Songwriter Uses the Brand’s Monitors and Subwoofers in his Home Studio and On-the-Go

MIAMI, AUGUST 20, 2024 ― Music Producer, TV/Film/Musicals Creator, Songwriter, and Guitarist Jose Luis “Pepe” Pagan has had an ear for music from a young age. He was born in Argentina, where he first began his career in the music industry before moving to the United States 25 years ago. He has since worked with artists such as Marc Anthony, J.Lo, Chayanne, Thalia, and Sarah Lenore, among others.

In addition to being a music producer, Pagan also works in the TV, film, and musicals industries and is the creator and music producer of the Amazon Prime show “Melody.” The show follows 18-year-old Melody, who seeks to develop her musical career as a means of escape from her challenges at home. Pagan is also the co-producer for an upcoming musical about the life of Latin American Artist Sandro. The show honors the late Latin icon and will showcase the story of his life and musical career. 

For these projects, Pagan splits his time between his home studio and locations in Miami and Argentina, where he always has a combination of KRK solutions available. Included among these are the V-Series V4 Powered Studio Monitors and an S10.4 Powered Studio Subwoofer, as well as the legacy ROKIT 5 Generation 4 Powered Studio Monitors and 10S Subwoofer.

“I use the V4s a lot, basically for everything: when mixing, during the recording, and for completing all my music,” he says. “I love these speakers. When I go to Argentina again for my next musical, I will bring them with me. I travel everywhere with them because I like to always have the ability to reference on the spot.”

As a producer, Pagan previously found it difficult to get just the right level of vocals for his mixes, but the V4s have solved this problem with ease. “I was struggling a bit with finishing mixes, and I found that, despite being smaller speakers, they provide a perfect balance between all the frequencies that are really key,” he shares.

A longtime KRK user, Pagan first started with the brand’s iconic ROKIT monitors. “For general use, the ROKITs are incredible and very solid for their price point; they have great accuracy and bass response,” he shares. “The ROKITs are also an amazing option for entry-level producers.”

Pagan also entrusts his KRK subwoofers to deliver quality sound at his home studio. “I use the subwoofers to make sure everything is balanced. I have one in the center, which is an old KRK 10S Sub, and I have another one a little bit to the side, which is the new 10.4. The definition from the KRK subs is way better than any other subs I have tried. I really love them both.”

Pagan says that he finds the brand’s connection to its artists to be equally as important as the quality of its equipment. “I have been working with KRK’s parent company, Gibson, for a long time, close to 20 years, and their support has been incredible,” he shares. “I think the care Gibson gives to its artists is something incomparable. Of course, the craftsmanship of the brand also makes a huge difference. When you combine the artist relations and the quality of the instruments and equipment, it is something extraordinary. I have truly had a beautiful journey with Gibson/KRK.”

With such a long history with the brands, Pagan sees no end to his use of KRK gear, which he credits with having helped improve his workflow in a significant way. “My KRK gear has really changed the way I work when mixing, and they always seem to know exactly what I need,” he says. “I think that is something really special.” 

Lifelong KRK User Equips Latest Studio With the Brand’s Monitors and Subwoofers to Create Iconic Beats for Stereo and Dolby Atmos Applications

MIAMI, JULY 16, 2024 ― Five-time GRAMMY^® Award-winning Recording Engineer and Producer Jimmy Douglass has a prolific career spanning over four decades. Throughout his time in the music industry, Douglass has worked with renowned artists like Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, and Foreigner, to contemporary performers such as Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, and many more.

As someone who lives and breathes music, Douglass has always felt the most creative when he taps into the feeling of the music. He says his goal is to create music that makes everybody in the room feel good. “Music is all about the vibe,” he shares. “Whether it’s rock, R&B, or soul, when you get that certain feeling, that is when it’s right.”

Douglass’ Miami studio consists of two stereo rooms and one Dolby® Atmos room, which requires gear that can withstand various musical applications. A longtime KRK user, his studio currently consists of a collection of V-Series V8 Powered Studio Monitors, Classic 8 Powered Studio Monitors,and S10 Powered Studio Subwoofers.

“KRK speakers can handle the levels required for hip-hop. I can blow them up, and they can really push that power out,” he shares. “They have tone even without a subwoofer and are nice and crisp sounding. I use them a lot in both my Dolby and stereo rooms.”

After nearly two decades of using KRK in his workspaces, Douglass knew it was the only brand he would trust when it came time to build his Dolby Atmos studio. “I had about 20 KRK monitors in my inventory, so I decided to use those to build my Dolby system, and I love how you really get to hear the definition and the distance in the surround production,” he says. “Another advantage of KRK is that I can move them around with ease. I have them on stands around the room, which makes it a portable configuration. I can break it down at any time, and I don’t have to commit. To me, that is the beauty of that system.”

Douglass also appreciates the aesthetic appeal of the KRK brand. “One of my favorite elements of KRK is the easily identifiable color of those woofers; the yellow really stands out,” he adds. “My KRKs also take punishment well. Durability is a major consideration when using a speaker, especially doing a lot of hip-hop with all the extra energy that is being pushed out,” he adds.

Douglass has had a long-standing relationship with KRK since the early 2000s and has used his KRKs on a few recent projects, and he does not plan to stop anytime soon. “I was lucky enough to get to redo Justin Timberlake’s catalog in Atmos,” he says. “My KRKs were very instrumental to that project. The songs sound amazing when you get to hear them on the speakers in the immersive environment. I tried to listen back on my phone in binaural, but I was not getting the spatial dimension that I was experiencing from listening through speakers. So, those were very important throughout the whole process. Whatever projects I have coming down the line, I am working on them with my KRKs.”

