Universal Audio

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For the album by The Delgados, see Universal Audio (album). For the modern company, see Universal Audio (company).
UREI logo
Universal Audio
Founded1958
United States
HeadquartersUnited States

Universal Audio was a designer and manufacturer of recording, mixing and audio signal processing hardware for the professional recording studio, live sound and broadcasting fields. Universal Audio was responsible for many innovations in the recording and sound reinforcement industry including the modern mixing console layout, per channel equalization (or EQ) and effects connectors (or send buses). The firm began in Chicago, founded by Bill Putnam Sr. in the 1950s, as a design and manufacturing addition to 'Universal Recording Corporation', his recording studio business.[1] When Putnam moved to Hollywood in 1957, the manufacturing company was renamed UREI, and included a division called Teletronix.

United Recording Corp.[]

Putnam's clients at Universal Recording Corp. in Chicago had been suggesting he build a West Coast studio and in 1957, he made the jump. He sold his interest in Universal Recording and started United Recording Corporation in Hollywood, California, building new studios within an existing structure. By 1958, Studio B was completed, including two reverb chambers. The facility grew to three recording studios, three mastering rooms, a mixdown room and a small-scale record manufacturing plant. The new studios were booked around the clock, busy with TV and movie voiceovers and soundtrack recordings as well as with popular artist's recordings. Hanna-Barbera used the studios to record voices for The Flintstones; Ricky Nelson recorded Poor Little Fool, the first-ever Billboard Hot 100 #1 song in 1958.

The studio has had multiple name and management changes. Since 2015, it has operated as United Recording Studios.[2]

United Western[]

Main article: United Western Recorders

In the early 1960s, United Recorders purchased and remodeled Western Studio, an adjacent competing studio. Both facilities combined their names to United Western Recorders. Business continued at a hot pace, with top artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Nat King Cole, Johnny Mercer, Ray Charles and The Mamas & the Papas all making hit records there.

Historic UREI logo

UREI and Teletronix[]

Insulated from the recording studio changes, Universal Audio was thriving upstairs in the first Hollywood building under the new name United Recording Electronics Industries (UREI). The manufacturing and design company had acquired the patent rights to the electro-optical LA-2A leveling amplifier.[3] UREI also acquired National Intertel, which became the Teletronix division. From this acquisition came technology which developed into the 1176 peak limiter in 1968,[4] and the 1108 FET preamp.

Other well-received UREI products included the LA-4 electro-optical compressor limiter,[5] the UREI Teletronix LA-3A electro-optical leveling amplifier and the 500-series UREI graphic equalizers.

By 1976, UREI had moved their manufacturing and service center to Sun Valley, California.

JBL-UREI co-branding (1985 to 1987)

Edward M. Long of E.M. Long Associates in Oakland, California collaborated with UREI to create the 813 family of time-aligned studio monitor speakers in 1977.[6] The 813 used Altec Lansing, and later, JBL loudspeaker drivers.[7]

In 1985, Putnam sold the studios as well as the manufacturing division and left the business. JBL picked up the UREI name and service contracts, releasing "JBL-UREI" branded products such as the 5547A graphic equalizer in 1986.[8] Putnam died in 1989.

In 2005, another division of Harman, Soundcraft began to offer a UREI-by-Soundcraft badged 1620LE,[9] with 'LE' standing for 'Limited Edition'. The mixer was a renewal of the UREI 1620, a 1980s-era clone of Rudy Bozak's classic 1960s-era disc jockey mixer, the CMA-10-2DL.[10] Soundcraft provided the new product line with its own website.

See also[]

  • Universal Audio (company), in 1999 re-established company by Bill Putnam, Jr. and Jim Putnam, sons of Bill Putnam, Sr.
  • Universal Records, New York (1996–present), founded by Doug Morris and Daniel Glass

References[]

  1. ^ Universal Audio History
  2. ^ http://unitedrecordingstudios.com
  3. ^ Teletronix LA-2A Leveling Amplifier
  4. ^ Universal Audio 1176LN Leveling Amplifier
  5. ^ Recording.org. LA-4 User Manual (1980)
  6. ^ "Mix Online. Sept. 1, 2006. TECnology Hall of Fame 1977 UREI 813 Studio Monitors". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  7. ^ JBL pro service. Vintage manuals. UREI 813
  8. ^ JBL pro service. Vintage manuals. JBL-UREI 5547A-5549A
  9. ^ "UREI by Soundcraft. Products. UREI 1620LE". Archived from the original on 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  10. ^ Soundcraft News. July 2005. UREI 1620LE PROVIDES THE HERBAL REMEDY Archived August 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

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