The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

Studio 220

Studio 220 was designed by students in Peabody's Master of Arts in Recording and Acoustics program with guidance from Adjunct Faculty Member Dr. Peter D'Antonio of RPG Acoustics, Inc. Construction was completed by Recording Arts and Sciences undergraduate students during the summer of 1999, and with it's state-of-the-art Digital DPC console and digital multi-track recorders was one of the most comprehensive studios in any educational facility in the world. The studio was closed in 2002 during the Peabody Grand Arcade renovation and the equipment was reinstalled in a newly purpose built Studio 2002 .The Studio was reopened in January of 2004 with all new state-of-the-art equipment. Fully equipped with digital multi-track tape based and disc based recording with total automated mixdown facilities, it is linked to two of Peabody's performance halls as well as to the other three audio engineering control rooms.. The console is a Sony OXF-3 Oxford Digital Console, considered by many as the finest modern console ever made. A pair of Tascam MX2424 multi-track hard-disk recorders handles 48 tracks of performance and session data while a large multi-channel DigiDesign ProTools HD 3 system handles any further requirements.Recently, Studio 220 was updated with a Pyramix Masscore system to function as both a multitrack recording platform and to function as the room's main tool for precision editing and mastering. Tracks can be mixed to or recorded directly to a Tascam DV-RA1000, two-channel Digital Audio Tape Recorders, or Compact Disc Recorders. For video post-production materials can be sent to ProTools and processed and tied to various software based video production systems. There are fiber optic routing paths thoughout the Peabody facilities with bandwidth capable of carrying both MADI and SDI signals. For monitoring, Studio 220 will be outfitted with a world-class Lipinski Sound monitoring system in the fall of 2008. The Lipinski system, which is one of the most accurate studio monitor systems available today, consists of two Lipinski L-707 main speakers and a Lipinski L-150 subwoofer. A dedicated computer running Metric Halo's Spectrafoo software provides a full compliment of metering options for any type of situation. Outboard equipment includes microphone preamplifiers by Millenia, Grace, and Joe Meek as well as a comprehensive reverberation system from TC Electronics (6000 mainframe with ICON and 16 digital IO). A Sony DRE-77S sampling reverb is also present. Studio 220 is also equipped with several pieces of vintage gear including a pair of Lang PEQ-2's which were in place in the original Peabody Recording facilities in 1969, an authentic EMT 250 plate reverb, a UREI 1178 Limiting Amplifier, a stereo pair of UREI LA-4 compressors (modded by Eddie Ciletti of Manhattan Sound), and a Klark Teknik DN-780 Digital Reverberator.

In short, once again the Peabody Recording Studios control room 220 is the standard to which others aspire.

Studio 203

Studio 203 was rebuilt in the summer of 2007 and is Peabody's first control room to be centered around a Digital Audio Workstation. A Digidesign Pro Tools HD 3 system with a D-Command control surface provides Studio 203 with huge range of capabilities. A full 5.1 system consisting of Dynaudio BM15A monitors and a Dynaudio BX30 subwoofer make the room an ideal environment for auditioning high resolution surround recordings and working with sound for picture. Outboard gear consists of microphone preamplifiers from Earthworks, a TC Electronics M3000, and a dedicated Spectrafoo metering system. Additional processing plug-ins from Waves and Melodyne are also available.

Studio 2002

The studio's console is a DPC-II digital production console from Soundtracs-PLC. Data can be recorded and stored at various sample rates and quantization levels to include 96kHz/24bit encoding. Multi-channel recordings are stored on a Sony PCM-3324A digital multi-track recorder, Tascam MX2424 Hard disk recorders, or a DigiDesign ProTools HD system. Two channel recording is handled by two Tascam CD-RW2000 compact Disc Recorders, a Tascam DV-RA1000 high resolution DVD recorder,  a Sony PCM-2600, and Tascam DA-60 timecode DAT deck . Digital editing and mastering is accomplished using a SADiE Artemis System. The facility is also capable of  full audio-for-video post-production with DV-Cam, mini-DV recorders, DVD mastering software, and an Apple Final-Cut Pro HD  non-linear video editing system. Audio Post and system lock is accomplished using a Timeline Micro-Lynx synchronizing system. the entire system is time code capable and is locked to house word clock. Processing in Studio 2002 includes: Lexicon 960L, T.C. Electronic M5000,  M2000, TC2290, Sony DPS-F7's, DPS-M7, DPS-V55, UREI LA-4's (modded by Eddie Ciletti of Manhattan Sound),  as well as console internal Equalization, Gating, Compression and Filtering on all 160 input channels.  

Studio 3036

The Leakin Hall Studio Analog Mixdown Room was renovated by Recording Arts and Sciences undergraduate students during the summer of 1999. This room in the Leakin Hall Building houses a Sony MXP3036VF automated console and an Otari MTR-90 Mk II analog multi-track with Dolby SR noise reduction, and a Tascam MX2424 hard disc multi-track recorder. Processing in the mix-down room includes: T.C. Electronics Finalizer Plus, Lexicon 480L, PCM 90, PCM 80, Sony DPS-D7, DPS-M7, DPS-R7, Drawmer M5000 multi--processors, Drawmer DS201 gates, T.C. Electronics TC1210, Valley Electronics Gain Brain II's, Kepex II's, Commander's, UREI model 546 equalization, and DBX 180 Type I NR. Mixdown is to Sony APR-5003 timecode capable analog recorders with chase synchronization, Tascam CD-RW2000 CD recorders, and Sony PCM-2600 DAT recorders. A Spectrafoo metering system is utilized for in-depth frequency analysis and level monitoring.

Microphones

All Studios share one of the most comprehensive microphone collections found in any studio or other recording facility. Microphones include multiple Neumann M-147, M-149, and M-150 tube microphones in addition to the solid state KM84, KM85, KM86, KM140, U-87, TLM103, TLM170, TLM93, SM69 microphones. Additionally, there are Sennheiser MD-441, MD-421, MKH series 40, 20, 30, 8040, and 8020 microphones, AKG C-414P48, C-414TLII, C-414EB, C-4000B, "The Tube", and C-422 microphoness, Audio Technica AT-4050 mics, Beyer M-160, M-260, M-500, M-88 microphones., Coles 4038 ribbon microphones, DPA 4006TL microphones, Microtech-Geffell UM70, M300, M-296, and M-930 microphones, Royer R-121 and SF-24 ribbons, Schoeps Collette series Mk21 microphones, as well as an extensive collection of AKG, Beyer, Electrovoice, Sennheiser and Shure dynamic mics.