Genelec 7370A SAM™ -subwoofer on tehokas ja tarkka työkalu kaikkiin käyttötarpeisiin. Digitaalisten ja analogisten sisääntulojen sekä Genelecin AutoCal™ ja GLM™-ohjausverkkoteknologioiden ansiosta se on mahdollista sovittaa joustavasti ja saumattomasti erilaisiin tiloihin ja äänijärjestelmiin.
7370A SAM™ Studiosubwoofer

Active Crossovers

Bass Management

SPL
113 dB

Taajuusvaste
19 Hz - 150 Hz (-6 dB)

Mitat
H 625 x W 555 x D 496 mm, (muunna tuumiksi)

Puhdas ja tarkka
7370A-subwooferissa Genelecin Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) -spiraalikotelon erittäin hyvät mekaaniset sekä akustiset ominaisuudet yhdistyvät Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM™)-ohjausohjelmiston ja AutoCal™-kalibrointiteknologian kanssa. Lopputuloksena on subwoofer, jonka maksimiäänenpaine on korkea, matalien taajuuksien toisto on tarkkaa sekä erottelykykyistä ja äänen sävyt toistuvat luonnollisina. AutoCal™ kalibroi jokaisen ohjausverkkoon kytketyn subwooferin erikseen siten, että sen etäisyyseroista johtuvat tasoerot- ja viive-erot kompensoidaan ja vaihe sovitetaan pääkaiuttimien kanssa. Lisäksi AutoCal™ kompensoi huoneakustiikan aiheuttamia epätoivottuja ilmiöitä, jotka ovat yleensä haitallisimpia juuri matalilla taajuksilla.

Alataajuuksien hallintaa
7370A sisältää analogiset 7.1 kanavaiset balansoidut XLR-sisääntulot ja lähtöliitännät, joten sitä voi käyttää ilman ulkoisia A/D-muuntimia. Digitaaliset AES/EBU -liitännät mahdollistavat sopivuuden digitaalisiin järjestelmäympäristöihin. Se tukee hajautettua bassonhallinta-arkkitehtuuria, minkä ansiosta subwooferia voidaan käyttää erittäin monipuolisesti erilaisissa järjestelmissä ja konfiguraatioissa. 7370A sisältää D-luokan tehovahvistimen, DSP-ohjattavat jakosuotimet sekä yliohjauksen suojapiirit. Genelec 7370A on erinomaiset ominaisuudet korostuvat erityisesti hyvin vaativissa olosuhteissa. Se sopii mainiosti musiikkistudioihin, ulkotuotantoautoihin, digitaalisiin työasemiin, ja radio- ja televisiotarkkaamoihin. Se on joustava matalien taajuuksien tarkkailutyökalu, johon voit luottaa olosuhteista riippumatta.
Genelec
7370A SAM™ Studiosubwoofer
1 x 7370A subwoofer
1 x virtajohto 1,8 m
1 x RJ45 kaapeli 5 m
1 x käyttöohje
7370A SAM™ Studiosubwoofer
Palkinnot
Tekniset tiedot

SPL
113 dB

Vahvistimen teho
400 W Basso (Class D)

Taajuusvaste
19 Hz - 150 Hz ("-6 dB")

Taajuusvasteen tarkkuus
± 3 dB (19 Hz - 100 Hz)

Kaiutinelementtien mitat
⌀ 305 mm Basso (muunna tuumiksi)

Mitat
H 625 x W 555 x D 496 mm, (muunna tuumiksi)

Paino
48 kg / 105.8 lb

Liitännät
8 x XLR Analoginen Sisääntulo
8 x XLR Analoginen Ulostulo
1 x XLR AES/EBU Sisääntulo
1 x XLR AES/EBU Ulostulo
2 x RJ45 Ohjaus
1 x XLR Analoginen Sisääntulo
1 x XLR Analoginen Ulostulo
7370A SAM™ Studio Subwoofer
Tekniset tiedot
Järjestelmän tiedot
Taajuusvaste
19 Hz - 100 Hz (± 3 dB)
Alarajataajuus -6 dB
19 Hz
Ylärajataajuus -6 dB
150 Hz

SPL
Maksimiäänenpaine Maximum peak SPL output with random pink noise, measured in half space at 1 meter.
≥118 dB
Hetkellinen maksimiäänenpaine Maximum short term sine wave SPL output averaged from 30 to 85 Hz, measured in half space at 1 meter.
≥113 dB
Akustinen pohjakohinataso
Akustinen pohjakohinataso Self generated noise at 1 m on axis (A-weighted).
≤5 dB
Paino
Paino48 kg (105.8 lb)
Mitat
Korkeus
625 mm
Leveys
555 mm
Syvyys
496 mm

Kotelo
Kotelotyyppi
Reflex port
Kaiutinelementit
Kaiutinelementtityyppi
Cone
(no magnetical shielding)
Halkaisija
305 mm
Harmoninen särö
Vahvistimet
Vahvistimet
400 W Class D
Käyttöjännite
100-240 VAC 50/60Hz
Tehonkulutus
ISS-valmiustilassa
≤1 W
Ilman kuormaa
≤20 W
Täysi kuormitus
400 W
Jakosuodin
Liitännät
8 x Sisääntulo 7.1 Analogue XLR input connectors XLR female, balanced 10 kOhm.
8 x Ulostulo 7.1 Analogue XLR output connectors XLR male.
Sisääntulo Digital signal input connector XLR female 110 Ohm.
Ulostulo Digital signal output / Thru connector XLR male 110 Ohm.
2 x Ohjaus RJ45-liittimet
Sisääntulo Link In connector.
Ulostulo Link Out connector.
Tarkempia lisätietoja lisäksi tuoteoppaissa.
Avainteknologiat

Active Crossovers

Bass Management

Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS™)

Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) Technology

Optimized Amplifiers

Protection Circuitry

Smart Active Monitor (SAM™)
Aktiivisessa jakosuotimessa käsitellään linjatasoista signaalia.
Aktiiviset jakosuotimet jakavat audiosignaalin taajuuskaistoihin, jotka ohjataan erillisiin tehovahvistimiin. Vahvistimet on kytketty kyseiselle taajuuskaistalle optimoituihin kaiutinelementteihin.
Aktiivikaiuttimissa käytetään sekä digitaalisia että analogisia jakosuotimia. Genelecin digitaalisissa aktiivijakosuotimissa on myös muita signaalinkäsittelytoiminnallisuuksia, kuten elementtien suojaus, lentoaikakompensointi ja taajuuskorjaus.
Genelecin analogisissa aktiivijakosuotimissa perustuu elektronisiin komponentteihin, jotka käsittelevät matalatasoista signaalia ennen tehovahvistusta. Aktiiviset jakosuotimet eroavat toimintaperiaatteeltaan passiivisista jakosuotimista, joissa käsitellään voimakkaita signaaleja, suurta virtaa ja toisinaan myös suurta jännitettä.
Tyypillisessä kaksitiekaiuttimessa tulosignaali jakosuodatetaan kahdelle erilliselle tehovahvistimelle, joista toinen ohjaa bassoelementtiä ja toinen diskanttielementtiä.
Aktiivisella jakosuodinteknologialla on useita etuja:
- Elementin sähködynaamiset muutokset eivät vaikuta taajuusvasteeseen.
- Signaalia voidaan säätää joustavasti käytettävän elementin ominaisuuksien mukaisesti.
- Jokaisen elementin tulosignaali prosessoidaan ja vahvistetaan yksilöllisesti. Yksittäisten elementtien signaalit eivät häiritse toisiaan, mikä vähentää keskeismodulaatiosäröä ja yliohjausongelmia.
- Elementtien välisiä herkkyyseroja voidaan kompensoida.
- Elementin ominaisuuksiin liittyviä taajuus- ja vaihevasteen poikkeamia voidaan kompensoida halutulla päästökaistalla.
- Aktiivinen jakosuodin mahdollistaa lisäksi taajuusvasteen säätämisen sekä kaiuttimen optimoinnin kaiutinjärjestelmään ja erilaisiin kuunteluympäristöihin ilman ulkoisia taajuuskorjaimia. Tuloksena on yksinkertainen, luotettava, tehokas, tarkka ja johdonmukaisesti käyttäytyvä aktiivikaiutinjärjestelmä.
Monikanavainen bassonhallintajärjestelmä suodattaa matalat taajuudet subwooferin toistettavaksi.
Bassonhallinnan periaate on, että pääkanavien ja Low Frequency Effect (LFE) -kanavan bassosisältö ohjataan ja toistetaan vain niitä käsittelemään kykenevistä kaiuttimista eli joko pääjärjestelmäkaiuttimista tai yhdestä tai useammasta alabassokaiuttimesta.
Stereoäänentoistossa tulee toistaa signaalit 20 hertsistä 20 kilohertsiin. Suuret monitietarkkailukaiutinjärjestelmät toistavat tällaiset laajat taajuuskaistat tasaisesti. Monikanavaisten äänentoistojärjestelmien, ammattimaisten äänentoistojärjestelmien ja kotiäänentoistojärjestelmissä on pystyttävä toistamaan jokaisen kanavan taajuudet 20 hertsistä 20 kilohertsiin. Se vaatii pääkaiuttimien, alabassokaiuttimien ja jakosuodinelektroniikan yhteistoimintaa.
Bassonhallintajärjestelmä käyttää joko analogisia elektroniikkapiirejä tai ohjelmistopohjaista suodatusta, joka suodattaa matalien taajuuksien informaation pääkanavilta ja ohjaa sen yhteen tai useampaan alabassokaiuttimeen.
LFE-kanavaa voidaan monitoroida myös alabassokaiuttimen kautta ja lisätä muiden pääkanavien mataliin taajuuksiin. Siksi bassonhallinnan tärkein tavoite on taata kaikkien kanavien koko taajuuskaistan tarkka monitorointi.
Bassonhallinnan etuja:
- Alabassokaiutin laajentaa järjestelmän taajuusvasteen kuultavien taajuuksien alarajalle.
- Kun tarkkailukaiutin ei toista matalia taajuuksia, se voi tuottaa suuremman enimmäisäänitason.
- Optimoitu matalien taajuuksien toisto saavutetaan soveltuvalla alabassokaiuttimen sijainnilla, jolloin tarkkailukaiuttimet voidaan sijoittaa vapaammin.
- Alabassokaiuttimen toiston taso ja vaihe sovitetaan tarkkailukaiuttimiin, jolloin saavutetaan tasainen ja tarkka äänentoisto alas 19 hertsiin asti ja jakosuodinpisteen läpi.
- LFE-kanavan ulostulotaso (0 tai +10 dB pääkanavilla) voidaan valita lähdetyypin mukaisesti tarkan äänentoiston tuottamiseksi.
- Kun alabassokaiutin voidaan ohittaa, pystytään määrittämään alabassokaiuttimen kuultava teho.
Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS™) -valmiustilatoiminto vähentää virrankulutusta.
Genelec kehitti vuonna 2013 Intelligent Signal-Sensing -piirin, joka täyttää sekä ErP-direktiivin vaatimukset että Genelecin omat direktiiviä tiukemmat vastuullisuusvaatimukset.
ISS™-piiri seuraa kaiuttimien signaalinsyöttöä ja havaitsee, milloin signaali on käytössä. Jos ISS-piiri ei havaitse audiosignaalia hetkeen, se asettaa kaiuttimen valmiustilaan, jossa kaiuttimen virrankulutus on alle 0,5 wattia. Kun syöttösignaali havaitaan, kaiutin kytkeytyy päälle itsestään. Kaiutinjärjestelmä alkaa siis säästää sähköä heti, kun työskentely katkeaa.
Jokaisen kaiuttimen taustalevyssä on huonevasteen säätimien vieressä ISS Disable -kytkin. Kun päävirtakytkin on asennossa ON, ISS™-toiminto on oletusarvoisesti päällä.
Jos ISS-toimintoa ei haluta käyttää, se voidaan poistaa käytöstä kääntämällä ISS Disable -kytkin asentoon ON. Tällöin kaiuttimen virransyöttöä ohjataan päävirtakytkimestä.
Päävirtakytkin katkaisee kaiuttimen virransyötön kokonaan.
Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) -kotelorakenne mahdollistaa tarkan matalien taajuuksien toiston.
Viime vuosikymmenen aikana subwoofereihin kohdistuneet akustiset vaatimukset ovat konkreettisesti kasvaneet sellaisiksi, etteivät perinteiset suunnitteluperiaatteet enää riitä. Alan markkinajohtajien velvollisuus on tehdä rohkeita kokeiluja parhaan mahdollisen suorituskyvyn saavuttamiseksi.Genelecin insinöörit hyväksyivät heille asetetun haasteen useiden vuosien kokemuksella akustiikan tutkimuksesta ja tietotaidosta. LSE™ Laminar Spiral Enclosuren kaareva muoto on tulosta heidän työstään.
Spiraalimaisella rakenteella voidaan bassorefleksikaiuttimessa kriittinen putki integroida muuhun kotelorakenteeseen tavalla, joka perinteisssä suorakaiteenmuotoisessa kotelossa olisi mahdotonta. LSE™ -rakenteella voidaan tilavuudeltaan suhteellisen pieneenkin koteloon rakentaa pitkä ja pinta-alaltaan suuri ja samalla kertaa muuttuvaprofiilinen refleksiputki, jonka virtausominaisuudet säilyvät lineaarisina hyvinkin suurilla äänenpaineilla ja matalilla taajuuksilla. Myös putken päät voidaan muotoilla virtausteknisesti edullisesti, ja virtausääniä vähentää edelleen se rakenteesta johtuva etu, ettei putken kotelon seinänä jatkuva sivu käytännössä pääty lainkaan.
Elementtikohtaisesti optimoidut tehovahvistimet.
Elektroniset jakosuotimet jakavat audiosignaalin taajuuskaistan osiin, jotka voidaan ohjata erillisiin vahvistimiin. Vahvistimet on liitetty kyseiselle taajuuskaistalle optimoituihin muuntimiin.
Tyypillisessä kaksitiekaiuttimessa aktiivinen jakosuodin tarvitsee kaksi vahvistinta: yhden bassoelementille ja toisen diskanttielementille. Vahvistimet liitetään suoraan aktiivikaiuttimien elementteihin, jolloin vahvistimien kuormitus on tunnettu ja yksinkertaisempi. Jokaisella elementtikohtaisella vahvistimella on vain rajallinen taajuusalue, jota se vahvistaa (vahvistin sijoitetaan aktiivisen jakosuotimen taakse), mikä yksinkertaistaa rakennetta.
Aktiivisella rakenteella on useita etuja:
- Vahvistimet liitetään suoraan kaiutinelementteihin, mikä tehostaa vahvistimien elementin äänikäämin vaimennuksen hallintaa ja vähentää dynaamisten muutosten esiintymistä elementin sähköominaisuuksissa. Se saattaa parantaa järjestelmän siirtymävastetta.
- Vahvistimen lähtövaatimukset ovat pienemmät. Kun energiaa ei mene hukkaan passiivisen jakosuotimen komponenteissa, vahvistimen tehovaatimukset ovat huomattavasti pienemmät (jopa puolta pienemmät joissakin tapauksissa) ilman, että kaiuttimen akustinen teho heikkenee. Tämä saattaa pienentää kustannuksia ja parantaa äänenlaatua ja järjestelmän luotettavuutta.
- Kun vahvistimen ja elementin välissä ei tapahdu hävikkiä, saavutetaan äärimmäinen akustinen tehokkuus.
- Aktiivinen teknologia pystyy tuottamaan ylivoimaisen äänentoiston suhteessa kokoon ja matalaan alarajataajuuteen.
- Kaikki kaiuttimet toimitetaan tehtaalla sovitettuina järjestelminä (vahvistimet, jakosuotimet ja kotelo-elementtijärjestelmät).
Yliohjauksen suojapiiri takaa turvallisen käytön ja elementtien pitkäikäisyyden.
Kriittisissä audiotuotantoympäristöissä on ratkaisevaa, että monitorointijärjestelmä on luotettava ja aina käytettävissä. Yksi tärkeimmistä syistä Genelecin menestykseen lähetystarkkaamokäytössä on tuotteidemme luotettavuus. Luotettavuuden takeena on sisäinen suojapiiri, joka on ollut kaikissa tuotteissa vuodesta 1978 lähtien.
Suojapiiri ehkäisee elementtien vikatiloja havaitsemalla signaalitasoja. Mikäli signaalissa esiintyy yhtäkkisiä piikkejä tai jatkuvia liian korkeita tasoja, suojapiiri laskee signaalin tasoa automaattisesti. Suojapiirin toiminta ei luonnollisestikaan vaikuta äänenlaatuun millään tavalla työskenneltäessä kaiuttimen määritellyissä käyttöolosuhteissa. Se vain ehkäisee signaaleja rikkomasta kaiutinta.
Suojapiirin ominaisuudet ja edut:
- Laskee signaalin tasoa tarvittaessa (esimerkiksi kun elementin äänikäämin lämpötila saavuttaa turvarajan), mikä parantaa kaiuttimen luotettavuutta merkittävästi.
- Jokaisen kaiuttimen ja alabassokaiuttimen sopiva suojapiirirakenne sallii järjestelmän äänitason maksimoimisen.
Smart Active Monitor (SAM™) älykkäät kaiutinjärjestelmät sisältävät automaattisen kalibroinnin akustiseen ympäristöön.
Kuluneen vuosikymmenen aikana sisällöntuotannon tarve on kasvanut ennätyslukemiin maailmanlaajuisesti. Tämä on aiheuttanut suuria muutoksia tuotantoyksiköiden toimintatapoihin kasvaneen työmäärän suorittamiseksi. Kasvava osa tuotannoista tehdään entistä pienemmissä työskentely-ympäristöissä. Tämä lisää merkittävästi huoneakustisia ongelmia jolloin äänentarkkailun luotettavuus heikkenee. Äänitarkkailijan tulisi pystyä luottamaan aukottomasti kaiutinjärjestelmään, jonka tulee tuottaa värittymätöntä ja särötöntä ääntä käytetystä äänenpaineesta riippumatta.
Huolellinen elektroakustinen suunnittelu toimii perustana kaikille 1200, 8200, 8300, 7200 ja 7300 –sarjojen älykkäille tarkkailukaiutintuotteille. SAM™ järjestelmän poikkeuksellisiin ominaisuuksiin kuuluu muun muassa kalibrointitoiminnallisuus Autocal™, joka mittaa ja sovittaa tarkkailukaiuttimet automaattisesti akustiseen ympäristöön kompensoiden tasoerot, viive-erot, taajuusvasteiden poikkeamat sekä subwoofereiden vaiheet.
