HYBRID MONITORING SOLUTION
“ We were able to build Studio Four to our requirements with some extensive design expertise from Mr Bharat Reddy of Dolby , but deciding on the monitoring system was a challenge ,” commented BOING ’ s Jiten Solanki . “ Advertising meant a stereo set-up , while OTT meant a 7.1.4 set-up - so we needed a hybrid monitoring system . As we were taking our first steps into immersive monitoring , which was to run hand-in-glove with a high SPL stereo production environment , we were trying to understand exactly what monitoring to go with .”
Solanki continues : “ At first , we thought of keeping the stereo and Atmos systems as two different monitoring set-ups . We were considering getting a pair of midfield monitors for stereo , and an affordable nearfield Atmos system . But after doing some research and a few demos , we realised that most of the usable nearfield monitors only had analogue inputs . This meant the cost of our I / O would go up , and the external DSP calibration would have to go through additional conversion steps . Even if we took another route by getting analogue I / O , the external DSPs that were within our budget offered pretty average performance . So all in all , it seemed like a convoluted workflow .“
GOING DIGITAL
At this point Shiv Sood from Genelec distributor Sound Team , who had provided Studio One ’ s original Genelec monitoring system back in 2013 , presented a very neat solution via the new Genelec 9301B multichannel interface , which provides 16 channels of digital I / O on AES / EBU , with easy subwoofer integration . This became the basis of Studio Four ’ s hybrid Stereo / Immersive Smart Active Monitoring set-up , which comprises 8351B three-way coaxial monitors for L / R – complemented by a 7380A subwoofer – with a 8341A in the centre position and compact two-way 8330As for surrounds and overheads to handle 7.1.4 content .
The entire system was configured and calibrated using Genelec ’ s GLM calibration software , which integrates tightly with the internal DSP within each monitor and subwoofer , providing individual control of playback level , frequency response , time of flight and subwoofer bass management . This results in a monitoring system that is completely optimised for the room , thereby producing mixes that translate consistently to a wide range of rooms and playback devices – which absolutely essential for both stereo and immersive content .
Reflecting with satisfaction on the two new rooms , Solanki concludes : “ Genelec and BOING have a symbiotic relationship . Our monitoring is almost exclusively Genelec , and this has helped establish us as one of the best studios in India .”
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