Jamdub SoundLabs Installs Dolby 7.1.4 Speaker Setup

ProMusicals deploys an immersive solution to the Chennai-based Jamdub SoundLabs with a comprehensive Dolby 7.1.4 setup

Published in November-December 2021 Issue

Jamdub SoundLabs enhances its audio setup with Pulz Electronics to enable Dolby Atmos mixing. All speakers are powered by Pulz amplifiers

Located in the quiet suburbs of Thoraipakkam, Chennai, Jamdub SoundLabs provides end-to-end post-production solutions to artists from the music and film industry with a unique experience. Established in 2019, by KP Krishnan, the studio envisages the inorganic growth and demand for digital audio and video solutions amongst the traditional industry as well as the newer OTT platforms and streaming services.
“Artists and engineers can avail a plethora of state-of-the-art facilities to meet their audiovisual recording and post-production needs. The studio houses a live stage with lighting and camera equipment, providing artists with the opportunity to stream concerts in a professional setup,” said KP Krishnan, Owner, Jamdub SoundLabs. Serving as a mini production house for various platforms, it consists of a creative room and a writer’s room to ensure a creative space for artists.
The SoundLabs consists of two audio studios, one designed for surround sound that caters to recording, dubbing, and
another for mixing requirements. The studio floor can also be set up as a mini stage, allowing for the recording of full-fledged audiovisual productions like concerts and broadcasts. The visual post-production facilities include an edit suite as well as a DI and color grading suite.

Jamdub also has a dedicated visual production facility like DI coloring and live to broadcast, ensuring every aspect of the production is taken care of in-house. All the facilities are available for hire, offering AV professionals the highest quality industry-standard production solution.

Surround sound is the next big thing due to spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. Lately, Dolby Atmos has been a gamechanger in the film industry. The 7.14 setup has gained popularity among engineers involved in post-production, making it the next big thing after the 7.1 setups. Jamdub SoundLabs aimed to find a cost-effective hybrid audio studio solution for music and film mixes and reached out to ProMusicals.

“The idea of this studio began as a friendly chat between ProMusicals and the owners of Jamdub SoundLabs. having assisted in most of their audio requirements. It was only a matter of trust, promptness, and the after-sales support provided by ProMusicals that led Jamdub SoundLabs to go with our recommendation of speakers for their Dolby project after an intensive recce of studios and theaters using Pulz Electronics in Mumbai, “said Vivin Kuruvilla, Marketing Head, ProMusicals.

At the heart of the main studio is the Raven MTI2 console from Slate Technologies, much to the delight of audio engineers in the region. Complementing the multi-touch console is a 7.1.4 studio speaker setup from Pulz Electronics, keeping in mind the growing demand for Dolby Atmos mixing and mastering facilities in the city.

In September 2021, the project commenced, followed up by demos and site visits in Mumbai. Project execution for speaker installation and calibration was carried out in November and completed within two weeks of delivery. “Our teams partnered together to ensure state-of-the-art audio quality that could cater to the needs of the industries and ensure the best value for money, “ said Vivin.

“Setting up a full-fledged surround studio during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging. Inclement weather caused by unprecedented rains in Chennai caused delays during the construction phase. The main issue faced during the installation was the proper setup of the Intonato monitor control system. Setting up a Dolby Atmos surround studio with a passive speaker system also posed its limitations, which got subjugated using creative solutions,” he adds.

The bass management system was configured to meet the audio standards preferred by the Bollywood industry. However, with a large part of the clientele renting the studio for South Indian music and film productions, this posed a unique challenge. As a result, ProMusicals had to ensure that they approached this system in a manner that would meet their requirements without compromising on audio quality.

The architecture boasts a simple and intuitive experience for sound engineers. The studio facilitates state-ofthe- art Neve preamps and a Focusrite Redline 16 sound card powered by Dante to provide high-quality inputs. The brainchild of the studio is the Raven Core Station multi-touch console, running ProTools and other DAWs to ensure a seamless workflow. The JBL Intonato 24 monitor console handles the output distribution, routing the signals to the Pulz Electronics amplifier rack that fires the Pulz Electronics surround speakers. The studio is also equipped with Focal monitors for stereo mixes, providing engineers with a plethora of options to get the best output.

Pulz Electronics CX10 SMP passive for LCR speakers, there are two rear surrounds, two sides surround speakers, and four additional Pulz Electronics ES8 speakers for overhead speakers installed that enable Dolby Atmos mixing. All these speakers are powered by a pair of Pulz Electronics PZ6300 amplifiers.

The Pulz Electronics Aerowave QSUB 118C provides the LFE response in this studio. A pair of Focal Trio 6BE monitors are configured for stereo outputs, and the subwoofer installed is powered by the PZ2800 amplifier in the bridge mono configuration. The software end of the audio setup is equipped, with plugins from Universal Audio, with hardware support from the Apollo x8 audio interface. The virtual instruments and other plugins from Native Instruments ensure a multitude of options for engineers. The studio is equipped with multiple DAWs including, ProTools Ultimate, Logic Pro X, and Cubase, making it a versatile platform for audio and video post-production requirements.

The studio’s recent post-production work done in Dolby is for the upcoming Karthik Subbaraj movie Mahaan, starring Chiyaan Vikram. “Dolby was a guiding light right from the get-go. We would like to mention Hareendranath Dwarak and Bhaskar Pal for ensuring ample technical support at every step of the way. We would also like to thank Edwin Wilson, who provided us with the speaker positioning design using the DARDT tool available on the Dolby website. Their expertise and timely advice ensured a hassle-free setup with minimal issues,” concludes Vivin.