Located in Milan, Molok Studios is a prominent multilingual game, movie and digital localization and post-production company. Observing the trend of games moving towards spatial audio environments, Molok created two Genelec-powered 7.1.4 rooms, becoming the first Dolby Atmos gaming studio in Italy. “We knew Atmos was going to be released and made available on PS5 and consoles, and we thought, ‘no one is taking advantage of this, so let’s make it happen!’” said Molok’s Chief Executive Officer Andrea De Cunto.
In need of a seamless monitoring solution compatible with Atmos, De Cunto says Genelec was the obvious choice. Chief Audio Engineer Samuele Daccò led the project, ensuring the studio’s design met Atmos specifications to create a 7.1.4 system in Molok’s two control rooms. “Genelec was our first choice when we designed the rooms, and we just needed to choose the models and think about what would sound better for us and our needs,” Daccò said. “The translation works perfectly in our rooms.”
Genelec monitors have been a mainstay in Molok’s audio production, starting with the ultra-compact 8010 nearfield model. “I first encountered Genelec monitors when I started engineering in 2018, and in a lot of studios I’ve worked in, there’s usually the 8010,” Daccò said. “They’re very popular in Italy — it’s hard not to spot them.”
Mortal Kombat characters
The newly built studio complex comprises six recording rooms and two immersive control rooms, Scorpion and Sub Zero, named after Mortal Kombat characters. Both rooms have an identical Atmos design with inverted color schemes. For the new control rooms, Molok turned to a 7.1.4 Genelec Smart Active Monitoring solution. Both Scorpion and Sub Zero feature three coaxial three-way 8351s in the L-C-R positions, with 8340 two-way for the surround and height channels and a 7380 subwoofer for low frequencies.
“Molok’s twin spaces have asymmetrical colors and identical acoustic and technological performance,” said Cecilia Torracchi, acoustic and civil engineer and partner at Studio Sound Service, who worked closely with Molok on the design. “We were happy to know that the initial choice was Genelec because we know the products very well. We’d already designed many Dolby Atmos rooms with Genelec and the results have always been excellent.”
For this project, we tried to respect these human features, so the rooms have simple geometries but a lot of character; their style reflects the technological state of the art
Cecilia Torracchi, acoustic and civil engineer and partner at Studio Sound Service
Transitioning to 7.1.4 systems has transformed the studio’s audio production approach, enabling immersive experiences that translate across various playback systems. “It’s so cool to work with Atmos – and by integrating Genelec, it creates a whole new world for us,” Daccò said. “The end user’s game experience can be similar to our mixing room — with different playback levels — but the immersive level of the mixing has changed everything for us.”
Well-prepared to meet new standards
With PS5 and other consoles adopting Atmos and many game titles supporting the format, Molok is well-prepared to meet new standards. “We’ve had brilliant vertical growth in the last few years and we only see that increasing, as we start to really utilize Dolby and see its full capability,” De Cunto said. “Thanks to the new studios, it feels like we’re at the right place, at the right time.”
“Working for the Molok guys was very nice; they’re among the kindest and most enthusiastic clients we’ve ever had, and it was a pleasure to see their satisfaction at the end of the project,” Torracchi said. “For this project, we tried to respect these human features, so the rooms have simple geometries but a lot of character; their style reflects the technological state of the art. When we discovered the guys had named the new rooms after Mortal Kombat characters, we went crazy; it sounded perfect.”
Molok Studios aims to expand its use of Atmos beyond gaming to music and home entertainment, targeting a global market. “We’re trying to expand our reach with our focus on sound effects and Atmos mixing,” De Cunto said. “Our goal is to explore new frontiers and deliver immersive audio experiences beyond the gaming realm on a global scale.”
