WSDG has completed a ‘transformative acoustic treatment project’ for Headstart Records, a premier classical music production company located in Vienna.
‘Our goal is never just about acoustic treatment – it’s about creating an environment where artists can truly hear their vision,’ WSDG Partner and General Manager Europe Dirk Noy qualifies. ‘Here we were able to craft a space where every subtle nuance of classical music can breathe and be fully expressed. From our first meeting, we knew this was going to be something special.’
Having worked with the Arditti Quartet, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Vienna Philharmonic, and collaborated with the Deutsche Grammophon and Decca Classics labels, Headstart Records’ studio has become a hub for classical music recording and production.
Founders Benedikt David and Ina Nikolow share a remarkable professional journey, having both pursued the Tonmeister programme at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, with additional practical training at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada.
‘There are so many different line-ups in terms of genres and instrumentation in our field,’ David explains.’ The music only truly comes to life in a suitable acoustic, that’s why we take our recording equipment to places that fit perfectly for the ensemble and their musical vision. With this approach, we can easily record in any location, whether it’s a concert hall, a church or a theatre, and of course without compromising on technical quality.’
One day of recording typically requires multiple days of postproduction, involving meticulous editing, mixing and mastering. ‘Postproduction is a big part of what we do,’ says David. ‘For mixing and mastering, we needed a control room we really can rely on, because what we hear as the reference is what the label is publishing at the end of the process.’
Meeting these requirements calls for both excellent acoustics and outstanding loudspeakers. ‘Unlike hi-fi speakers, which often prioritise a pleasing sound, reference monitors must offer uncompromising accuracy, neutrality and detail,’ says David. ‘In this respect, the PSI Audio A25-M proved exceptional, reproducing sound sources of any scale, from solo instruments to large symphony orchestras. The stereo imaging and spatial depth are remarkably three-dimensional, with great clarity and realism.
‘What stood out most was the fatigue-free listening experience they offer. Even during long sessions, we’re able to maintain full focus and make confident, critical decisions.’
For the acoustic treatment, Headstart Records turned to WSDG, a company they knew from work in other Viennese studios. ‘When I worked at Sunshine Mastering that was designed by WSDG, I was impressed by the acoustical clarity – I could hear everything very detailed which made my work a lot easier,’ David says.
The project duly presented unique challenges. Located within a residential apartment, the room required specialised acoustic treatment while maintaining the structural conditions of the historic building. ‘We needed a space that felt comfortable from both an acoustic and aesthetic point of view,’ Nikolow explains.
The WSDG team and Vienna-based Mario Reithofer, who handled Business Development, approached the project with precision and creativity: ‘From the first meeting with WSDG, we got the feeling that Dirk [Noy] and Gabriel [Hauser a Partner at Director of Acoustics] really understood what we do and what we need for our work,’ David says. ‘This is always important from a customer’s point of view, because the moment you mandate a company to plan your control room, you don’t know what the result will be. In this case, the trust we built with WSDG from the start served as a calming influence and formed the basis of a constructive process. We knew the company had experience in the classical field, and this was very important to us.’
‘We imagined a clean but homelike space with a beautiful, unimpeded design where we are able to work long hours, where the technical elements fade into the background, and our work as artists comes into the foreground,’ Nikolow says.
The studio features warm materials, with wooden wall diffusers that are both acoustically functional and visually appealing. A floating second ceiling reduces first-order sound reflections, while storage spaces are hidden behind walls and diffusers both to the front and rear of the mixing position.
‘We had to store a lot of equipment and documents,’ David says. ‘That was maybe the most challenging aspect – to make the acoustical treatment effective and beautiful, while having lots of available storage built into the design. We sent some sketches back and forth, with different variations on the balance of acoustic treatment and storage, but we ultimately decided that acoustics should be the priority.’
The acoustic treatment focuses on critical listening parameters for classical music production, providing a precise spatial evaluation of the soundstage and accurate depth placement of sound sources – both key requirements for David and Nikolow’s work. And the transformation has been dramatic…
‘The upgrade was much bigger than we expected,’ David enthuses. ‘The spatial sound reproduction is significantly more detailed now. With that level of detail, it’s like looking through a magnifying glass and it feels like my ears got a major update. Now I can spot elements that I couldn’t notice before.’
‘The feedback from artists has also been very positive,’ Nikolow adds.