A great audio engineer or a great producer isn’t reliant on a state-of-the-art studio or a $50,000 microphone or an SSL console. So, what really makes an engineer or producer great at their job?

In this study, courtesy of Variety Workshop, Rob-E-Rob, et. al., we see how the contributions of an audio engineer/producer can turn a thoughtfully written song into a beautifully arranged masterpiece.

First, the song as originally written and recorded by Rob-E-Rob accompanied by Evan Be of the One V DUB.

Next, we hear the result of a professional studio recording of the same composition engineered by Drew Paul and produced by band mate Ryan Reilly.