Iconic studio embraces Dolby Atmos with Genelec

Stockholm’s Atlantis Studios has been attracting some of the biggest names in music for decades. With its extensive collection of vintage equipment, original echo chambers and high-quality musical instruments, the former cinema has played host to a who’s who of Nordic legends, including ABBA, The Hives, Cardigans and Roxette and celebrated international acts, including Quincy Jones, Green Day, Elvis Costello and Primal Scream. It is now embracing all the potential of modern music production with a Dolby Atmos mixing room outfitted with Genelec The Ones Smart Active Monitors.

“The latest upgrade saw us install a 7.1.4 system,” explains mix engineer Stefan Boman. “I was keen on doing that because I did some stuff in 5.1, but that never really took off as there weren’t any proper platforms. I wanted to get into Atmos because I could see the trends and the investment behind it.”

With his decision to embrace the Atmos standard, the project progressed rapidly. “We decided to invest in Atmos, and I heard that Dolby was coming over here to do some work – so I decided that we must be equipped for immersive by then,” recalls Boman. “We had to do it within a week and a half, so I called in favors from builders. There were some really late nights, but it worked out pretty well.”

The upgrade process

The upgrade process saw the transformation of the mix room from one created with 5.1 in mind to a fully immersive space certified by Dolby. “Obviously, for 7.1.4, we needed to add more speakers,” explains Boman. “We worked out the best possible places for the monitors in the room, installed them and then calibrated the space with the help of Dolby engineers to gain the certification. We couldn’t have planned it any better.”

Boman has been using Genelec since the mid-90s. “I’ve had Genelec monitors for a long time; they fit my ears,” he smiles. “When I first heard The Ones, I was so impressed with the definition. On most speakers, you can hear it’s to the left or right, but on these, you can locate sounds with such precision — you can say things like ‘it’s 5 degrees to the left’! I was just blown away; I could hear the pan definition. That really helps in an Atmos room.”

On most speakers, you can hear it’s to the left or right, but on these, you can locate sounds with such precision — you can say things like ‘it’s 5 degrees to the left’!

Mix engineer Stefan Boman

The monitor mix

Atlantis Studios deploys The Ones family of coaxial three-way point source monitors, specifically the 8351s for the L-C-R positions, 8341s for the surrounds and 8331s for the ceiling channels, all complemented by a 7370 subwoofer. “I really like it,” says Boman about mixing on his new Atmos system. “It’s natural sounding, and I never get surprised when I bring tracks home or listen somewhere else. I just hear the mix decisions I made.”

 Shortly after the new room’s completion, Per from Roxette requested a complete remix of the band’s biggest hits. “It was a good first real Atmos gig,” says Boman. The Atmos work is now growing. “I think these days, around 80% of the things I do are Atmos,” says Boman. “I wanted to be involved in Atmos early on, so I didn’t have to get on board later when everyone is doing it. It turned out to be a good move. I’m happy with the results, and it has been a good decision both artistically and financially.”