48 Windows

48 Windows Production Studio Installs Bag End Monitors in Mixing Room

Traditionally, audio had been the stepchild to picture in the world of television and motion picture production.

However, there is a studio in Santa Monica, California, that aims to turn that around. Eric Garcia, owner of 48 Windows, is in the process of converting the congregation.

“Rather than function at the end of the chain – as in, ‘post-production’ – we get involved with a project from the shoot to the final lay-back,” Garcia said. “We follow the audio path from the shoot to the Avid house, to the music house, to final mix.”

“With variations in sample rates, frame rates, record levels, and format compatibility for example, the audio path can get confusing” he said. “We function as a liaison among all the companies involved to assure the best sound track possible.”

48 Windows focuses on music production and post-production for TV, film and advertising. The studio is located literally in the middle of the Los Angeles advertising community. More importantly, they boast an impressive list of clients and projects.

With the emphasis on quality audio, it’s no wonder Garcia elected to install the Bag End MM-8 Near Field Monitors and Bag End Infrasub-18 subwoofers. “The Bag Ends really rock,” Garcia said. “We recently did a spot for Toyota, and picked up stuff on the audio track you could only hear on the Bag Ends.” In short, because the Bag Ends have such outstanding fidelity and clarity.

The Studios

48 Windows created a studio environment that is highly efficient and flexible, but at the same time aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing. The control room stations are oval with isolation booths and a live room in a straight visual range.

The studios are sized to accommodate a wide variety of projects. The main mixing rooms offer Dolby Surround Sound capabilities. Similarly, the radio production room offers mix-to-picture capabilities for medium and long form TV post-production. Some of 48 windows services include mix, voice-over recording, lay-up and lay-back music and sound design.

In addition to the Bag End speaker systems, equipment includes Mackie Digital 8 Bus recording consoles, three Digidesign Pro Tools 124 mix systems tied to Mackie HUI control surfaces, Tascam DA-88 digital multitracks and DA-60 Mk11 timecode DATs, Panasonic SV-3800 DATs and Avalon Design VT-737SP tube preamps. ISDN lines connect all the studios to the radio and TV outlets.

“Our studios were computer designed and tuned to take advantage of the latest advances in digital technology.” Garcia said. “In addition, we have full digital link-up to Hollywood Digital’s resources for lay-up and lay-back to all digital formats.”

Garcia hasn’t forgotten the nice touches either. The facility includes a large dining area and adjacent lounge area containing computer terminals and telephones so clients have both work and rest space away from the studio.