8330A SAM™ Studio Monitor

Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

I live in the city of Halle, which is located in Central Germany and marks the birthplace of George Frideric Handel. I chose to study in this region because it’s a cultural centre for classical music and I’m heavily influenced by classical styles. I followed my studies here with qualifications in audio engineering and computer science. I’m especially interested in the combination of music, acoustics and technology.

What kind of studio do you have?

Horchmal! (listen up!), my recording studio and record label, was founded about 13 years ago as a project studio for classical music, singer songwriters, voice recording and everything done by hand. It was designed as a mobile stereo recording studio, so it’s possible to mix and set up simple recording sessions there. It’s located in the central part of Halle City, and the control room has approximately 16 square metres of floor space. I also have a little room with recording equipment and storage for my collection of tech gear. Despite being a small studio, it’s a high quality environment.

Can you outline the key equipment you use in your studio?

My Genelec Smart Active Monitoring setup consists of two 8340s, five 8330s and four 8320s, plus two 7350 subwoofers. I work with Nuendo 12 DAW software, running on an Apple MacBook Pro with an RME UFX interface, and ARC Remote for volume adjustment. In addition, I make use of various preamps from RME, Audient and Focusrite. I keep a range of different microphones such as Schoeps, Neumann and Line Audio. The control room has had extensive acoustic treatment fitted; mainly absorbers and diffusers.

What type of work do you do in your studio?

My studio is unable to accommodate large ensembles, so that type of recording must be made elsewhere. The recording space that I have could be described as a vocal booth, so there are clear limitations to its use. Otherwise it’s equipped for mixing, mastering, upmixing and editing.

My immersive monitoring setup was installed just a few weeks ago. In the past, I always created 3D recordings of organs using a ‘Fukada Tree’ mic configuration. I’m now going through those old recordings bit by bit and mixing them in immersive. In addition, my previously-released stereo productions will gradually be updated and re-released in Dolby Atmos, which is the immersive format that I’ve decided to specialise in.

How and when did you become interested in immersive audio?

I’ve developed an interest in two main areas of immersive audio. Firstly, in the ability to capture three-dimensional acoustics. Organs, for example, seem to be predestined for immersive. They usually stand above a gallery and radiate their sound acoustically throughout the space, surrounding the listener with diffuse room sound, which spreads above their head. This type of enveloping sound doesn't work at all over stereo, and only partially over surround. Immersive audio, however, offers the possibility to authentically reproduce this effect.

Secondly, I feel that immersive compositions could herald a whole new aesthetic in music production, and I'm curious to see how composers will deal with it.

Can you talk us through your decision to upgrade to immersive, and how the process went?

A few years ago, in an effort to match my studio’s monitoring with the quality of local professional studios, I tried several well-known brands of loudspeaker. Genelec monitors were the ones that stood out and convinced me, especially with their ability to adapt to my small, lively space.

I ended up buying my two 8340s, and after listening to them for a while, I decided to add a couple of pre-owned 7350s and 8320s. When I noticed that my DAW can handle immersive productions and that my RME UFX interface supports the control of large multi-channel setups, I was determined to fully re-equip my studio. With the collapse of the market for CDs, I also felt that there’s new opportunities presented by the production of immersive audio.

I set up the entire system myself, however there was always a lively exchange with some of my industry colleagues such as Tino Hohndorf, who’s a driving force here in Central Germany, promoting new innovations with an open mind.

Now that you’re working in immersive, can you describe what’s it’s been like for you?

For me, producing in immersive is a completely new way to look at audio. Now I can design or imitate rooms and acoustics in a completely authentic way - 3D sound has a higher plasticity and transparency. I don't apply room effects over stereo channels, but set up a room within my studio’s immersive setup and then position the sound sources within it - that's a completely different approach to stereo. This way, sound forms organically in the space and that doesn't work in stereo at all.

What difference does GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) make in your work?

GLM is the coolest thing to come out since the loudspeaker was invented. Considering my large setup of 13 monitors, I can’t imagine a more elegant way to handle acoustic issues. It's great, smart, and easy to use. Respect to Genelec! Great!

How’s business been since you made the jump to immersive?

Having just started with immersive, my new projects are all yet to be published – I’m expecting the first to come out very soon. The aim of my studio upgrade was to win new customers, and due to the relatively simple distribution of immersive formats, I think demand for work will rise and this will turn out to be a good move for my studio. The first project that you’ll hear is a Dolby Atmos release of the Praetorius organ played at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, originally published on CD in 2011. When I recorded the organ, I used some room microphones, and now I’ve been able to mix it with surrounds and overheads using only the reverb that naturally occurred in the room. The mix recreates the sound experience of the historical hall in the school’s Löwengebäude building, with the organ situated in front of you and the room all around.

How do you see the future of immersive audio over the next few years?

I’m very curious about how this format will come to be accepted within the classical music scene. In classical music circles there’s a certain rejection of compressed, lossy formats. I feel however, that this perception may be the result of successful marketing for hi-resolution audio and not always based on real experiences. In my opinion, the benefits of immersive sound design far outweigh any loss of resolution. Just think about vinyl records – the master audio is usually uploaded digitally to the pressing plant, and buyers endlessly discuss the advantages of “analogue sound” in forums.

Overall, I think immersive audio will be a good complement to the more traditional audio formats – with each format being fully justified in its use. 3D audio offers completely new possibilities, and I believe new things need new friends.

Immersive audio has found a new friend in me.