SAM™ järjestelmiä ohjataan Genelecin Loudspeaker Manager (GLM™) ohjausverkkoa ja -sovellusta käyttäen, joka mahdollistaa äärimmäisen joustavan ja luotettavan monitorointijärjestelmän luomisen. GLM 3 on intuitiivinen tarkkailukaiuttimien hallintasovellus, joka mahdollistaa jopa 45 SAM™ -tuoteperheen tarkkailukaiuttimen ja subwooferin kytkemisen järjestelmään. Autocal™ automaattisen kalibrointitoiminnallisuuden lisäksi GLM 3 sovellus tarjoaa käyttäjälle mahdollisuuden säätää monipuolisesti tasoja, viiveitä sekä äänenvärisuodattimia. Parametrit ja asetukset voidaan tallentaa sekä tietokoneelle, että myös jokaiseen yksittäiseen GLM™ -ohjausverkkoon liitettyyn tarkkailukaiuttimeen ja subwooferiin. Tällöin ohjausverkkoa ja sovellusta ei välttämättä tarvita varsinaista tarkkailutyötä tehtäessä.
Kaikkia SAM™ järjestelmän tarjoamia toimintoja sekä äänen väriä voidaan säätää käyttäjän tarpeiden mukaisesti. Jopa työskentelytilan ja akustisen ympäristön vaihtuessa SAM™ teknologia auttaa sinua saavuttamaan parhaan mahdollisen ja johdonmukaisesti käyttäytyvän äänentarkkailujärjestelmän, joka tarjoaa neutraalin äänikuvan sekä todella alhaisen särötason.
Genelecin SAM™ -tuoteperhe tarjoaa kattavan, ratkaisukeskeisen ja älykkäästi verkottuvan järjestelmäkokonaisuuden, joka mahdollistaa sekä analogisen että digitaalisen signaalitien käyttämisen erilaisissa työskentely-ympäristöissä.
Referenssit
Can you briefly summarise your professional background for our readers?
I'm an internationally recognised leader in the field of live-sound mixing, systems design and the optimisation of sound reinforcement. For more than 15 years I've established an upward trajectory in my career, collaborating with distinguished national and international artists on various productions.
I've been Mexico's representative for the Soundgirls.org organisation since 2016, and my professional career was highlighted in the 2019 book 'Women In Audio' presented by the Audio Engineering Society in London and written by the renowned sound engineer Leslie Gaston-Bird.
Aside from being the CEO of our studio, Goro Goro Immersive Lab, I've co-founded a company called 3BH with which I develop integration projects for post-production in Latin America.
Can you tell us something about your creative space and where it's located?
Goro Goro Immersive Lab is a boutique studio that's ideally situated in the heart of Mexico City. We're a laboratory formed by engineers and creative artists dedicated to immersive audiovisual experiences that use cutting-edge technology.
Can you give an overview of the key equipment you use in the studio?
Computer system: Apple Mac Pro.
Software: Pro Tools Ultimate 2021, Ableton Live 11, Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite and Dolby Audio Bridge.
Control Surface: AVID PT Dock and 2 AVID S1s. That's 16 Faders connected with EUCON.
Signal chains: DAW > Dolby Audio Bridge > Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite > AVID HD Native interface > Focusrite RED 16Line > Genelec monitors & LFE (sub).
Audinate DANTE system > Cisco network switcher (PoE) > Focusrite AM2/X2P > headphones distribution (binaural & stereo)
What type of work do you do in your studio?
We provide sound design services, we mix in stereo, Dolby Atmos and Ambisonic, and we make pre-mixes for films in 5.1, 7.1 & Dolby Atmos.
Is there a particular immersive format you specialise in?
We specialise in spatial mixing using Dolby ATMOS, and we also create audiovisual immersive experiences for live concerts.
How and when did you become interested in immersive audio?
I've always been curious about trying new technologies and creating new experiences, so I started making binaural mixes in Ambisonics. That led to me mixing in Dolby Atmos and making immersive sound for live performances.
What made you decide to equip your studio for immersive audio work?
In 2018, Daniel Castillo, who's the CEO of 3BH, suggested making our studio ready for Dolby Atmos. We love the sound of Genelec monitors, so we decide to equip our studio with a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 setup using Genelec Smart Active Monitors. Our studio was designed by both 3BH and Dolby.
What's been different about working with immersive compared to stereo?
Everything is different! I love to mix immersive sound. For me it's very natural and you can be as daring or conservative as you wish. I have mixed a lot of audiovisual content, and all my clients, artists and producers end up amazed by the immersive experience. The creativity is endless, I just love it!
How would you describe your relationship with Genelec loudspeakers and which ones do you own?
I generally love the sound of Genelec loudspeakers, but when I tried The Ones, I loved Genelec even more! The sense of space that those monitors enable is amazing - their frequency response and clarity make immersive mixing much easier.
The system that we have at Goro Goro Immersive Lab is:
L,R,C,Ls,Rs,Lrs,Rrs: 8331A
Ltf,Rtf,Ltr,Rtr: 8320A
LFE: 7370A
Did you use GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) to calibrate your system, and can you describe what difference it makes?
Yes, we use GLM 4 to calibrate the studio. I have many years of experience calibrating studios for music and post-production, and I've found GLM 4 to be an excellent tool. It's amazing how you can get a very good equalisation, sound pressure level and many other advantages. Having everything in GLM means that we don't need any separate signal-processing for monitoring.
What immersive projects have you worked on recently, and has immersive work boosted your business?
Recently we hosted an event organised by Dolby, 3BH and Apple Music called 'Dolby Days'. During the event we demonstrated Dolby Atmos content to musicians, record labels and producers. I mixed my first song from the merengue genre using Dolby Atmos - El Jaja Jala by Olga Tañón. I've also made several mixes for music videos using the Ambisonics format.
We've pushed immersive technology for years, so we were innovators in this field when it wasn't popular yet. I feel the decision to build an immersive studio was the best decision we could have made, and now we're living in the great future that we used to only imagine.
What does immersive audio mean for the future?
I see it as the new standard in sound.
To find out more about Goro Goro, 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!
Multiple GRAMMY®-nominated producer engineer Jeff Balding, known for his work with a wide array of artists including Eagles, HARDY, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Dan+Shay, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain and Megadeth, recently upgraded his studio and installed an all-Genelec 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos® immersive-sound system. Located in the heart of Nashville’s Berry Hill recording community, Balding’s new studio features a wide array of Genelec Active Monitors. Specifically, the horizontal array comprises nine Genelec 8351 Smart Active Monitors™ for L-C-R and surrounds (including two for wide coverage) and four 8331A monitors above the mix position acting as the overhead array, with two 7370A subwoofers handling bass management as well as the LFE.
“My interest in converting the studio to an immersive environment was spurred with Apple announcing that they’re diving into immersive audio, and considering that everyone has access to binaural mixes, immersive audio struck me as something that is here to stay, and it's something I wanted to be a part of,” stated Jeff Balding. “On top of all that, I’ve always tried to make stereo mixes more 3D, so this is a very instinctive format for me. A Dolby Atmos setup is an environment to hear in that perspective, and that was a big interest for me. It was an opportunity that I thought I should seize.”
When it came time to make a decision on what monitors to employ for his new immersive studio, Balding says the decision was easy. “I was looking for a speaker system not only that sounds great, but one that had an ease of getting consistency between speakers. It had to be an amplified speaker with the technology to manage the system. Genelec came to mind immediately, specifically with its GLM software for set-up and control. Ultimately, it delivers ease of use on top of the sound I wanted. I’m very familiar with Genelecs; I’ve been using Genelec 1031s for years, and then when The Ones came out, I stepped up to 8351s and a sub for stereo. So then, when I went immersive, I just expanded that system. I’m extremely comfortable with Genelec and happy with how it translates.”
Balding employed the GLM™ (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager™) software to help in the management of the immersive monitoring. “GLM is an integral part of my setup,” stated Balding. “I’m coming out of my I/O’s AES outputs and feeding the speakers’ AES inputs. So everything stays in the digital realm. The GLM software is key to flexibility and control of the Genelec system.”
As immersive production is a new and evolving realm, Balding checks his work a number of different ways to make sure the final product translates to a wide variety of playback sources. “I check the mixes not only on the Genelecs, but also on different components from Apple AirPod Max headphones to their spatial earbuds to regular headphones. And then, bouncing out an MP4 is currently our way of making a very close check of how the mix will sound when rendered by Apple,” said Balding. “You really have to just cross-reference everything. In a lot of these situations, there’s a stereo mix already out there or being released alongside the immersive mix. So, you have to make sure that you’re translating and conveying what the stereo mix delivers to the consumer, musically and emotionally, to make sure they feel like they're experiencing the same record when they hear the Dolby Atmos mix. It’s a complicated process, as listeners don’t necessarily always know which mix they’re hearing, because it might depend on the device, the software, the headphones, user settings or other factors. But whichever mix they are hearing, the experience must shine through. There’s a lot of QC that goes into immersive production. That’s a big part of the time involved in doing these mixes. It’s a similar process to something we’ve done for decades: doing a mix on a set of really nice studio monitors and then going, ‘Okay, how’s this going to sound in the car and on a boombox and whatever else the consumer plays it on?’ It’s basically the same process, just more intense because there’s a lot more going on when you fold down the immersive mix and compare it to stereo binaural.”
