Broadcast News
26/10/2023
Alaska Studios Opens A PMC-Equipped Dolby Atmos Facility
A musical hub catering for every stage of an artist’s project has opened in Belgium with a Dolby Atmos mixing and mastering studio at its core.
Located in a large new building in Lokeren, near Ghent, Alaska Studios has five acoustically separate rooms including the 11.1.6 Dolby Atmos facility, which is equipped with a PMC monitoring system supplied by Joystick Audio.
Producer and engineer Peter Phillips, who set up Alaska Studios with live sound engineer Frank Voet, said: "We built the studio from the ground up as a commercial facility that could take artists and bands all the way through from songwriting, recording, mixing and mastering to preparing live for tours. We share the building with a live sound touring company and a merchandising company, and there is also space for clients to store tour equipment."
The Dolby Atmos studio – Mix Room 1 - has a main LCR monitoring system consisting of PMC MB2S-XBD speakers. These are supported by 14 PMC Ci65 surround speakers, all powered by MC2 amps. The facility also has a stereo studio, Mix Room 2, which is equipped with PMC IB1S monitors. The three other studios are designed for band rehearsals, tour pre-production, live recording and recording vocals and podcasts.
With over 25 years' of experience in the pro audio industry, Peter Philips has spent the last 10 years handling audio post production for TV shows, live music productions and festivals. This, he says, is what sparked his interest in surround formats and in particular Dolby Atmos.
"When we started looking into Dolby Atmos in 2020, we were mainly investigating its possibilities in the post-production market because at that stage Atmos for music was not something many people were thinking about," he explains. "I already had my own studio, so I upgraded it from 5.1 to 5.1.4 in order to get to know the workflow and do some testing."
In the summer of 2021, Apple Music announced its support for immersive audio formats including Dolby Atmos and this was the catalyst for building an Atmos room at Alaska Studios.
"We were already working with artists such as Stromae, Oscar and the Wolf, Selah Sue and Charlotte Adigéry, so the question Apple's announcement raised was where would Belgian artists like these carry out their Dolby Atmos mixes?" Philips said. "It was clear that immersive audio was the next step and here to stay, and as we were already building a studio facility from scratch, we decided to build a room that was 100% up to Dolby Atmos specifications."
The choice of PMC monitors was easy, he adds, because he was already working on PMC IB2S speakers in his own studio and was very happy with their performance.
"Once you’ve heard the detail combined with the punch and power of PMC speakers, there’s really nothing better," he said.
Alaska Studios' monitors were supplied by PMC distributor Joystick Audio, who worked closely with Pinna Acoustics to ensure that the right monitors were chosen for the room size.
"Both Joystick Audio and Pinna Acoustics have been really supportive and have helped us with every part of the design and installation process," Philips said. "Our Dolby Atmos room sounds truly amazing, with an even decay across the whole spectrum and the finest bass response I’ve ever heard. I think everyone who has listened to mixes in this room will agree with me on that!"
With Alaska Studios now open, the Dolby Atmos studio is already busy and is being used for a number of projects.
"We especially wanted to build our Dolby Atmos room to mastering grade standards as there are not that many Belgian mastering studios that can offer a reference Dolby Atmos setup to finalize Atmos mixes," he explained. "Although mastering in the traditional way is technically not possible in Atmos, we do believe that Atmos mixes created in smaller - and therefore less ideal - rooms can be improved if given a little touch up in a reference room like this. Also transitions between songs on an album and relative loudness levels can be a big challenge for people who are not used to Atmos."
Mixing music in Dolby Atmos can be a challenge for people who are new to the format, but Peter Philips says his experience in audio post, combined with his Pro Tools skills, have made him well-equipped for the task.
www.pmc-speakers.com
Located in a large new building in Lokeren, near Ghent, Alaska Studios has five acoustically separate rooms including the 11.1.6 Dolby Atmos facility, which is equipped with a PMC monitoring system supplied by Joystick Audio.
Producer and engineer Peter Phillips, who set up Alaska Studios with live sound engineer Frank Voet, said: "We built the studio from the ground up as a commercial facility that could take artists and bands all the way through from songwriting, recording, mixing and mastering to preparing live for tours. We share the building with a live sound touring company and a merchandising company, and there is also space for clients to store tour equipment."
