The Institute of Sound Recording (IoSR) at the University of Surrey is now offering access to a new 22.2 critical listening room based on the Genelec 8330A SAM studio monitor and 7350A SAM subwoofer.
HHB supplied the technology as part of Genelec’s sponsorship programme to the IoSR and the university’s Music and Sound Recording (Tonmeister) degree.
The ITU-R BS.1116 listening room (designed and built by Munro Acoustics) is used by students and researchers to undertake experimental work involving audio measurement and subjective listening tests. The ITU-R standard is the most critical international standard for listening rooms, with strict criteria for low noise, controlled reflections, dimension ratios and reverberation time.
The Surrey listening room is equipped with a flexible range of reproduction systems from stereo to multi-channel including elevated loudspeakers. This enables listening tests on multi-channel surround sound to be carried out effectively.
The room contains a loudspeaker mounting system that can be rigged with a large number of loudspeakers. The system includes distributed bass management and built-in time alignment and equalisation of level and frequency response. The system is usually configured for 22.2 reproduction, and the IoSR owns an additional 72 Genelec 8020A studio monitors that it can employ to further extend the system.
“The Genelec SAM monitors were the perfect choice for the listening room; their built-in time, level and frequency response alignment saved hours of work,” said Senior Lecturer Dr Russell Mason. “We plan to investigate a wide range of multi-channel reproduction arrangements and being able to realign the loudspeakers quickly in each new position is essential.”
There is also a set of five Genelec 1032A studio monitors and a 1094A Active Subwoofer that the IoSR wheels into the listening room specifically for 5.1 surround sound. The IoSR also has a wide range of test and measurement equipment that can be used in the listening room or around campus.
Apart from the 22.2 listening room, Genelec’s sponsorship programme includes discounted studio monitors, an electro-acoustical seminar, a graduate prize and industry placements at its headquarters in Iisalmi, Finland.
Hosted by Genelec’s R&D Director Aki Mäkivirta, the inaugural two-day seminar was run at the university 13-14 June 2016. The seminar included a general introduction to acoustics as well as a practical project that dealt with the specification and set-up of studio monitoring systems. Having completed the seminar programme, student Alistair Bolt was chosen to receive a Genelec prize of 8320A SAM studio monitors, a GLM 2.0 User Kit and a 9310A volume controller.
Student Alistair Bolt received a prize from Genelec’s Aki Mäkivirta
“The seminar was a great addition to the Tonmeister programme,” said Mason. “Students learn about the theory of room acoustics and the design and calibration of loudspeakers as part of the course, but to have an internationally renowned expert such as Aki come in and show them how to put the theory into practice based on his many years of experience was an amazing opportunity.”