Currently Balding is working on a wide variety of projects with immersive mixes for Blake Shelton, Train, Thomas Rhett and a host of others. When asked if he was having fun mixing in immersive, Balding replied, “Oh man, I love this format, and I love mixing in immersive. I go back to what I said earlier: in my opinion, this is how you really want to experience music. And it’s how I want to create music as well. I look forward to coming in to the studio every day, because I feel like the creative playground is so much larger, and that excites me. In terms of both space and tonality, there is just so much at your fingertips you can do with an immersive project. Some may have a hard time adjusting to the format, but for me it’s a perfect marriage.”
“And I could not be doing what I do without the support from Genelec,” he continues. Genelec’s customer support has been unbelievable through all this. They helped me get up and running quick, right when I needed it. When the lockdowns started to subside, Genelec brought together everything needed to get me in motion quickly; I had immersive projects sitting at the door waiting to get in, and I needed to get to work. Genelec was right there in step with it all, making sure what needed to happen, happened.”
Jeff Balding, pictured in his newly upgraded studio featuring an all-Genelec 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos® immersive-sound system (photo by CJ Hicks)
Outside the gaming world, Yasunori contributes to a diverse range of projects, including music for TV, movies, and anime, whilst providing written material and production expertise for well-known artists, both in Japan and internationally.
Despite the diversity of his work, he’s very willing to share his views about his career highlights, saying that “I feel my work for Square Enix is my best, including Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and many more of their titles.” He’s also worked with other game companies, gathering credits for more than 60 game soundtracks in his career, comprising of hundreds of songs altogether.
At the core of Yasunori’s whole operation is Procyon Studio, expertly set up with a Genelec Smart Active Monitoring system comprising five 8351B three-way coaxial monitors and two 7370A subwoofers, all calibrated with a GLM kit. Yasunori conceptualised the studio’s wooden environment as a way to feel close to nature and provide a large space with ample options for positioning his equipment. Occasionally, he moves his monitors to his second room, for example when recording orchestral parts in his main room. He feels that GLM calibration software is vital in these moments, telling us that “I can use GLM to listen in my other space with the same feeling I experience in my main room.”
Watch our exclusive video for the rest of Yasunori’s thoughts about optimal studio monitoring.
For more information about Yasunori Mitsuda visit:
PROCYON STUDIO: www.procyon-studio.co.jp Twitter : @YasunoriMitsuda
“Madam Cuba is a simple but classy lady. Her passion for sharing an authentic Cuban experience has created a new level of refined and delicious drinks and cocktails.” So say the owners of the new Madam Cuba bar, ideally situated on the banks of the river Aarhus which flows through the historic Danish city of the same name. Dedicated to the art of cocktails and conversation, Madam Cuba wanted a premium sound system to enhance the Latin vibes and keep their customers entertained until the early hours. Local pro audio specialist Thomas Vestergaard specified a Genelec solution based on the ubiquitous 4000 Series installation loudspeaker range, in the RAW aluminium finish.
The active design removes the need for bulky amplifiers and associated cabling, simplifying the installation.
“As a high end bar serving a fabulous range of sophisticated drinks, Madam Cuba naturally wanted a sound system of the same calibre,” remarks Vestergaard. “They weren’t necessarily looking for a high powered system – the emphasis really is on an atmosphere where the quality of the sound combined with drinks and conversation all meld together for the perfect night. The keywords as far as audio is concerned were comfort and coverage. These are areas in which Genelec excels, so it was an easy choice. The gorgeous RAW aluminium finish – which looks amazing against the distressed brick walls of the bar’s interior – was the cherry on the cake.”
Vestergaard specified four powerful 4040s supplemented by a 7370 subwoofer for the DJ area in front of the bar, and nine compact 4030s with three 7050 subs for the mezzanine sofa/table area. Two compact 4020s in a bright yellow custom RAL finish keep the atmosphere alive in the rest rooms. Control is handled through a DBX zone controller running four zones with local control situated behind the bar.
The wide range of bracket options means that you can install them pretty much anywhere you like.
“We decided on the 4040s for the DJ/bar area plus the sub, because even though the brief was for background sound rather than a full PA system, when the bar is crowded, the noise levels can be quite considerable. The sound system needs to make an impact above that, but without giving the impression that it’s really loud and that you have to compete with it to make yourself heard,” explains Vestergaard. “The 4040s are pretty powerful but having the sub as well just adds a bit more bass extension for a really full, rich sound with bags of headroom to spare. The system is just purring rather than roaring.”
For the mezzanine area which is slightly removed from the bar, Vestergaard has opted for the same approach but slightly scaled down in terms of power. “The aim is that customers feel enveloped by the sound but not aggressed by it,” he clarifies. “They should just be enjoying the atmosphere and soaking up the Latin vibes at comfortable levels for a fun night out.
“Genelec loudspeakers are an excellent choice for this sort of application,” concludes Vestergaard. “They sound amazing out of the box, and the room response controls on the back offer further adjustments to tailor frequency response as required. The active design removes the need for bulky amplifiers and associated cabling, thus simplifying the installation process – always a plus – and finally the wide range of bracket options means that you can install them pretty much anywhere you like. They look as good as they sound, and the clients are invariably delighted with the end results.”
Joel has spent the last 10 years playing clubs right across the UK and Europe. Growing up during the peak of the UK Garage era, Joel’s early musical influences included iconic figures like Todd Edwards, MJ Cole and DJ EZ, who continue to influence his musical output to this day.
Joel’s Platinum-selling breakthrough single ‘Sorry’ spent 10 weeks in the UK Top 10 in 2019, peaking at #6, and broke Shazam’s all-time daily record in the UK after receiving over 41,000 tags in one 24-hour period. He has since followed it up with further Platinum hit singles ‘Lonely’, which peaked at #4, and ‘Head & Heart’ featuring MNEK, which scored Joel his first ever UK #1 and is officially the longest-running consecutive #1 record of 2020, after spending six weeks at the top spot.
With his newly released single ‘BED’, Joel join forces with RAYE and legendary dance producer, David Guetta, on a track written to capture the feelings of longing experienced by so many during the pandemic.
Music doesn’t influence my life. It IS my life!
Based in London, Joel’s studio at the Tileyard Complex is equipped with Genelec 8351B smart active monitors and a 7370 subwoofer, while a pair of Genelec 8040 monitors in RAW aluminium finish adorn his home studio.
In this exclusive video you’ll see the depth of Joel’s dedication to his craft, and you’ll understand why he asserts that “Music doesn’t influence my life. It IS my life!”
Having started DJ-ing at parties as a youngster, he soon started making music himself, which brought him into the orbit of other emerging German rap stars including Farid Bang, Manuellsen, KC Rebell and Summer Cem. With numerous number one records under his belt, Juh-Dee now has the luxury of his own beautifully-equipped home studio in Duisburg, complete with Genelec 1234 and 8331 Smart Active Monitors.
“The first time I made it to #1 with a single was actually in 2020. That was with the song ‘90-60-111’ from Shirin David, and that was a great feeling,” comments Juh-Dee. “Then with Apache, we were 3 weeks at #1, and that song was replaced at #1 by another Apache song that we produced. And the next tune after that also went straight to the top spot!”
But it’s obvious that Juh-Dee sees Germany’s love for rap music as way more than a passing trend. “I don't see this as short-term popularity. That hype has actually been there for a long time, since 2008/2009. It just never reached the masses because at that time the distribution wasn't there. Kids didn’t buy CDs, they just downloaded the songs illegally at that time. But when that started to subside, people bought more CDs again. Now, in the era of smartphones, with streaming and YouTube, that's the reason it won't go away. It’s become the new Pop music.”
You can hear clearly the whole frequency spectrum and the tweeters are really nice!
Juh-Dee’s preference for studio monitoring has always been large, wall-mounted main monitors, so the Genelec 1234s were an obvious choice.
“In a great studio, there has to be speakers in the wall,” he insists. “I did my first mixes here and I was really surprised at how ‘real’ the 1234s sound, even at high volume. Having heard my first mixes, I realised what made the difference. You can hear clearly the whole frequency spectrum and the tweeters are really nice! They don't bite, they are really honest. That was important for me.”
The 1234s are complemented by a 7370 subwoofer for even more LF control and precision. Juh-Dee explains that “I usually use the subwoofer when I'm working on deep 808s, for example, so I can really hear the whole spectrum down to 20 Hz and I can absolutely hear if they sound ok, or if there's any strange frequencies going on.”