The Dolby Atmos studio – Mix Room 1 - has a main LCR monitoring system consisting of PMC MB2S-XBD speakers. These are supported by 14 PMC Ci65 surround speakers, all powered by MC2 amps. The facility also has a stereo studio, Mix Room 2, which is equipped with PMC IB1S monitors. The three other studios are designed for band rehearsals, tour pre-production, live recording and recording vocals and podcasts.
With over 25 years' of experience in the pro audio industry, Peter Philips has spent the last 10 years handling audio post production for TV shows, live music productions and festivals. This, he says, is what sparked his interest in surround formats and in particular Dolby Atmos.
"When we started looking into Dolby Atmos in 2020, we were mainly investigating its possibilities in the post-production market because at that stage Atmos for music was not something many people were thinking about," he explains. "I already had my own studio, so I upgraded it from 5.1 to 5.1.4 in order to get to know the workflow and do some testing."
In the summer of 2021, Apple Music announced its support for immersive audio formats including Dolby Atmos and this was the catalyst for building an Atmos room at Alaska Studios.
"We were already working with artists such as Stromae, Oscar and the Wolf, Selah Sue and Charlotte Adigéry, so the question Apple's announcement raised was where would Belgian artists like these carry out their Dolby Atmos mixes?" Philips said. "It was clear that immersive audio was the next step and here to stay, and as we were already building a studio facility from scratch, we decided to build a room that was 100% up to Dolby Atmos specifications."
The choice of PMC monitors was easy, he adds, because he was already working on PMC IB2S speakers in his own studio and was very happy with their performance.
"Once you’ve heard the detail combined with the punch and power of PMC speakers, there’s really nothing better," he said.
Alaska Studios' monitors were supplied by PMC distributor Joystick Audio, who worked closely with Pinna Acoustics to ensure that the right monitors were chosen for the room size.
"Both Joystick Audio and Pinna Acoustics have been really supportive and have helped us with every part of the design and installation process," Philips said. "Our Dolby Atmos room sounds truly amazing, with an even decay across the whole spectrum and the finest bass response I’ve ever heard. I think everyone who has listened to mixes in this room will agree with me on that!"
With Alaska Studios now open, the Dolby Atmos studio is already busy and is being used for a number of projects.
"We especially wanted to build our Dolby Atmos room to mastering grade standards as there are not that many Belgian mastering studios that can offer a reference Dolby Atmos setup to finalize Atmos mixes," he explained. "Although mastering in the traditional way is technically not possible in Atmos, we do believe that Atmos mixes created in smaller - and therefore less ideal - rooms can be improved if given a little touch up in a reference room like this. Also transitions between songs on an album and relative loudness levels can be a big challenge for people who are not used to Atmos."
Mixing music in Dolby Atmos can be a challenge for people who are new to the format, but Peter Philips says his experience in audio post, combined with his Pro Tools skills, have made him well-equipped for the task.
www.pmc-speakers.com
Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.
12/10/2022
PMC Announces Series Of Seminars
Grammy nominated engineer Nick Rives is joining forces with UK loudspeaker manufacturer PMC to deliver a series of seminars in which he will share his
PMC Announces Series Of Seminars
Grammy nominated engineer Nick Rives is joining forces with UK loudspeaker manufacturer PMC to deliver a series of seminars in which he will share his
10/03/2022
PMC Helps Trevor Horn Remix Seal's First Album
30 years after it debuted at No. 1 in the UK charts, Seal's eponymous first album has been remixed in Dolby Atmos, allowing fans to enjoy his timeless
PMC Helps Trevor Horn Remix Seal's First Album
30 years after it debuted at No. 1 in the UK charts, Seal's eponymous first album has been remixed in Dolby Atmos, allowing fans to enjoy his timeless
14/01/2019
PMC Partners With Dolby And Universal Music
A Dolby Atmos demo facility will form the centerpiece of PMC's booth at NAMM 2019, giving artists, producers and recording engineers an opportunity to
PMC Partners With Dolby And Universal Music
A Dolby Atmos demo facility will form the centerpiece of PMC's booth at NAMM 2019, giving artists, producers and recording engineers an opportunity to
21/07/2017
HHB Unveil Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment Mastering Suite
Designed to empower post-production facilities to create, edit, mix and master high quality Dolby Atmos content for Blu-ray or digital delivery, Dolby
