Spain’s La Casamurada residential studio has expanded its monitoring capabilities with a pair of Genelec’s The Ones 8361 three-way coaxial monitor loudspeakers.
Located in Penedès, Spain, the facility promises ‘a unique experience’ for artists, exploiting the acoustic of its historic location in a former wine cellar at the base of a defensive tower in a 12th century fortified farmhouse, paired with a thoroughly modern technical environment.
In 2007, Jesús Rovira, bassist and composer for Catalan rock band Lax ’n’ Busto, decided that the acoustics made the cellar perfect for recording, and set about creating a space that would give musicians everything they need from a residential studio, while also respecting the original fabric of the building. ‘We use the new Genelec 8361s for recording – their primary use – and mixing,’ Rovira explains. ‘We’re very satisfied with their performance; in fact, all the engineers who have been in the studio since the 61s were purchased have been very pleased and have told me so in no uncertain terms.
The monitors share studio space with a 48-channels Neve 5106 mixing console, and 24-bit Pro Tools DAW and 24-track Studer 2-inch recording options.
‘The new monitors tell you crystal clear what’s going on and how to resolve it in your recordings and mixes,’ he adds. ‘The feeling of stereo and 3D depth is beautiful.’
To get the most out of its new system, La Casamurada also used the calibration capabilities of Genelec’s GLM loudspeaker manager software, working with Roberto López from Audio-Technica, Genelec’s distributor in Spain, to ensure that the monitors were optimised for the acoustics of the room.
‘The acoustic treatment in the room is excellent, so once we’d analysed the system’s performance with GLM all that was required was some very minor adjustment in the LF region below 100Hz,’ López says. ‘Overall, the response is smooth and flat, and this combination of an excellent room and a great pair of monitors really does produce mixes you can trust. Jesús is planning to move the 8361s from the console meter bridge to floor stands, and then all that’s required is a simple recalibration. The flexibility that GLM gives you makes life so easy.’
The new monitoring has seen action for numerous sessions in the first few months since the addition of the 8361s. The artists that have benefitted from the new set-up include Ciudad Jara, with the Santos and Fluren production team, Despistaos with Tato Latorre, a jazz production with the Joan Claver Trio, Los Telepáticos with Ricky Falkner and Jordi Mora, and Mi Capitán, a band that includes members of Standstill, Egon Soda and Love of Lesbian.
‘I’m very happy with these monitors,’ Rovira concludes. ‘In fact, I’ve already recommended them to quite a few people. Everything seems to indicate that it’s been a good investment.’