But while Juh-Dee loves the high-SPL energy of his main monitoring system, his 8331 coaxial three-way nearfields from ‘The Ones’ series allow him to dial things down when he needs to.
“I use The Ones to double check things at a lower volume, so when I don't need the full blast of the big 1234s, they are really good for details,” explains Juh-Dee. “Also, when I'm mixing for too long with too much volume, I use the 8331s - and I can also easily control them using Genelec’s GLM software. It's super easy to quickly dial in changes, tweak the frequency response, change the volume, and do adjustments.”
Aside from the pure creative joy that his Genelecs are bringing him, Juh-Dee’s monitors are simply very good for business too, as demonstrated by the reaction of artists visiting the studio recently:
“The feedback was awesome, they all wanted to stay here. I think I worked with 3 new artists at that time, and they all called their management and said ‘Hey, you have to book us here for another session, we're not going anywhere else. Please, we need to come back next week!’”
Since their beginnings in 2009, the company has opened seven more restaurants and a cocktail bar in the Finnish capital of Helsinki and employs around 200 people. Farang, their flagship venue, has recently relocated to stunning new premises spread over two floors offering both public and private dining facilities plus a large bar. A key part of the overall experience is the soundscape, delivered by a comprehensive 4000 Series Genelec sound system, designed and installed by renowned Finnish AV integration specialists, 4Business Oy.
“The brief from Matti was very clear,” explains 4Business’s Janne Lankinen: “With the new premises, Farang is set to make even more of an impact on the Helsinki restaurant scene, so sound quality - along with everything else - had to be absolutely top notch. Genelec was an obvious choice for us as it matched all of the quality and reliability criteria – and Matti was already familiar with the brand as he’d used Genelec almost exclusively for his other restaurant projects.
“The layout and the surfaces of Farang were a bit of a challenge from an audio perspective,” Lankinen describes. “The feel is quite industrial with lots of exposed concrete and metalwork. There are no convenient - and sound-absorbing - false ceilings or wall panels to hide behind, so we had to make sure that all cabling, mountings and installation were done properly as everything was visible. It also meant we had to be very careful with our system design in order to minimise unwanted reflections and reverberations. The restaurant is situated in a building which also houses newly renovated offices, so we also had to ensure that there was no sound conduction through the structure to the other premises in the building, especially for the low frequencies. Finally, the restaurant is spread over two floors with a very large opening between them; not only did we need to design a system that would cover the whole area evenly with no dead spots or hotspots, but we were inevitably confronted with problems of sound leakage between the two floors.”
Lankinen and his team conducted exhaustive simulations to determine coverage before specifying a system comprising a total of 54 active Genelec loudspeakers and subwoofers. “We decided on the analogue 4000 Series loudspeakers - with Symetrix Prism DSP processors equipped with Dante I/O expanders for matrixing, EQ and delay - as it was a useful approach to optimise the overall cost,” notes Lankinen. “Our aim was to ensure that when you move around the space, the audio experience remains similar throughout, and that the sound pressure would not drop at any point in a way that you’d feel that the music was disappearing.
“We used a mixture of 4020s, 4030s and the powerful 4040s depending on required throw and maximum SPL. Every single speaker was meticulously aligned and DSP was adjusted individually for the best possible results. That, together with acoustic treatment to minimise leakage between floors has enabled us to achieve a system that works beautifully at low sound pressure levels throughout the restaurant, and still has enough power in reserve to be turned up when required for a real party atmosphere.”
For the 7300 Series smart active subwoofers that are mounted in the ceiling, 4Business designed a custom mounting solution that is mechanically isolated from the structure. This ensures that any vibrations are conducted into Sylomer absorbers rather than the hollow core slab which might cause unwanted disturbance elsewhere in the building. When it came to calibrating the subwoofers, 4Business used Genelec’s GLM software with AutoCal to speed up the final adjustment process and ensure that every element of the system was sounding its best.
Responsibility and sustainability are key principles for Farang, and Genelec supports and communicates these values.
“I’m delighted with the results,” reports Lankinen. “The audio system supports the Farang brand as a top-class, place-to-be venue in Helsinki. What’s more, responsibility and sustainability are key principles for Farang and BW Restaurants, and Genelec supports and communicates these values consistently, making them a perfect match. The atmosphere in the restaurant is social and relaxed thanks to carefully thought-out playlists and high quality sound support.”
We have crystal clear audio throughout that sounds amazing, yet doesn’t get in the way of conversation.
Matti Wikberg echoes Lankinen’s sentiments entirely. “All my goals have been achieved, and frankly, exceeded,” he admits. “Janne and his team identified the challenges from the outset and solved them beautifully. We have crystal clear audio throughout that sounds amazing, yet doesn’t get in the way of conversation, whether you’re two or ten people at the table. The right atmosphere enhances the experience immeasurably, and that’s what we’ve achieved here.”
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.”
Now, Florence-based acoustic design specialist Studio Sound Service has dramatically transformed De Robertis’ personal studio, assisted by a Genelec monitoring system which the composer describes as “simply perfect”.
Perhaps best-known for his long-term, award-winning collaboration with celebrated filmmaker Gabriele Salvatore, De Robertis began working in his current studio space after relocating to the countryside near the Italian town of Lucca.
His twin passions of cinema and music come together within the studio, where he works with Fede e gli Infedeli, the eclectic group of musicians with whom he collaborates for film scores, and the Underground Supporters, a collective of young and talented DJs and electronic music producers from Lucca, who also organize the afterparty for the famous Notte Bianca all-night summer festival.
Until recently, however, the studio was extremely humble. In fact, it was so small, cramped and acoustically challenging that the composer nicknamed it ‘Loculo’ – literally, ‘the crypt’. However, Studio Sound Service’s complete reinvention of the interior was so dramatic that De Robertis has now renamed the studio Aldilà – meaning ‘Afterlife’.
“The control room was in a very narrow area with skylights and a low ceiling,” recalls Studio Sound Service’s Donato Masci, who worked to bring De Robertis’ vision to life. “These three factors presented critical problems that needed to be solved. The room was also very complicated to treat – we couldn’t add any treatment to the ceiling because Federico needed to retain the natural light. Finally, all of the walls were concrete, which created a significant booming effect.”
Having previously been described by Masci as possessing a “grey and gloomy look”, the space is now unrecognisable with an inviting palette of soft colours chosen by De Robertis.
Most importantly, the room’s acoustic problems have been solved. “We designed a full acoustic treatment, starting with a new concrete and masonry front wall where we flush-mounted two Genelec 1237 smart active main monitors,” explains Masci. “The front wall and the floor are the only solid surfaces, since the rest of the room is constructed with absorbent materials. We also used some diffuser panels to improve low frequency absorption and diffusion.”
Complementing the 1237 stereo setup is a 5.1 smart active monitoring system comprising five 8240 two-way nearfield monitors and a single 7370 subwoofer. Finally, Masci used Genelec’s GLM software to configure and calibrate the system. “GLM is critical when monitors are flush-mounted in a solid wall – in this case the low frequencies were raised by as much as 12 dB – but GLM controls the effect perfectly,” he says. “In an environment such as Aldilà, with so many compromises, GLM is of great help for fine-tuning.”
“I love my Genelec system,” declares De Robertis. “At the beginning it did change my work a little bit – my ears had to adapt to having perfect acoustics and perfect sounding speakers. But the transition was easy. The definition and quality of the sound remains unchanged right across the entire frequency range. My Genelecs are the jewels of my studio.”
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 main recording space at Audioguy differs from others in the country since it consists of one large room which accommodates multiple artists together – rather than a series of isolated recording booths. By adopting this approach, the studio has been able to take advantage of the unique acoustic qualities of its recording room. “Typically, studios make the reverberation time as short as possible in order to record mostly the direct sound from the source, whereas Audioguy has a longer reverberation time of 2.7 seconds, more like a concert hall,” explains Jung-Hoon Choi, founder of Audioguy Studios. “We are able to record not only the direct sound from the source to the mic, but also a lot of reflected sound from the walls, ceiling and the floor. Our intention here is to produce music with a unique and colourful sound.”