HHB Unveil Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment Mastering Suite
Designed to empower post-production facilities to create, edit, mix and master high quality Dolby Atmos content for Blu-ray or digital delivery, Dolby
07/11/2023
David Rideau Teams Up With PMC
PMC will have a strong presence at this year's Inter BEE exhibition in Japan where it is showcasing a range of professional monitors that are ideally
David Rideau Teams Up With PMC
PMC will have a strong presence at this year's Inter BEE exhibition in Japan where it is showcasing a range of professional monitors that are ideally
21/07/2023
Recording Engineer Nick Rives Joins Forces With PMC
Grammy-nominated recording engineer Nick Rives and UK loudspeaker manufacturer PMC have joined forces with Sweetwater Studios in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
Recording Engineer Nick Rives Joins Forces With PMC
Grammy-nominated recording engineer Nick Rives and UK loudspeaker manufacturer PMC have joined forces with Sweetwater Studios in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
07/07/2015
Dolby Certifies Colorfront Transkoder
Colorfront has confirmed its Colorfront Transkoder – an automated, standalone system for high-quality digital file conversion – has been certified by
Dolby Certifies Colorfront Transkoder
Colorfront has confirmed its Colorfront Transkoder – an automated, standalone system for high-quality digital file conversion – has been certified by
08/11/2021
PMC Dolby Atmos Music Mix Mile Davis' Kind Of Blue Released By Apple Music
The PMC Dolby Atmos Music mix of the biggest selling jazz album of all time, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue has just been released by Apple Music, making t
PMC Dolby Atmos Music Mix Mile Davis' Kind Of Blue Released By Apple Music
The PMC Dolby Atmos Music mix of the biggest selling jazz album of all time, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue has just been released by Apple Music, making t
12/10/2023
Steve Genewick To Present Atmos Masterclass
On October 14th, 2023, Grammy nominated engineer Steve Genewick will present a Masterclass on mixing music in the Doby Atmos immersive format at Sweet
Steve Genewick To Present Atmos Masterclass
On October 14th, 2023, Grammy nominated engineer Steve Genewick will present a Masterclass on mixing music in the Doby Atmos immersive format at Sweet
06/07/2023
NJP Studios Installs Dolby Atmos Music Mixing Facility
NJP Studios in Switzerland has become the latest in a long line of audio facilities to install a Dolby Atmos music mixing facility equipped with PMC m
NJP Studios Installs Dolby Atmos Music Mixing Facility
NJP Studios in Switzerland has become the latest in a long line of audio facilities to install a Dolby Atmos music mixing facility equipped with PMC m
21/07/2021
Telestream Expands Vantage Platform
Users of Telestream's Vantage Media Processing Platform are now able to utilise Dolby solutions thanks to new improvements. Vantage now supports Dolby
Telestream Expands Vantage Platform
Users of Telestream's Vantage Media Processing Platform are now able to utilise Dolby solutions thanks to new improvements. Vantage now supports Dolby
24/06/2013
Odeon And UCI Cinemas Group To Install Dolby Atmos Technology
Dolby Laboratories, has announced that Odeon and UCI Cinemas Group, plans to install Dolby® Atmos™ technology in 27 cinema screens across Europe. Odeo
Odeon And UCI Cinemas Group To Install Dolby Atmos Technology
Dolby Laboratories, has announced that Odeon and UCI Cinemas Group, plans to install Dolby® Atmos™ technology in 27 cinema screens across Europe. Odeo
05/07/2021
Eastcote Studio Revamped For New PMC Monitoring System
Eastcote's Mastering studio has undergone an extensive makeover to accommodate a range of PMC's professional loudspeakers. The new Dolby Atmos music m
Eastcote Studio Revamped For New PMC Monitoring System
Eastcote's Mastering studio has undergone an extensive makeover to accommodate a range of PMC's professional loudspeakers. The new Dolby Atmos music m
06/07/2021
TITAN Live Breaks New Ground
ATEME is celebrating an industry landmark after integrating its TITAN Live solution with Dolby technology. The solution becomes the first live transco
TITAN Live Breaks New Ground
ATEME is celebrating an industry landmark after integrating its TITAN Live solution with Dolby technology. The solution becomes the first live transco
28/08/2024
Dolby Atmos Upgrade For KoKo Sound Studios
KoKo Sound Studios, one of the most sought-after mixing facilities in South Korea, has invested in a Prism Sound Dream ADA-128 multichannel converter
Dolby Atmos Upgrade For KoKo Sound Studios
KoKo Sound Studios, one of the most sought-after mixing facilities in South Korea, has invested in a Prism Sound Dream ADA-128 multichannel converter