To find out more about Horchmal!, click here

Do you want to be featured in our ‘Immersive Talk’ series? If so, just post some pictures of your setup on Instagram using the #GenelecImmersive hashtag. We’ll be keeping a look out for the most interesting setups, so who knows? We may be in touch with you!

Tenderdyn Arts is a facility where technology and content are interwoven. Located in the Denver suburb of Castle Rock, Tenderdyn Arts’ recording studio has made itself home to recordings and performances by world-renowned artists such as Akademia Music Award Jazz Artist of the Year Louis Colaiannia, and pianist Lara Downes (Classical Woman of the Year for 2022), while its InStudioNow series creates videos of interviews with those talented and committed artists for release with their music for a multi-media audience. In August 2020, the studio made the leap into immersive sound, and it chose Genelec as the foundation for its monitoring. After outfitting its video post-production and media studio with a small prototypical 7.1.4 speaker arrangement as proof of concept, Tenderdyn Arts founder and owner Tad Wheeler moved to upgrade the main studio’s control room to a full Dolby Atmos®-compatible system. Three Genelec 8341A speakers comprise the L-C-R array; four Genelec 8330A speakers are used for left and right rear and side surrounds and four more for the overhead array. A pair of Genelec 7360A subwoofers using the same LFE feed complete the monitoring array.

“I talked extensively with other studio owners in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville and elsewhere about implementing immersive sound, and it seemed like the way to go, especially for the work that we specialize in,” Wheeler explains. In fact, within months Tenderdyn Arts had developed a reputation as an immersive go-to destination. In October of that year, the first immersive recording and mix done there, Mark D’Ambrosio’s Bird of Paradise LP, was released. Tenderdyn Arts has continued to work in immersive music and video since then including working with Jorge Elbrecht on the immersive release of Japanese Breakfast’s Jubilee LP – nominated at this year’s GRAMMY® Awards. Most recently, Gerry "The Gov" Brown and Bobby Campbell have been working on John Legend's back catalog at Tenderdyn Arts and are excited to bring in more artists/projects moving forward.

Jorge Elbrecht remarked, "The acoustics at Tenderdyn Arts were so balanced, and the facility dialed in so well that the resulting mixes needed very little revising to get absolutely perfect--a seamless and enjoyable transition into Dolby Atmos mixing for me.”

Bobby Campbell noted, “Mixing in Dolby Atmos at Tenderdyn has been a great learning experience as well as proving to translate in other Dolby listening environments all the way down to the Binaural headphone rendering. Thanks to Tad's rock-solid room design, paired with the speaker calibration, we are able to have an enjoyable mixing process with extremely professional results.”

Wheeler credits Genelec Inc. Senior Technical Sales Manager Paul Stewart for helping refine the layout of his immersive monitoring array, using Genelec’s GLM loudspeaker calibration software. The new Genelec monitoring has been both effective and accurate. “I’ve been able to help other engineers in the area learn about immersive sound as a result of the having the Genelec system here, and Bobby Campbell, who is mixing the John Legend tracks, commented on how well they translated here,” he says. “Genelec speakers are amazing under any circumstances, but for immersive music they are unsurpassed.”

Wheeler is currently assisting Bobby Campbell in the creation of a new facility, an 1,800 square-foot studio in the Denver Tech Center that will house two Atmos-equipped studios modeled on his current control room’s dimensions, and which will also be used to train engineers and producers in the immersive arts. Wheeler says he’s looking forward to having Genelec monitoring in that facility as well, when it opens as planned later this year. “Putting the Genelecs in the current studio has already changed everything, and the reaction to them has been fantastic,” he says. “Artists come in to work, they hear it, and then they threaten not to leave!”

Can you tell us a little about how you ended up in audio?

The reason I got into engineering is because of my mom. She found out about Full Sail University in the April of 2008 and told me I should go there because I'll love it. I'd never heard of audio engineering until she told me about it, and she didn’t give me a choice if I wanted to go or not, so a month later I was a student there! These days, I mix mainly pop, hip hop and R&B songs at my studio, and I work on a lot of short films.

What kind of studio space do you have and what's the history of the place?

My studio is in the city of Columbia, in a cabin connected to another building where bleacher seating for stadiums is manufactured. The company owned that building for 20 years before they made this cabin for the owner's son. The studio room's size is 15x23x16 ft, 16 in the middle of the room.

What are the key items of equipment in your studio?

My Apogee Symphony MK II interface, Avid Dock, Pro Tools, and Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM).

How did you become interested in immersive audio and start to equip your studio for it?

I first became interested early last year after a random studio tour popped up on YouTube showing a recently finished room - I was considering going 7.1 for films at the time. That studio tour video blew my mind, and when I saw that the music business was moving into immersive audio, I decided to get into it myself. I made a few calls to get some information, but generally people didn't seem to know much about it. I knew the number of speakers I wanted and where they'd be going, so I reached out to Genelec on Instagram, and the next thing I know, I’m on the phone with Paul Stewart (great guy, love him). Paul took me through everything step by step over about a week, and ensured I had everything working. Thanks, Paul.

How does it feel to mix in immersive, are there any new challenges?

When I first started mixing in immersive, it felt weird. I could spread everything out as I didn’t have to make room in the mix anymore. The challenge is that you think you should do something because of the increased possibilities, and that can blind you from doing what the song needs versus what you might want to do for it.

What Genelecs are you using and why did you choose them?

