“The iD14 (MKII) has been great,” says Daniel Irizarry, one of the first audio engineers to get their hands on Audient’s new audio interface after it arrived in the US. “I’ve had it for a couple of months now and I feel like it checks all the boxes for me.”
“At first glance this is a cool looking unit”
Working as Chief Technical Engineer at PLUSHnyc, a boutique audio post production studio, Daniel’s recent projects have included campaigns for The Weather Channel, Blistex, CNN and Altice. So it’s imperative that he can count on his gear. “My old interface decided to die right around the same time when the MKII came out and it was kind of a win/win situation. I had heard from a close friend how much he loves his first generation iD14 and based on his recommendation I decided to go ahead and try out the MKII. (Thanks Rob Fielack!)”
Daniel’s first impressions were very positive. “At first glance this is a cool looking unit. I really like the gun-metal look, I also like the colour scheme of the LEDs, not your typical green/yellow/red meters.” Once he’d put the audio interface to work, the advantages really stood out to him. “The pre’s are EXTREMELY clean, especially for it being bus powered. Portability is also a big plus,” he adds.
“The pre’s are EXTREMELY clean”
“My favourite feature has to be the talkback functionality. In this ‘new normal’, working from home and having clients and talent remotely, your talkback often gets overlooked. I used to have to reach to my talkback track with my mouse to mute/unmute myself all while trying to edit and that can get tiring after a few hours. Now I just press the onboard iD button and keep moving.”
Over the past year he and his colleagues have needed to juggle working from home and in the office in Manhattan’s historic Flatiron District. “All our engineers at PLUSHnyc have home setups and we’ve worked really hard to make it as effortless for clients & the VO talents we connect with,” he explains. His own home setup consists of a 27″ iMac running ProTools, a pair of Elac UB5 speakers, a 32″ external monitor for video playback and extra display real estate. He uses a Korg nanoKONTROL for basic automation and transport control, and a Keystation Mini 32 MK3 as a MIDI controller.
“We do still offer in-person sessions, for talent that might not have a home setup, or clients that prefer the in-person experience and full service of our facility. For me, it’s all about the collaborative experience. Either helping the talented group of engineers I work with, or helping clients realize their creative vision.”
“My favourite feature has to be the talkback functionality”
This cooperative attitude permeates into all areas of his life – which includes being a drummer for Duke of Vandals and Marble House. “I’m always looking for new musicians to collaborate with,” he says, currently in the process of engineering Duke of Vandals’ upcoming EP. “I also just finished a mix for my good friend and amazing musician from Puerto Rico, Abraham Dorta – all at home with the iD14.”
Audient hopes his home setup continues to serve him well for many years to come!
