Globally recognised institute the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) at Queen’s University Belfast has welcomed a brand new immersive sound facility featuring an Avid S6 M10 with MTRX, Dolby ATMOS HE-RMU and Genelec 8040 + 1032 Sub monitoring set up supplied by HHB Communications.
In the centre of the new setup sits the Avid Pro Tools S6 control surface offering comprehensive integration with Pro Tools, the staple DAW for most students on the courses at Queen’s. However, as some students work with several other DAWs, the additional ability to be able to control any EUCON enabled DAW made the S6 an obvious and much needed purchase to future proof the studio and accommodate all undergraduates on the several courses run at Queen’s.
HHB’s Educational Sales Manager, Andrew Hingley advised and worked with Craig Jackson, Technical Manager at the Sonic Arts Research Centre to update their facility. Having purchased numerous items from HHB in the past Craig has always been very impressed with the advice and support provide every step of the way including demonstrations of equipment to ensure the most informed purchase decision possible.
Alongside the new immersive sound studio is the Sonic Lab, a unique multi-functional concert hall / research laboratory allowing projection of 3D audio across 48 high quality loudspeakers. The Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite and HE-RMU will serve both the immersive studio and sonic lab making it possible to present Dolby Atmos content to an audience of up to 150 people. This new addition is where the Genelec purchase comes in to view. The additional 1032Bs will augment an existing 5.1 installation to 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring.
The studios are used for a wide variety of applications including the recording of pop and classical music, electronic music production, sound design and post production for screen, and mixing for radio and television broadcast, “In our experience, Genelec monitors perform exceptionally well in all of these environments and provide students with a consistent monitoring experience from studio to studio.”
As this was a very specific design the team at HHB monitored the delivery and installation process to be sure of a speedy and efficient setup. Craig added, “HHB organised a speedy delivery and kept us up to date every step of the way. The installation process was excellent with knowledgeable staff customising the install specifically for our studio.”