My left and right monitors are 8341s, the center monitor is 8331, LFE is 7350, and the rest are 8330s. When I chose to go immersive, I looked at three big brands including Genelec and since I knew that a lot of film mixers use Genelec, I figured it had to be for a good reason. In my opinion, that reason is GLM. Personally, I don’t have the perfect room, so GLM tightens up my low end nicely, and the delay and level adjustments make a big difference.

What are you working on right now and how's business so far with your new setup?

I’m working on two albums right now, one that's pop and the other R&B. I only finished my room last week, so I'm yet to see how things will turn out for me business-wise in immersive audio. I do believe however, that it was an excellent decision to make the jump. I think immersive audio is here to stay, and in 3 to 5 years it will be the main playback format for music. Of course, stereo will still be relevant.

To find out more about Orpheus Sounds, click here

Do you want to be featured in our ‘Immersive Talk’ series? If so, just post some pictures of your setup on Instagram using the #GenelecImmersive hashtag. We’ll be keeping a look out for the most interesting setups, so who knows? We may be in touch with you!

Located behind the understated industrial façade of a warehouse in Burleigh Heads, on Queensland’s famous Gold Coast, is a new jewel in the immersive audio crown – Hype Republic. This high-end addition to Australia’s post-production industry is bedecked with stained wood, vintage leather, black steel and up-to-the-minute technology. The new post facility was built to empower filmmakers to create the highest quality work. Helping it achieve this aim is a Genelec 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system complemented by Genelec GLM Loudspeaker Manager software.

“Hype Republic contacted us asking for an immersive solution for their new post-production studio,” recalls Paul Newcomb, business development manager at Studio Connections, Genelec’s Australian distribution partner. “They required an audio solution that would complement their film/video cinematography department and was capable of delivering 7.1.4 immersive playback. This studio would be open to many creative specialists and as such, the gear needed to be robust and reliable. The solution was a Genelec 7.1.4 Smart Active Monitoring system consisting of 8340s, 8330s and a 7360 subwoofer.

GLM was the key to bringing this system together. It just works flawlessly and even faster now with GLM 4.1.

“The reason for going with the Genelec Smart Active Monitoring range is that each monitor and subwoofer could be independently calibrated relative to its position in the room,” continues Newcomb. “Installing monitors in the ceiling can present many acoustic obstacles. Not only do they need to be frequency neutral, but their phase needs to be aligned with all the other monitors in the array. GLM calibration software is an invaluable tool in this situation, and Genelec’s unrivalled range of mounting options makes it so easy to install an immersive system in any room.”

Indeed, Genelec’s GLM software is credited as the critical element in ensuring the success of the installation. “GLM was the key to bringing this system together,” states Newcomb. “It just works flawlessly, and even faster now with the latest GLM 4.1 update. I know GLM has been in existence for a long time now, way before immersive audio was a thing, but it somehow seems like it was actually designed specifically with this in mind!”

The benefit that Hype Republic has seen from using Genelec monitors and GLM in its immersive setup is that each of the 11 monitors and the subwoofer is precisely calibrated for their specific position in the room. GLM sends a full frequency audio sweep through each monitor and subwoofer, and analyses the acoustics of the room via the GLM reference microphone and network adaptor. With the response of the room’s acoustics recorded, GLM software aligns the frequency response, playback level, distance delay and subwoofer phase of the entire monitoring setup.

Genelec Smart Active Monitoring provides the confidence that mixes will sound great, everywhere.

“The system was calibrated without a hitch, which is a testament to the simplicity of GLM,” continues Newcomb. “Once guided through the process, the in-house engineer can now easily recalibrate and tweak the system if and when necessary.

“The combination of a well-treated, free floating room-within-a-room that was minimal in design and the capabilities of GLM, meant that there really weren’t any major obstacles to overcome, and everything ran smoothly with the installation. This is reflected in the quality of the end result.

“As with any GLM calibration, the results speak for themselves, and this was no different,” says Newcomb. “The studio sounds amazing. It’s no surprise that when searching for the best studios in the world you will often find the choice has been Genelec. Genelec Smart Active Monitoring systems provide not only the sonic quality, but the confidence that mixes will sound great, everywhere. We believe the client is extremely happy with their system. It fulfils their brief, sounds fantastic and will be providing uncompromised sound quality for many years into the future.”

“Our goal has always been to create the most epic and ground-breaking work with the most creative humans, and enjoy every step of the journey,” reflects Allan Hardy, co-founder of Hype Republic. “Our new Gold Coast post-production studio brings together the most experienced award-winning specialists with the best equipment and a beautiful facility just minutes from the iconic Burleigh Heads. I have no doubt that the new studio and the projects and people it brings to the Gold Coast will nurture countless opportunities for our local creative community and emerging talent.”

What is your name and where are you based?

JT Roach. I’m from Madison, Wisconsin, but I’ve been based in Los Angeles, CA, for the last seven years.

What inspired you to start making or recording music?

I’ve always been passionate about music, but I think what made me want to take it seriously is that it’s such an efficient way to share your energy with others. You can create something, and millions of people can absorb its emotion and feel it at the same time from all over the world. You can have such a positive impact with music, which has always been my goal.

What was your first ever piece of recording gear?

A Talkboy; just like the one in Home Alone 2. I used to record myself playing guitar over it when I was a kid.

What was the last piece of gear that you bought?

I just got a 3 slot 500 Series Radial Workhorse, a Mäag EQ4, and a Chandler Opto. My first time using 500 series gear, but I’m really loving the sound I’m getting with them. Got my vocals and guitars coming into the box already sounding great, and it means less tweaking with plugins, plus I get to focus on things that are more fun to me.

