Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
More
  • NAMM 2026: as it happened
  • Best NAMM tech gear
  • Joni's Woodstock
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Tech
  2. Recording
  3. Studios

Me in my studio: Planas

News
By Chris Barker published 25 April 2012

The Gentleman's Dub Club member shows us around his studio

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Intro

Intro

"I'm Toby Davies; a producer, DJ and instrumentalist working out of a studio near Camden and at a houseboat studio in Canary Wharf.

"I go under the aliases Planas, Landlord and Seemore Productions. I also play bass, write and produce for Gentleman's Dub Club."

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of 8
Tannoy Gold monitors

Tannoy Gold monitors

"I first heard these at Prince Fatty's studio in Brighton when we were recording some Gentleman's Dub Club tracks. Harry "Evergreen", our sound engineer, immediately went and bought a pair.

"I absolutely love them - even though the high mids are pretty militant there's a nifty frequency rolloff option next to the cones which you screw and unscrew by hand. They are passive rather than active which makes a really nice change from most modern monitors, if only because you can't hear the 'beep bidip bidip bidip' of smartphone interference through them!

"I have to shout out my Mourdant-Short MS902 shelf speakers: I use them at home which is where I get a lot of my initial ideas. I've had them for just over 10 years now and they're still going strong - I don't think my neighbours like them too much though!"

Page 2 of 8
Page 2 of 8
Neumann U87

Neumann U87

"Very clear, sensitive mic capable of getting some great takes. Sometimes I find it a little too sensitive, and for things like sax and trumpet I'll use something like a Shure SM-57 to stop the valve sounds and breath noises coming through as much.

"A pair of these make excellent drum overheads, if you can afford two!"

Page 3 of 8
Page 3 of 8
Focusrite Saffire 6

Focusrite Saffire 6

"A great little interface for the money with good preamps and solid build."

Page 4 of 8
Page 4 of 8
Bach Stradivarius Trumpet

Bach Stradivarius Trumpet

"I play a Bach Stradivarius, it's got a great tone and really slick valves.Instrument-wise I also use a Fender Telecaster and a Spectre Performer bass guitar."

Page 5 of 8
Page 5 of 8
Roland Juno G

Roland Juno G

"Such a versatile synth, I got it dirt cheap, second hand and it's become a really important part of my studio. I've fit it with an extra memory card so I can use it as a sampler and use the Roland effects and sequencer on any of my samples.

"In my Planas live band I only need the Juno and a laptop as it can be split between a synth, sampler, and midi keyboard all at the same time. I use the Juno in Gentleman's Dub Club as well.I also have a Roland FP-2 keyboard which is great for writing and getting that live sound as it has weighted keys and some really realistic keyboard emulations."

Page 6 of 8
Page 6 of 8
Blue Microphones Robbie pre

Blue Microphones Robbie pre

"Beautiful tube mic and instrument preamp with +36db of headroom. Designed to be used with the Kiwi Bluebottle which is a fantastic vocal mic, but is currently in Submotion Orchestra's studio as they're recording their second album at the moment."

Page 7 of 8
Page 7 of 8
Houseboat

Houseboat

"Harry runs a studio out of his houseboat in Canary Wharf: it's one my favourite places to work, especially when it's sunny as you can take your breaks up on deck!

"He's got loads of amazing gear there including Adam S2.5a monitors, two SSL channel strips which he put together from parts, a Vermona spring reverb and a Distressor compression/distortion unit."

The new single, Breathtaking by Planasfeaturing Ed Thomas is out now

Planas on iTunes
Planas onFacebook

Page 8 of 8
Page 8 of 8
Chris Barker
Latest in Studios
, CA - December 09: John Mayer (right) and McG aka Joseph McGinty Nichol owners of Henson Studios give a tour of their recording and film studios on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 in , CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“I know just enough to let the other people do their jobs": John Mayer explains why he’s bought Henson studios
 
 
IK Multimedia iLoud Micro monitor
IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor $120 off at Sweetwater this Cyber Weekend
 
 
Kraftwerk, German electronic band, during a concert, September 16, 1978. (Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)
I went to the Kraftwerk auction to buy their chairs, but came back with a studio's worth of gear instead
 
 
Echotown Studios Main Room
Echotown Studio: A world class recording studio in the stunning Dorset countryside
 
 
subterra
Music studio complex opens in former nuclear bunker in The Hague
 
 
Adrian Sherwood
Dub pioneer Adrian Sherwood on embracing AI and playing the studio like an instrument
 
 
Latest in News
Lily Allen physical release
A dish best served cold: Lily Allen releases a version of her latest album as a novelty butt plug USB stick
 
 
Swedish singer Zara Larsson performs at the main stage of the Rock in Rio music festival at the Rio 2016 Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 14, 2024. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
The making of Zara Larsson's 2015 hit, Lush Life, and the original version you might never have heard
 
 
Napster 26 mock-up cassette tape
“We don’t think that the future of music involves the labels anymore”: Napster is back – with a new AI app
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: PinkPantheress attends The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on December 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
PinkPantheress is so Sincere as she joins MJ Cole on a new version of a UK Garage classic
 
 
Sir Brian May attends the Cirque du Soleil OVO VIP premiere
“Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment”: Brian May on why Queen won’t tour the US
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $220 off a stunning Gretsch, $150 off a unique Les Paul Custom Widow, as well as hundreds off pianos, interfaces, and headphones
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...