8341A SAM™ Studio Monitor

The Berlinbased seven piece band previously used Genelec monitors in hired studios and their own editing bay, leaving them eager to find out what the brand could do for their mix room.

The BossHoss formed in 2004, and the self-proclaimed Country Trash Punk Rockers have released 10 studio albums to date and show no signs of slowing down. When heading into the recording sessions for their slated 2021 release, they turned to German audio supplier SMM for advice on how to improve the sessions.

The stereo image is second to none – really precise, accurate and exactly what we needed.

“When working on a new album, we always like to try out new equipment to drive creativity,” explains BossHoss guitarist, songwriter and producer Sascha Vollmer. “A friend of mine from SMM recommended I give Genelec a try and sure enough, when I was introduced to the 8341s, I was instantly hooked.”

The band are now using a single pair of 8341s in a stereo configuration. “Since we have installed the 8341s, we don’t use our midfield speakers anymore,” Vollmer explains. “The stereo image is second to none – really precise, accurate and exactly what we needed.”

One of the major benefits of this new monitoring system has been the use of GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) software. Vollmer has been particularly impressed with GLM and the ability to auto-calibrate the 8341 setup to suit the band’s ever-changing recording environment. “Having the freedom to adapt with the GLM application was ideal for us as we are often having to change furniture as well as instruments hanging on the walls,” Vollmer continues. “GLM gave us flexibility as well as quick and easy configuration if we wanted to switch rooms.”

The new album was mixed with the Genelec system and I realised that’s the mix I’m most proud of.

Part of ‘The Ones’ range of three-way coaxial, ultimate point source monitors, the 8341s deliver precision reference performance. The Ones’ design provides extraordinary imaging, extended frequency response, controlled directivity and fatigue-free listening – even on long sessions.

Vollmer also appreciates the heightened level of detail in his mixes: “Sometimes when we’re listening back to each song, we realise that we have to add extra elements. We probably wouldn’t have picked up on that type of detail with any previous monitor. That’s why we want to continue to use Genelec for future recordings and mixing sessions – we don’t want to miss anything else.”

He concludes: “Just recently, I had a long car ride and listened through our last three to four albums. The new album was mixed with the Genelec system and I realised that’s the mix I’m most proud of – it just translated so perfectly. Genelec has become an essential part of our studio.”

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.”

Sebastian recently acquired the award-winning point source nearfield monitors from Genelec’s Australian distribution partner, Studio Connections, and they now take pride of place alongside his existing pair of 1034B main monitors.

Sebastian first came to prominence in 2003 as the first winner of Australian Idol. Since then, his career has gone from strength-to-strength with platinum records in the US and Australia, and sell-out tours around the world. This success has enabled him to create a purpose-built recording space in his new home, giving him the ability to work on new projects as soon as inspiration strikes.

The architectural design for the studio was handled by acoustic designer John Sayers, with Sebastian taking responsibility for the interior. “This house is like a concrete bunker,” explains Sebastian. “It’s concrete and black steel and really tough, so I wanted the studio to have a bit more of a modern sort of vibe. I wanted to keep it pretty monochrome, and really minimal and clean looking.”

With Sebastian being a self-confessed gear-junkie, owning a vintage mic collection that would be the envy of anyone, the studio is filled with some of the finest historic recording equipment including a fully restored Siemens Sitral console. Juxtaposing all this classic equipment are the pair of distinctly modern white Genelec 8341As.

“They are beautiful,” says Sebastian, who also took advantage of Genelec’s GLM calibration software to help tune the speakers to the space. “It was great to be able to use the Genelec GLM technology to get them tuned perfectly. It didn’t do a lot to the monitors, just a few little frequency fixes, but it was good.”

By contrast, Sebastian’s 1034B main monitors were acquired a number of years ago. “I’ve had them for a while from Los Angeles, and they were sitting in storage while this place was getting built,” he explains. “They cause me to not crank the speakers. When you are listening to big monitors, unless you’re listening loud it’s hard to get the punch. These are super-punchy and still clear, even at low levels.”