This kind of environment has made recording in 7.1.4 an interesting process. “With the very long reverberation time, our recordings can emphasise the full benefits of 7.1.4 immersive audio by capturing all the resonances and the reverberation of the room,” says Choi. “We can record using an ambisonic microphone to capture the immersive atmosphere, and spot mics to capture the individual instruments. However, the ambisonic and spot mics tend not to blend well together, so we have tried to separate the two different microphone configurations by using the ambisonic mic to cover the .4 channel content, as well as the rear channel source. The front and side sources are then covered by the additional spot mics next to the instruments in order to capture the unique and atmospheric feel of the content.”
The results of this process are monitored and mixed using Genelec coaxial Smart Active Monitors, supplied by Genelec’s local Korean distribution partner Sama Sound. The system comprises three 8351As as LCR, eight 8331A monitors as surrounds and overheads – with a 7370A subwoofer handling LF duties, and the entire system configured, calibrated and controlled using Genelec GLM software.
“When you need to mix 7.1.4 immersive audio properly in a limited space, accurate monitoring is essential. The Ones’ point source quality is a must, and I would be very confused when making mix decisions without the standardised in-situ corrections of frequency response, level and delay offered by Genelec’s GLM software,” reflects Choi. “Using this system, the 11 individual monitors sound exactly as they should - which is very much focused. So, we can mix in the most precise and accurate way, and when the mixing is done, GLM makes it very convenient and easy to switch between 3D, binaural and stereo formats and analyse the differences.”
Having supplied the system, Sama Sound have themselves been able to deploy the studios as the perfect location for listening sessions and seminars, such is the extremely high quality of the monitoring environment. Looking to the future, Choi is also determined to get the best out of the new setup at Audioguy Studios. “As we now have this beautiful 7.1.4 immersive audio system, we will be actively recording, mixing and mastering more immersive audio content,” he states. “Aside from their extraordinary accuracy, it’s actually very interesting and fun to work with Genelec monitors!”
Helsingin Uusi lastensairaala (HUS) on ainoa laatuaan. Vuoden 2018 lopulla avattu, noin 170 miljoonaa euroa maksanut huippulaatuinen yksikkö hyödyntää taidetta ja leikkiä yhdistettynä uusimpaan digitaaliseen teknologiaan. Tällä yhdistelmällä saavutetaan parasta mahdollista lääketieteellistä hoitoa paikassa, jonka lapset ja heidän perheensä voivat kokea turvalliseksi ja luotettavaksi.
Yksi osa sairaalan innovatiivisesta suunnittelusta on koko rakennuksen laajuinen äänijärjestelmä, joka tuottaa potilaille ja henkilökunnalle rauhoittavan äänimaailman. Äänimaailma on täysin verkotettu 39:n Genelecin 8430A IP -kaiuttimen ansiosta. Äänimaailman suunnittelutyö palkittiin Grand Prix - palkinnolla äänimaailma- ja ambient-kategoriassa vuoden 2019 International Sound Awards (ISA) -palkintogaalassa Hampurissa.
Idea äänimaailman takana oli luoda jokaiselle sairaalan kahdeksalle kerrokselle niiden visuaaliseen ilmeeseen sopiva ääni. Inspiraatiota haettiin pääosin luonnosta sekä rakastetuista Muumi-tarinoista. Aalto-yliopiston Sound in New Media -ohjelman johtaja Antti Ikonen sekä kymmenen ohjelman maisteriopiskelijaa olivat vastuussa jättiläismäisestä työstä äänimaailman takana.
“Jotta stressiltä ja ääniin väsymiseltä vältyttäisiin, teimme lisääntyvän äänimaailman kiertävän sijaan”, Ikonen kertoo. “Kaikki äänimateriaali on tallennettuna yhdelle tietokoneelle joka luo ja renderöi äänimaailmat ennen niiden syöttöä eri kerroksiin ja osastoihin sairaalan IP-verkon kautta”.
“Äänimaailman suunnittelu alkoi jo ennen kuin sairaala oli rakennettu”, hän jatkaa. “Keskustelimme arkkitehtien, lääkäreiden, sähköinsinöörien, IT-ammattilaisten ja Genelecin kanssa siitä, miten voimme toteuttaa näin kokonaisvaltaisen teknologisen järjestelmän. Tilan täyttävän taustamusiikin sijaan ajatuksena oli luoda lapsille miellyttävä, lähes huomaamaton äänimaailma joka ei myöskään häiritsisi hoitajia tai muuta henkilökuntaa”.
Kaiutinasettelu oli olennainen osa suunnittelutyötä. Asettelu otettiin huomioon jo projektin alkuvaiheissa, joka mahdollisti kaapeloinnin ja infrastruktuurin suunnittelun itse rakennukseen. Äänimaailma tuotetaan 39:n Genelec 8430A IP -kaiuttimen ja kymmenen AIC25-kattokaiuttimen kautta sairaalan tiloihin aina maanalaisesta parkkihallista ylimpään kerrokseen saakka. Äänimaisemaa toistavat kaiuttimet on tarkoituksella jätetty pois erityisistä tiloista, kuten hoitajien työtiloista, potilaiden huoneista, leikkaussaleista ja kokoushuoneista.
“IP-verkossa toimivien kaiuttimien käytössä on se erittäin suuri etu, että kaiuttimen ja äänilähteen (tässä tapauksessa Apple Mac Pro, joka ajaa ääniohjelmistoa) välille ei tarvita perinteisiä äänikaapeleita. Ilman IP-verkkoa järjestelmä olisi vaatinut satoja metrejä äänikaapelointia ja se olisi ollut paljon herkempi monenlaisille häiriöille”, Ikonen selittää. “IP-ääniverkossa signaali käsitellään datana tietokoneverkon verkkokaapeleiden kautta. Toisin sanoen, äänijärjestelmä hyödyntää jo olemassa olevaa verkkoa, joka luonnollisesti on todella paljon kustannustehokkaampaa. Ja mikä tärkeintä, signaaliketju ei kärsi lainkaan ja ääni voidaan uudelleentuottaa täydellisesti”.
Jon-Patrik Kuhlefelt, Sibelius-Akatemian ääniteknikko ja digitaalisen äänen erityisosaaja, toimi myös isossa osassa äänimaailman teknisessä ja sisällöllisessä suunnittelussa. “Järjestelmän sydän on Mac Pro -tietokone joka ajaa Max/MSP patchia”, hän kertoo. “Focusriten REDNET PCIeR -äänikortti Mac Pro:ssa syöttää Dante-teknologian avulla ääntä BSS BLU-806DA DSP-prosessoriin, jota hyödynnetään lähinnä kaiuttimien mykistämiseen mahdollisen tulipalon sattuessa. Prosessorin ulostulot syötetään Genelec 8430A IP -kaiuttimiin AES67-standardia hyödyntäen. Focusrite REDNET AM2 -äänikortti taas syöttää äänen AIC25-kaiuttimiin”.
Genelec oli täydellinen kumppani Uuden lastensairaalan äänimaailman kaltaiseen kunnianhimoiseen ja haastavaan projektiin.
Kuhlefelt korostaa myös sisäänrakennetulla vahvistimella varustettujen aktiivikaiuttimien hyötyjä. “Koko rakennuksessa on lähes sata Genelecin kaiutinta. Äänimaailmaprojektin kaiuttimien lisäksi sairaalassa on myös yli viisikymmentä 4000-sarjan kaiutinta, joista suurin osa on kompakteja 4020C-malleja. Nämä kaiuttimet on sijoiteltu kokoushuoneisiin ja konferenssitiloihin ympäri sairaalaa. Ilman aktiivikaiuttimia olisimme joutuneet asentamaan todella monta vahvistinta!”, hän toteaa.
Antti Ikonen toteaa lopuksi: “Genelec oli täydellinen kumppani Uuden lastensairaalan äänimaailman kaltaiseen kunnianhimoiseen ja haastavaan projektiin. Kaiuttimien lisäksi Genelec tarjosi äänisuunnitteluryhmälle neuvoja teknisissä ongelmissa, joiden esiintulo oli väistämätöntä tämänkaltaisessa pioneerityössä. Olemme kaikki erittäin ylpeitä saavutuksestamme ja toivomme, että se toimii esimerkkinä monille tuleville projekteille”.
Over the years, Dutch studio designer and acoustician Jan Morel has formed an extremely successful partnership with superstar DJ producer Hardwell - having created two studios already, with a third planned for later this year. At the heart of this relationship are Genelec studio monitors - which help to give Hardwell the sound quality and low end control he requires.
Voted the world’s number one DJ in both 2013 and 2014 by DJ Mag and ranked at number three in the title’s top 100 DJs poll in 2018, Hardwell has developed a reputation as one of the most in-demand performers in the world. Having taken a break from touring, Hardwell’s recent musical focus has been back in the studios that Morel has created for him.
The most recently completed project saw Morel turn a bedroom in Hardwell’s lakeside home in the Dutch town of Breda into a top-of-the-line production facility. “Hardwell wanted to have an environment where he was able to work 24 hours without any signs of fatigue,” recalled Morel. “It was a special project because it was a challenge to create the best possible producer’s studio for a number one DJ in a bedroom!
“We needed to start from a large bedroom situation, which had a lowered concrete ceiling on one side,” Morel continues. “It was not easy to create a design where we would end up with the right acoustic balance, so as a solution for this we integrated the lowered ceiling into the acoustic shape and mirrored it on the opposite side of the room. After that we could build up the heavy stone front wall for the Genelec main system to complete the whole acoustic room shape.”
The system in question comprises a pair of 1034B main studio monitors with a 7073A subwoofer. “This is the perfect main monitor system for getting the best out of this room,” explains Morel, adding “I am still overwhelmed by the beauty and harmony of the room: the ambiance is amazing and the sound is brilliant. This certainly is a room where you can work for a full day without getting tired.”
Hardwell himself comments that “The whole room is one giant sweet spot - no matter where you are in the room, the sound doesn’t change.”
Moving on from this, the next collaboration will see Morel create a holiday studio for Hardwell on the Caribbean island of Curacao. Following the success of his home studio in Breda, Genelec will once again be at the heart of this new facility, with 1237A smart active studio monitors being specified along with a pair of 7370A subwoofers. “For me, when it comes to main monitoring systems there are no other alternatives now to the Genelec 1200 series,” he states. “They have all the qualities that you look for, such as high definition right across the frequency range and full dynamics at every level.”
With construction of this third facility underway (and we’ll bring you more news as soon as the project is completed), the relationship between Morel, Hardwell and Genelec looks to be going from strength to strength. “We will always work to deliver a final result that is beyond expectation and matches his number one status,” concludes Morel.
Fried Music Helsingin Punavuoressa on Immosen sanoin jo 16 vuotta vaikuttanut “hyvien tyyppien ja musiikintekijöiden hub-tila.” Jukka Immonen perusti The Fried Music Oy:n rakentaakseen järkevää ympäristöä musiikin käsityöläisyyden ympärille. Nuorena hän vaikuttui suomalaisen säveltäjän, Kim Kuusen pyörittämän Musicmakers Oy:n tavasta tehdä hommia.
