The infamous Lab Recording Studio, hidden beneath the Crystal Palace Picture Theatre on Mt Eden Rd, in the bosom of a classic 1930's kauri floored dance hall.
At one time the most hip underground club in Auckland, this large, comfortable and discrete, multi-room space has been transformed into one of the country's leading vintage studios, boasting not just an incredible collection of gear, but more importantly, a liberating environment seething with noir character and the ghosts of illegitimate children.
At the heart of the studio is the custom 1970's Neve console, made during the golden era of recording technology. Compact, at 36 channels, and simple by design, it's best feature is it's outstanding sound quality. There was a saying during the 70's which went something along the lines of "only a Neve is good enough".
However, there's more to a studio than a vintage pedigree console, the rest of the equipment has to stand up as well. In this respect The Lab is very well equipped also, with a fantastic live recording room, vintage tube and ribbon mics, Pro Tools HD with Apogee converters, racks of classic outboard, a mouthwatering collection of amps and instruments, and a piano.
Restaurants, a liquor outlet, burgers, pies and a decent coffee are all within stumbling distance.
Brands
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Neve
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Neumann
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AKG
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Urei
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Pro Tools
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DBX
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Coles
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Lexicon