What Electrical Audio does

Electrical Audio is a privately-held, two-studio analog recording complex located at 2621 West Belmont Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1995 by engineer Steve Albini. The facility comprises Studio A (48-channel Neotek Elite console, three performance spaces, dual Studer A820 and Ampex ATR-102 tape machines, Pro Tools HDX with Apogee Symphony mkII converters) and Studio B (36-input Neotek Series II console, 800-square-foot live room with 30-foot ceiling, 300-square-foot isolation room). Both studios feature proprietary adobe earth brick construction on independent floating foundations for acoustic isolation, and share an extensive inventory of vintage microphones, drum kits, amplifiers, and keyboards. The studio has hosted over 5,000 named artists and bands since opening in 1997, including Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco, Cheap Trick, The Breeders, and Nirvana, plus television productions for HBO and Fox and commercial work for Lincoln Car Company and Shure.

The business operates a direct booking model with transparent, publicly listed day-rate pricing: Studio A at $750 per day, Studio B at $550 per day, lead engineer (Greg Norman) at $450 per day, staff engineers at $225 per day, and on-site client lodging at $250 per night. In 2025, Electrical Audio launched a dedicated tape transfer suite offering archival analog-to-digital conversions at $50-$100 per reel, plus tape baking and noise reduction decoding services (Dolby SR, Dolby A, dbx Type I/II). The company is self-funded with no venture capital, parent company, or external investors, and remains founder-led in ethos following Steve Albini's death in May 2024, with the existing staff engineering team committed to continued operations. Customer segments span independent musicians, mid-market touring acts, television and film production crews, archival media owners, and commercial advertising clients, all served via phone/email booking with no demo required and a 25% deposit on sessions projected over $2,000.

Name

Electrical Audio

Website

https://electricalaudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Electrical Audio is a privately-held, two-studio analog recording complex in Chicago founded by Steve Albini, serving independent musicians, mid-market touring acts, and television/commercial production clients with day-rate studio rental, engineering services, and archival tape transfers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recording Studio Services

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)

akta.pro primary industry

Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile) (MPAIAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pro Audio Equipment (Mics, Interfaces, Mixers, Studio Monitors) (MPAIAJAB), Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO)

Keywords

• Analog recording services
• Music production studios
• Tape transfer services
• Audio mixing facilities
• Studio rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Studio Rental: Day-rate rental of recording studio spaces (Studio A or Studio B) including access to house equipment, instruments, microphones, and amplifiers. Clients pay day rate plus engineering fees.
2. Engineering Services: Hourly or day-rate engineering services from staff engineers (Greg Norman $450/day, Staff Engineers $225/day) including freelance engineers.
3. Tape Transfers: Archival-quality analog to digital transfers. $100 per reel for multitrack material (3+ tracks), $50 per reel for mono or stereo material. Includes calibration for each tape and technical documentation.
4. Tape Media Sales: Sale of recording tape media including 2-inch tape ($375/reel) and 1/2-inch tape ($150/reel). Also offers 2-inch rental reels for $50.
5. Tape Baking Services: $50 per batch (each 2-3 tapes) for dehydration of older tapes requiring baking before playback.
6. Client Lodging: On-site client accommodations with three rooms (5 beds total) at $250 per night regardless of room configuration used.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Electrical Audio is a two-studio recording complex in Chicago providing analog and digital audio recording, mixing, and tape transfer services. The studio offers rentable studio time with included engineering staff, on-site client lodging, EA Tape Transfers (baking, archival restoration, and digitization), and accommodates video production projects. Studio A and Studio B are positioned for music recording, mixing, voice work, and sound-for-picture projects for independent artists, bands, record labels, TV/film production companies, and brand advertisers.

Product overview

Electrical Audio is a two-studio analog-centered recording complex in Chicago offering music recording and mixing services. The core offerings consist of Studio A (the flagship facility with 48-channel Neotek Elite console, three performance spaces, and Pro Tools HDX) and Studio B (the more affordable option with 36-input Neotek Series II console and two large recording spaces). Supporting services include EA Tape Transfers (archival-quality analog-to-digital conversion supporting all major tape formats with baking, restoration, and noise reduction decoding), on-site client lodging, and an extensive shared instrument and equipment collection including drums, amplifiers, guitars, and keyboards. The studio also accommodates video production projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio A The larger of the two recording studios at Electrical Audio, equipped with a Neotek Elite analog console and capable of accommodating full band tracking sessions. Available at a published daily rate of $1,300/day with included engineering staff.
• Studio B The smaller of the two recording studios at Electrical Audio, equipped with a Neotek Series II analog console and suited for smaller recording or mixing sessions. Available at a published daily rate of $1,100/day with included engineering staff.
• EA Tape Transfers Tape-to-digital transfer and archival restoration service offered at Electrical Audio, including tape baking, playback through Studer A820 and Ampex ATR-102 machines, and noise reduction decoding (Dolby A, Dolby SR, dbx). Designed for owners of archival recordings needing professional digitization.
• Client Offices and Living Areas On-site client lodging at Electrical Audio, providing offices and living areas for clients booking multi-day studio sessions. Available at $250/night.
• Video Production Services Video production services accommodated at Electrical Audio for projects shot in the studio facility, providing the same engineering and facility support as audio projects.

Named customers25 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Studiomedia Recording CompanyminorOthersStudio A's Yamaha C7 grand piano and Studio B's Baldwin SF10 grand piano are on loan from Studiomedia Recording Company. This represents a equipment sharing arrangement with a local Chicago studio.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Village Recorder: Historic LA multi-room studio focused on analog recording and large-format consoles. Closest analog-philosophy peer on a national scale, with broader commercial client base than EA.
• East West Studios: Premier LA multi-room facility known for high-end analog and hybrid sessions serving major-label and indie artists. Comparable in premium positioning and full-service recording/mixing offerings.
• Ardent Studios: Memphis-based multi-room recording studio with deep analog heritage and a prestigious artist roster. Comparable in analog-first philosophy, tape workflow expertise, and indie/legacy client base.
• Sunset Sound Recorders: Iconic LA analog-centered multi-room recording complex founded in 1958. National indie/label peer comparable in analog philosophy, vintage console inventory, and prestige client base.

Others

• Electrical Audio Client Lodging (self sub-product): EA's own on-site accommodation offering; included only to anchor the bundled lodging revenue stream. Not an external comparable.

Direct peers

• Chicago Recording Company: Long-established Chicago commercial recording studio offering full tracking, mixing, and mastering services with multiple rooms. Most direct like-for-like competitor given shared geography and overlapping indie/label clientele.
• Electrical Audio West (alt location peer): Self-reference included for completeness; primary competitive set is the Chicago analog-leaning boutique segment.
• Engine Studios: Chicago-area recording, mixing, and mastering facility with comparable indie artist focus. Overlaps with EA on price point, service mix, and primary customer segment.
• I.V. Lab Studios: Boutique analog-leaning Chicago recording studio known for vintage gear and indie clientele. Competes with EA for the same Chicago-based independent and alternative artists seeking analog warmth.

Regional players

• Soma Electronic Music Studios: Chicago electronic music studio with broader genre mix. Partial overlap with EA in professional recording services but specialized in electronic and dance-oriented productions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/electricalaudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/electrical-audio-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Electrical Audio