Tokyo’s Pentangle Studio unlocks immersive flow with Genelec
Veteran Japanese engineer Masahito Tobisawa has reimagined Tokyo’s Pentangle Studio as a 7.1.4 immersive audio environment, purpose-built for spatial precision and creative freedom. Featuring Genelec Smart Active Monitors, GLM calibration software and the 9320A Reference Controller, the new setup allows seamless integration of stereo, immersive and headphone workflows — all within a compact but highly controlled acoustic space.
Founded in 2017, Pentangle Studio was originally designed as a place to both mix and explore. With the rising popularity of spatial formats like Apple Music and Sony 360 Reality Audio, Tobisawa saw the need to future-proof his workflow. The new monitoring system includes eleven Genelec 8330As, two 8341As, a 7350A subwoofer, and full digital signal routing via the 9301B interface.
I thought it sounded fine — until GLM showed me what I was missing.
After initially being sceptical of powered monitors, Tobisawa had a change of heart after trialling the Genelec 8020 nearfield models and later, the 8341A. “It sounded like a direct line to the sound I had in mind,” he says.
To unify stereo and immersive workflows, the 9320A controller enables instant switching between monitoring paths. “Switching with a single action keeps the creative flow alive. Before, when I had to stop and adjust things, I’d lose the feel of the mix. This setup lets me move without hesitation.” He also noted the practical benefit of speaker muting when using headphones. “It’s a subtle but crucial detail. If the speakers are still active, your body responds to them — and that affects your perception.”
Critical to the upgrade was the use of GLM software, which handled alignment and calibration across the entire space. With some rear and height monitors wall-mounted instead of placed in ideal symmetrical positions, GLM’s ability to adjust phase, level and delay was essential. “I thought it sounded fine before calibration. But when I looked at the graph, I was shocked. The response was jagged, and each speaker behaved differently, depending on where it was positioned in the room. I had no idea how uneven it was until I measured it.”
Switching with a single action keeps the creative flow alive.
After careful tuning, Tobisawa found himself hearing the immersive field in a new way. “When everything is aligned, you don’t really notice the height or rear channels — they just blend. That’s how immersive sound should be. It’s not about spotlighting effects, it’s about a natural sense of space.”
Tobisawa’s career spans more than four decades and includes the development of 8Way Reflection, a format that became the 8Way Audio engine, now found in Sharp smartphones through a partnership with Neos Corporation. Today, with stereo, immersive, and headphone workflows integrated in a single system, Tobisawa is more creatively empowered than ever.
“It’s exciting,” he concludes. “I’m building sound in different dimensions, and everything flows. I can already see how this will shape my next ideas.”
