Part of the Music Support Group GmbH, Dorian Gray Studios has facilities in Munich, Vienna and Hamburg. It provides music recording services to commercial clients as well as training to the next generation of audio professionals. In addition, it offers services such as CD duplication and graphic design, allowing customers to access a turnkey service that takes them from initial recording to a finished product.
Recently, the original Dorian Gray Studios in Eichenau, near Munich, relocated as part of a larger MSG plan to consolidate all its Munich operations into one location. The company previously had offices and studios in four different places.
The new studio has three main control rooms, a mastering suite that doubles as a fourth control room and various recording areas.
“We dismantled our main control room in Eichenau and rebuilt it in the new location,” explained Gerhard Woelfle, head of Dorian Gray Studios and senior audio engineer. “This is now Studio 1 and it has a 96-channel SSL C200 Digital Production Console, a 5.1 monitoring system featuring PMC MB2 XBD fully active monitors with Bryston amplification, ProTools HD3 and lots of outboard gear, microphones and tape machines.”
Studio 2, the first Dorian Gray studio to open in Eichenau in 1989, was also dismantled and moved. It is now mainly used by students from the Deutsche POP academy (MSG’s training arm), but can be rented for commercial projects. This room has a 24-channel SSL Duality, PMC IB1 monitors and ProTools.
Studio 3 is used by junior students and can also be a recording space. Additionally, two other spaces serves as recording rooms — a large space that is directly connected to Studios 1 and 2 and a smaller one with visual access to Studio 2 and audio and video links to Studio 1.
“Our separate mastering suite is connected to the largest recording room, that can be used as a spare control room for smaller recording sessions,” Gerhard added. “This is equipped with PMC IB2 monitors, SADiE and ProTools DAWs, a customised Crookwood console and high-end analog and digital mastering outboard.”
Gerhard, who joined MSG in 2003, recommended PMC monitoring after experiencing their quality while working as a freelance engineer at various PMC-equipped studios in Germany and Austria.