Tokyo’s Pentangle Studio has upgraded its monitoring system to support 7.1.4 immersive audio using Genelec Smart Active Monitors, GLM calibration software and the 9320A Reference Controller. The new set-up allows stereo, immersive and headphone workflows within a compact but highly controlled acoustic space.
Founded in 2017, Pentangle Studio was originally designed as a place to both mix and experiment by veteran Japanese engineer, Masahito Tobisawa. With the rising popularity of spatial formats like Apple Music and Sony 360 Reality Audio, Tobisawa saw the need to future-proof his workflow.
Initially sceptical of active monitors, Tobisawa had a change of heart after trialling the Genelec 8020 close-field models and later, 8341A. ‘It sounded like a direct line to the sound I had in mind,’ he says.
The new monitoring system includes eleven Genelec 8330As, two 8341As, a 7350Asubwoofer, and full digital signal routing via the 9301B interface. 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,’ Tobisawa says. ‘Before, when I had to stop and adjust things, I’d lose the feel of the mix. This set-up 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 being symmetrically placed, 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,’ Tobisawa says. ‘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.’
After careful tuning, however, he 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 enthuses. ‘I’m building sound in different dimensions, and everything flows. I can already see how this will shape my next ideas.’
More: www.genelec.com