Naples, Florida - If you can buy only one piece of equipment this year for your small studio, make it a CDQ Prima 220 digital audio codec from MUSICAM USA. That’s the recommendation of Robert George, Robert George Productions in Naples, Florida.

"It’s an investment that has increased revenues by about 50%," George explains, "and you may see even greater returns for small studios." As the owner and "staff" of the only ISDN studio in Naples, George says that his business is probably among the smallest of small businesses. So he’s cautious about purchasing new equipment for his studio, where he writes and produces radio commercials, masters CDs, audio for video, and jingles.

"The Prima was the second most expensive piece of equipment" George had purchased in 1996 after the digital audio workstation he added to his studio the previous year. But it has more than paid for itself. Not only did the Prima boost his revenues, it allowed George and his voice-over talent to "live the lifestyle we want to live."

George points out that the Prima went to work at a crucial time for his business. Peter Thomas, the "voice" for Steve Forbes’ presidential campaign ads, was living in Naples Thursday through Sunday and traveling to New York for the remainder of the week. During the campaign, his voice was often needed in New York up to four times a day every day. That meant Thomas would have to travel to another studio in Fort Myers (a 45-minute drive) several times on the days he was in Florida, or remain in New York full time. With the ISDN line and the Prima installed, Robert George Productions became the only studio in Naples that could save Thomas from excessive travel or relocation.

The Prima also helped George expand his pool of voice-over talent almost instantly. As George explains, his studio had been using "in-town voices" to produce radio

commercials for car dealerships and other area businesses for years. One car dealer with eight dealerships, began taking their business to Miami looking for fresh, distinctive voices for each dealership. With the Prima, George was able to bring in the big talent and land the account.

In addition to Peter Thomas, who has also been the voice of NBC (NY) News, Bell South, Kmart and other national accounts, Robert George Productions can list Jim Kelly, the voice of Northwest Air and ESPN, on its talent roster. And by searching on the Internet, George says he has located even more voice-over talent working from their home studios with ISDN and audio codec technology. This growing roster lets him give local commercials a "national sound," which is just one of the reasons his business is booming. George notes that the Prima also allows him to "send in-town voices" that he’s worked with for years to new markets and to tap out-of-town talent vacationing in Naples.

According to George, the Prima has been a "bullet-proof" investment. Best of all, George notes as a business consideration, the Prima is future-proof. Software upgrades can be downloaded to the Prima directly from the factory over his ISDN line.

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