i used to have a large mostly analog setup – 7ft console, ADAT and tape recorders, mixers, etc and an old Dell. then moved to ITB with just IO for recording with an external 2 ch compressor for vox or an instrument when needed.

today – ITB using a powerful laptop (handy when moving around) + mobile IO rack. the laptop is also my tool for my recording studio design service which requires complex calculation and simulations, CAD, and image and video renderings.

currently my monitors are in storage so i’m using several headphones and my Positive Grid miini-sparx for monitoring. soundreference is ued to make all the headphones operate at the lavel volume levels and relatively flat. my ATH-50x are the primary ones, with VSX and Sennheiser 218 as my earpod test bed. the mini-sparx is really good at mimicing my auratone (in storage) and helps provide a good final check on mono compatibility (even though it is stereo…) and finding anything which jumps out and needs some love. the ATH-20bt via my smartphone are handy because they have a different response than most other headphones, and of course, there are a couple of cars which also provide insights.

the VSX is interesting for listening but would never use them to mix. but being able to jump around in 30+ environments and listening modes does provide perspectives.

one tool i recommend heartily: ISOL8 – a free tool which lets you listen in bands and let’s you really find that low-mid mix much quicker without distractions.

the hardest thing – when someone send me tracks which are “premixed” with lots of reverbs and delays and EQ and then “normalized” so i basically need to have them go back and remove all that. lol. i can do a lot with tools like RX and Acoustica but it’s best to have clean tracks whenever possible.

the other hard thing: when someone i’ve designed a studio for completes building it, and then never call me again. until they need another studio or an update. like really, you’re so busy you cannot call or write! 😉 j.k. i’m actually happy when they’re too busy for a few years before they reach out to let me know how they’re getting on…