Jimmy Douglass continues to display his versatility by remaining current while drawing from his years of experience. He is best known for bringing unconventional techniques into the studio and encouraging artists to transcend genre restrictions. Douglass is credited with bringing a raw edge to sound and specifically bringing a heavy funk bass sound into rock music. His hard work and immense talent have carved a place for him among some of the most respected engineers and mixers in the world.

Rodriguez Uses KRK ROKITs as Reference Monitors for his Podcast “El Poder de la Música”

MIAMI, JUNE 24, 2024 ― Podcaster Humberto “El Gato” Rodriguez’s “El Poder de la Música” podcast focuses on all the intricacies of music, from the science behind production to new and emerging artists. His show, which translates to “The Power of Music,” can be found on all major podcasting platforms — such as Apple Music, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

“El Poder is a reflection of my love for music and the type of musician I would want to be had I become one,” shares Rodriguez. “I started this podcast six years ago with the vision of having a platform to discuss music with musicians, creators, engineers, producers, and anybody else who has anything to do with music, even from a scientific point of view. It has been a real treat to do what I love and be around great music and musicians.”

To bring his podcast to life, Rodriguez knows the gear in his studio needs to be equally as great as the equipment used by the artists he interviews. The KRK ROKIT 7 G4 Professional Bi-Amp Powered Studio Monitors were an easy choice. “I use my KRKs for everything,” says Rodriguez, who has the White Noise editions. “I use them for the podcast, which I air on audio and video platforms, and to listen to music; I have also produced a couple of songs with them.”

While there are many features that Rodriguez appreciates about his ROKITs, there are a few that stand out most. “One thing I really love about my KRKs is that the bass is in the front,” he says. “I don’t have a lot of room in my studio, and I needed a sound that was accurate and reliable. If the bass is too close to the back, the sound bounces and isn’t accurate. I love bass, so it was important for me to find a speaker that allows it to sound clean and precise.”

Rodriguez also credits the control functions of the monitors as being among his favored features. “I like the on-board LCD visual EQ,” he adds. “At first, I didn’t know that you could have presets of EQ, but now I love that function because I can keep the speakers flat and use my presets as necessary. I also love the standby feature. If I forget to turn off the speakers, it goes into standby mode and shuts itself down.” 

As someone who prides himself on being genuine, Rodriguez was happy to find a pair of speakers that he trusts. “I am very honest in my personal life and even when I go on air for my radio show or podcast,” he explains. “So, I need real gear and KRK for me is real. There are other well-known brands that might look very cool, but they are not authentic. I like accuracy and an honest sound; the KRK ROKITs are that for me.”

A staple in the pro audio industry for nearly 35 years, Rodriguez started his career working in a recording studio at a radio station in the Dominican Republic, which he credits as the driving force behind his connection to music. Rodriguez studied journalism in Colombia and after moving to the United States, became a well-known on-air personality. He has hosted programs on Spanish-language stations in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Florida. He continues to follow his passion for music and considers himself a communicator through radio and television.

As a longtime fan of Gibson, Rodriguez has a strong relationship with the brand and KRK. He works closely with Cesar Acevedo, director of entertainment relations for Latin America at Gibson. “Cesar is like a brother to me,” shares Rodriguez. “Gibson is truly like my family, so working with KRK just made sense.”

Christian “Tian” Jimenez Uses KRK ROKIT Monitors and Subwoofer While Producing and Mastering a Variety of Projects

MIAMI, MAY 9, 2024 ― Miami-based DJ, Music Producer,and Music Business Entrepreneur Christian “Tian” Jimenez has always enjoyed making music. From producing and mastering in his home studio to mixing on stage, Jimenez continues to develop his sound. The KRK ROKIT 8 G4 Studio Monitors and S10.4 Studio Subwoofer have both played a crucial part in helping Jimenez create his beats.

“I use my KRKs for production and mastering projects as an electronic music DJ and producer, and switching to the ROKIT 8 monitors paired with the S10.4 subwoofer has been spectacular,” says Jimenez. “The audio reference is extremely balanced between bass, mids, and highs. I consider audio quality to be very important in any scenario and having equipment with these capabilities makes you really work and appreciate the music.”

Jimenez finds that his KRKs allow for an overall better listening experience when in the studio. “Thanks to my KRKs, I have better control of the room and a better sonic experience,” explains Jimenez. “The speakers are super powerful, and I am very happy with them. I feel that my KRKs are very well-rounded, and my favorite spec of the speakers is the low end!”

While Jimenez enjoys a variety of the features his KRK ROKIT monitors have to offer, one of his favorite parts is the DSP-driven Graphic EQ. “Having a Graphic EQ in the back is a big plus for me,” says Jimenez. “It allows me to control the dynamics and modify the settings of the speakers for the room.” The 25 settings also help condition his acoustic environment and offer new levels of versatility within the studio monitors. This feature is great for when Jimenez wants a different EQ response between creating and mixing his music.

Hailing from El Paso, TX, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Jimenez is a longtime vinyl enthusiast. He understands the impact that quality equipment in the music-making process can have on the final product. “I have always wanted to own a pair of KRKs and thanks to the KRK Miami team, now I do,” shares Jimenez.

In addition to his studio work, Jimenez’s selections and mixing abilities have given him the opportunity to play at a variety of notable venues in Miami. He made his first international debut at Soles Beach Club in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Looking ahead, Jimenez plans to continue to use his KRKs for future projects, specifically when recording and mixing.