Console & Sidecars
- 64 Channel SSL 4000G with Total Recall and Ultimation
- 8 channel custom sidecar designed and built by Ken Hamann circa 1972
- 7 channel custom tube mixer designed and built by Ken Hamann
- Sound Workshop 1280b (12 channels with Super EQ)
Tape Machines
- Studer A827 2 inch 24-track analog tape machine
- Ampex MM1200 1 inch 8-track analog tape machine
- Ampex ATR-102 1/4 inch 2-track analog tape machine
- MCI JH110 1/4 inch 2-track analog tape machine
DAWS & Converters
- Pro Tools HDX running on 18 core 2.3GHz iMac Pro with 128 GB of RAM
- iZ Technology ADA II with 48 channels of Nyquist converters
Monitors
- ATC SCM25A
- Dynaudio BM15A
- ADAM A7x
- Yamaha NS-10
Pre-Amps
- API 3124+
- API 3124
- Great River MP-2NV
- Chandler LTD-1 (x2)
- Universal Audio 2-610
- Millennia HV-3C
- Focusrite Red 1
- John Hardy M-1 (4 channels)
- Manley Voxbox
- TL Audio EQ-1
EQ
- GML 8200 (x2)
- Lang PEQ-2 (x2)
- Chandler Tone Control
- Chandler LTD-1 (x2)
- UREI 545 (x2)
- Manley Voxbox
- TL Audio EQ-1
Dynamics
- Teletronix LA-2A (vintage)
- Skibbe Electronics 5-9C Red Stripe (x2)
- Empirical Labs Distressor EL8-X (x2)
- Empirical Labs Distressor EL8
- Empirical Labs DerrEsser (x2)
- UREI 1176LN (vintage blackface) (x3)
- Dramastic Audio Obsidian 500
- DBX 162 (x2)
- DBX 520 (x3)
- BSS DPR-901 II (x2)
- Joe Meek SC4
- Warm Audio WA-76 (x2)
- Warm Audio WA-2A (x2)
Instruments & Amps
- Steinway 9FT Grand Piano
- Hammond A100 organ
- Fender Rhodes 73
- Wurlitzer Model 200 Electric Piano
- Yamaha Recording Custom Drum Kit
- Fortune Custom Drum Kit
Microphones
- AKG C414 B-ULS
- AKG D112 (x2)
- AKG c414 (Silver w/ brass CK12 capsule)
- AKG c414 (Silver)
- Altec 201A
- Altec 21 Type
- Altec 633A
- Apex 460
- Audix D6
- Beyerdynamic M160 N (C) (x2)
- Beyerdynamic M500 N (C)
- Beyerdynamic M88 TG
- CAD CM217 (x12)
- CAD Equitek II
- Cascade Fathead
- Cascade Fathead w/ transformer (x2)
- Crown PZM (x2)
- Electro-Voice 642
- Electro-Voice 676
- Electro-voice 654A
- Electro-voice RE15 (x2)
- Groove Tubes 5sc (x2)
- Neumann KM54a
- Neumann KM84i
- Neumann KM86i
- Neumann KMi (x3)
- Neumann M49
- Neumann M50
- Neumann SM2
- *Neumann U47 (x2)
- Neumann U87 (x2)
- Oktava MK-012-01 (x4)
- RCA 44
- RCA 77
- RODE NTK
- Royer R-121 (x2)
- Schoeps CMC6–U
- Sennheiser MD 21
- Sennheiser MD 421-U-5
- Sennheiser MD 421/9
- Sennheiser MD 441-U (x5)
- Sennheiser MKH 40 (x2)
- Shure PE65L
- Shure SM57 (x4)
- Shure SM81-LC (x2)
- Sony C535P (x3)
- Telefunken AK47 (x2)
- Telefunken ELAM251F
- Telefunken M80
- *Telefunken U47 (x2)
*Items are currently being refurbished and will be back in our mic locker soon!
Suma Recording’s rich history stretches back to 1934 with the formation of Cleveland Recording Company, Cleveland’s first professional recording facility. Originally founded by Frederick C. Wolf, Cleveland Recording grew to become a renowned world-class facility under the guidance of chief engineer and technician Ken Hamann. The studio was responsible for numerous hit records including The Outsiders’ “Time Won’t Let Me,” The Lemon Pipers’ “Green Tambourine,” “Nobody But Me” by The Human Beinz, Wild Cherry’s “Play that Funky Music” and records by Grand Funk Railroad, The James Gang, Polka King Frankie Yankovic, The O’Jays, and many more.
In 1970, Wolf sold Cleveland Recording to Ken Hamann and John Hansen, who moved the studio to a new location in 1972. In 1977, Cleveland Recording was forced to relocate again after the building the studio occupied was sold to Cleveland State University. At this time, Hamann and Hansen parted ways and Hamann founded Suma Recording, bringing most of the equipment from Cleveland Recording with him to the new picturesque location. This included an extensive microphone collection, custom recording consoles that Hamann designed and built himself with the assistance of his sons Paul and David as well as fellow Cleveland Recording engineer Michael Bishop, an army of analog tape machines, and a vintage Neumann cutting lathe. Cleveland Recording’s massive library of analog tapes and acetate records were also moved to the new location, where they still reside today.
Suma continued under the ownership of Ken Hamann until his passing in 2003 at which time his son Paul (who had worked with his father from an early age) took the reins, operating the studio until his untimely passing in 2017. Throughout this time, the Hamanns continued to make waves working with bands and artists such as Pere Ubu, Brian Wilson, Lenny Kravitz, Wild Cherry, Michael Stanley, Robert Lockwood Jr., Guided by Voices, and The Black Keys to name just a few.
In 2018, Suma was purchased by current owner/operator Michael Seifert and an extensive rehabilitation and renovation project, involving the building as well as the equipment, commenced. In January of 2021, Suma began booking clients again on a limited basis with the studio officially reopening to the public in early 2022. We are honored to carry the Hamann’s legacy forward with the hope that music and creative energy will continue to fill Suma’s hallowed halls for generations to come.
