Tell us a little background about you both. How did you both get started in the biz and end up at EMI?

Ben – I’ve been playing/performing music since I was 9.  I got into gigging and touring, joined a rock and roll band at the age of 16 and toured the country supporting bands like the Libertines and doing recordings for EMI which is where I first got introduced to the guys at EMI Publishing.  To cut a long weird story short, about 4 years, many gigs and university courses later I got asked to come and do some engineering at the studio.  3 and ½ years on, I still haven’t left!

Scott – I’ve been playing and recording music for as long as I can remember, mainly in Rock n Roll and Punk Rock bands. I was a big four/eight track tape machine guy in my earlier years. My introduction to working in a proper studio environment came in the music department studio at University. Then I moved to London and worked in a few more studios before a friend introduced me to EMI.

What platforms do you work on at EMI?

Ben & Scott - We use Mac-based Pro Tools and Logic systems, and also two 24-track Otari tape machines, which come in very handy.  In addition we have a Studer 2 Track mastering facility.

What projects have you used the Oxford Plug-ins on?

Ben – Most recently I used the EQ and Inflator on a Bloc Party session as the sound of the plugs just seemed to fit. I used the Reverb on a VV Brown/Josiah Bell session last week and the EMT emulations suited the vocal sound perfectly.  It’s not often that you can just pull up a plug-in preset and find exactly the sound you want. Usually I have to tweak for a while until I’m happy with the outcome but this reverb is just lush. The Lexicon presets are just like the hardware (we have PCM 70’s and 90’s in the studio) and the drum ambience is hot!! Beautiful bottom end. I also used the EQ in a session for Jack Splash and the plugs were all over a recent mix for producer Sticky, one of Ms Dynamite’s producers.

Scott – They get used on most projects I do these days. I’ve used them of late working with Coco Sumner, Tinchy Stryder, Roisin Murphy, Sugababes, Taio Cruz and James McMorrow.

Which Oxford plug-ins do you turn to the most?

Ben - Probably either the Oxford EQ or the Oxford Inflator.  The Inflator reminds me of squashing mixes/sounds to tape and getting that fat warm tape compression.  The EQ is so precise and smooth, not digital sounding at all which was a pleasant surprise, and with the GML option on you get such a tasty sound that opens and warms up the mix. The Limiter is very loud, undistorted and smooth. The enhance feature is a massive bonus in pre-mastering situations, fattening and rounding the track without changing the vibe, very transparent. The SuprEsser has now officially become my ‘go to’ de-esser. I have never used such a good de-esser. Visually you can see exactly which frequencies are being suppressed and you can hone right in to only supress the exact area required without dulling the sound.  I have never seen a wet/dry function on a de-esser before, what an ingenious idea! 

Scott – Don’t make me choose, I use them all regularly. I love the precise quality of the Oxfords. I second Ben’s comments about the Inflator, Limiter and SuprEsser, but I’d like to add that I think the Reverb is wonderful sounding, and ultra flexible.  

Can you tell us a few specifics on how you use them?

Ben – With the SuprEsser I start with the basic de-ess setting then tweak from there.  Usually I drop the wet/dry to about 80% and then listen through and balance the sound.  I also tend to narrow the bandwidth of the suppressed area, so as to only grab the offensive frequencies and not dull the rest of the vocal.  The threshold setting is very much singer dependant.  The reverb has a really good EQ section and I tend to roll the low-end off, so as not to muddy the mix, and give it a little high-end boost to give the reverb a little sparkle.  I usually use the reverb in parallel and have the wet/dry on around 25%.  The Inflator sits on my mixes with quite a high curve and boost on the input, then drop the output so as not to crunch my master outputs.

Scott – The Inflator’s great on drums and the Limiter is a superb mastering tool.

What would you like to see Sonnox release in the future?

Ben - A delay would be nice, maybe based on the Echoplex, as no one seems to have emulated that yet (that I know of!).

Scott – I’d really love to see Sonnox make a high precision tape emulation plug-in.  

Interview and editorial provided by Rich Tozzoli<