BEST RECORDING STUDIO

I disagree with the premise of the original post. To a large extent a specific studio is irrelevant to getting a good sounding recording. Pretty much any reasonably equipped studio can produce a great sounding recording. Actually, you don't even need a studio -- great sounding records can be produced in people's living rooms -- Shelby Lynne comes to mind. The key to a great sounding recording is not the equipment or facility, but the people using the equipment. It's their technical skill and artistic vision that is the key determinants.

Actually, you don't even need a studio -- great sounding records can be produced in people's living rooms

Well this is a bit of a stretch. I agree that golden eared experts are crucial but high quality Studios with word class equipment and acoustics are going to be beat you hom eliving room every time.

Shadorne, it begs the question, why is it that they don't,
and is often the little studios, even bedrooms that can sound better?
Springsteen's Nebraska album was done on a four track in his house, the producer Landau and Springsteen thought recording in the studio would not sound as good.
The gear is only as good as the person operating it.
Not heard the Nebraska album, has anyone? what is the quality like? I think I stopped at 'The River' with springer!

In my firm's line of work, I am priviliged to get to see many great recoring studios, sound stages and sound mixing consoles. And I will tell you that they are all very, very different.

For example, one of our customers has a renowned large recording room that is absolutely acoustically dead - no reverb whatsoever. They add in what they want through their analog console. Another very well known studio has a very live room they use for jazz/R&B recordings. Little or no reverb is ever added (or needed) afterwards. Both of these studios produce great music; often times in the same genre.

IMHO it isn't the room or the studio that necessarily is responsible for great music - it's the artist and then the producer. Most really great producers I have met seem to know how to get the most from whatever recording venue they are working in. Not that there aren't differences; there are. But I agree with Gawdbless that the gear (and the room) are only as good as the operator.

I agree with Br3098. Gear wise it is horses for courses. If you like a live room or a dry one it makes little difference. You use what you have.

I think it is the ability to catch the moment that is the key to all of it. A lame performance captured on the greatest gear is still lame. A wonderful performance captured on rubbish equipment will still stand up. I have even heard some compelling performances of demos recorded on dictaphone! Somehow magical even on the built in 1 inch speaker which vibrates the casing of the dictaphone, adding all sorts of distortions and harmonics.