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When you walk into any studio, for me, the primary point of definition will always be the console. When you mix, EVERYTHING has to pass though it. If you've ever made comparisions between different opamps or different transformers you likely know these little things can have often not so subtle differences which over the course of a complex system like a mixing console can have tremendous global effects on your mix. It is because of this that companies like Neve and API and SSL have been able to build empires. Selecting a console to be tied to is no laughing matter. I chose wisely. 
The centerpiece of the studio is a Sphere Eclipse A 32x16x2. This console was designed by the transistor super genius John Hall. This console was built for delivery in 1977 and completely restored for service over a 6 month period in 2004 by me. The console features a completely discrete audio path based around a single opamp design running on +/-24v power rails. Hello headroom. Every amplifier stage in the console uses this opamp and it's completely outrageous. The mic pre uses a Reichenbach input transformer feeding a single opamp design, the EQ's are passive inductor (both 9 band and 3 band EQ's) featuring a single opamp input buffer and a single opamp makeup stage. The EQ is perhaps the smoothest EQ I know of from the era, it just takes a band and makes it louder without bringing up a bunch of nastiness with it. Not my favorite for tracking, but rules for mixing. The mix buss uses the same opamp in inverting mode on an active summing buss and all the buss outputs use a custom wound Reichenbach output transformer. Tantalum coupling capacitors are used through out, interstage transformers are not present in this design. Two relay controlled group mutes available on 28 channels, solo in place available on 32 channels, 32 channel fold back for independent headphone mix. Echo send and foldback share a 4136 chip to drive the output, echo return balanced on Jensen transformers, foldback summing uses the discrete opamp. The 4136 is exclusively used in the foldback and echo only, not in the audio path going to or coming from tape. The block design for this console is a thing of beauty and the audio signal path is REALLY short through the board. Its not filled with a bunch of stupid features you donšt need and in place of that just sounds freakishly awesome. Penny and Giles faders and Weston meters are used through out. All the faders operate smooth and track well. Weston I believe invented the VU standard, needless to say, the ballistics on the VU's are crazy good. New Switchcraft TT bays and Redco TGS wiring were installed 2004. All patch cables are Mogami. There is no automation present on this console. That's a good thing too. This console, while the stone age for inline design represents so far as my taste is concerned, the absolute height of design in regards to the sound coming out of the speakers. It just sounds awesome. Many people have described the sound of the console as midway between a Neve 80xx series and an API 16xx series, it has a smooth top reminiscient of a Neve but the aggressiveness of an API yet without the horrid Neve cloudiness or the cartoonish API mid forwardness. Unique to this console is its tremendous headroom and open sound. After sitting in front of it for a while you quickly learn to toss "other peoples" impressions and most folks develop their own, however eerily continuous impression that the console sounds bombastic and every bit as good as the other stuff people fiend over out there. I put a lot of work in to restoring this board, it sounds awesome and is really easy to work on. The Sphere is the centerpiece plus there are a variety of smaller mixers for bussing which include:
As well as some mixers I have built up from old console parts:
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