Four new consoles, Dante infrastructure, and an update to Dolby Atmos
Focused on offering a highly effective blend of academic and hands-on practical learning, Buckinghamshire New University provides students with a number of impressive state-of-the-art facilities. As audio technology trends and specifications have changed in the working world, Buckinghamshire New University saw the need to invest in updating their current studios. The university worked closely with HHB Communications to outline how to update and upgrade Studios 1 and 3 along with two editing suites. HHB provided the new equipment, installation services and training.
“We have a long relationship with BNU and were pleased to once again to be working with the university,” commented Andrew Hingley, Sales Manager at HHB. “Knowing that so many facilities are upgrading to Dolby Atmos it is exciting to help BNU embrace this format and support students as they prepare for their future careers.”
Senior Lecturer Dr Gerard Gormley said: “We are extremely excited by the recent installation of a Dolby Atmos system in one of our recording studios. It is a burgeoning technology, and the recent acquisition puts us in a prime position to teach our students about the latest innovative developments in the world of audio, which will better prepare them for new roles within the creative industries once they graduate.”
Studio 1 underwent the most extensive improvements and updates. One of the main reasons for the considerable changes is that the room upgraded from 5.1 to 7.1.4, the Dolby HE Atmos specification. The room required a Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit as well as a playback system capable of Atmos 85dB SPL. Naturally, this update expanded the room’s monitoring system which HHB had supplied 12 years ago. This is a surround sound array of Genelec Smart 8250A and 7271A speakers. The update added two 8350A for the additional surround and four 8340As for the ceiling speakers. The Genelec GLM set up kit works with all generations of Genelec Smart speakers and allowed the whole array to be setup and aligned by HHB’s technical support team. The studio’s D-command was replaced with a powerful 32 fader Avid Pro Tools | S6 console. To tie it all together, Audinate’s Dante AoIP protocol was implemented as a solution for better connecting the equipment in the studio and expanded the interoperability across multiple studios.
Third-year student, Sophia Sanghera, said: “Having the suite at the university has enhanced both my learning and development as an aspiring producer as using the latest industry standard equipment provides me with the tools and experience I need to keep up with the developing industry. Working within Dolby Atmos has allowed me to take my creativity to the next level and experience the best there is to offer in the increasingly popular realm of immersive sound.”
During this time, Studio 3 and two editing suites were also upgraded. The C24 in Studio 3 was replaced by an Avid Pro Tools | S4 console, one of the latest to be released by Avid. Two Avid | S3s were provided for the editing suites, ensuring that the students were working on the latest pro audio consoles.
“This project was interesting from the beginning due to the complexity and time critical aspect of the request,” says Andrew Hingley. “Our team worked quickly to ensure the project was finished before the start of the academic year. It was our pleasure to have the rooms ready and the staff trained in time for the students to make use of the rooms.”
