smooth overall sound.