In which room in your home is your studio based, and were there any challenges in setting it up?

My girlfriend and I live in a two-bedroom apartment in Studio City, and I turned one of the bedrooms into my studio. Street noise was an issue at first, but I hired LA Sound Panels to treat the room and they did an amazing job. I threw all my old treatment in the closet, so now it works great as a booth.

Which Genelec models do you have?

I have a pair of the 8330As.

What type of projects do you use your speakers for?

Most of what I write, and produce, is vocally driven pop over acoustic and electric guitars, but I write and record in many genres. Lately I have been doing a lot of EDM, which has been fun.

What you think of the speakers, and what do you like about them?

I had heard the hype about Genelec from several of my producer friends, so I was very excited that I could make it happen. The first time I used them and listened to some of my favorite songs, it honestly felt like I was hearing music for the first time, in a way. The first song I played was Really Love by D’Angelo, who is one of my favorite artists. The warmth and clarity of the high end is what stood out to me in comparison to other monitors I have owned before. The high end was warm and sticky in a way that makes the listening experience so much more enjoyable. The sound doesn’t feel forced though; just balanced, warm, and comforting. Like the speakers are giving your ears a big hug.

Describe your perfect day in the studio.

Any day that ends with a song I’m excited about. Some days, that happens quickly, and some days it’s very difficult. Despite this, if I get a song that I’m proud of; that I can share with the world and people can enjoy forever, then that was a good day. If I can really enjoy the process as well, then that’s the icing on the cake.

What’s your top tip for being creative at home?

The cliches you’ve heard are true, so if you hear it a lot, take it into consideration . . . But a tip you may not have heard? If you have a TV in your home studio, throw on a muted TV show with subtitles while you produce and write. Sometimes, the visuals or dialogue can inspire a headspace to create from for lyrics or sound design. I work all day and never feel like I’m working, because I’m “watching TV and just messing around”, but by the end of the day a great song happens if you stay moving and stay relaxed. It doesn’t work for everyone, but I’ve been enjoying that when I work solo lately.

Have you come across any new gear or apps to make home creating easier?

Suggester for iPhone is fun for finding new chord progressions, and you can export the MIDI via AirDrop to your computer. I always find that’s a fun way to stay inspired with new chord progressions. I also just got Scaler 2 recently, and it’s pretty awesome.

Which three artists would you love to collaborate with in a Zoom lockdown session?

Phoebe Bridgers. Skrillex. Jónsi.

Have you picked up any new skills during lockdown?

I’ve been writing a lot of EDM so I would say I’ve really spent time learning how to write songs for that genre this year. My artist project has always been Folk-leaning but I’m trying to embrace the electronic space and ride the momentum I have there for my project.

If there was one recording session you could have attended, which one would it have been and why?

I would love to have seen how Jónsi & Alex wrote and produced Riceboy Sleeps. That is my favorite album of all time.

Since working at home, what has become your ’Desert Island’ piece of gear? What can’t you live without?

Honest answer is any acoustic guitar. If you have a great song, the rest is downhill, and I write my best songs on guitar.

Do you want to be featured in our ‘At Home’ series? If so, just post some pictures of your home setup on Instagram using the #GenelecProAtHome hashtag. We’ll be keeping a look out for the most interesting home rigs, so who knows? We may be in touch with you!

"Marco Guadagno and Laura Ciafaloni wanted to keep this operation secret from the first steps to the last, and incredibly they did it," explains Donato Masci from Studio Sound Service, the acoustic design firm responsible for the design and construction of the facility.

As a company, 3Cycle had a history of using various studio facilities around Rome for dubbing work. But strong growth, combined with client support led to the decision to create a dedicated space of their own. While it was important that the dubbing element was catered to, the team wanted to expand the business further and took the opportunity to create a post-production hub that could offer much more. As a result, 3Cycle features seven ADR dubbing rooms, a pair of 5.1 QC rooms, two 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment rooms and a Dolby Atmos theatrical room.

Genelec monitors were the right choice for 3Cycle because they are a standard for post-production facilities around the world.

The design work was carried out by Studio Sound Service’s team of designers made up of Donato Masci, Cecilia Torracchi and Giulia Bondielli, with the acoustic consultancy of Andy Munro. “We have designed a lot of studios together and created a sort of standard for post-production and dubbing, which is recognised and appreciated by numerous broadcasters,” says Donato Masci from Studio Sound Service. “3Cycle wanted to reach an international level and therefore we decided to also involve Andy.”

“3Cycle’s studios have been designed and built following the latest R&D in acoustics,” he continues. “In particular, the acoustics of the recording rooms have been given a neutral balance with the reduction of colouration and artifacts that can affect the final mixing of voices in all forms of media. The control rooms and mixing environments have been given a different approach, to match established international standards and Dolby certification requirements.”

Alongside the cutting-edge acoustics, Genelec Smart Active Monitors feature prominently throughout the facility. Each of the seven ADR rooms feature L-R 8330 monitors with an 8340 for the centre channel. The QC rooms are both equipped with 8340 monitors and a 7380 subwoofer for the 5.1 setup. Finally, the two Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment rooms have been installed with flush-mounted L-C-R S360 monitors, 8340s for the surrounds and overheads, and a 7382 subwoofer delivering the low frequencies.

