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
  • Superbooth 2026
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Superbooth header
Tech Superbooth 2026: all the latest synth news from Berlin - LIVE!
British New Wave & Pop musician Howard Jones plays keyboards as he performs onstage at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, New York, August 3, 1984. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)
Artists "It will always be my favourite”: Howard Jones takes you on a tour of the synth he’s owned since 1983
O'Flynn in the studio
Tech 5 things we learned in the studio with O'Flynn
Jared James Nichols plays his Gibson Futura on a stage lit up in red-pink.
Artists “I felt like I was levitating off the ground. I felt like I was in Cream in 1968”: Jared James Nichols on why he switched to Marshall amps
A pair of Sennheiser in-ear monitors lying on a MIDI controller
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
Johnny Jewel
Artists Johnny Jewel on his relationship with synths and working with David Lynch
jimmy jam
Artists Jimmy Jam on sampling, AI and his new EastWest drum machine plugin
A pair of Focal Shape 65 studio monitors on stands in a studio
Studio Monitors Best studio monitors 2026: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
Jill Fraser
Artists Synth pioneer Jill Fraser on pushing boundaries in the world of electronic music
Geoff Downes
Artists We speak to Yes, Asia and the Buggles synth legend Geoff Downes
A pair of Kali Audio LP-6 V2 studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best budget studio monitors 2026: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
An Apple Mac Mini M4 on a light green background
Computers Best PCs for music production 2026: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
Sennheiser HD 480 Pro
Tech 5 things you NEED to know if you’re mixing tracks on headphones
A pair of KRK GoAux studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
More
  • Superbooth 2026
  • Kate Bush Army Dreamers
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Theory of Feels
  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
Read more
A pair of KRK GoAux studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
 
 
asg
Artists “I have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with my Prophet ’08”: Art School Girlfriend on new project Lean In
 
 
jasper tygner
Artists "There's something about it that you just don't get with soft synths": Jasper Tygner on why he loves his Moog Grandmother
 
 
A pair of Focal Shape 65 studio monitors on stands in a studio
Studio Monitors Best studio monitors 2026: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
 
 
Blue May home studio
Artists We visit the LA house where Lily Allen made West End Girl, and explore the home studio of Blue May
 
 
O'Flynn in the studio
Tech 5 things we learned in the studio with O'Flynn
 
 
Latest in Studios
abbey road
Studios "It's like being in a toy shop": How Abbey Road is reinventing itself
 
 
, 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)
Studios “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
Studio Monitors 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)
Tech 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
Studios Echotown Studio: A world class recording studio in the stunning Dorset countryside
 
 
subterra
Studios Music studio complex opens in former nuclear bunker in The Hague
 
 
Latest in News
O'Flynn in the studio
Tech 5 things we learned in the studio with O'Flynn
 
 
Mike D head shot
Singers & Songwriters Mike D of the Beastie Boys breaks silence with debut solo single, Switch Up
 
 
Native Instruments InMusic
Tech InMusic confirms Native Instruments acquisition, bringing it under the same ownership as Moog and Akai Pro
 
 
Korg
Mixers Korg sneakily launches a new effects-packed performance mixer, the NTS-4, at Superbooth
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Just in time for Mother's Day, we've found $700 off an unusual Gibson, $500 off a stunning Ibanez Prestige AZ2204, plus heavy savings on recording and live gear
 
 
Jared James Nichols plays his Gibson Futura on a stage lit up in red-pink.
Artists “I felt like I was levitating off the ground. I felt like I was in Cream in 1968”: Jared James Nichols on why he switched to Marshall amps
 
 

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 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...