A&R STUDIOS
Overview
A&R Recording was the flagship Manhattan facility of A&R Recording, the independent studio company founded by Phil Ramone and Jack Arnold. In 1968, A&R took over Columbia Records’ former penthouse studio at 799 Seventh Avenue, at 52nd Street, and turned it into its principal headquarters. The complex’s defining room, Studio A-1, combined a large live area with a high ceiling and a seven-storey stairwell adapted as a natural echo chamber, giving engineers an unusual range of acoustic depth without relying solely on artificial reverb. Custom analogue consoles and multitrack tape systems made the room suitable for full-band tracking, orchestral sessions, and detailed mixing work. During its 1968-early-1980s run, the 799 Seventh Avenue location became one of New York’s key independent recording rooms before the building was decommissioned and later demolished.
Featured Albums
