Overview

Apogee Studio is one of the most unusual recording environments in Los Angeles — and one of the most impressive. Housed inside the solar-powered Santa Monica headquarters of Apogee Electronics at 1715 Berkeley St, it is simultaneously a world-class recording studio, an intimate live venue, and a product development lab. It was founded by music industry pioneers Betty Bennett and legendary mixer Bob Clearmountain, and it operates as a place where world-class artists and award-winning audio technology come together under one roof.

This is not a commercial studio in the traditional sense. You cannot simply book a session online. Apogee Studio is a private facility that hosts select recordings, intimate concerts, and collaborative projects by invitation or arrangement. But for anyone making music in Santa Monica, knowing it exists changes the texture of the local music landscape — and the studio's publicly accessible KCRW concert series makes the experience available to more people than you might expect.

The Studio

Apogee Electronics is the company behind some of the most respected professional audio interfaces, converters, and mic preamps in the world — gear found in virtually every serious recording studio and major post-production facility. The studio at their headquarters represents the best possible implementation of their own technology, designed and operated by Clearmountain, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixing engineers alive. He has mixed records for Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Bryan Adams, and dozens of other artists whose work has defined the last forty years of recorded music.

The technical setup is accordingly impeccable. Clearmountain's custom mix environment, built around Apogee's own Symphony I/O converters and the Dante networking protocol for near-zero-latency routing, is a singular room. The result is a recording and playback environment with a level of precision and musical detail that very few spaces anywhere in the world can match.

What Gets Recorded Here

The studio has hosted sessions with Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty, John Mayer, and Weezer. In 2024, Cory Henry recorded Live at the Piano at the studio — the first recording made there to receive a Grammy Award nomination. In 2025, John Fogerty tracked Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years in the room.

These are not pop-up performances or marketing events. They are genuine recording sessions made by artists who trust the environment, the gear, and the team. That track record says something significant about what is possible in this room.

The KCRW Series

Apogee Studio has produced a celebrated live music series in collaboration with KCRW, the Santa Monica-based public radio station that has been a cornerstone of independent and alternative music in LA for decades. These intimate concerts — where up to 180 guests experience performances personally mixed by Bob Clearmountain in real time — are among the most distinctive musical experiences available anywhere in Los Angeles. Following the performance, sessions are often shared through KCRW's platform, giving the recordings a wide audience.

Accessibility & Booking

Apogee Studio is not listed on Peerspace or any public booking platform, and the studio does not have a general commercial booking process. Access is by arrangement. For emerging artists or independent producers looking for a working studio, the other options on this list — particularly The Recording Club for ongoing access, or Lime Studios for hourly sessions — are more practical. Apogee Studio earns its place in this guide because it represents something important: a Santa Monica recording environment that operates at the absolute highest professional level.

The Bottom Line

Apogee Studio is not a studio you book — it is a studio you earn your way into through a body of work and the right relationships. For the independent artist tracking their first EP, it is not a relevant option. But as an anchor of what is possible in Santa Monica's recording landscape, it matters. The KCRW concert series is the accessible window into what this facility does, and it is worth attending if you get the chance.

For working musicians looking for a professional, accessible Santa Monica studio right now, our top pick remains The Recording Club — unlimited 24/7 access to five studios, including Dolby Atmos, for a monthly membership fee.

Book a Free Tour at The Recording Club →

Pros

  • World-class mixing and recording environment
  • Bob Clearmountain's personal facility
  • Grammy-nominated recordings made here
  • KCRW concert series offers limited public access
  • Solar-powered — legitimately sustainable
  • Actual Santa Monica location

Cons

  • Not available for commercial booking
  • Access is by invitation/arrangement only
  • Not relevant for most working artists

Other Studios to Consider