Reflecting on the decision to create the space, Sebastian is clearly satisfied with the results. “The studio was an investment for me, but it’s sort of already paid off in the amount of time I’ve spent here and the amount I’ve used it on the road and in my recordings,” he explains. “I’m the Musical Director in my band, so I’ll put all the tracks together and other elements for live. I do a lot of pre-production in the studio and I rehearse in here because everything is where you need it.”

The decision he has made with regards to his monitoring solution equally appears to have paid off. “You need good monitors – and it doesn’t get better than Genelec!” he concludes.

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.”

The Lennon Bus, which is a state-of-the-art mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility, regularly provides free digital media production workshops to schools across the US and Canada - enabling students to learn how to write, record, and produce original songs, music videos, documentaries, and live multi-camera video productions. To ensure that students experience the best possible audio quality, the monitoring systems in the Bus’s two onboard studios have recently been upgraded to Genelec’s ‘The Ones’ coaxial three-way point source models.

“We go to a lot of under-served schools and a lot of communities that are under-resourced, so bringing something that really represents the best of the industry is eye-opening and can be life-changing for kids and communities,” explains Brian Rothschild, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Lennon Bus. “Having the new studio monitors onboard continues that trajectory for us.”

Genelec has been a long-term sponsor of the Lennon Bus with the two-way 8240A Smart Active Monitors and 7260A subwoofer having originally been installed in each of the Bus’s 5.1 studios. “When we installed those Genelecs, the difference in the sound was just readily apparent and really impressive, and we thought that it had to be as good as it could get,” recalls Jeff Sobel, Creative Technology Director for the Lennon Bus. “Then when The Ones came out and we had the opportunity to use the 8341s, we thought we would give it a try. I think we were all expecting there to be a subtle difference in the sound, and we didn’t really see how it could be too much better. But it was remarkable. The first time that we played some music through them after installing them, it was really eye-opening how much clearer they sounded and how much better the imaging was.”

The upgrade has seen the US Lennon Bus move to the same technical setup as its European counterpart, with all 10 of the original 8240As having been directly replaced by 8341A coaxial studio monitors, with the 7260A subwoofers being retained.

Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring technology has been particularly important for this project, since this has enabled the Lennon Bus’s technical team to create specific calibration presets for different configurations of the Bus, using Genelec’s GLM software. “The ability to tune the speakers to the room and the fact that it is a really simple, easy process is fantastic,” says Sobel. “The Bus is a configurable space. It has sliding glass doors that can partition off the rooms from each other and that changes the acoustics of the space as well. Using the Genelec Smart Active Monitoring technology, we can have different calibration presets for ‘doors open’ and ‘doors closed’, to suit various ways we work. Our Bus is designed to be as flexible as possible and the Genelec monitors are perfectly suited to that.”

With the new monitoring system in place, the Bus is ideally positioned to keep inspiring the next generation of recording musicians. “What we really like to do on the Lennon Bus is to demonstrate industry-standard, professional quality systems,” explains Sobel. “When students or artists come in, they are impressed. It’s the same things that they’ll find in the best recording studios in the world. It just has that credentialled atmosphere to it, which puts people in the ‘We can do anything here’ mindset.”

“For me it’s also about the self-esteem that the Lennon Bus is often responsible for with the visitors,” adds Rothschild. “The fact that folks care enough to actually bring something that represents the top of what the industry has to offer, and to bring it to under-served communities makes a big impact. The Bus is a living legacy of John and Yoko’s work and everything we do is ultimately to set the conditions and encourage people to imagine, work for and spread peace.”

The recordings, which relied heavily on Genelec monitors throughout, were debuted at the recent Inter BEE show in Japan and will form a key part of Genelec’s critical listening sessions at global shows and events in the future.

Sibelius Hall in Lahti, Finland.

