In Focus: ORDIO PRODUCTIONS
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20.06.2024

In Focus: ORDIO PRODUCTIONS

Ben Wever Ordio Productions
Words by Andy Lloyd-Russell

With the wane of specialised resellers in the Australian music retail landscape, it’s refreshing to see a truly dedicated space representing high end pro audio gear - the right way.  

In the picturesque water-fronted NSW Sutherland Shire, nestled away in Taren Point is ORDIO PRODUCTIONS – a pro audio reseller like no other, at least not in this corner of the globe.  The brainchild of music industry veteran Ben Wever who got his start in the late 90’s working in music retail and shortly after in pro audio integration.

“My passion, like many of us in this industry, is born from a passion in music.” begins Ben. “I [also] always had a love for electronics. I was always handy, working as a casual carpenter on the weekends, working with my hands.”

Read more features, columns and interviews here.

After picking up the valuable skills and knowledge for a wide scope of AV work, Ben eventually ventured into his own business, building an all analogue mastering studio in Coogee. Aside from the day-to-day mastering work, this studio also specialised in analogue tape and DAT restoration and transfer, an arduous and dedicated task to say the least. With countless hours spent not only as a mastering engineer, but also designing, building and implementing acoustic designs and systems, Ben’s incredible hands-on approach and overall business ethos helped form his unique approach as a pro audio representative and reseller, with all aspects of the businesses now under the ORDIO PRODUCTIONS banner. 

ORDIO PRODUCTIONS is proudly representing some of top-tier brands in pro audio, as well as from being the primary representative and reseller of brands such as Autex acoustic products. ORDIO PRODUCTIONS mixing and mastering studios also feature iconic pieces of outboard gear from the likes of SPL, Manley Labs, API, Rupert Neve Designs, Solid State Logic, Dangerous Music, Empirical Labs, Flock Audio and many more. This is all before we mention the monolithic presence of ATC studio monitors which are all too impressive, but this really is just the tip of the iceberg.

Ben’s humble beginnings tinkering with electronics led him to warehousing jobs where he was required to fix cables pulled from installs, like the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“I learnt real quick how to repair cables, and before I knew it I was doing three phase and video triax cabling for the [2000 Sydney] Olympic Games.”

This experience at the ground level informed Ben’s ability to build ORDIO PRODUCTIONS into something that covers the hardware used for audio and mixing, as well as the room you’re monitoring in, and the cables to link it all together.

Ordio Productions ATC

ATC Monitors

Aside from being a specialised reseller, ORDIO PRODUCTIONS’ mixing and mastering studios are far from just decked out show rooms, but rather fully fitted mastering suites in use everyday, catering to their continually expanding roster and client list. With incredibly competitive rates for standard stereo mastering, ORDIO PRODUCTIONS also offers more specialised stem mastering options as well as DDP File Creation.

With a beautifully equipped all analogue mastering console with Ben at the helm, the prized centre piece of Studio 1 is brimming with some of the most desirable high end pieces of outboard mastering equipment, all patched and at the ready for any prospective client to get hands on with. Aside from the overwhelmingly impressive outboard racks, the mastering studios, with the aforementioned eye-watering range of ATC studio monitors are in full flight, ranging from the SCM110ASL Pro through to the SCM45A Pro. ORDIO PRODUCTIONS’ team of in-house engineers span decades of experience in mixing and mastering, but uniquely the studios are also available for daily or weekly hire for external engineers, mixers and producers to experience a truly jaw dropping audio experience with more outboard and studio monitor options than you can poke a stick at.

Ordio Productions Mastering

Where things get particularly unique is in the custom-built side of the business, with a remarkable range of in-house designed and locally made products. ORDIO PRODUCTIONS offer a specialised range of studio monitor stands specifically made for the range of ATC studio monitors featured in their studios. Designed by Ben himself and manufactured locally, these elegant stands are designed in such a way as to produce zero transfer of vibrations to the speaker or the space around them. Composed of a blend of steel and aluminium with ISO Acoustics Stage and GAIA Isolators included in the design, these custom designed monitor stands bring a new level of sonic experience.

Canare, Belden, Mogami & Neutrik

Anyone who’s worked in the studio or live sound environment will appreciate the importance of good quality and reliable cabling. The frustration of a cable failing mid session, mid set or during a shoot cannot be understated. ORDIO PRODUCTIONS’s wide range of impeccably handcrafted custom made cables is particularly impressive, spanning the vast requirements of audio and broadcast applications ranging from standard XLR, TRS and RCA terminated pro audio cables through to 4K 12G UHD BNC terminated video cabling and much more. Working with only the highest quality cable and connectors from industry leading brands such as Canare, Belden, Mogami and Neutrik connectors, each cable is assembled by hand by a team of experienced professionals and is backed by their limited lifetime warranty. 

Ordio Productions

Aside from the typical spaces in which you’d expect to find interior acoustic treatment installed such as broadcast facilities, recording studios (both professional and home studio spaces) and theatres, other spaces such as cafes, gyms, restaurants, retail stores, classrooms, libraries and offices also benefit enormously from even just a little acoustic treatment. The natural reflections and flutter echoes inherent from hard reflective parallel walls and other surfaces can create a distracting and disorientating experience, particularly when trying to distinguish speech and/or audio in a given space, or when doing the critical listening required for recording, mixing and mastering. A classic story of genuine Kiwi ingenuity, Autex Acoustics have been creating elegant solutions for these types of scenarios and spaces since the late 60’s. With designs that seamlessly blend or conversely, become the feature of a space in and of itself, their range of acoustic panels, baffles, tiles, screens, fins, fabrics and wall art provide a myriad of potential options to treat any given space. ORDIO PRODUCTIONS’ close relationship and broad representation of this iconic acoustic specialist brand offers a refreshing approach to acoustic treatment from a reseller, which is equally matched by the team’s experience in acoustic design and installation of the solutions you’ve decided to invest in.

With a collective experience spanning decades and an unrivalled passion for all things audio, ORDIO PRODUCTIONS have created a bespoke experience for not only their customers but also themselves. Offering some of the most personalised and dedicated service in the industry that we’ve certainly seen in recent times, Ben and the ORDIO PRODUCTIONS team seem to just be getting started. With their freshly updated website (no thanks to the genius graphic design expertise of Steve Lees from Retail Labs) even more exciting things lay in the pipeline – promising customers an even more unique and personalised experience, from one of the most pioneering pro audio production houses and resellers in the country.

For more info, keep reading or contact Ben at ORDIO PRODUCTIONS. Interested in upgrading your signal chain? ORDIO is currently offering FREE handmade professional studio interconnect cables with purchases from their AMS Neve range. Click through to browse the range. T&Cs apply!