“Genelec monitors were the right choice for 3Cycle because they are a standard for post-production facilities around the world,” states Masci, explaining the reasons behind selecting the studio monitors. “In addition to this, the GLM loudspeaker manager software helps a lot for the fine tuning, even if the rooms already sound really good.”

With this project taking place during the pandemic, there were obvious challenges. The Studio Sound Service team had difficulty travelling from their headquarters in Florence to the site in northern Rome (as Tuscany remained isolated from Rome for months) meaning that the supervision of the construction site was carried out from a distance. “It definetely wasn't a walk in the park,” notes Masci. “The construction was slowed down by numerous inconveniences related to the pandemic, but nevertheless all the collaborators made all the leaps so as not to accumulate large delays.”

Another major challenge came from isolating the facility. However, With Munro’s assistance, the team managed to create perfectly floating rooms that were mechanically decoupled from the structure. “All the recording rooms have been isolated using floated, room-within-room construction with vibration isolation throughout,” explains Masci. “Control rooms have also been given appropriate isolation, to avoid interference and also to allow accurate monitoring of the recordings themselves.”

the GLM loudspeaker manager software helps a lot for the fine tuning, even if the rooms already sound really good.

Reflecting on the overall project, Masci is proud of the end results. “The 3Cycle facility is the largest post-production facility that we’ve designed. It was a challenge but in the end it gave us great satisfaction. 3Cycle’s partners Marco Guadagno and Laura Ciafaloni, and CTO Simone Nobili, believed in us from the beginning and this was very important for us. Of course, during the implementation phases there were difficult moments, especially linked to respecting deadlines which were affected by the pandemic, but the 3Cycle guys have always shown a great and sincere sense of satisfaction.”

This reaction has been mirrored by the local industry, particularly following the secrecy around its creation. “Obviously when the facility opened, it was a big surprise for the city, and talent and producers are still talking positively about the first experiences they had,” says Masci. “It seems they really appreciate the acoustics, but also the general comfort of the rooms that have a particularly refined design.”

The Music Industry Studies program at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Business. Offering three concentrations – Recording and Production, Marketing and Promotion, and Manufacturing and Merchandising – the program has its hub in the Robert F. Gilley Recording Studio on campus. That facility, which is housed in the Mariam Cannon Hayes School of Music, has just opened its newest room, a Dolby Atmos® mix classroom, which is fitted with a 7.1.4 monitoring array of Genelec RAW 8320 and 8330 speakers plus a 7360 subwoofer. Genelec RAW models, designed specifically with sustainability in mind, provide a stylish matte “industrial aluminum” aesthetic that particularly suits this facility. The monitors were purchased through Guitar Center Professional in Greensboro, NC, and the array was installed by a team of over a dozen seniors in the Music Industry Studies program, who also built much of the rest of the Atmos room, under the supervision of Scott Wynne, the Director for the Gilley Recording Studio and Professor for the Music Industry Studies program.

“In 2003, they finished construction on an actual recording facility, which meant that they wouldn’t have students running a 16-channel snake across the hallway and tracking on semi-pro gear, and that’s when the Robert F. Gilley recording studios started,” says Wynne, who arrived in 2006 after teaching at Florida Atlantic University. “Now, we have four different control rooms and several million dollars of gear, because I want the students to actually learn on the equipment that plug-ins are designed from.” That desire for authenticity led to the choice of Genelec speakers for the Atmos monitoring array. After the university’s facilities team strengthened the room’s ceiling infrastructure to better support the new speakers, the Atmos array was installed by the students, with seven 8330s comprising the horizontal array – three as the L-C-R on stands and four others wall mounted as left-right front surrounds and left-right rear surrounds – and four 8320s installed in the ceiling using Genelec 442BS brackets. The 7360 subwoofer is freestanding on the floor. “We used a laser protractor and determined the exact positions with the students, and they literally screwed the brackets into those joists, trying to make sure that they got as much experience out of this as possible,” Wynne explains.

The choice of Genelec speakers for such a pivotal space as the Atmos studio had to do with Genelec’s reputation as an incredibly accurate monitoring solution, the choice of professional production studios worldwide, as well as the proprietary self-calibrating GLM software for the Genelec Smart Active Monitors™. Wynne says GLM allows the production program to move the monitors around the room as needed for various types of productions, without ever losing ideal speaker placement for imaging and phasing. In the process, he adds, the GLM software became part of the teaching process. “It becomes a lesson about acoustics,” he says. “What I love about them is their ability to show you the frequency response in the GLM software, in order to notice where the frequency dips are, where you’re getting too much push. You can then physically show that to your students and say, all right, what do you think these problems are culminating from? And they can make suggestions: what if we moved the speakers back? What if we moved them a little bit closer? What could we do in the room acoustically to fix some of these anomalies that we’re seeing? There are a lot of great software programs that are out there that can show you this, but because GLM’s functionality is so seamlessly integrated with the speakers, we can make a change in the classroom and in less than a minute they can immediately see that response change.” But just as important as Genelec’s feature set and sonic quality is its support of education. “They’ve always been great at creating an educational experience for students, and for having their tech come out and do lectures and share knowledge with classes,” he says.

Finally, there’s the RAW look. “That's exactly the finish I wanted,” says Wynne. “That was the look that I felt like the facility needed to set it apart. I think they complement the space and the students all love it. Everything about them allowed us to feel like we have a very unique room here.”

