Sixième Son recently upgraded the studio at its French headquarters to a 5.1 setup based around Genelec Smart Active Monitors.
The sonic branding agency launched in 1995. It aims to “strategically reinforce brand recognition and enhances the customer experience specifically through sound, music and voice.”
With a team of composers and sound designers, the company has tailor-made audio identities for over 400 clients, including global brands such as Krug, Samsung, Renault and Coca Cola.
Genelec says its relationship with Sixième Son goes way back. Both as a long-term user and also the company behind Genelec’s own sonic identity. So when the agency decided to update its studio monitors, it once again reached out to the Finnish monitor manufacturer.
Technical Requests
“Although our equipment was high quality, we had some very technical requests and needed state-of-the-art monitors,” recalls Ella Duda, international strategy director at Sixième Son.
“We were using older Genelec models, which served us incredibly well. So it was only natural that we sought out new monitors from the same brand.”
As part of the upgrade, the studio moved from a 2.1 solution to a 5.1 setup. This comprised three 8341A coaxial three-way monitors as LCR and a pair of the 8331A coaxial models for the surrounds and a 7370A subwoofer for low frequencies.
According to Genelec, the project moved ahead accordingly until it came up against the recent health challenges. The new monitors arrived in France just as the country went into a national lockdown. Studio Manager Romain Morlat received special permission to test the new equipment to ensure everything was in order. But the installation had to wait until the country emerged from lockdown.
As soon as the country began to get back on its feet, Morlat set to work with the installation and commissioning of the new system with Genelec’s GLM calibration software playing an important role.
The new solution is now installed and people are returning to a safe working environment. The agency says its team is quickly adapting the new monitoring setup. “The precision that the solution gives us in terms of frequency and depth, is incredible,” Duda added.
“It’s a great feeling and a milestone for us.” Reflecting on the project as a whole, the entire team is clearly happy to have the 5.1 setup. They believe it will serve Sixième Son well through its continued growth,” concluded Duda.