“Tajusin silloin, että yhteistyössä on voimaa, ja tämä on tapa jolla haluan työskennellä. Kun on paljon taitavia osaajia ympärillä, saman katon alla, tekijät saavat keskenään jubailla ja fiilistellä. On se aina kivempi kuin nököttää yksin autotallin nurkassa tai jossain kellarissa.”
Vuonna 2002 Immonen otti yhtiökumppaneidensa kanssa riskin ja investoi isoihin tiloihin keskustassa. Katseet tähtäsivät korkealle. Yritystä lähdettiin kasvattamaan hyvien tyyppien kautta.
Nyt Pursimiehenkadulla kahteen kerrokseen jakautuvat tilat kätkevät sisäänsä yhteensä 10 ammattistudiota, 11 tuottajaa, biisinkirjoittajia, musiikin tuotantoyhtiön ja kustantamon sekä EMI Capitol -labelin.
Samaa ajattelumallia haluttiin viedä Los Angelesiin, jotta voitaisiin tukea Fried Musicin yhtä ydinvisioista: kansainvälistä tekemistä. Keväällä 2017 Fried Music avasi studiotilan Los Angelesiin ja tarjoaa nyt eväitä suomalaisille tekijöille maailmanvalloitukseen.
Los Angelesin studiolla ja sen parissa ahkerasti työskennelleet Jukka Immonen, Teemu Brunila ja Jonas Karlsson kertoivat projektin taustoista sekä kokemuksiaan studion Genelec-kuuntelusta.
Omakotitalon mediahuoneesta studioksi
Jukka Immonen kertoo, että studion avaaminen Los Angelesiin lähti Fried Musicin tuottaja Jonas Karlssonin päätöksen myötä.
“Jonas löysi aivan mahtavan paikan ja yhdessä lähdimme rakentamaan pysyvämpää toimintaa Los Angelesiin. Nyt meillä on tila, johon saamme tuotua amerikkalaisia artisteja ja kirjoittajia.”
Ennen Fried Musicilla oli yksi studiosetti, joka haettiin ja pystytettiin jokaisella Losin reissulla aina johonkin Airbnb-asuntoon. Studiosettiä säilytettiin elokuvasäveltäjä Lasse Enersenin autotallissa. Nykyisin Enersen vaikuttaa myös Fried Musicin studioilla. Ainainen kamojen roudaus alkoi hiljalleen rasittaa tekijöitä ja ajatus vakiotitiloista kypsyi.
Nyt alle puolen tunnin ajomatkan päässä Sunset Boulevardilta, Mount Washingtonissa Fried Musicin vuokraaman omakotitalon mediahuone on muokattu studiokäyttöön. Talo mahdollistaa yhtä aikaa “talonmiehen” lisäksi kahden tekijän työskentelyn. Tiloista löytyy jokaiselle pieni hotellihuone, kaksi työskentelypistettä ja yksi iso studio.
Los Angelesin studio mahdollistaa amerikkalaisten artistien ja kirjoittajien kanssa työskentelyn paikan päällä sekä suomalaisille osaajille musiikin tekemisen.
Los Angelesissa ei tarvitse tehdä yksin
Immosen mielestä kansainvälinen tekeminen on Suomessa ollut aika yksin puurtamista.
“Jos apua saa, sitä kannattaa hyödyntää, yksin ei maailmalla pärjää. Haluamme mahdollistaa suomalaisille tekijöille järkivuokralla työskentelyn alustalla, jossa ei tarvitse tehdä yksin. Välittämättä siitä kenen kustantajan tai managementin alla on.”
Esimerkiksi tuottaja Tido Nguyen Kaiku Songsilta on viettänyt Los Angelesin studiolla monta kuukautta. Fried Musicilta Brunilan lisäksi esimerkiksi Hank Solo on viime aikoina työskennellyt Losista käsin.
Fried Musicilla tehdään niin Helsingissä kuin Los Angelesissakin paljon yhdessä.
“Nyt esimerkiksi kun Teemu Brunila on Losissa, hän tekee biisin kirjoittamisen kanssa töitä, tekee sessioita ja lähettää meille Helsinkiin materiaaleja ja demoja. Me täällä teemme kappaleita valmiiksi erilaisilla tiimeillä.”
Teemu Brunila ja JP Cooper ihastuivat 8341-kaiuttimiin
Suomalainen, The Crash-yhtyeestäkin tunnettu muusikko ja musiikintekijä Teemu Brunila on työskennellyt viime aikoina tiiviisti Los Angelesin studiolla. Hän on tehnyt paljon töitä esimerkiksi brittiartisti JP Cooperin kanssa. Artistin lähes kolmensadan miljoonan striimausluvuissa pyörivä September Song -kappale on Teemun tuottama.
Immosen hyvien kokemusten perusteella Los Angelesin studiolle päädyttiin hankkimaan Genelecin 8341-kaiuttimet sekä 7370-subwoofer. Studiolla 8341:t ovat hurmanneet sekä Brunilan että JP Cooperin.
"Tutustuin uusiin Geneleceihin Losin studiossa, kun meillä oli sessiot JP Cooperin kanssa, ja me molemmat ihastuimme näihin kaiuttimiin.”
Brunila korostaa studiomonitoreiden monipuolista kuuntelua, mikä helpottaa kirjoitussessioissa työskentelyä.
“Genelecit toimivat hienosti alhaisella volyymilla ja toisaalta myös kovempaa luukuttaessa. Jälkimmäinen on todella tärkeää kirjoitussessioissa, kun takarivi pitää saada tulille.”
Genelecien 8341-monitorit ja 7370-subwoofer asennettiin tilaan yhteistyössä Genelecin asiantuntijan kanssa. Losin studiolla lähdettiin tavoittelemaan samaa balanssia, joka oli toiminut Helsingissä Fried Musicin studiolla. Brunila on käyttäjänä ollut tyytyväinen lopputulokseen.
“Musiikki soi koko huoneessa eikä ainoastaan pöydän edessä, mikä vaivasi aiempien kaiuttimien kanssa. Nyt ne ovat poissa täältä ja Genelecit rokkaavat aamusta iltaan.”
Palaute myös muilta tekijöiltä ympäristöstä on ollut vaikuttavaa.
“Monien kirjoittajien kanssa tulee keskusteltua näistä kaiuttimista, soundin lisäksi designkin erottuu edukseen. Aivan loistavat kaiuttimet!”
Nuoria suomalaisia tekijöitä kaivataan
Tulevaisuudessa Immonen haluaa yhdessä Brunilan kanssa perustamansa Fried Publishing Oy -musiikkikustantamon kautta rakentaa kirjoittajille kotimaassa turvattua toimeentuloa, jotta voi lähteä kurkottamaan maailmalle.
Mukaan halutaan myös yhä enemmän lahjakkaita nuoria, nousevia tekijöitä. Immosella ja Brunilalla on vuosien kokemus siitä, miten ja milloin ulkomaille kannattaa suunnata.
“Toki jokainen kaksikymppinen musan tekijä olisi lähtemässä maailmalle, jos sitä tarjotaan. Mutta tärkeintä on ajoittaa hetki oikein, kun on tarpeeksi osaamista ja pohjaa lähteä.”
Immonen korostaa, että on tärkeää saada tuoreilta tekijöiltä uusia ajatuksia ja toimintapoja työskentelyyn.
Immonen on ollut vaikuttamassa myös musiikinopetuksen tulevaisuuteen Suomessa. Hänen mielestään opetuksessa pitäisi painottaa enemmän luovaa tekemistä, kuten biisin kirjoittamista, sekä kannustaa tiimityöhön.
“Opetushallituksen työryhmässä rakensimme uuden, alkuvuodesta 2018 julkaistun musiikkituotannon ammattitutkinnon.”
Myös ympäristön visuaalisuudella on merkitystä. Teemu Brunila: “Monien kirjoittajien kanssa tulee keskusteltua näistä kaiuttimista, soundin lisäksi designkin erottuu edukseen.”
Ympäristö kuuluu tekemisessä – ja se on pelkästään positiivista
Immonen toteaa studioympäristön lisäksi paikallisella ympäristöllä olevan suuri merkitys luovaan työskentelyyn. On tiedettävä minne ja millaisille markkinoille musiikkia tehdään. On ymmärrettävä paikallista kulttuuria, tiedettävä mitä tapahtuu ja mitä siellä kuunnellaan.
“Kun ajaa Losissa ja kuuntelee paikallista radiota, katselee telkkaria ja tapaa ihmisiä, pääsee kulttuuriin ihan eri tavalla sisään. Kun meidän tekijät käyvät Tanskassa, Ruotsissa tai Losissa ja tulevat takaisin, kuulen uusia asioita, joita en ole kuullut heidän tekevän Suomessa. Ja se on pelkästään positiivista.“
Suomalaista muotoilua ja teknologiaa
Jonas Karlsson on yksi pisimpään Los Angelesin studiolla aikaa viettäneistä Fried Musicin tuottajista. Hän on päässyt myös työskentelemään Genelecin studiomonitoreilla ja kehuukin monitoreiden monipuolisuutta.
"Hyvin tasapainoinen äänensävy ja hämmentävän hieno stereokuva. Isona plussana myös futuristinen muotoilu.”
8341-monitorit ja 7370-subwoofer ovat tukeneet Karlssonin työskentelyä. Hän on saanut tarkkuutta erityisesti alataajuuksilla työskentelyyn.
“Erittäin tarkka ja todenmukainen alataajuuksien toisto, varsinkin kriittisellä 200-400 hertsin alueella. Ensimmäistä kertaa tuntuu, että pystyn tekemään alataajuuksilla hienon tarkkoja korjauksia.”
Genelec-kuuntelu on helpottanut ja nopeuttanut tekemistä.
“Kaiuttimet ovat nopeuttaneet huomattavasti työntekoani sekä mahdollistaneet pitkätkin sessiot ilman kuunteluväsymystä.”
Jukka Immonen mainitsee olevansa ylpeä siitä, että suomalaisten tekijöiden lisäksi saa viedä maailmalle suomalaista teknologiaa ja designia.
“Suomalaisuus ei missään nimessä ole itseisarvo, mutta kun homma toimii niin valehtelisin jos väittäisin, etten olisi fiiliksissä siitä, että meillä on Genelecit siellä”.
Valokuvat: Arttu Peljo
Lue myös, miten Jukka Immonen hyödyntää Genelecin 8351-studiomonitoreita Fried Musicin Helsingin studiolla:
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.”
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
The Shanghai Vocational School of Contemporary Music has a noble aim: to cultivate professional talents in modern music production and performance. With the support of the Shanghai Municipal Government, it has set about this undertaking by creating a studio complex that will establish a high-level music training base to cultivate market-oriented students. Ensuring that the students are using the best possible equipment, Genelec Smart Active Monitors have been installed throughout the new facility.
During the early stages of development, Shanghai SunYart Digital Technology Director Alex Wei created a basic layout for the facility and continued to refine the plans alongside Technical Director, Zhang Minggang. Technical Execution was provided by He Weier, alongside world-renowned acoustician, Sam Toyoshima. One of the key factors for the team was creating a facility that would combine acoustics and aesthetics to the best effect. “Mr Toyoshima is an acoustic designer full of design aesthetics,” says Wei. “I wanted this project to meet the acoustic requirements and to have visual impact, to have that ‘wow’ factor, so our ideas fitted well.”
Genelec monitors have gained a good reputation in the industry, and were an inevitable choice for this project.
The design choices fitted well with the more technical decision to select Genelec Smart Active Monitors precisely calibrated with Genelec’s GLM Loudspeaker Manager software throughout the complex, with the monitors’ minimalist design and classic colour scheme complementing Mr Toyoshima’s modern, condensed aesthetic style. “Genelec monitors have gained a good reputation in the industry, and were an inevitable choice for this project,” explains Wei.
Beyond the style of the studio complex, a great deal of technical thought has gone into its creation. Take for example the large 300m2 recording studio with its variable reverberation time. The space features more than 70 rotary columns with different heights and diameters, and different sizes of sound absorption holes - which are used to achieve a reverberation time ranging from 0.8 to 1.2s.
