20 l January 2014
www.psneurope.com
studioreport BELGIUM
Reclame spotlights century milestone for iDeal Acoustics
The refurbishment and upgrade of a leading recording studio and control room on the outskirts of Antwerp marks iDeal Acoustics’ 100th project in five years, notes Marc Maes
SPOTLIGHT RECLAME started as a studio in 1987. Propelled by the explosive growth of commercial radio stations, owner Bart Picard entered the radio scene in 1979 and started to make commercials in 1985 when these local stations where allowed to put publicity on air. “At the time we had a two-track Tascam tape machine, and quite basic acoustics,” says Picard. “But the studio has grown along with the market, and we continuously invested in new gear.” In 1993 Spotlight Reclame
switched to the digital domain, starting with Avid’s Session 8 recording software which evolved into a complete Pro Tools set up. Seven years ago, Spotlight Reclame last upgraded its equipment with a newer PT system and IT configuration. Twelve months ago, Picard decided to overhaul the complete
Main Spotlight Reclame studio, refurbished by Ideal Acoustics
studio environment. His first step was to talk to studio consultancy iDeal Acoustics to measure the control room. “We drew up a complete new project, with the results of a new acoustic design,” says Matthias Aerts of iDeal. “The acoustics of a control room are crucial and sometimes a bit underestimated.
We put in place Jocavi acoustic panels – they combine affordable acoustic treatment with an attractive design (one of the panels has the studio logo printed on it). The most important quality of these ATP and Jocavi panels is that the client knows exactly what the result will sound like.”
In the same move, Picard also decided to replace the existing Pro Tools software with a Nuendo 6 package, operating with two RME ADI8QS converters and a Grimm Audio CC-1 Master clock. “The system is very open and requires no additional hardware investments,” he explains. “The Grimm Audio clock is the heart of the configuration , which further includes Equator Q10 & Eve SC204 monitors, and a wide range of processors like Charter Oak SCL-1, and PEQ-1, a double Radial Workhorse with 500 modules, compressors and equalisers including Maag, ShadowHills and Lindell Audio 7X-EQ & PEX Compressor.” In addition to the new configuration, iDeal Audio also designed and provided Spotlight’s new studio furniture. “We made sure that the (custom
Bart Picard (front) and Matthias Aerts in the Spotlight control room
built) furniture was completely acoustically transparent, with incorporated Stirling modular racks,” continues Aerts. Picard is confident that the
renewed studio-scape will keep Spotlight Studio on the edge; at the time of writing – with some 60% assignments for radio commercial production and the remainder being post-production, IVR telephone messages, corporate marketing and audio instruction guides – the studio’s agenda is booked up solid. For iDeal Acoustics, the complete refurbishment of the Spotlight Reclame studio, marks the company’s hundredth project. Launched little more than five years ago, iDeal Acoustics has been carrying out assignments for clients such as broadcaster VMMa (Q-music & Joe FM radio & production studios), Triggerfinger’s Red Tape studio, Little Major mastering, Wouter Van Belle’s Powertone facility and AT-8 Recording studio. The nice thing about this
project is that we could really start from scratch and rethink the whole room, lighting and furniture included – we took care of the complete workflow,” enthuses Aerts. “The future is looking bright,
for 2014,” he concludes. “I recently recruited two staffers and will add another next summer.”
www.spotlight.be www.idealaudio.be
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