About Me
Equipment:
Console:
Vintage HELIOS discrete mixing console with 40 Olympic style EQs from 1972 32 channels with Mic Pre, 24 Monitor Inputs, 16 Buses, 8 Aux Buses, Total of 64 Inputs in Mixdown RTW Broadcastmonitor Uptown 990 Moving Fader Automation rebuild and modified by Charly Bohaimid
Vintage Neve BCM-10 discrete transportable mixing onsole/sidercar.
10 channels with 1073 Mic/Pre EQ modules, 2 Output Groups, 2 Aux Sends, Direct Outputs
At the moment there are only two 1073 modules. Refurbishment is still in progress
Monitoring:
Lipinski L-707 ASR Emitter 1 Clear Blue
Music Fidelity X-Can V3
Sennheiser HD 650
Etymotic ER-4B
Recording:
Studer A800 MKIII 2" 24 Track Tape Maschine
Studer A 820 1/2" Stereo Master Maschine
Apple Pro 8 core
Apple MacBook Pro
Apple Logic Studio 8
Lavry Blue Converter
Motu Traveler
Adam Smith Zeta Three Synchronizer
Effects:
Lexicon 224XL
TC System 6000
Outboard:
Neve 1073 MicPre/EQ (2)
API 312 PreAmp (6)
Audio & Design F760 Compressor (8)
API 2500 Legacy Bus Compressor
InnerTubeAudio Atomic Squeezebox Dual
Digital Domain DD-2
Microphones:
Telefunken ELA-M 250
Telefunken ELA-M 251
Royer R-121
Coles 4038 Stereo PairMillenium Edition
Electro Voice RE20
AKG C451 EB
Sennheiser MD421 (3)
Shure SM7
Shure SM 57 (3)
Shure Beta 91
Audio Technica AT4033
Beyerdynamic M160 (2)
Yamaha Subkick
Instruments:
Steinway Grand Piano Model O
Moog Voyager Signature Edition
DW Drumset 8", 10", 12", 14", 16", 22" BD, 13" Craviotto Snare
ESP Viper Guitar
Vintage 79" Musicman "Stingray" Bass
Diezel "Herbert"
Bogner Uberschall
Bogner 2x12" Oversized Cabinet
Radial Engineering X-Amp
Studio Cabling:
Sommer cables oxygen free
Monster cables Pro 100
The Helios History:
In the 60"s a gentleman called Dick Swettenham worked as an Service/Design Engineer for Abbey Road Studios.
In the early 70"s he moved to work for the legendary Olympic Studios, where he controlled Design and Maintenance. He approached the owners of Olympic, stating that if they allowed him to order the parts, he could build a desk that was far more musical than anything built at that time,they gave him the OK.
When the desk was completed and commissioned most of the legendary musicians which included the famous"Jimi Hendrix Masters" started to book time at Olympic.
Most British and some American recording artists were now using Olympic Studios so Chris Blackwell of Island Records decided that if he built a studio around a Helios Console he would save money and also have his own studio busy with artists wanting to record on Helios.
But he was a client of Olympic, it would be impossible for him to request that Dick Swettenham of Olympic to build a console that would be in direct competition with Olympic, so he put up the finance for Dick to go into business, and so Helios was born.
Seven consoles were built for Island which included Mobile Studios.
At this time Mike Oldfield"s "Tabular Bells" was selling well for Virgin Records, so Richard Branson had Helios build three consoles, one for The Manor Studio, one for The Manor Mobile and one for Tonwhouse Studios.
The "Who" built Ramport Studios around the Helios, The Rolling Stones built the legendary "Stones Mobile".
10cc built Strawberry Studios and so the story goes on, even the Beatles built "Apple Studios" around a green Helios Console.
Helios became known as the Musicians Choice of Recording Consoles.
In 1972 the legendary Hansa Studio Berlin "by the wall" ordered one Helios console. This console recorded David Bowie"s "Low" Album which was the first of the successful trilogy of albums made in Berlin (Low, Heroes, Lodger) among other collaborations between David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno.
Helios consoles are extremly rare and very sought after. There are only few boards left in the world.
The board is fully discrete and has a unique fat open sound which makes any SSL board very jealous.
After all faders were cleaned from cocain and other dirt from the glory old days of Sex, Drugs and Rock¥n Roll the board was completely rebuilt and modified over one year with loving care and attention to detail by the extremly skilled designer Charly Bohaimid.
David Bowie and Tony Visconti remember this console as one of their favourites and both signed it 2004 when producer Clemens Schleiwies bought it for his private producer studio "The Private Room".