So says Philip Eriksson, Hazelight’s Lead Sound Designer, and we couldn’t wait to visit Philip and Senior Sound Designer Anne-Sophie Mongeau in Stockholm to film them talking about It Takes Two, Hazelight’s brand new co-op 3D action adventure game ….and their love of Genelec monitors, of course!

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Having started his career as a sound engineer, Philip studied film sound before joining EA Dice and working on their Star Wars Battlefront and Battlefield titles. Two years ago he transitioned to Hazelight to take responsibility for the audio production on It Takes Two.

Originally hailing from Montreal, Anne-Sophie’s experience in the game audio industry is complemented by a Master’s degree in Sound Design from the University of Edinburgh, and her role in It Takes Two has been dedicated to creating and delivering high quality soundscapes and interactive audio.

In our exclusive video, Philip and Anne-Sophie discuss the process of sound design in game audio – revealing how recording underwater with hydrophones, home-made kazoos and the use of slime and compressed air all played a part in their latest project!

With sound being so important in the creation of atmosphere and realism in games, it’s no surprise that Philip and Anne-Sophie rely on Genelec monitoring in their daily work. Philip’s room is equipped with a 5.1 Smart Active Monitoring system comprising 8331s in the LCR positions, 8330s as surrounds and an ‘awesome’ 7360 subwoofer handling the LF duties.

“I need speakers just to be able to sit and make sounds for eight hours a day,” says Philip. “I also need to have that representation of the sound so that I know that it's clear enough, so that I have the depth and I have the width. And then this usually translates pretty well to headphones.”

Anne-Sophie agrees, and adds that “You want something that translates as clearly as possible what's coming out of the game like what you put in, in terms of assets and implemented work, and how that translates to the end user - so you want the best reference you can get.”

The gaming company, best known for selling over 2 million copies of ‘Human: Fall Flat in China’ within a week of launch, has opted for Genelec Smart Active Monitors in each of these spaces to deliver a pristine audio experience that helps the developers understand the environment that they are creating.

We found that not only does its smart calibration system provide an enormous advantage, the Genelec brand also has a fantastic reputation in the industry.

“In the early stages of the project planning, we decided to go with the Dolby Atmos monitoring system, so that both production and post production could be carried out,” stated Fang Wan, Audio Director of XD Inc. "After conducting extensive research on similar products, we opted for the Genelec system. We found that not only does its smart calibration system provide an enormous advantage, the Genelec brand also has a fantastic reputation in the industry.”

While Suzhou Pineapple Acoustic Engineering Co., Ltd, designed the acoustics for the Dolby Atmos mixing room and editing suites, the system integration and installation was handled by MusicKing (Shanghai) Cultural Development Co., Ltd. All three editing suites are equipped with 8330 nearfield monitors. For the immersive room, the designers chose the three-way coaxial 8351s for the LCR positions, and 8330s for the surround and overhead channels - with a 7360 subwoofer delivering the lower frequencies.

The entire system has been finely calibrated to produce the most accurate sounds for us to be able to create with confidence.

The new audio production spaces have already proven to be advantageous to XD Inc., providing the 20-person team with the space and technology to research and create the right audio for the games they are working on. The facility has received unanimous praise from the entire audio team, with the monitors proving particularly popular.

“The soundfield is immersive and the positioning is accurate,” reflected Fang Wan on the mixing space. “In addition, it has great resolution and sufficient detail. The entire system has been finely calibrated to produce the most accurate sounds for us to be able to create with confidence.”

One such post production house is Aurom Post Sound, who have deepened their commitment to immersive audio with the addition of a second 7.1.4 room, powered by Genelec Smart Active Monitors.

“With customers impressed with the kind of performance we were getting from our first immersive studio, we decided to upgrade our original 5.1 room to a 7.1.4 configuration,” explains Aurom’s owner Akhilesh Acharya – who is a sound designer and mix engineer in his own right. “That would mean we would have two rooms with Genelec 7.1.4 monitoring that can both offer multi-format post production.”

(L-R) Ajaykumar PB, Abhilasha Gautama and Aishwarya Acharya.

We all know as mixing engineers that if you want to get the right sound and translation, Genelec is the only option.

The project saw Genelec’s Indian distribution partner, Sound Team, work closely with acoustic consultant Ajay Kumar PB and the local team from Dolby to ensure that the room would offer the translation between the studio and the movie theatre that Aurom required, as well as meeting Dolby’s exacting standards in a challenging space. The facility’s first Atmos studio used 8240A monitors and a 7270A subwoofer for the 7.1.4 configuration, but due to the size of the second room a different solution was found for the new space.

“We all know as mixing engineers that if you want to get the right sound and translation, Genelec is the only option available,” says Acharya. “For the new room we are using 8340As as LCR, with 8330As for surrounds and overheads plus a 7370A subwoofer and 9301A Multichannel AES/EBU interface,” he adds. “These monitors were suggested by both Dolby and Sound Team in accordance with the room size, so that we can work on both theatre mixes and OTT platforms. We are absolutely happy with our monitoring chain.”

We were impressed with the way GLM’s Auto Calibration works, and gets you very accurate results.

With the solution designed, installation was a smooth process, taking five days from cabling to commissioning. One of the reasons for this was Genelec’s GLM calibration software.

“We were impressed with the way GLM’s Auto Calibration works, and gets you very accurate results,” says Acharya. “The ability to then manually tweak after the AutoCal stage really gives a lot of flexibility to the person calibrating the room. We have also made different setups in GLM so that we can switch at any time between presets for a 5.1 film mix, theatrical Atmos, OTT Atmos and stereo too.”

