Producer, mix/master engineer and owner of Mondosonic Studios, Varun Krrishna has been enjoying his ASP8024 Heritage Edition console for two years now. Consistently striving to improve his offering in Kerala, Mondosonic Studios is now an Apple Digital Master certified provider and Varun is currently considering Spatial Audio as his next upgrade.
Varun Krrishna on ASP8024-HE: “nothing short of spectacular”
“I am already working on the pre-plans for a Spatial Audio mixing setup. I don’t want to rework the existing space, because that is designed specifically for a stereo production,” he explains. “I am not a huge fan working both stereo and the surround in the same space, as each medium requires very specific design principles.”
His attention to detail stretches to visual as well as aural aesthetics. Mondosonic Studios was recently upgraded so that the outboard furniture in his studio now matches the wood of the console. “Everything looks more integrated and appealing,” he says – certainly a positive for him, as he can spend up to 14 hours a day working there.
Describing his Audient desk’s features, routing and workflows as “nothing short of spectacular,” he continues to appreciate his ASP8024-HE. “I like its unique midrange crunch whenever the mix bus is driven hard and it particularly suits the rock/country genres. I use the on-board EQ a lot during the recording phase itself and I have been very confident with it while confirming the sound I need, even before the final mix.”
“I use the on-board EQ a lot during the recording phase itself”
Despite owning a good number of plugins, he doesn’t use them on everything by any means. “Nowadays I only use plugins for surgical shaping, but analogue outboards and console EQ for most of the things that involve boosting. I would never say digital plugins are inferior to analogue – especially when the technology is at its peak – but for my specific workflow, I always prefer analogue. I’m very happy with the results.” It’s reliability that appeals to him. “None of my analogue gear has been faulty for at least the last six years, except for some tube swaps which are very easy. So for me, I like the predictable nature of it!”
Most recently, Varun produced Indian thrash metal band, Amorphia‘s third studio album, Lethal Dose which was very well received, as well as a regional song named Vaazhvin Neeve by the artist Remin Jose, released on his in-house record label. “I’m currently producing a song composed by my brother Pranav Das and I’m very excited about it,” he adds. There are at least another six songs in the queue for 2023 already, so he is expecting to be busy.
“That’s what I prefer. A hybrid way of producing music.”
It was Varun’s experience as a student of Advanced Music Production in London back in 2014 that originally cemented his love of analogue. It provides the building blocks for his workflow today. “Having a very minimal set of plugins and just a few pieces of analogue outboard, I have limited myself with old school techniques. This creates a balanced environment for more creativity and thus improves my skills.
“Analogue and Digital. Best of both worlds. That’s what I prefer. A hybrid way of producing music.” Audient has to agree! We look forward to finding out what’s next for Varun and Mondosonic Studios.
