The Studio Every Synth Lover Dreams Of: How Greg von Menge Made It a Reality

What happens when you spend 40 years collecting vintage synths, dreaming about building the perfect studio, and waiting for the right time to put it all together? If you’re Greg von Menge, you finally say, “Screw it, I’m doing this,” and build the Greg von Menge studio — a fully decked-out creative space with an Audient ASP8024 console as its crown jewel.

Greg’s studio is one of those rare spaces that people talk about but never actually build. You know, the one with every piece of gear you’ve ever wanted, patched in and ready to go. But for Greg, this isn’t just some gearhead’s fantasy. It’s a lifetime of music-making finally given the space it deserves. And honestly, it’s inspiring to see someone turn a four-decade-long dream into a real, working studio.

At a glance:

• Greg von Menge built a purpose-designed backyard studio around an Audient ASP8024 console.
• His setup includes over 24 vintage synths, dual Mac systems, and a massive patchbay for seamless workflow.
• After years of setbacks, Greg is now focusing full-time on music, sound design, and scoring for documentaries.

Have a listen to what Greg von Menge been up to on Soundcloud and see what Ben Coe has been doing on YouTube here and here. 

The Long Road to a Dream Studio

Greg’s journey to this studio wasn’t quick — or easy. After training as a sound engineer in Melbourne over 40 years ago, he had big plans for a career in live audio. But a serious motorbike accident put an end to that.

So, like many creatives, he pivoted. He launched a picture framing and art services business to pay the bills, but music never really left the picture.

Even as life pushed him in other directions, Greg kept building a home studio, working on soundtracks for indie films, freelancing for ABC, and picking up whatever gigs kept him connected to sound.

Along the way, he started collecting analog synthesizers, audio gear, and instruments — slowly turning his space into a synth lover’s haven.

By 2010, Greg had added an Audient Zen console, which he describes as a “fantastic compact mixer” that let him handle serious sessions without taking up too much space. “You hit the flip fader button, and suddenly your DAW channels are on real faders,” he says, smiling.

But as more synths piled up and new projects came in, Greg knew he needed something bigger — a desk that could handle everything he wanted to do without compromise.

A Studio Built to Work (and Play)

So, what does Greg’s setup actually look like? First off, 24 vintage synths and drum machines, all patched directly into the console. Everything’s ready to go at any moment — no plugging and unplugging. Two Macs handle all the digital work: one running Logic, Cubase, and Reaper through a Lynx 24-channel converter, and a second running a Dangerous Convert 2 and AD+ for two-track mastering.

Monitoring is serious business too — Focal Trio 11s, Focal Solo 6s, and Yamaha NS10s — covering every listening scenario. His mastering chain runs through a Dangerous Liaison, fully patched into the Audient console, which Greg says acts “like a big router” for his entire setup. “The ASP8024 makes it easy to have everything live and ready. I can work with MIDI and audio in real time and catch it on a two-track,” he explains.

And yes, he still keeps that trusty Zen console in play. “It’s been switched on almost every day since 2010. Never had an issue. That’s why I love Audient — it just works.”

So what’s the real takeaway from the Greg von Menge studio story? It’s simple. If you love music, if you love sound, and if you’ve ever wanted to create without limits — keep going. Whether it takes 4 years or 40, a space like Greg’s proves that with enough persistence, you can turn a lifelong dream into reality. And hey, if Greg can build all this in his backyard, what’s stopping the rest of us?