GEMS - Subterranean Sound - A Real Gem in the Heart of Downtown Toronto
- Pat Wright
- May 3
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Don’t you love the feeling of finding something precious or rare? Well, I think I found a gem: Subterranean Sound, Toronto
Located in a subterranean space right in the heart of downtown Toronto, I met up with the super friendly and highly experienced mixing engineer Scott Lake.
After a brief conversation about the studio’s history, Scott took me to the pièce de résistance, the magnificent and nearly one-of-a-kind AIR Montserrat Neve with 96 automated flying faders (serial number A4792). This console was a custom specification by none other than legendary Beatles producer, George Martin. How cool is that? Think about it, I was sitting at a desk, touching faders that George Martin himself used to mix some of the greatest artists in the world. If you’re wondering, AIR stands for Associated Independent Recordings.
Touched by the Music Gods
As I looked over the list of artists, albums, and songs recorded on this incredible console, I realized George Martin is just the tip of the iceberg when considering the many greats who have worked on this desk.
Here is a selection of artists and recordings associated with Air Studios Montserrat: Sheena Easton Take My Time, Duran Duran Seven and the Ragged Tiger, Rio, The Police Ghost in the Machine, Synchronicity, America Silent Letter, Rush Power Windows, Elton John Breaking Hearts, Luther Vandross The Night I Fell in Love, Eric Clapton Behind the Sun, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Junk Culture, Earth, Wind and Fire Faces, Dire Straits Brothers in Arms, Jimmy Buffett Volcano, Roger Daltrey McVicar, Lou Reed Growing Up in Public, Cheap Trick All Shook Up, Nazareth The Fool Circle, Paul McCartney Tug of War with Stevie Wonder, Little River Band Time Exposure, Michael Schenker Group MSG, Roger Daltrey Parting Should Be Painless, James Taylor That’s Why I’m Here, Air Supply Air Supply, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins Behind the Sun, Mike and the Mechanics Mike and the Mechanics.
Please follow the Spotify Link at the end of this article to an AIR Montserrat Neve playlist!
From A&M Studios: Air Supply Christmas Album, Bruce Hornsby Scenes from the Southside, Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe, Meat Loaf Welcome to the Neighbourhood, Joe Cocker Night Calls, Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason, Ivan Neville If My Ancestors Could See Me Now, Robbie Robertson Fallen Angel, Don Henley The End of the Innocence, Patti Smith Dream of Life, Soul Asylum Let Your Dim Light Shine, Yes Talk, Oingo Boingo Boingo, Anthrax Persistence of Time, Sammy Hagar with Eddie Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne No More Tears, John Hiatt Walk On, Melissa Etheridge Brave and Crazy, Rod Stewart Downtown Train, Damn Yankees Damn Yankees, Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I and II, David Bowie One Shot from Tin Machine II, Eric Johnson Venus Isle, The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge, Luther Vandross The Power of Love, Bad English Bad English, Living Colour Time’s Up, Richie Sambora Stranger in This Town, Eagles Hell Freezes Over, U2 Rattle and Hum, Rick James, Nuclear Valdez I Am I, Cheap Trick Lap of Luxury, Phil Collins ...But Seriously, Rod Stewart A Spanner in the Works, Crosby, Stills and Nash American Dream, The Smithereens Blow Up, The Tea Party The Edges of Twilight, Ringo Starr Vertical Man.
Without question, this is a rare and world-class piece of gear.
Top Gear: Subterranean Sound, they’ve got the goods!
A very special AIR Montserrat Neve with 52 flying faders, Quested 412 mains, ADAM S3A monitors with subwoofer, original Telefunken Ela M 251, three Neumann U67s, two Neumann U87s, Neumann FET47, Wagner U47, two Neumann KM56s, Neumann TLM 103, Sony C37A, AKG C24 stereo C12, two AKG C28s, AKG C12A, two AKG 451s, AKG D112, RCA 44, RCA BK-5B, two Coles 4038s, Royer 121, Beyerdynamic M150, two Shure KSM313s, three Shure SM7s, two Shure SM57s, Echolette ES-14 with MD409, Sennheiser MD409, Sennheiser MD441, Sennheiser 422, two Sennheiser 421s, Fairchild 670, two UREI LA-2As with consecutive serial numbers.
Two UREI LA-3As, UREI 175, UREI blackface 1176, Gates STA-Level, RCA BA6A, AlanSmart C2, four ADR Helios 760 compressors, two ADR Compex 2 units, two stereo Valley People 610 units, Tube-Tech CL1B, Tube-Tech LCA 2A, Looptrotter Monster, two Neve 2254A units, Neve 33609 with original metal knobs, Rupert Neve Designs Master Bus Processor, Rupert Neve Designs 5043 Portico, Empirical Labs Distressor, DBX 165, five DBX 903 units, eight DBX 902 de-essers, Neve Air 33106 modules (44 total), Sontec 436C, two Focusrite ISA 110s, eight AMS Neve 1081 reissues, two Pultec EQP-1A units, two Lang PEQ units, Manley Massive Passive.
