Steve Winwood & James Towler on Focal Twin 6 Be monitors
May 2010
After over 40 years in the music industry, multi-instrumental singer and songwriter Steve Winwood is still hard at work, bringing his unique blend of soulful rock and jazz to a range of new fans along with those who have followed his career since the late 1960s. Recently Steve and his studio / FoH manager James Towler discovered Focal Professional monitors, ending years of mild disagreement between them about bass levels!
"Previously I'd always had to use a sub in the studio, because the monitors I was using never had quite a big enough sound," says James. "Recently Garry Robson from SCV dropped the Twin 6 Be monitors in to me at Steve's Wincraft studios with a Bricasti reverb unit he wanted me to try. The Bricasti sounded great, but when I used it with my existing monitors it didn't sound anywhere near as good. It was then I realised that it was actually the Focal monitors that sounded great, as well as the Bricasti!"
"The bass response at the mix position is perfect. Previously, I'd get a bass build up at the back of the room, but that's gone now. It doesn't matter which room I am mixing in and any inherent problems with that room - using the Twins, I always get superbly even coverage."
James was so impressed that, on top of those for Wincraft studios, he bought a second pair for himself and recommended that Steve also buy a pair for his writing room.
"Honestly, when we started using the Focal Twins, it was the first time in 14 years that Steve and I agreed on the bass level in a mix."
"I do a lot of travelling, working in different studios and so I need to make the most of every minute I'm behind a recording console. The Focals have rapidly increased the speed at which I can work to balance a mix. I'm not second guessing myself any more. They have made a huge difference."
"I have found my holy grail of monitors! The results I get with them are so good that I can't even consider another set of speakers now, I have even convinced a friend in the US to buy a pair so I have some to use when I'm working over there."