- In-demand Toronto sound recordists embrace a Sound Devices-centric workflow for efficiency and effectiveness
- Sound Devices 888 brings confidence to location sound work with familiar workflow and triple redundancy
- Sound Devices ARX16 super-charges 8-series mixer/recorders by offering seamless wireless integration and cableless routing in a compact form factor
- Sound Devices TX Transmitters and 32-Bit Float Recording provide crystal clear audio and superior dynamics for challenging shoots
TORONTO, CA – Toronto Sound epitomizes the efficiency and effectiveness driving modern location sound teams. Founded in 2010 by experienced audio recordist Adam Clark, the team has distinguished themselves as calm, confident operators equally comfortable on high profile commercial [Google, Microsoft, Canon], narrative [Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie, Scarborough, Blackberry] and music video [Drake, DJ Khaled, Rupi Kaur] shoots in the greater Toronto area. Toronto Sound’s mastery of their craft is aided by their Sound Devices-centric workflow built around the 888 Mixer-Recorder, Astral Wireless ARX16 Receiver, and Astral TX Transmitters, which enable them to seamlessly plug in to any project and provide high-quality audio with minimal setup time or stress.
Zen and the art of location sound recording
The foundation of Clark and his team’s operational method is driven by a genuine desire to
providing a palpable sense of professional calm on set. Acknowledging that the film and TV industries have a reputation for being stressful and fast-paced, he says that projecting this sense of confidence can build trust and allow the crew to focus more on the art of what they are doing in the moment. “You have to accomplish a lot of things on set in a very short amount of time, therefore it’s easy for a crew to feel tense if they haven’t worked with you before,” he explains. “We want to be able to walk in, set up our gear in as few steps as possible, and demonstrate that the audio is clean, clear, and good to go almost immediately. Being able to do that radiates the right vibe and allows everyone to relax and do their best work.”
“We’ve got the experience from years of listening very deeply and honing the process so that we can deliver on any type of set. That’s a big part of what gets us hired – having utmost confidence as a team and having a workflow that is efficient and effective for getting the best quality audio.”
This Zen approach to the work has also informed Toronto Sound’s kit loadouts. The team favors minimalist but flexible bag and sound cart builds that enable them to easily adjust to the needs of each shoot, choosing the highest quality tools that can deliver the required results. “From the beginning we knew that technological trust was as important as professional trust, so investing in the best, industry-standard tools to do our work has always been a priority,” he states. “Sound Devices have been part of our workflow for more than fifteen years and as we’ve evolved, has given us a platform to build the most comprehensive kits in a flexible format that can be adapted to all the work we take on.”
“In terms of production workflow, it’s all about speed and quality. When we upgraded to the 888 and Astral Wireless, we knew we had the best of both”.
Streamlined workflows and supercharged features
The core kit for every Toronto Sound job is the Sound Devices 888 Mixer Recorder, either in a compact bag for mobility or as part of a larger soundcart depending on the size of the production. Clark and his team’s familiarity with the Sound Devices workflow made the transition from older SD gear seamless. “It’s incredibly rewarding to use gear that has clearly evolved over time while still keeping to the core of what made it essential to begin with,” he states. “
We’ve always felt at home with Sound Devices gear because the workflows on them are so streamlined and 888 immediately felt familiar while still offering upgraded features that made it worth the investment.”
Clark specifically cites the 8-series’ recording redundancy features – multiple SD card inputs as well as the mixer/recorder’s internal SSD – as being a ‘a lifesaver’. “The triple redundancies capability is a big one for us because it provides that added sense of security on a shoot,” he says “ You know you’ll capture the audio at high quality regardless of potential failure points in the chain. This is doubly important when you’re working at the speed that we have to work. You don’t often get another chance.”
“It gives you more room to breathe and focus on the work itself, so you can deliver higher quality results knowing that they will be captured.”
Clark and his team utilize the Sound Devices Astral Wireless ARX16 Wireless Receiver and Astral TX transmitters for their wireless needs with 32-bit float recording enabled. Paired with 888, this gives them a powerful, feature-rich platform with crystal clear audio to do their best work. “Everything that I love about the 8-Series Mixer-Recorders gets supercharged with the ARX16 attached to it,” he enthuses. “We’re able to roll up to set, immediately activate AutoAssign to find the clean frequencies, route to 888 without any cabling, and get right to work. It saves us a ton of time and allows us to focus on what matters most – delivering high-quality audio in as few steps as possible.”
“Over the past two years, the internally recorded 32-bit float infrastructure has become a huge part of our workflow,” he continues “Essentially, while we were already familiar with pocket recorders and had been using them for hidden-camera-style productions throughout my career. Having a timecode-synced, continuously recording 32-bit float backup throughout the day is an incredibly powerful tool. It allows us to approach even the most challenging recording scenarios with an even greater level of confidence.”
“Sound Devices has fused the best of both worlds into a single wireless system and created a truly unique tool for sound recordists that does everything we need without adding any stress or complication. We have a chance to breathe on set and can radiate that sense of confidence and calm to everyone else. It makes for a better production environment and ultimately even better audio.”
For more information about Toronto Sound, please visit: https://torontosound.ca/
About Sound Devices:
For more than 25 years, Sound Devices has created premier audio equipment that helps sound professionals capture superior audio. The company's products have been used for an array of applications, from award-winning feature films and television shows, to live events, houses of worship, and educational applications. Sound Devices designs, assembles, and supports its products at their Reedsburg, Wisconsin, headquarters and their Madison, Wisconsin, and Rickmansworth, UK, offices.
For more information, visit www.sounddevices.com.