LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: It was inevitable. The world-class recording studio, The Village in LA, known for its creative musicality and technological genius, chose TEC-nominated ATC SCM25 Pro Mk2 monitors for three of their main recording rooms – Studio A, B, and D. Housed in the landmark, 1920s Medinah Temple for almost six decades, The Village has recorded hundreds of legendary Grammy Award-winning albums and Academy Award-winning movie soundtracks. With a long history of studio experience, Jeff Greenberg, the current owner and CEO, constantly searched for ways to improve the recording process. He created a unique studio environment by hiring a staff of in-house engineers, technicians, and production specialists working together to achieve superior performance for superstars, as well as up and coming artists. As the sound of music keeps changing, Greenberg updates gear to meet the challenge. A highly-selective array of newer audio gear sits alongside the studio’s vintage treasures. Because Greenberg and his staff receive constant requests from in-house and visiting engineers for ATC SCM25 Pro monitors, they listened to and purchased three pairs of the new SCM25A Pro Mk2s, which were installed in December of 2023.
Introduced earlier last year, the new ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2, has been upgraded from its predecessor with the new ATC’s handmade proprietary SH25-76S Dual Suspension Tweeter, extending the high-frequency response with a reduction in distortion. Like the original SCM25A, the Mk2 is a compact, three-way, high-performance, active studio monitor based around the handmade proprietary 3-inch (75mm) soft mid-tone driver and a 6.5-inch (164mm) bass driver. The monitor’s combination of exceptional mid-range clarity, high-output, extended bass response, and modest size, make it optimal for nearfield monitoring across a wide range of critical applications. Those who used and loved the older version have been waiting for this upgrade.
Tina Morris, The Village’s multi-talented, long-term, studio manager noted, “For some time we had one pair of ATC SCM25As in house. Both our resident and visiting engineers wanted to work with them.” Morris, known for her exemplary and charming customer service, continued, “In fact, many visiting engineers brought in their own set of ATC SCM25A monitors. With so many requests for these monitors, our engineering team, along with management, went all in and purchased ATC SCM25 Pro Mk2s for our three main studios.” When asked why are the ATCs are so popular, Tina suggested we talk to a few of their stellar engineers and one of their clients.
Let’s start with two-time Grammy winner Scott Michael Smith. His 2021 Grammy was for mixing the Best Musical Theater Album and the 2022 Grammy was for Best Score Soundtrack-Video Game. Scott got his start at The Village recording top artists like John Mayer, Keith Emerson, and many others. Today, he works out of The Village as a private client and is a sought-after mixer for film and television scores. His accomplishments include mixing and recording scores for The Reverent, The Handmaid’s Tale, Ahsoka, Loki, Mank, and many others. His popularity hinges on his ability to bridge the gap between the record world and the film scoring world. As an ATC monitor aficionado (Smith’s studio is equipped with ATCSCM45As) Smith remarked, “I enjoy working on the ATC 25s. I know I can trust what I’m hearing. They translate flawlessly to any other environment, including movie theaters. They allow me to work seamlessly and quickly. My decision making is based on exactly what I hear – no guessing. Nearly everything I mixed in the last decade has been on ATCs – and will be for the foreseeable future.”
Winning a 2023 Grammy for his work on Best Progressive R&B Album, Karl Wingate, resident engineer at The Village since 2018, started as runner and worked his way up to staff engineer. Wingate feels The Village threads the needle between old school and state-of-the-art beautifully. When asked why he prefers the 25s, the answer was short: the mid-range and how well they scale with volume. Wingate continued, “I know of no other monitor brand that focuses on the mid-range like ATC. It’s where the harmonic content and our perception of loudness lives. An honest mid-range lets you mix faster and avoids ear fatigue. Many composers recognize the value of ATCs. This makes everyone more comfortable, as every hour costs thousands. I can trust what I hear on the 25s and know it’s going to make it to the other side.”
Women also play a leading role at The Village. One of their long-standing engineers, writers and producers is Alisse Laymac. “Working at The Village is a joyful learning experience,” Laymac explained. “Every day you interact with a multi-talented staff and the best musicians in the world. The atmosphere is creative and authentic, plus you work with top-quality gear like the ATC 25s. The most valuable part of 25s is the fatigue-free, translucent sound. The clarity across the frequency spectrum makes it easier for efficient workflow. They are transparent, have a precise mid-range, and a balanced, warm low-end, making them my go-to for long periods of use. I used the 25s on Rita Wilson’s Now and Forever Duets, LeAnn Rimes’ God’s Work and U2’s Songs of Surrender.
Another Village Grammy-winning, staff engineer, Alex Williams, used ATC 25s on the Jon Batiste We Are sessions, as well as the award-winning Odessa sessions. He also worked with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Regina Spektor, Perry Farrell and many more. Noted Williams, “The quality of ATC’s design and construction is apparent upon opening the box. Just by looking at them, you can tell that the utmost care and consideration went into the engineering and design of these monitors – and it’s even more apparent once you start to listen through them. From recording to mixing, the ATCs perform flawlessly on rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, or orchestral. I know what I’m hearing is what I’m getting. I’m thrilled that The Village is outfitting three studios with the new ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s.”
Concluded Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group, “Having The Village purchase three pairs of the ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s for their main studios is an incredible validation of this product’s excellence. I can rant and rave about the unique performance of these monitors but in reality, this purchase by a studio of this caliber says it all. It’s amazing.”
ABOUT TRANSAUDIO GROUP TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier U.S. importer/distributor and U.S. sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. TransAudio’s skilled team of in-house and field representatives provide dealers and end users with product expertise and support far beyond the norm.
