Prestigious Studio in the heart of Paris features architectural acoustics and custom-designed ‘Mains’ speakers by Amadeus
Amadeus custom designed Mains speakers featured in Paris' Studios de la Chine
Matching the pristine analog sound of Studios de la Chine’s wrap-around 72-fader ‘SSL 9072 J’ console are the soffit-mounted speaker mains custom designed by Amadeus. While Amadeus is highly regarded as a leading manufacturer of live and installed sound equipment, the company also boasts a top team of designers that work with large commercial studios to offer them custom speaker designs for each specific control room space. Amadeus’ Michel DELUC designed the one-of-a-kind speakers for the main control room at Paris’ Studios de la Chine working with studio owner Hubert MONTOYA. Located on a quiet street in the 20th Arrondissement, local mix engineers are calling it the ‘Best studio in Paris.’
“The philosophy of Studios de la Chine was largely inspired by Chinese philosophy,” reveals Hubert MONTOYA. “It is based on this concept, unique to the Oriental way of thinking, that tends to consider duality as complimentary. It is this particular idea we wanted to express in an essentially ‘mixed creation’ space, reflecting a perfect balance between the best aspects of two worlds: analog and digital.”
At Amadeus headquarters in Paris, part of the focus of its engineering department is on ‘architectural acoustics’ for large commercial studios and the types of custom monitors they require. In the case of Studios de la Chine, Michel DELUC was charged with designing a custom pair of wall-mounted speakers that fit the room both in style and sound, along with designing the acoustics for the control room to make sure the mixing position was balanced for all frequencies with the Amadeus speakers. Much of the acoustical work was done before the speaker design to ensure a balanced and cohesive approach. “The acoustical research and conceptualization department has a fundamental importance in our company,” explains Michel DELUC. “There have been many, many custom designs and collaborations over the past 20 years, and some of them are still amazing acoustic examples, considering the complexity of the problems to be solved and the high quality of the solutions.”
Engineers working at the Studios de la Chine are already raving about its sonic qualities, “The main control room fulfills every need of the even the most demanding sound engineers,” says mix engineer Pascal GARNON (AIR, Martin SOLVEIG…) about Studios de la Chine. “It offers extreme precision in both its acoustics and monitoring, and this makes it the best mixing studio in Paris!”
“I come to Studios de la Chine for the precision and tonal balance of the acoustics. The large custom monitors developed by Amadeus are simply amazing,” adds Jim POITEVIN (Michel JONASZ, Alain CHAMFORT…). Several recent projects mixed by Jim POITVIN at Studios de la Chine include the upcoming album from French composer-songwriter, singer and actor, Michel JONASZ. He also mixed the “Hier Encore” musical TV shows, which were recorded in the oldest – and world-famous – music hall in Paris, The Olympia. The TV show recordings feature Patrick BRUEL, Tal, Charles AZNAVOUR, Lara FABIAN, Andrea BOCELLI, Anggun, Pascal OBISPO, and many other major stars. The show was mixed by Jim POITEVIN at the Studios de la Chine, and was co-produced by one of the best-known singers in the world, Charles AZNAVOUR, and broadcast on the French public national television channel, France 2.
Gaetan BYK, Marketing Manager at Amadeus, elaborates on the Company’s mission, “Our experience in working with architectural acoustics and custom monitoring system development for audio production applications, such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios, and radio studios – where accurate reproduction of the tonal qualities of the source audio is so crucial – allow us to develop Amadeus speaker systems that are increasingly transparent, to the point of being only an invisible ‘point’ of sound in the room.”
Studio owner Hubert MONTOYA points out that the Amadeus speakers make his studios unique. “The Studios de la Chine were built around three main components,” he explains. “The unique acoustical properties of the different spaces, notably the 46-square meter control room. The famous SSL 9072 J mixing console, which is the only one in France, and last but most importantly, the Amadeus monitoring system, that was custom-made for the Studios de la Chine venue.”