EMT 140 stereo tube plate reverb, Lexicon 200 reverb, Lexicon 480L, AMS DMX 15 delay, AMS chorus controller, AMS RMX16 reverb, AMS tape phase simulator, Eventide H3500, Eventide H910, Eventide Instant Phaser, Eventide Instant Flanger, Moog 12-stage phaser, TC Electronic 2290, TC Electronic M1000, Korg SDE-3000, Roland RE-501 Space Echo, Roland RE-201 Space Echo, Korg SDE-500, Maestro Echoplex EP-3, Roland SDX-330, Ursa Major Space Station.
Marshall Time Modulator, Advanced Audio Designs delay, Yamaha SPX50, DBX 120XP, Little Labs Distro, Line 6 Echo Pro, Line 6 Mod Pro, Line 6 Filter Pro, Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live.
This is a substantial and impressive gear list with plenty to work with. As mentioned earlier, let’s take a closer look at the technical side of the AIR Montserrat console.
Neve Meets Martin
What many people may not realize is that in 1987, Rupert Neve was researching frequency bandwidths far beyond the commonly accepted limits of human hearing. The AIR Montserrat console featured a bandwidth of 100 kHz.
”Geoff Emerick’s reaction when he first recorded and mixed on the Montserrat: “Rupert – It sparkles!” So many famous names would echo these sentiments in years to come and these consoles have achieved an iconic status”
- RupertNeve.com, Life Beyond Measurement
Rupert conducted numerous tests in 1987 to explore his hypothesis that humans can perceive frequencies above 20 kHz. In the case of the AIR consoles, the results were positive.
There is a detailed article explaining these tests and findings, but in short, some listeners were able to distinguish differences between sine and square waves at 18–19 kHz.
"And they could still detect differences between the sine and square waves indicating an ability to perceive harmonics up to almost 60 kHz!"
- Rupert Neve: Life Beyond Measurement (Part Three)
*Refer to "Life Beyond Measurement", link at bottom of this article.
The Subterranean Studio!
Earlier, Scott and I discussed the studio’s background, and it is quite fascinating. The owner purchased the magnificent AIR Neve and built a high-end basement recording facility around it. I asked how they managed to get the console downstairs and assumed it had been disassembled into multiple sections. Surprisingly, it was not. With one person at the bottom and several at the top, they carefully brought the chassis down the stairs intact.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. Scott played several mixes from Subterranean, and the sound had depth, width, lush tonality, and character. We also listened to a handful of reference tracks, which translated perfectly in their room designed by renowned acoustician Martin Pilchner. The control room acoustics were reworked and upgraded by Mark Hunziker from Audiospace in 2025. The room is finely tuned, and the results speak for themselves.
The Great Outboards
Once I managed to pull my fingers, eyes and ears away from the console, the rest of the gear came into focus. It is truly impressive, especially for those who appreciate high-end outboard equipment. Scott clearly has excellent taste in his selections.
If you want to hear what a mix sounds like through a real Fairchild 670, done. Need tone shaping with authentic Pultecs or compression from LA-2As? No problem. Looking for the kind of character associated with a Sontec 432C mastering EQ? It’s all here!
One aspect I particularly enjoyed learning about Scott is his depth of experience. He comes from the era of tape and still works with it today, recording to tape and transferring into Pro Tools.
He also has hands-on tape editing skills, something that has become rare in the digital age. While modern tools have streamlined the process, those foundational skills remain valuable, especially when artists want the warmth and character of analog recording.
Moving Air Around the AIR
In addition to the console, Scott relies on a trusted pair of ADAM S3A monitors paired with a subwoofer, along with soffit-mounted Quested monitors. The ADAMs are well calibrated and translate accurately, while the Quested system delivers a massive soundstage with exceptional clarity and resolution. The room’s acoustic treatment allows the speakers to perform consistently at both low and high volumes. Measurements around 85 to 90 dB revealed no harsh resonances or standing wave issues at the listening position; there is a stable stereo image and strong vocal presence.
There are Effects and then there are EFFECTS
Subterranean isn’t lacking in outboard effects either. Granted, plugins have come a long way since the old days, but real processors still have the edge in several ways. I recently wrote a blog post about a tip I heard: the UA AMS RMX16 plugin doesn’t saturate on the input like the real unit, so you can place a saturation plugin in front of it—something like a Soundtoys Decapitator.
Still, the hardware has a special sound and depth that plugins have a tough time recreating… and most of us regular civilians can’t afford $6k+ for a single 2U rack unit anyway.
At Subterranean, though, they’ve got effects in spades. When Scott was playing me one of their mixes, I could really hear the difference—especially in a break after a shot. I said to him right away, “Wow, that reverb in that break sounds so good!” He just smiled and said, “Yup, that’s the plate upstairs.” Nice.
Taking Stock
Subterranean Sound. Remarkable collection of gear, and a unique historical lineage tied to one of the most iconic consoles ever built. It truly is a Gem in the heart of downtown Toronto.
It was a pleasure to hang with Scott, the atmosphere is welcoming, and I look forward to hearing more music coming out of Subterranean Sound.
As always, happy recording!
~ LM Pro www.lmpro.ca
Check out more Subterranean Sound here: https://www.facebook.com/subterraneansound/
*Rupert Neve: Life Beyond Measurement (Part Three): https://rupertneve.com/news/rupert-neve-life-beyond-measurement-part-3
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