Neve helps Philharmonic Studios find the sound of success

A brand new recording studio is set to shake up the world of sound engineering when it opens its doors, because of a lifelong obsession with Neve professional recording gear.

Philharmonic Studios owner and highly experienced producer Greg Miner knows the sound of success when he hears it – and he says it all comes from Neve.

Philharmonic Studios is a full-service recording studio in a private, upscale setting in Vernon Hills, north of Chicago, Illinois, where it is set to become home to some of the biggest records in the world. Built from the ground up to meet the highest technical standards, the multi-room recording studio aims to set new benchmarks in design and performance.

Miner has spent the last 30 years in the music industry and knows he can only get the best sound by using the best equipment.

"I use Neve equipment because it's the best. Simple,” he says. "I've used all sorts of gear over the years, and time and time again, I always turn to Neve because it is the pinnacle of audio equipment. When it came time to build my own studio, I knew I had to have Neve products. I can't recommend them highly enough, not just to professionals like myself but also to budding home recordists."

Based out of their facility in Burnley, Lancs, Neve build and ship consoles to studios worldwide.

The audio and recording equipment company is a stalwart in the industry, where the analogue and digital consoles are used for all sound recording, including scores for Oscar-winning movies and Grammy-winning albums.

Philharmonic Studios, the product of three-and-a-half years of work for Miner and his team, has a wide variety of Neve equipment, including BCM10/2 Mk II with 24 Channels of 1084, 1073 and 1081 classic modules and 1081R racks.

"The BCM10/2 Mk II appeals to the purist in me,” Miner adds. "It is the ultimate front end for digital recording but also has the facilities required for modern session workflows. You can really feel the quality and attention to detail in this console, and depending on the desired result is capable of producing a pristine performance to harmonic richness. And for those who dare, the BCM to 1/2" two track is the ultimate in immediacy and excitement.

"Neve equipment is integral to our music experience over the last decades. It has been on so many recordings, it's impossible to imagine where we would be without it. When you make a recording on a Neve console, you know you're connected to the greats."

The BCM10/2 Mk II allows routing and monitoring options with multiple configurations so any artist, producer and engineer can harness the iconic Neve sound.

Part of the success that Miner knows his studio will achieve is down to the recording and mixing equipment, because he has collected the best products to create the best sounds.

He says: "I've always had a soft spot for Neve, and I think you can't do better. In the world of audio equipment, it's really peerless.

"I first encountered Neve products almost 30 years ago as a studio intern. Neve had an office next down the street and the facility had a VR console and various outboards. I was always captivated by the look and sound of Neve equipment and was thrilled to buy my first pair of 1081 modules not long after, which I still own to this day. Since then, almost everything I record passes through Neve products."

Initially, Philharmonic Studios will concentrate heavily on jazz and big band recordings, but the facility is designed to record any sound, from rock to pop and everything in between.

"The 1073/1084 are really my desert island preamplifiers,” reveals Miner. "It's in the DNA of nearly all recorded music over the decades, and it's easy to hear why. The 1081 is my go-to when greater equaliser options are required and is great on stereo guitars and subgroups of all kinds.

"The 1081R – especially the AIR modules – are fantastic on classical music sessions and are even quiet enough to pair with ribbon mics.”

Designed in 1972, the 1081 is a combined mic/line preamp and equaliser section for the Neve modular consoles. The 1081R enhances this analogue technology with complete digital remote control for modern workflows.

There is also a 1073OPX and a 33609/N Compressor in the 7,000 sq ft facility, which is set in peaceful woodland, so recording artists can concentrate fully on the music without distraction.

The 1073OPX, with eight remote-controllable preamps, suits modern DAW-based workflows while offering the famous 1073 sound.

Miner concludes: "The 33609/N continues the long history of this great compressor and may be the best iteration yet, truly excellent on acoustic guitars, piano and mix buss duties.

“I would be remiss in not mentioning how much I love the 1073OPX. With its stellar mic pre, conversion and scalability, this unit is ideal for location and live sound recording."

Philharmonic Studios is set to open later this month, and Miner and his team are confident that their sound will soon be heard around the world.