Sweatshop Studios

Overview

Sweatshop Studios is an 800 sq. ft. acoustic and aesthetic gem situated 50 miles north of New York City, in Katonah, New York. The full room-within-room design features a spacious 400 sq. ft. live room outfitted with Steinway Boston Grand piano and Hammond B-3. The 400 sq. ft. control room was developed to make long sessions as comfortable and productive as possible.

In 2004, when Dover, and his son decided to build their studio their easiest decision was location.  As the owner of a large residence in semi-rural Katonah, NY, Dover had adequate space.  An extensive search for a design firm led him to WSDG.  “We spoke with a number of architects, and were impressed with John Storyk’s extensive credits.  His work on the Jazz At Lincoln Center Complex was particularly meaningful, as we plan to focus on a jazz-oriented client base.”

“As the owner of a small business I learned the value of performing due diligence early on,” says Sweatshop owner Shaul Dover.  “When my son and I considered the ramifications of building a recording studio our two priorities were (A) an architect / acoustician who could develop a studio that would meet the requirements of a sophisticated client base, and (B) a business plan that would lead us towards a return on our investment.  Our initial sessions have convinced us that the studio has excellent prospects for fulfilling its mission.”

Program

The studio features full room within room construction and discrete concrete slabs to help maximize isolation properties.  Also, the room’s performance–specifically the accuracy of the reverb and frequency response–is oustanding. Acoustic treatment includes mid frequency diffusers as well as wall and cieling treatments. For monitors, Sweatshop Studios boasts a Dynaudio BM15A 5.1 surround system with BM12S Sub. Other key pieces of equipment in the studio include a Dangerous Monitor Control with ST and SR Expender and a Euphonix 5MC Lynx Aurora console.  Sweatshop has a keen eye on identifying and developing talent, as well as furthering many of its own projects.

“The key for me in building Sweatshop was to create an environment where artists would be comfortable; the vibe was an extremely important consideration by far,” Dover continues. When people come up here, they are impressed with both the atmosphere and the selection of gear we are able to provide, which encompasses the best in both analog and digital.”

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