1237A SAM™ Studio Monitor

Now, Florence-based acoustic design specialist Studio Sound Service has dramatically transformed De Robertis’ personal studio, assisted by a Genelec monitoring system which the composer describes as “simply perfect”.

Perhaps best-known for his long-term, award-winning collaboration with celebrated filmmaker Gabriele Salvatore, De Robertis began working in his current studio space after relocating to the countryside near the Italian town of Lucca.

His twin passions of cinema and music come together within the studio, where he works with Fede e gli Infedeli, the eclectic group of musicians with whom he collaborates for film scores, and the Underground Supporters, a collective of young and talented DJs and electronic music producers from Lucca, who also organize the afterparty for the famous Notte Bianca all-night summer festival.

Until recently, however, the studio was extremely humble. In fact, it was so small, cramped and acoustically challenging that the composer nicknamed it ‘Loculo’ – literally, ‘the crypt’. However, Studio Sound Service’s complete reinvention of the interior was so dramatic that De Robertis has now renamed the studio Aldilà – meaning ‘Afterlife’.

“The control room was in a very narrow area with skylights and a low ceiling,” recalls Studio Sound Service’s Donato Masci, who worked to bring De Robertis’ vision to life. “These three factors presented critical problems that needed to be solved. The room was also very complicated to treat – we couldn’t add any treatment to the ceiling because Federico needed to retain the natural light. Finally, all of the walls were concrete, which created a significant booming effect.”

Having previously been described by Masci as possessing a “grey and gloomy look”, the space is now unrecognisable with an inviting palette of soft colours chosen by De Robertis.

Most importantly, the room’s acoustic problems have been solved. “We designed a full acoustic treatment, starting with a new concrete and masonry front wall where we flush-mounted two Genelec 1237 smart active main monitors,” explains Masci. “The front wall and the floor are the only solid surfaces, since the rest of the room is constructed with absorbent materials. We also used some diffuser panels to improve low frequency absorption and diffusion.”

Complementing the 1237 stereo setup is a 5.1 smart active monitoring system comprising five 8240 two-way nearfield monitors and a single 7370 subwoofer. Finally, Masci used Genelec’s GLM software to configure and calibrate the system. “GLM is critical when monitors are flush-mounted in a solid wall – in this case the low frequencies were raised by as much as 12 dB – but GLM controls the effect perfectly,” he says. “In an environment such as Aldilà, with so many compromises, GLM is of great help for fine-tuning.”

“I love my Genelec system,” declares De Robertis. “At the beginning it did change my work a little bit – my ears had to adapt to having perfect acoustics and perfect sounding speakers. But the transition was easy. The definition and quality of the sound remains unchanged right across the entire frequency range. My Genelecs are the jewels of my studio.”

Building on the previous successful projects, Morel was brought in early in the architectural design process for the Caribbean house. “I became involved with the design directly from the start,” he recalls. “When the first drawings were made for the new house it was clear a studio had to be in it as well. The architect gave me the location and the space in the house for the studio, and with this information I had to figure out how to make it possible.”

The aesthetic requirements for the new studio demanded a different design from Hardwell’s all-white main studio in the Netherlands, with the style, colours and architecture mirroring the house in Curacao itself. However, there was only ever one choice for the monitoring solution.

“He is used to Genelec, his main studio is equipped with 1034Bs, a 7073A and 8341As,” says Morel. “For him there is no other option to go for, or work with.”

While the monitoring brand has remained the same, Morel opted for a slightly different Genelec solution in response to the different acoustic environment of the new Curacao space. A pair of 1237A studio monitors have been installed as the main monitoring solution – about 6 feet from the listening position – with two 8330A monitors positioned about 4 feet away to provide the nearfield system. Finally, a 7071A dual 12-inch subwoofer has been placed under the desk but off centre, close to the wall to manage low frequencies. As part of Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family, the 1237A and 8330A monitors were configured and calibrated using Genelec’s own GLM software.

Initially, Morel remotely managed a team of local contractors and craftsmen who had been employed to handle the build. With the construction phase complete, he then travelled to Curacao for the commissioning stage.

“We used GLM to do the first auto-calibration,” he explains. “When this had been done, we further calibrated it manually within GLM to get the most satisfying personal result for the engineer. In this case of course, the engineer is Hardwell himself!”

Having overcome some challenges within the construction phase, the final result is something both Morel and, more importantly Hardwell, are happy with. “He had seen the design before I started finishing the room, and when we finished the room for real, he was really flabbergasted and blown away by the result both in sound and looks,” says Morel. “It was beyond his expectation.”

