Renowned recording engineer Nick Mac elevates his recording setup by expanding his Focusrite arsenal
As the chief engineer at Electric Feel Entertainment’s renowned production studios, Nick Mac oversees a roster of A-list artists, producers, songwriters, and partners. With engineering credits that include Post Malone, The Kid Laroi, 24kGoldn, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, YG, Future, and more, Nick relies on Focusrite’s ISA 428 four-channel microphone preamplifier, ISA 430 channel strip, and ISA One mic pre/DI, with the optional ISA ADN2 card, to consistently deliver top-tier results.
Recently, when Electric Feel reimagined the studio with all-new wiring, a Solid State Logic AWS 924 Delta analog mixing console, Genelec monitors, and significant acoustic enhancements, Nick seized the opportunity to upgrade his setup. He added Focusrite’s Red 16Line multichannel A/D D/A interface, ISA ADN2 two-channel A/D card, and RedNet AM2 stereo audio monitoring unit into his arsenal, elevating his system to new heights.
"I have been using the Red 16Line quite a lot lately," states Nick. "My friends probably make fun of me behind my back, but I have my 16Line in a rack – it’s a four-space rack – with my Mac mini in a chassis. And on the front of the rack, I’ve created a panel that allows me eight in and eight out to my line in and output. Basically, everywhere I go, whether it’s at Electric Feel or at another studio or wherever, I’m dragging this rack around with my 16Line."
Nick explains, "I can track with it and I can mix with it. I most commonly track with that and use my ISA One as my mic pre to feed into my little patch panel I have on the front. And in some situations, because I just added the ADN2, I’ve used RedNet to break out to a couple other pieces of gear. I’ve used the ISA One with RedNet, which I really love. It lets you get incredible distances away from your setup, but still have control. All with pristine audio."
Due to the diverse recording environments Nick encounters with his high-profile clients, flexibility is crucial. Recently, he enhanced his setup by adding the ISA ADN2 two-channel A/D card to his ISA One. This upgrade provides the ISA One microphone preamp with two channels of Dante® connectivity, alongside AES3 (AES/EBU), ADAT TOSLINK, and S/PDIF connectivity. Supporting sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz, the ISA ADN2 also includes Word Clock I/O via BNC connectors for synchronization across digital sources or integration with external equipment. Its Dante outputs allow seamless connection to any RedNet device, significantly expanding the ISA One’s connectivity options.
“RedNet has been providing the flexibility to work in a wide range of location situations,” Nick commented. “Sometimes we'll get calls: ‘Oh, we’re going to set up a camp at this house and work there for a month, or a week,’ or whatever it is. And now that I have RedNet capability, you can plug in and create whatever kind of setup you want. I’m a big fan of doing different stations for different things and having the flexibility without compromising the core of what we’re doing, which is always getting the best high-quality audio. So, the Focusrite gear allows me to have the kind of setup I need to have when capturing the tracks of my artists.”
He continues, “I also have a Focusrite Control 2802 Mixer and DAW Controller from quite a few years back that I will drag out on the road with me on occasion. I use it if I set up at a place for an extended period, just for IO and for routing and things like that, and I really enjoy it. It makes me really happy. And it allows me to do things that I would typically do in our A room at Electric Feel anywhere else. I don’t want to compromise, because you start compromising on things, and then you kind of start to go down a few pegs, and then it just becomes messy and weird. And I’d rather have pieces of gear that allow me to do not only what the client needs to do, bare minimum, but above and beyond when they ask, ‘Hey, can we do this? Can we have a setup over here? Hey, can we play speakers downstairs?’ It’s like, ‘Sure, no problem. I’ve got the Focusrite AM2, it’s got outputs on it, so you could run a pair of speakers if you wanted to.”
Nick’s long been a devoted fan of the ISA One, praising it as one of the most feature-rich devices he's ever used. He values the exceptional quality of the classic Lundahl transformer-based Focusrite mic preamp alongside an independent DI channel, each equipped with selectable transformer impedance settings. Housed in a robust and portable enclosure, the ISA One appeals to Nick for its tactile controls on the front panel, particularly those for the mic pre and headphone monitoring.
“By adding the optional Dante card, the conversion is phenomenal on the ISA One. And being able to go into the unit with my microphone is key. A lot of times these days I’m starting with the Soyuz 017 Tube V2 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone, and I’ll have a Sony C-800 and a Lewitt LCT 1040 Tube Microphone on standby as well. Those are my three favorites. But with those three options on hand, going into my ISA One with either an 1176 or a Distressor, that’s pretty much it. So into the 16Line, I might add an EQ in the future. I’m not sure what yet. But as far as the signal chain, that’s what I’m doing – going straight into my Pro Tools rig and working there. And I will say the benefits of switching to a 16Line from another unit has been night and day. The clocking is phenomenal. No pops and clicks. The low latency is incredible. I’ve had no complaints from any of my artists or myself. And the sonic quality of it, I think is incredible.”
Currently Nick’s working on various projects where he’s employing Focusrite as part of his workflow. “I’ve been using the 16Line with our SSL 924 to kind of do a hybrid mix situation, because I really enjoy faders and EQs and things that I can touch outside of the box – things that I think not only speed up but also improve my workflow.”
Nick explains his current setup, saying, "I’ve been running vocals through the desk, along with strings and choir, and doing mix passes with those faders and automating everything as I’m printing – by hand in real time by doing fader moves – which I’ve really enjoyed. The 16Line makes that incredibly easy, especially having the patch points on the front of my rig. I’m able to run stereo pairs or whatever I want out onto the desk, do what I need to do, and bring it back. And the A-to-D conversion is incredible, and I feel like I’m not losing anything. If anything, I’m only gaining things, and there’s no compromise. It’s just been nothing but enjoyable to work like that, and the sonics are just incredible."
When we asked if he had any final thoughts, Nick responded, “The most important part of being dependable for my artist is choosing the right pieces of gear that allow me to do what I do while being invisible to them.” He adds, “Focusrite has always been at the cornerstone of me making what I think is the right decision for my artists. They don’t necessarily know the brands and the gear or whatever; they’re relying on me to do that. Especially in recent times, switching to the 16Line and carrying that unit with me every day, making the commitment to carry that into every session, has been really fruitful for me. It’s about making the commitment to being the best engineer I can be every day, and Focusrite is a big part of that mindset.”