Studio RecPublica, Polandchooses ADAM S6A MK2 as main monitors

Berlin, December 8, 2011

Paul Mac from Audio Media goes to Poland.

RecPublica started as an idea, six years ago, after a band had a bad experience with studio time in Warsaw. It seems that a part-functioning console, terrible service, non-existent (but advertised) ‘luxury’ facilities, an incident with woofers being replaced mid-mix while the band was at lunch, and even a three-hour round trip to the hotel just to get a shower, was what Poland had to offer back then.

What, they decided, was required, was a Polish residential studio where, according the Studio Manager Patryk Zukowski: “You record; but if you want a nap you just go; you can take a shower, whatever. You just feel like everything is around you. The equipment has to be great, and in good condition – and you want very good technical support. That’s why we built the studio.”

From there started a labour of love for Zukowski and Studio Owner Maciej Hladki that took about five years – from finding the 700 year old mill building, situated only one and a half hours’ drive from both Berlin and Warsaw, to creating a John Flynn-designed facility with four live rooms (including a main live area of over 900 cubic meters with its own Fazioli F 228 piano), an SSL/ADAM/Pro Tools equipped control room, four-star accommodation for up to 12 people, and lounge, bar, and kitchen facilities.

Oddly though, the studio’s foundations were (metaphorically) laid in London …

PZ: We found the great guys from KMR who helped us a lot. I met them when I was looking for some microphones and I just called them and said, ‘hey guys I want to equip a studio’.

PM: Equipment-wise, did you specify all of it?

PZ: Yes, it was mostly down to me. After a while of working in different studios I have found that there are certain pieces of gear I like, so most of the things I have chosen for RecPublica come from my own experience. The desk [SSL 48-channel Duality] was the first choice from a few others, including the AMS Neve Genesys, and API.

PM: Was the ADAM monitoring first choice – how auditioning did you do?

PZ: We’d been thinking about different brands. I’ve worked on other monitors – sometimes I liked them, sometimes not. But I was looking for something different. I’d been to a Berlin music store, doing some shopping. In the shop was a pair of 5As, and I remember it was a really horrible room – no treatment at all. I found a CD, a very spacey song you know, it was the only thing that was there and I just played it back, and was like, ‘Oh my god’. I suddenly didn’t know that song. It was totally different from the way that I knew it; and I started to try different songs, different music, and was astonished that in this really bad place it sounds like this. The stereo image was there, the detail… everything was there. I came back here and said ‘I’ve found the monitors, let’s go for the ADAMs’. We ordered the S6As without hearing them. And yes, I was very satisfied.

PM: That’s a big leap of faith.

PZ: Yes, but we couldn’t find a place check them at that time, and the decision had to be very fast due to financing. I’m glad it worked like that. I really like the way ADAM does speakers, the technology is cool …

Many thanks to Audio Media for allowing us to use this article.