Steppenwolf Studio

12/02/2024

Elizaveta Miller writes about her new release on Quartz: "To construct a programme based on two minor and seemingly contrasting genres of Variations and Fantasia represented for me a quest into that which I feel to be the heart of the classical style – the coexistence of extreme freedom and extreme restraint, in form, in notation, in expression. This combination is at once contradictory and inspiring: it embodies the tensions at the heart of life".

The link to the cd is in the first comment.

The album is beautifully produced by a fellow Quartz artist Slava Poprugin

17/12/2023

02/03/2023

HIFIman HE-1000 v2 Stealth

Last week I’ve got for testing the HIFIman HE-1000 v.2 Stealth headphones. The term Stealth means an asymmetrical magnet system with reduced interference side effects. This is a recent version of the famous model HE-1000 v.2 which has received a huge number of different reviews. Therefore, I will concentrate here on the impressions of using them in a studio environment.

The open architecture of the headphones logically limits their use to the control room, and the planar technology, with its low distortions by default, suggests good results for using these headphones as a control device.

For testing, I used the amplifier of the monitor controller Coleman audio M3PH MKII.

The first impression is always very subjective and vivid. It was like my ears had magnifying glasses. The highest resolution and detailing allows you to “look at” the sound stream, almost pushing the time apart.

Longer listening to material in different styles (symphonic music, chamber ensembles on modern and historical instruments, solo piano, harpsichord, vocal music) revealed some unevenness in the frequency response with a boost in the region of 3-5 kHz.

The wide and natural transmission of spatial characteristics is apparently associated with a smooth phase response of the headphones.

In general, the sound can be described as natural, balanced and not fatiguing even after prolonged listening. Headphones sit comfortably on the head and their weight does not cause problems during prolonged use.

This is a fantastic tool for professional soundtrack control, editing, restoration. Some unevenness of the frequency response does not allow using them as 100% reference, but the extraordinary resolution makes it possible to hear all the editing defects and the smallest noise on the recording. Some “analyticity” of their sound, which might even interfere when listening to music for pleasure, is a huge advantage of these headphones in the studio.

30/03/2022

As always: in the most difficult and dark times there is an opportunity to do something for both the future and the past. A historical moment - the recording of György Kurtág cello pieces performed by Stefan Metz under the remote supervision of the author - captures and preserves these concentrated semantic clots for subsequent generations of cellists. Thought is sound, movement of thoughts is time. Thanks to Renee Jonker for the opportunity to be together and do this.

14/01/2022

11/12/2021

Congratulations, dear Nick! It was a fantastic concert!

Grateful for the album, Crossing A Line. And today, the first live version! So many many thanks to so many incredible people who worked with me on this!! Here’s to sending it out into the world and performing it many more times. 🎉 Steppenwolf Studio

14/07/2021

Summer

24/06/2021

Having fun with Liza Ferschtman violinist and Julia Wolfe 🤪

13/06/2021

Can’t wait these beauties to be delivered! Thank you Rens Heijnis custom-built audio equipment!

Working on a major upgrade of my microphones park. Stay tuned for more news soon.

B&K measurement capsule with a normal microphone house.

B&K 4145 1" measurement capsule attached to a normal microphone house with active power XLR connection.
B&K 4134 1/2" capsule is also possible.
2 channel power supply with 60V and 200V capsule voltage.
http://www.rensheijnis.com/DPA.htm

19/04/2021

The recently released Alexandra Ivanova’s album "Sentiment", recorded in 2018 in our studio, has been given the highest scores by Fono Forum, the German music magazine - 5 points for sound and 5 points for music! Congratulations Alexandra!!!

This highest score gives us confidence that our approach, that is personal attention to musician and a creative research without rush and hassle, leads to the amazing results!

One of the key deliverables of this project was to bring to the listeners the charm and uniqueness of this instrument (the harpsichord based on 1638 J. Ruckers, built in 2003 by Joel Katzmann). Alexandra's affinity with the instrument and her virtuous mastery were recorded as close to the reality as the technical means allowed. We thoroughly selected the mics and their positions and have come up with a cool combination of the customized ribbon and large diaphragm condenser mics.

You can see these heroes - Alexandra and the mics - on the photo taken during the recording 🙂

Are you thinking about your new recording or want to learn more about our approach and the way of working - send a message or call us!

More info - www.steppenwolfstudio.nl