Focusrite solutions are the heartbeat of One of One Productions studio, empowering them to capture crystal-clear podcasts and exceptional content
Based in Fort Lee, NJ, One of One Productions is a recording studio expertly designed for podcast production, music recording and mixing, and voice-over and narration work. They harness the full potential of a variety of Focusrite gear in their daily operations, including the production of the new podcast, Ice-T’s Daily Game.
One of One Productions Studio comprises of a cutting-edge 740-square-foot facility owned by the trio Fela Davis, Denis Orynbekov, and Joy Pratcher. The studio’s been the creative hub for many high-profile projects; it’s where NFL star Victor Cruz lent his voice to a BMW X7 television spot, where renowned podcasts like "R2C2 with CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco" and where the Webby Award-nominated "Holding Court with Housewives of New York star Eboni K. Williams" come to life.
One of One Productions Studio has been in its current location since March 2020, opening just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. According to Fela, the studio's strategic location, separated by the Hudson River from Manhattan, which was largely shut down during the pandemic, made it an even more desirable production facility from a health and safety perspective.
Given the variety of work the team undertakes, they need a reliable and versatile gear infrastructure. They've achieved this seamlessly with an arsenal of components from Focusrite.
A key component for podcast recording at One of One Productions is Focusrite’s Vocaster One, a single-input interface that sets up quickly and reliably, specifically designed for podcasting and content creation. This go-to interface is central to a high-profile new project: Ice-T’s Daily Game, produced by iHeart Podcasts and Audity. The podcast features the iconic rapper/actor/producer delivering three- to five-minute motivational messages each weekday. The two-time GRAMMY Award® winner and four-time nominee launched the podcast on February 13, sharing insights from his extensive collection of motivational quotes, which he says, “I’ve found inspiring and help me through the game of life.”
One of One Productions is also using Vocaster interfaces to stay connected with the show’s offsite producers. By sending them a live, high-resolution audio signal, the producers can hear every detail and give instant feedback. It’s like having a “monitor mix” just for them, separate from the recorded track, which makes collaboration smooth and keeps the impeccable audio quality.
For the recorded audio, One of One relies on the ISA 428 MkII mic preamp to capture the vibrant character of Ice-T’s voice through his chosen Lewitt LCT 840 tube condenser microphone. They use just a touch of tube compression while recording to Logic Pro via the Clarett⁺ 8Pre’s converters. “The ISA mic pre is amazing sounding, especially with a tube microphone and a voice like Ice-T’s,” says Denis. “It really lets his personality come through.”
“It was very important that the audio quality of everything be as good as the audio quality for Ice-T’s voice,” says Denis, noting how sonic consistency keeps everyone in the production loop engaged and confident. “The quality of the Focusrite preamps and converters is just incredible. They sound natural, which is why we need hardly any EQ or other processing. Everyone knows how Ice-T sounds, and that’s what you hear! The Focusrite [products] make the tech part of this easy just by doing what they do.” In fact, Fela adds, they use the same microphone and Focusrite mic pres and converters for the narration of the animated series Rocket Girl, and an upcoming episode of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty. “The Focusrite sound is transparent,” she says. “You always hear back what you’re putting in, without any color.”
Another exciting project for One of One Productions is the new Guesses Make Messes Podcast. This features Frank David Greene, trumpet player with Paul Shaffer and The World’s Most Dangerous Band, in conversation with Fela herself. “Frank and I talk about the things that he did to become a full-time musician and work on many amazing projects, so you know the audio quality has to be excellent, and with Vocaster, it is,” says Fela. The single-channel Vocaster One works great for Ice-T’s daily monologues, but this back-and-forth conversation needs an extra channel. One of One opted for the larger of the Vocaster range, the Focusrite Vocaster Two, as the interface of choice for this project.
"All the Focusrite gear is at the top of One of One Productions Studio’s equipment list," says Fela. "The Vocaster range has the best dedicated podcasting interfaces on the market. Vocaster is made for creators," she continues. "Audio professionals appreciate the excellent sound quality, mic pres, and features like phantom power for using top-notch microphones, as well as an output for DSLR cameras. And if you’re new to podcasting and just want an interface that allows you to get up and go, Vocaster is the one."
"But," she adds, "all the Focusrite products are in the studio not just for podcasts — they’re regularly used for music production as well. Focusrite covers a lot of bases for us, no matter what we’re working on."