Reflecting on the overall project, Acharya is clearly satisfied with the choices that Aurom has made. “For a mix room everything is results oriented,” he reasons. “It’s all about translation. We have not lost a single client in the past 5 years. The main reason is, they have heard more or less the same mix in the theatres or at home. Customers are happy and we have been getting regular work. We have found a high-performance product with very good reliability, and we are extremely happy with our purchase of Genelec monitors.”

The multi-room project - which includes both immersive and 5.1 surround studios as well as a host of video edit suites - was handled by SES-Audio, and all 15 rooms feature Genelec Smart Active Monitoring.

Studio 1 - which has been awarded Dolby Atmos HE certification – features a 7.1.4 system based entirely on the 8341 coaxial monitors from The Ones series. Eleven 8341s handle the LCR, surround and height positions, complemented by a 7380 subwoofer.

Studio 2 is also a 7.1.4 immersive room, again with 8341s in all positions supported by two 7360 subwoofers, and has complete compatibility with Studio 1 for maximum flexibility in optimising workflows.

Studio 3 is a 5.1 space powered by five 8320 nearfield two-way monitors and a 7350 subwoofer, while a separate Quality Control room has been equipped with eleven 8330 two-way nearfield models and a 7360 subwoofer. This room is designed to guarantee sound quality throughout the post-production chain, to meet the highest standards required by cinema and OTT platforms, and is capable of playing back content in all formats.

Finally, there are a total of 11 video editing rooms, each one equipped with 8330 monitors.

Charly Schmukler, head of Drago's Sound Post Production department, comments that “The Dolby Atmos certification allows us to adapt to the latest trends in the audiovisual industry with the certainty that we are working in an environment that meets the highest quality. This in turn guarantees a perfect transcription of our work to the domestic environment.”

Audio Lisbon had been working in 5.1 for a long time, so the ability to handle fully immersive content was a natural progression. “Being a new facility designed from scratch, it seemed logical to plan and install this format early, to avoid making changes in the future,” explains Pedro Carvalho, Partner at Audio Lisbon. “It is also a way for us to be able to offer other solutions to regular customers, as well as attracting new clients from other markets.”

Having made this decision, the next challenge was to find the right tools to enhance the studio’s workflow. “We considered several brands and systems for immersive audio monitoring,” recalls Carvalho. “We wanted auto-calibrated nearfield active monitors with an SPL that suited the room volume, and had AES/EBU connectivity so as to integrate with our Avid MTRX interface. Of course, they also had to sound good.”

It was at this point that Genelec’s local distribution partner Garrett Audiovisuais became involved in the project. “Ever since Genelec launched The Ones series of coaxial three–way monitors, we had been curious to hear what they could do,” says Carvalho. “After a visit to hear the 8351s at Garrett’s listening room, which happens to be nearby, all of our doubts were dispelled.”

It is a huge advantage to have a system that corrects minor anomalies in room acoustics.

Working with Marcelo Tavares from Audiodesigner for the acoustic design and Paulo Mendes for the technical design and installation, Audio Lisbon ultimately opted for an all–Genelec 7.1.4 Smart Active Monitoring solution. 8341A coaxial monitors have been installed in the LCR positions, while 8340A two-way monitors have been used for side and rear surrounds, and 8330A two-way monitors handle the ceiling channels. Two subwoofers have also been employed, to handle the LF content and provide bass management for the system. A 7370A subwoofer is coupled with the front and surround monitors, while the more compact 7360A model was chosen to partner the ceiling monitors.

Following the installation of the system, Carvalho describes the fine tuning possible with the GLM calibration software as “the icing on the cake”. “Although I had absolute confidence in Marcelo's work acoustically, it is a huge advantage to have a system that corrects minor anomalies in room acoustics, and makes it possible to store different calibration settings from 2.0 to 7.1.4 in a practical and effective way,” he reflects.

I'm a fan of these coaxial models. The quality and sound detail is impressive and the size/power ratio is amazing.

With the new post facility now fully operational, Carvalho is certainly happy with the results it has achieved and the new monitors in particular. “I'm a fan of these coaxial models. The quality and sound detail is impressive and the size/power ratio is amazing. Even though we have chosen a mixture of coaxial and conventional two–way models for our system, the balance obtained is really good. They also have a good dynamic range and good transient response. This investment represents an opportunity for expansion into other markets at both national and international level.”

Building on the previous successful projects, Morel was brought in early in the architectural design process for the Caribbean house. “I became involved with the design directly from the start,” he recalls. “When the first drawings were made for the new house it was clear a studio had to be in it as well. The architect gave me the location and the space in the house for the studio, and with this information I had to figure out how to make it possible.”

The aesthetic requirements for the new studio demanded a different design from Hardwell’s all-white main studio in the Netherlands, with the style, colours and architecture mirroring the house in Curacao itself. However, there was only ever one choice for the monitoring solution.

“He is used to Genelec, his main studio is equipped with 1034Bs, a 7073A and 8341As,” says Morel. “For him there is no other option to go for, or work with.”

While the monitoring brand has remained the same, Morel opted for a slightly different Genelec solution in response to the different acoustic environment of the new Curacao space. A pair of 1237A studio monitors have been installed as the main monitoring solution – about 6 feet from the listening position – with two 8330A monitors positioned about 4 feet away to provide the nearfield system. Finally, a 7071A dual 12-inch subwoofer has been placed under the desk but off centre, close to the wall to manage low frequencies. As part of Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family, the 1237A and 8330A monitors were configured and calibrated using Genelec’s own GLM software.