Sawaguchi recalls how the project came about thanks to conversations that took place at last year’s AES spatial audio conference in Tokyo. “I gave a lecture about immersive music recording and demonstrated various recordings from the UNAMAS label in the Genelec demo room. At the event I had discussions with Genelec’s MD Siamäk Naghian about working together on an immersive recording that could become a reference disc for the company.”

A year later and the project had developed further with professional double bassist and Genelec brand artist, Juho Martikainen, working closely with Sawaguchi on the concept. The pair worked to select the music for the recording and the classical musicians for the performance.

“It was a very natural process and there was a lot of freedom for me to decide with whom I would like to play and which type of repertoire we would record,” says Martikainen. “Mick really loves the sound of the double bass and wanted classical performances, because he felt this type of music really suits the immersive audio format.

“I went through many options when choosing the pieces but decided to play it safe and go with Franz Schubert’s Trout Quintet for the first piece as it is an all-time favourite for me,” continues Martikainen. “We then chose Jean-Baptiste Barriere’s Sonate No:10 which is a Baroque piece, originally composed for two cellos, but we played an arrangement for a double bass and cello instead. And then of course I had to play one piece composed by Giovanni Bottesini as I think he was a true master of the instrument. So I chose maybe his most famous piece, Elegy.”

“We wanted to use the latest equipment but keep the mic’ing as simple as possible,” adds Sawaguchi. “We opted for a spider tree setup with the artists placed around the main mic, with other microphones placed to capture the rich sound of the hall. This is what I call ‘Subjective Immersive’, as we are using microphones as tools to capture the art.”

L-R Mick Sawaguchi and Juho Martikainen.

The monitoring solution comprised a pair of Genelec’s 8341 coaxial point source monitors located within a lobby space of Lahti’s Sibelius Hall, which operated as a monitoring room for the immersive recording before the final mix by Sawaguchi at his recording studio back in Japan. In this type of adhoc monitoring environment, Genelec’s GLM calibration software was invaluable in optimising the 8341s for the space and minimising any unwanted acoustic influences.

“With this kind of on-location recording, monitoring situations can be challenging - very rarely do you find a recording location where there is a dedicated monitor room with good acoustics,” observes Martikainen. “But the 8341s were the perfect solution as we were all able to hear what we had played, and how it really sounded – which is ideal for musicians.

L-R Mick Sawaguchi and Juho Martikainen.

“I think in general nowadays, many recordings are too polished and end up losing the vibe and the atmosphere of the actual moment,” reflects Martikainen. “For us at Genelec, it’s all about the music and this is the point we were trying to make. It’s about the creativity and to be there to help inspire the best possible level of musical ability. I was very happy when I heard the tracks and I think the system has captured this vibe brilliantly!”

After its first very successful public performance at Inter BEE, the recordings will be used to help showcase Genelec immersive systems at events globally, and Genelec is also researching what other type of platforms it can use for immersive material. “I think there’s been a big rise in the popularity of immersive music and I’m certain it will be the new format that customers will use and enjoy,” states Martikainen.

L-R Juho Martikainen and Mick Sawaguchi at Inter BEE.

Looking back fondly on the experience, Martikainen concludes: “Working with Mick Sawaguchi on this project was a once in a lifetime opportunity. As a musician, it was a great thing to be a part of, and I feel incredibly lucky to have played with great colleagues in a great hall with great equipment - it doesn’t get any better than that!”

Anchored by a 2,200-square-foot, three-studio complex, it offers a main recording space with variable acoustics, a drum room with a removable floor to reveal six Foley pits, four isolation booths, and a machine room enabling interconnectivity through the entire studio complex. What it also has now are monitors from Genelec, the leader in active monitoring technology for four decades, in the two main control rooms, installed there this past spring.

The main control room now has a 5.1 monitoring array comprising Genelec 8351A Smart Active Monitors™ as the L-C-R front array, a pair of 8341A Smart Active Monitors as the rear-surround array — all part of Genelec’s “The Ones” series of products — and a 7380A Smart Active Subwoofer™. The second control room now has a Genelec 8020.LSE Espresso 5.1 monitor system with five 8350A Smart Active Monitors around the room and a 7050B Studio Subwoofer. The systems’ Smart Active Monitor technology allows them to make the most of all modern acoustic environments.