Over the years, Dutch studio designer and acoustician Jan Morel has formed an extremely successful partnership with superstar DJ producer Hardwell - having created two studios already, with a third planned for later this year. At the heart of this relationship are Genelec studio monitors - which help to give Hardwell the sound quality and low end control he requires.

Voted the world’s number one DJ in both 2013 and 2014 by DJ Mag and ranked at number three in the title’s top 100 DJs poll in 2018, Hardwell has developed a reputation as one of the most in-demand performers in the world. Having taken a break from touring, Hardwell’s recent musical focus has been back in the studios that Morel has created for him.

The most recently completed project saw Morel turn a bedroom in Hardwell’s lakeside home in the Dutch town of Breda into a top-of-the-line production facility. “Hardwell wanted to have an environment where he was able to work 24 hours without any signs of fatigue,” recalled Morel. “It was a special project because it was a challenge to create the best possible producer’s studio for a number one DJ in a bedroom!

“We needed to start from a large bedroom situation, which had a lowered concrete ceiling on one side,” Morel continues. “It was not easy to create a design where we would end up with the right acoustic balance, so as a solution for this we integrated the lowered ceiling into the acoustic shape and mirrored it on the opposite side of the room. After that we could build up the heavy stone front wall for the Genelec main system to complete the whole acoustic room shape.”

The system in question comprises a pair of 1034B main studio monitors with a 7073A subwoofer. “This is the perfect main monitor system for getting the best out of this room,” explains Morel, adding “I am still overwhelmed by the beauty and harmony of the room: the ambiance is amazing and the sound is brilliant. This certainly is a room where you can work for a full day without getting tired.”

Hardwell himself comments that “The whole room is one giant sweet spot - no matter where you are in the room, the sound doesn’t change.”

Moving on from this, the next collaboration will see Morel create a holiday studio for Hardwell on the Caribbean island of Curacao. Following the success of his home studio in Breda, Genelec will once again be at the heart of this new facility, with 1237A smart active studio monitors being specified along with a pair of 7370A subwoofers. “For me, when it comes to main monitoring systems there are no other alternatives now to the Genelec 1200 series,” he states. “They have all the qualities that you look for, such as high definition right across the frequency range and full dynamics at every level.”

With construction of this third facility underway (and we’ll bring you more news as soon as the project is completed), the relationship between Morel, Hardwell and Genelec looks to be going from strength to strength. “We will always work to deliver a final result that is beyond expectation and matches his number one status,” concludes Morel.

Genelec 1237s were the best fit considering they are known to be rock solid with good low end performance.

TAG is a long-term dream of founders Jayakrishnan Nalinkumar, Anupam Sathe and Omkar Tamhan. “I have known the partners at TAG for a while, so when they planned their facility, they called me to discuss possible solutions for monitoring and other equipment,” recalled Shiv Sood of Sound Team, Genelec’s distributor in India. “They were looking for a pair of main monitors that could be flush mounted, but due to the size restriction of the room they were looking for something small in size but powerful. Genelec 1237s were the best fit considering they are known to be rock solid with good low end performance.”

The decision to go with Genelec for Studio C was an easy one for the TAG team. “All the founding partners have been long-time users of Genelec systems in their respective studios and homes,” revealed Sood. “They were very confident to go for Genelec systems when they decided to build their large stereo control room, due to their familiarity with the sound that they produce.”

GLM has helped to flatten a few problematic frequencies to get a near flat response.

A further advantage to selecting the 1237 monitors is Genelec’s GLM calibration software. “GLM has been very helpful in their setup. The rooms, even though beautifully built, had minor acoustical challenges,” explained Sood. “GLM has helped to flatten a few problematic frequencies to get a near flat response.”

Equally important has been the way the software has been used to enhance the engineer’s workspace. “They invested in the first SSL Origin console to come to India for Studio C,” explains Sood. “Having a large format analogue desk is a great thing for TAG but also brings some challenges. GLM’s multi-point calibration proved to be really helpful as it was able to widen the sweet spot across the desk.”

The challenges of launching just before India went into its first Covid lockdown has meant TAG has needed to innovate to make it through a difficult period. However, as it looks to welcome the first students through its doors, the decision to use Genelec monitors for the flagship space is one the founders are clearly happy with.

“We have been constantly in touch with the team at TAG and they are extremely happy with the pair of 1237s in the room,” said Sood. “After we finished the final round of calibrations, the founders specifically commented on the great and tight low end response of the 1237s and the high SPL they pack into such a small form factor.”