Initially, Morel remotely managed a team of local contractors and craftsmen who had been employed to handle the build. With the construction phase complete, he then travelled to Curacao for the commissioning stage.

“We used GLM to do the first auto-calibration,” he explains. “When this had been done, we further calibrated it manually within GLM to get the most satisfying personal result for the engineer. In this case of course, the engineer is Hardwell himself!”

Having overcome some challenges within the construction phase, the final result is something both Morel and, more importantly Hardwell, are happy with. “He had seen the design before I started finishing the room, and when we finished the room for real, he was really flabbergasted and blown away by the result both in sound and looks,” says Morel. “It was beyond his expectation.”

Combining an ambient music performance with a multi-channel listening experience, both the performers and the live audience were surrounded by a ring array of Genelec loudspeakers, creating a truly unique listening environment. This type of playback system is tailor-made for ambient music, emphasising the sense of space and the abstract nature of the compositions – and creating an incredibly thought-provoking and stimulating live event.

The planning and creation of the show took place over a two month period, using the demonstration space in Modern Sky to evaluate how the sound elements combined, how they moved, and what type of speaker configuration would be best suited to the ambient material. The creative team included electronic musician Wang Lu, also known as L + R, music producer/mixer Shen Lijia and visual artist Tami-musiXgal, and working alongside our colleagues at Genelec China, a system comprising eight S360 high-SPL smart active monitors and a 7382 subwoofer was used to surround the audience, while a smaller smart active array of four 8330 two-ways, four 8331 coaxial three-ways and a 7360 subwoofer was used to envelop the musician and the VJ. Genelec GLM software was then used to analyse the room and optimise the frequency response, distance delay and playback level of each speaker in the system – thereby delivering the best possible listening experience to both performers and audience alike.

In planning the event, the team were seeking a good combination of manual control, programming and random machine triggering, with the pre-programmed foundation of the 8.1 audio mix being handled by Ableton Live, with Cycling 74’s Max allowing communication with external hardware instruments – and plenty of real-time musical improvisation was included too!

Prior to the event, the demand for tickets was so high that it was decided to stage three separate performances, to allow every listener to position themselves comfortably within the speaker array and experience the finest sound quality. And from our own perspective, the whole process of planning and executing the event gave us a much deeper understanding of the shaping of space, the precise positioning of sound and the design of moving trajectories in music.

There’s no doubt to us at Genelec that as the world’s exposure to immersive audio becomes greater, the future of multi-channel live music performances is increasingly looking brighter. There are a whole new generation of music fans who are seeking more and more ‘experiential’ live performances, and Genelec is excited to play its part in the growth of this exciting medium.

A wholly-owned R&D subsidiary of G-bits, the company employs enthusiastic games fans with one simple mission - to produce ‘unique and great games’. As a result of Leiting’s dedication to creating all-round immersive experiences for its users, the company recently commissioned a 5.1.4 game audio studio based around Genelec Smart Active Monitors.

"For a games company like ours, an audio studio is a must," commented composer and game sound designer Knuckles (Jianyu) Zhang, who led the studio project. "Our requirements are quite special, though. What we want is not just a recording studio, nor a standard mixing studio or a reviewing studio. To be precise, what we want is a ‘Game Sound Lab’ to assist us in the conceptual design of games.”

Originally conceived as a surround sound studio, the acoustic design and construction of the project was handled by Qiao Zhenyu of Huanyu Acoustics, who persuaded Knuckles to go fully immersive. “I knew that many games had already used the 5.1 format to produce sound. But Qiao suggested that since it was already 5.1, why not make it 5.1.4 by adding the 4 height channels? I realised then that immersive audio technology is no longer a new thing, and we as creators surely have to learn to master this format."

The studio then engaged the system integrator DMT to install a pair of Genelec 1234As as its main stereo monitoring system, with a 5.1.4 immersive system comprising eleven 8330A nearfield two-way monitors in all positions - complemented by a 7370A subwoofer. All the monitors were supplied in a stunning Polar White finish, and the entire system was configured and calibrated by DMT using GLM loudspeaker manager software.

Genelec's sound is very reliable. You can trust what you’re hearing.

Knuckles’ choice of Genelec monitoring was arrived at after many years of experience of working with other monitors - and actually avoiding Genelec in his earlier years, believing them to be too flat! “I used various monitors to evaluate my work in different rooms. Sometimes, it would sound fine on my own monitors in my own room, but the results would often vary when I’d listen to material in other spaces. So I’d start to doubt what I was hearing.”

He goes on to say “It was then that I realised that I needed a genuinely truthful monitoring system to do my work. Genelec's sound is very reliable. You can trust what you’re hearing, and you can be certain about what you create using them. When I use the 1234s to listen to material, I can immediately evaluate the quality of mixing.”

Knuckles is convinced that immersive audio is the format of the future for games developers. “In recent years, the domestic games industry has attached greater importance to the sound experience. As we look to the international market, we’re finding that more and more games with big-budget production are using immersive audio to create the sound experience. Because sometimes, we just want to step into another world and forget about real life, or even ourselves, for a while.”

He concludes by saying “While others here are still at the learning and building phase with immersive rooms, we already have the experience and a place to create immersive audio. Now we’re one step ahead, we’re ready to take the lead!"

Game sound designer Knuckles (Jianyu) Zhang