“It was time to update our monitoring, and we wanted a speaker that would be consistent throughout the studio complex,” explains Michael Harvey, Program Director, Audio Technology, Dept. of Performing Arts, at American University. “We wanted the mixes to be able to translate seamlessly between the two main control rooms. But just as importantly, we wanted our mixes and recordings to translate accurately everywhere else, too. We wanted speakers that would let our students become familiar with what leading engineers and producers use every day. That is Genelec.” Harvey says the two Genelec-equipped studios are of different sizes, but the two different Genelec speaker series they bought are both perfectly suited to each room’s dimensions and acoustics, yet also provide the brand and response consistency that they sought, so that as mixes and recordings move from studio to studio, students always hear a familiar tonality.

Founded in 1995, Sixième Son strategically reinforces brand recognition and enhances the customer experience specifically through sound, music and voice. With a team of highly talented composers and sound designers, the company has tailor-made audio identities for over 400 clients, including global brands such as Krug, Samsung, Renault and Coca Cola.

Sixième Son has a deep relationship with Genelec, both as a long-term user and also the company behind Genelec’s own sonic identity. As such, when the agency decided to update its studio monitors, there was only one choice. “Although our equipment was high quality, we had some very technical requests which required state-of-the-art monitors,” recalls Ella Duda, International Strategy Director at Sixième Son. “We had been using older Genelec models, which have served us incredibly well, so it was only natural that we sought out new monitors from the same brand. Like Genelec, we’re always looking for the finest sound quality so there wasn't any doubt which brand we would go with.”

Their speaker technology is compact without compromising the sound.

The studio decided to make the move from a 2.1 solution to a 5.1 setup comprised of three 8341A coaxial three-way monitors as LCR, a pair of the more compact 8331A coaxial models for the surrounds, and a 7370A subwoofer handling the low frequencies. “The need for a state-of-the-art system was accelerated mainly by the increase in demand for broadcast mixing for films,” explains Studio Manager Romain Morlat. “As such, we naturally gravitated to Genelec products due to their technical excellence, as demonstrated in ‘The Ones’ coaxial models that we’ve chosen. Additionally, their technology is compact without compromising the sound, so we could easily integrate their monitors into our space.”

The project looked to be moving ahead at speed until it came up against the same challenges that just about every project has faced in 2020. The new monitors arrived in France just as the country went into a national lockdown. Morlat received special permission to test the new equipment to ensure everything was in order, but public safety came first and the installation itself had to wait until France emerged from its lockdown.

The GLM software was essential to the proper set up and calibration of the system.

As soon as the country began to get back on its feet, Morlat set to work with the installation and commissioning of the new system, with Genelec’s GLM calibration software playing an important role. “We found that GLM was essential to the proper set up and calibration of the system, both in stereo and multichannel formats,” states Morlat. “We're very confident that everything is optimised.”

With the new solution installed and people returning to a safe working environment, the team at Sixième Son are quickly getting to grips with their new monitoring setup. “It has been an instant hit,” says Duda. “The precision that the solution gives us in terms of frequency and depth, is incredible.”

“Now that we have our Genelec setup, we can improve the way we work on complex projects – like a VR apartment tour which we recently completed – and be more creative at the same time,” adds Morlat. “As a bonus, the experiences that we give our customers at the studio are more immersive than ever. Now, since we can do absolutely everything in house, there’s no need to outsource for surround mixes. It’s a great feeling and a milestone for us.”

Reflecting on the project as a whole, the entire team is clearly delighted to have the 5.1 setup and believes it will serve Sixième Son well through its continued growth. “We are beyond happy and so grateful to have the new monitors in our studios,” Duda concludes. “We always strive to have good, quality materials, of course, but our new Genelec monitors take us to the next level.”