Stankonia Studios Upgrades Hitmaking Console

Atlanta, GA (October 15, 2024)—Stankonia Studios in Atlanta has upgraded its mixing console, replacing an SSL G series that helped create a string of hits even as the building changed ownership over the past 36 years, with a new SSL Duality Fuse.

Located in an industrial building in northwest Atlanta on a street once popularly known as “studio row,” the multi-room music production complex started life in 1985 as Soundscape Studios, where the SL 4000 G was installed in 1988. In 1990, R&B singer and new jack swing pioneer Bobby Brown bought the building, along with the SSL console, changing the name to Bosstown Recording Studios. Outkast—Big Boi and André 3000, the best-selling rap duo of all time—acquired the complex in March 1998 for their private use, renaming it Stankonia, which was also the name they gave to the first album they produced in the facility.

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Duality was the obvious choice to replace the old desk, according to Renegade El Rey, Stankonia Recording Studios’ head engineer, who is also a recording artist and songwriter: “I’m familiar with the Duality and have had the pleasure of working on a couple. I also had the pleasure of working on an SSL AWS in college. The Total Recall of the Duality is similar, but with its large meter bridge screens, multiple engineers can recall settings on the console at the same time. Recall and the speed we can do it in is very important in a commercial studio environment.”

Reportedly, Big Boi and Stankonia’s staff engineers were impressed with the new Duality Fuse as well. “The first thing that everybody noticed was that the overall sound was strong and authoritative; that’s the whole reason why we love SSL, whether we’re talking about the SSL console or even about SSL plug-ins,” Renegade says. “Even when I’m mixing in the box, I use SSL plug-ins on my drums because I know exactly what I’m going to get from it—punch, weight, and clarity.”

Killer Mike’s 2023 album, Michael, which was honored at the Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” was produced at Stankonia Studios. Renegade, along with Stankonia staff engineers, won a Grammy for work on the album project.

“Legacy-wise, for the 4000, that was a hell of a way to go out, and we know the new Duality will pick up where it left off.” he says.