The original Alchemix Studios kicked off proceedings in 1998 before decamping to Woolloongabba, QLD in July 2004. Since that time the studio has accommodated a number of creative styles, all under the steady hand of Marly Lüske. The studio also acts as an art gallery, which then doubles as a boutique live recording space for underground experimental artists, jazz groups, and classical ensembles.

The studio is made up of two main control rooms, connected to no less than five unique recording environments. The studio runs a Digidesign HD2 Accel ProTools system with 32 channels of Lynx I/O, and also houses a very useful variety of analogue equipment including compression, EQ and preamps. Finally, to augment the ProTools HD environment, Alchemix also runs Universal Audio UAD2 cards along with an external SSL Duende plug-in rack. Custom gear and mods are built in-house by Joe Malone of JLM Audio – who also happens to share a section of the same complex – nice for some!

Alchemix gear highlights include three 1176 compressors and a large amount of JLM gear in the main studio: including TG, 99v and Neve Dual preamps. There’s also a JLM lunchbox in Studio B. The main console is a modified Yamaha PM2000, and yes, you guessed it, Joe Malone did the mods. The desk also includes a few different op amp designs for its bus section, which outputs to two-track tape for projects that suit the traditional console mixdown. An SSL JLM mod rack also helps glue final mixes together before being dispatched to mastering engineer, Dave Neil.

The slanted four- to six-metre high ceiling in the live room leaves plenty of air around the baby grand piano, and there are options galore in the vintage amp and synth departments. There’s also a purpose-built, heavily insulated drum room that is used in different ways depending on the project. Using the live room as a reverb chamber with random mics running through 1176 compression (all buttons in) is also a favourite pastime of the in-house producers, Matt Whitehouse and Tim Baker.

Alchemix recently modded their Yamaha PM2000 mixing console. It’s now operating as a summing machine, with insert points now active and patched into all the outboard dynamics. Nice!

Alchemix: 0407 630 770 or www.alchemix.com.au