Scoring Mixer Robert "Bobby" Fernandez adds LCR Array of PMC of TB2S-A MKII Active reference monitors to project facility


 

Date: 2010-06

 

“I need that consistent, accurate sound that only PMC can offer me.”

In the world of film-score recording and record mixing, Robert “Bobby” Fernandez is nothing short of a legend. Having worked at Warner Bros’ landmark Eastwood Scoring Stage in Burbank for 16 years, in 1995 he embarked upon a highly successful career as a first-call independent scoring and remix engineer. When the time came recently to add a third set of reference monitors at his Secret Studio facility, the choice for Fernandez was never in doubt: an LCR array of PMC TB2S-A MkII Active Reference Monitors. “I wouldn’t think of installing anything but PMC,” the veteran scoring/remix engineer states. “I already use IB1S Reference Monitors as my main monitors for remixing film scores and other projects, in addition to three MB2S Reference Monitors loaded into custom road cases that I take to my scoring sessions. I need that consistent, accurate sound that only PMC can offer me. The TB2S was an obvious choice.”

Fernandez added the new TB2S-A MkII Active Reference Monitors as near-fields for his Avid Pro Tools-equipped remix facility, to augment an existing large-format IB1S system, which he installed several years ago. “I like to mix at reasonable sound levels,” the engineer explains, “and so the smaller-format TB2S-A makes a lot of sense. I can work for long hours on these monitors and then put the stereo or surround mix up on my bigger IB1S three-way systems. The mix always sounds exactly the same, just louder, slightly more present and with a little more body. The translation between these two monitoring arrays - and my larger, transportable MB2S rig - is truly remarkable.” The IB1S cabinets are powered by Bryston Model 6B power amplifiers, while Bryston 4B and 7B units drive the engineer’s MB2S Reference Monitors.

In addition to his legendary film-scores – Fernandez has worked on most of director Clint Eastwood’s motion pictures for the last 27 years, culminating with Invictus – the engineer recently mixed a CD of Americana music by Paul Henning at his project facility, plus music for several Warner Bros and Disney Channel animated series, including Have A Laugh. He has also worked on the sores for such landmark films as The Wolfman, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Role Models, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, Changeling and Spider-Man 3, as well as mixing music for a number of successful TV series, including John Adams and Battlestar Galactica. Fernandez has also garnered several Grammy® Awards, including one for his work on Ray Charles’ seminal CD release, Genius Loves Company.

“Accurate sound translation between monitor loudspeakers is the key to the way I work,” Fernandez stresses. “When I remixed the soundtrack CD for Invictus, we took the mixes to Stephen Marsh Mastering in Hollywood,” which is also equipped with PMC Model IB1S three-way monitors. “I got a call from Stephen, who asked me what monitors I had used to mix the tracks. I told him – IB1S – and he responded that he’d guessed that was the case, because the material played back so well on his system. The tracks translated beautifully; Stephen had to do nothing to them because it was all there. The IB1S monitors might be physically larger than my new TB2S cabinets, but they have the exact same tonality and a balanced frequency range – they are very faithful at capturing every nuance of my mixes.”

“The TB2S active Reference Monitor is our first stand-mount design to incorporate PMC’s ATL™ - Advanced Transmission Line – with bass response down to 40 Hz,” offers Maurice Patist, PMC’s Strategic Sales Manager, Specialist Systems Group. “The TB2M-C is a dedicated, magnetically-screened center channel version that also incorporates the same 1.1-inch twin-chamber, soft-dome HF tweeter and 6.7-inch LF driver with a cast magnesium chassis. The TB2S, in both stereo and surround applications, offers outstanding accuracy.”