More compliments come from Leonard RAPONI, record producer, arranger and music conductor (Gilbert BÉCAUD, Sheila, Charles AZNAVOUR, Michel DELPECH, Richard CLAYDERMAN…), he recalls, “A few months ago, I discovered the Studios de la Chine recording and mixing studios, equipped with Amadeus custom studio monitors. I recorded a few projects recently that reconcile my way of thinking with huge studio monitors, usually flattering and tiring. The Amadeus custom speaker system at Studios de la Chine offer a magnificent sonic definition that allows me to perceive micro-details and a real tonal accuracy, across the bandwidth, even below 70 dB. These custom monitors are really sweet and enjoyable, regardless the music genres. Amazing, Amadeus!”
Michel DELUC continues, “We approach each project from a wholly unique angle. I love to decrypt a space, to start from a blank page, without any assumptions or vested interests, and to think of the way to put a work in a context that suits the value, the positioning and the philosophy of the place, to, in the end, present the best sound reproduction possible.”
Noting the details of creating the custom mains speakers for Studios de la Chine, Michel DELUC explains, “It took us a long time and lots of experimentation to find the perfect construction technique, which is extremely complex, and results from the combination of the materials used and the skills of the craftsmen at Amadeus. Each custom studio monitor is built around a unique internal reinforcement structure, designed to neutralize any ‘standing waves’ and to suppress energy loss caused by vibrations. Each speaker’s multi-layer panels combine a subtle blend of woods, high-density bitumen, ‘elastomers’ (polymers) and mineral fillers.”
The speaker components themselves are also a carefully chosen combination, and feature some of the audio industry’s best examples of audio reproduction innovations, “The system is equipped with one 1-inch dome tweeter made of a 99% pure beryllium diaphragm and a large roll surround, improving the perception of transients and other micro details in the audio; one 3-inch ATC soft dome mid-range driver which combines high sensitivity with extremely low distortion; and one 15-inch low-frequency TAD direct radiating woofer, which features a cone diaphragm made of a tough and lightweight material that is capable of withstanding high amplitude levels without deformation,” says Michel DELUC.
“The speaker’s frequency response ranges from 28 Hz to 30 000 Hz,” states Michel DELUC. “This 3-way monitoring system is driven by a proprietary tri-amped power amplifier section, which uses a high efficiency, full resonance, switched-mode power supply. The amplifier includes a built-in DSP module, with digital filtering functions such as system EQ, time alignment between HF and LF sections, limiter parameters, thermal protection of the transducers, and more.”
Studios interested in getting their own custom speakers designed can contact Amadeus for further information at info@amadeusaudio.fr or visit their website at: http://www.amadeusaudio.fr
About Amadeus
Amadeus develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of high-end sound reinforcement loudspeakers, studio monitors and various signal processing interfaces that combine its own custom innovative technology with stylish design, for the professional audio industry. Created in 1992 from the collaboration between the French designer Bernard BYK and the scientist Michel DELUC, the Amadeus brand has grown to become a leading supplier of high-end audio solutions and services for theaters, opera houses, recording studios, research centers and touring concert sound rental operations. All development and product manufacturing is centralized in Atelier 33 headquarters in France, with field offices and authorized distributors located in Europe, Asia and UAE.
Contact Amadeus at info@amadeusaudio.fr for purchasing information. Or visit http://www.amadeusaudio.fr
About Atelier 33
Founded in 1977 by Bernard BYK, Atelier 33 pioneered reusable packaging in France, and is now the premiere French flight case maker, historically and in terms of production volume. Atelier 33 also has its own electro-acoustic research department, mainly dedicated to architectural acoustics for recording studios, theaters, opera houses and concert halls. The Atelier 33 company expanded its activities in 1992 by creating an innovative new product line including speakers, allying unique acoustical properties, a pristine sound image and very high timbral precision, sold under the Amadeus commercial brand.
More information is about Atelier 33 is available by visiting http://www.atelier33.fr
Amadeus is a registered trademarks of Atelier 33, SA. All rights reserved. Patents pending. All other registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