The control room for this space features a pair of 1236 main monitors embedded in the floor-to-ceiling window. The team had a vision of making the monitors look as if they were floating in the glass, but faced challenges with the weight of the monitors and the assembly. Wei worked with Toyoshima’s design, calculated the angle, centre of gravity and friction at the bottom accurately, and compared various construction materials and methods. With this worked out, the two 1236 monitors were installed, remaining consistent with the 6 degree inclination angle of the glass.
I think the high-quality equipment and creative atmosphere provided by the school can train a group of future-oriented sound engineers better and faster.
In addition, three 8351 coaxial nearfield monitors have been placed on retractable stands - which don’t impede the sound from the main monitors when lowered, but can then rise mechanically to provide a 5.1 system for surround mixing. These are accompanied by two 7380 subwoofers. “8351 monitors give a very modern sense of science fantasy,” Wei explains. “When they are combined together with the 7380 subwoofers, it’s as if you are piloting a spaceship in Star Wars!”
A further unique teaching space comes in the form of the ‘staircase classroom’, where students sit on steps rather than traditional seating. On one side of the classroom there is a large floor-to-ceiling window, looking into a studio. When the teacher is working, the students can enter the studio to watch or observe through the glass from the steps outside. Above the mixing console, a high-definition camera displays the teacher in action via a projection screen, while Genelec 1238 three-way monitors relay audio to the class.
The project also created four other recording spaces, including a mastering room on the ground floor fitted with stereo 1238 monitors and a 5.1 system comprising 8351s and a 7370 subwoofer. Additionally, a multifunctional 5.1 teaching studio features 8260 monitors with a 7370 subwoofer, and two small practice studios in the basement are each equipped with a pair of 8351 monitors.
Staff at the school describe the results as going “beyond our expectations” and Wei is clearly proud of the innovative complex that has been created. “What we’ve ended up with here is excellent sound quality, and very accurate sound image positioning,” he comments. “The teachers at the school, the professors at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the visiting professors from other schools think that this is the best studio they’ve ever seen.”
For his part, Toyoshima agrees: “I think the high-quality equipment and creative atmosphere provided by the school can train a group of future-oriented sound engineers better and faster.”
Genelec’s Smart Active Monitors are helping to make SOUND360 stand out from the crowd in South Korea, with the country’s first 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos studio. The SOUND360 studio is the creation of CEO Jung Hoon Choi, who is already a very well-known figure in the Korean music industry through his Audioguy record label.
“The recording room is designed for Dolby Atmos 3D audio, and immersive sound recording and mixing,” explains Ha Neul Lee, the audio engineer responsible for both stereo and Dolby Atmos mixing at Audioguy. “Reverberation time and acoustic treatment for the studio were also calibrated for 360-degree mixing with the surround monitors.”
The decision to create an immersive recording space was based on the belief that this is the direction that audio recording is moving in, while the 9.1.6 format was selected for its ability to deliver 3D mixes through popular consumer devices. “As you know, before immersive audio we used to have surround sound,” comments Choi. “We used to be able to produce multi-channel surround content, but not many consumers could play that content through a multi-channel playback system. For that reason, surround didn’t become standard.
Genelec monitors deliver consistent sound not only at loud volumes, but also at relatively low volumes so I can easily get the right balance of each instrument in the mix.
“Now that immersive audio is available, Dolby Atmos is one of the various immersive audio formats that SOUND360 currently offers,” Choi adds. “The mixes that are created by the 9.1.6 system here at the studio, can easily be enjoyed using just a simple stereo system like you would find on a typical mobile device. This compatibility is at last making 3D audio more accessible to the public, and it is becoming popular.”
When it came to the choice of monitors for the immersive space, Genelec was the only option. “For audio engineers like me, the importance of monitor speakers cannot be overstated,” says Choi. “One of the biggest reasons I have been using Genelec for a long time is because I tend to set the monitoring level slightly lower than other engineers, typically around 75 dB, and make it louder at certain points. Genelec monitors deliver consistent sound not only at loud volumes, but also at relatively low volumes so I can easily get the right balance of each instrument in the mix.”
Having opted to choose Genelec, SOUND360 worked with local Genelec distributor Sama Sound to create the 9.1.6 setup. The space utilises three-way coaxial monitors from The Ones series, and features three 8351s for the L-C-R channels, twelve 8341s as surrounds and overheads, and three 7370s as subs – with the whole system tuned and calibrated using GLM Loudspeaker Manager software. The all-Genelec solution has been a popular choice with the team of engineers working at SOUND360.
By using Genelec Smart Active Monitors with GLM, we were able to calibrate the monitoring systems for consistent sound from one room to the next.
“Genelec monitors allow users to calibrate and control with ease,” says Lee. “I feel so much gratitude for the 8300 series. If monitors sound different in different rooms, as an audio engineer, it feels like going through hell every day. By using Genelec Smart Active Monitors with GLM, we were able to calibrate the monitoring systems for consistent sound from one room to the next. We were even able to fix acoustical problems while working with the consistent sound. Now we have the room, which is acoustically well set up, and I am 99% satisfied with Genelec. I kept the 1% to spare my pride!”
SOUND360 is also proving to be a popular new facility for Korea’s musicians. “We’ve been working with various young emerging pop artists,” says Choi. “We’ve just finished Atmos mixing and mastering ‘THE SHOW’ live album by Black Pink. We’ve also worked with ITZY, TWICE, AKMU, LISA, STAYC, Beenzino, Treasure, Fisherman, BewhY, Giriboy, Sumin and Guckkasten, plus LEENALCHI Band’s album ‘Sugung-ga’ and ‘Please Don’t Go (Yeobonari)’ were also mixed here in Dolby Atmos.”
As the first recording space in Korea to offer a 9.1.6 setup, SOUND360 is already a pioneer. Through careful planning and the right choice of equipment it has every chance to succeed in its mission to help more people enjoy immersive audio.
How GLM™ (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) Software Works
Next Steps for Genelec SAM™ Systems
How GLM™ (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) Software Works
Frustrated that your material doesn’t sound so great on other systems? In this video we show you how to calibrate the Genelec SAM™ monitors with the Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM™) Software to get the most out of your room and ensuring that your mixes translate perfectly.
Next Steps for Genelec SAM™ Systems
In the video Genelec introduces the new generation, high resolution 8340 and 8350 Smart monitors and 7360 and 7370 Smart subwoofers for all analogue and digital audio applications. In addition, the 9301 AES/EBU Multichannel interface allows the use of 7.1 digital audio sources with new Smart subwoofers.
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Operating Manual 7370A Brochure 7370A SAM™ Series Full Line Catalogue Bass Management User Guide Daisy-Chained Subwoofers and LFE Channel Management Immersive Solutions BrochureUKK
The Classic 8000 Series monitors have an analogue input. The 7200 Series SAM subwoofers have AES/EBU digital outputs only. However, other 7300 Series SAM subwoofers have analogue inputs and outputs and can be used also with analogue monitors.
Which SAM™ Products You Are Going to Mix With the Classic 8000 Series?
Mixing 8000 Series and SAM™ monitors is not recommended
We do not recommend mixing Classic 8000 Series monitors with SAM™ Monitors.
If the analogue input sensitivity of 8000 Series and SAM™ Series monitors are the same, Genelec SAM™ Monitors exhibit a slightly larger latency (< 5 ms) than 8000 Series monitors. Therefore Classic 8000 Series and SAM™ Series monitors should not be mixed in a stereo pair or multichannel setup.
It is alright to mix Classic 8000 Series with SAM™ Subwoofers
However, it is okay to mix the Classic 8000 Series monitors with SAM™ Subwoofers. Any Classic 8000 Series monitors can be used with SAM™ Subwoofers, in any stereo or multichannel setup.
Setting the room response calibration controls
Genelec monitors are calibrated flat in anechoic free field conditions. When the monitor is placed in a room close to walls or other boundaries, the low frequency output of the monitor increases. To achieve a flat low frequency response an adjustment of typically -4 dB on the bass tilt control is used. Genelec also provides a bass roll-off control to compensate for any remaining excessive LF energy around the low cut-off frequency.
Genelec GLM AutoCal can implement a more precise compensation after measuring the acoustic effects produced by the monitor’s installation location.
Differences in room reverberation time and listening distance can lead to changes being required in the treble region so treble tilt is fitted to most of the models in the Genelec range.
In three-way monitors and large main systems there are additional driver controls for the bass level, mid level and treble level which enable very fine adjustment of the frequency response so that the monitors can be placed in many different listening environments, whilst still achieving a consistent and neutral sound reproduction.
The best way to set the room response controls of a Genelec monitor is by taking an acoustical measurement at the listening location, using a measurement system for those products that offer local controls (DIP switches) on the monitor or subwoofer, or by using GLM AutoCal for the SAM™ (Smart Active Monitoring) products.
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