The Ultimate Monitoring Experience
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The Ultimate Monitoring Experience Revolutionary Monitoring Solution …With Any Monitors “Awesome” Elliot Scheiner – Engineer (Foo Fighters, The Eagles, Steely Dan) Willisoundz II, Nashville, TN 2 There is no more important element in a control room than accurate monitoring. “The PhantomFocus™ System Our experience implementing dozens and dozens of PhantomFocus Systems in every imaginable (PFS™) addresses the sonic control room environment – from bedrooms to response of the Acoustic Trinity™ million-dollar recording complexes of our own — the relationship between the design or others’ – has taught us this: Great Yes Master mastering, Nashville, TN, speakers in a great room do not equal great with Lipinski monitors in a Mid–Field speaker, the listener and the room monitoring. PhantomFocus System — as a single entity, as if it were a new speaker being designed on a The PhantomFocus System is a The award–winning Blue Grotto, Nashville, TN, with Dynaudio M3 and test bench in an audio lab, custom turnkey solution for M1 monitors in a Dual PhantomFocus rendering the ultimate monitoring studios desiring the highest level System experience. Attempting to of monitoring accuracy in their optimize these three elements control room environment – any independently rather than by environment – any speakers! their sum in a monitoring system, Utilizing an amalgam of techniques, is tantamount to acoustic sacrilege proprietary protocols, hardware and software, and challenges the laws of the acclaimed PhantomFocus System is a powerful tool in optimizing monitor systems. physics.” — Carl Tatz Without using any sort of psychoacoustic effects, but rather relying on the laws of Great speakers in a great room do physics and powerful high-resolution digital not equal great monitoring. processing, the PFS concentrates on full and accurate frequency response and “reach out Although proper acoustic treatment in a control and touch the vocalist” imaging where pinpoint room is vital to good monitoring, a common detail is spread out before the listener in an myth is that it will “tune” your speakers to almost holographic panorama. Room acoustic accuracy. evaluation precedes system implementation. 3 PFS With Focal Twin 6B Monitors Dual PFS With Dynaudio M3/ Yamaha NS10 Monitors “The PFS is absolutely remarkable. Looking back I feel like I was “After hearing a PhantomFocus System using NS10Ms, I was mixing with only a 3-pack of Crayola Crayons, but now I've got very impressed, and frankly, I didn’t expect to be... Awesome!” – the entire spectrum to work with which is so much more exciting.” Elliot Scheiner – Engineer (The Eagles, Steely Dan, Foo – Eric Brengle – Engineer/Producer/Artist, Owner Fighters) NashvilleMix, Nashville, TN 4 Near-field monitoring is the backbone of the studio industry that engineers rely on to make Introducing the PhantomFocus they’re tracking and mixing decisions. Some System – where near-fields near-field speakers are designed to go down to as low as 30Hz; however, in practice, speaker-stand become mains or console-mounted near-fields will invariably Traditionally, large monitors in studios have been result in a severe dip starting at about 100Hz – used to “see what the low-end is doing,” and 150Hz and then return somewhat to their native near-fields are used most of the time to make the low-end extension (see graph to the left). This is sonic decisions, with or without a subwoofer. due to what is known as the Allison Effect based on speaker designer Roy Allison’s work in the With the PhantomFocus System, now the early 1970s whereby a low frequency cancelation engineer can enjoy the intimacy and impact of below middle C is caused by the boundary near-fields along with the enveloping low end effects of floor, walls, ceiling and console of large in-wall monitors – the perfect bounces, as well as axial room mode interaction. combination. However, the system goes well Therefore, making comments or decisions about beyond that in two ways: low-frequency information is a little like The One – For the first time the listener will be Top: Typical frequency response of Emperor’s New Clothes, and of course it’s not hearing the proven PhantomFocus target curve stand-mounted near-field monitors just the low-end being distorted by these issues. applied to the now accurate, anechoic chamber behind console before and after PFS This dip cannot be EQed to accuracy because of frequency response of his speakers in his control implementation the severe loss of headroom that a 10dB -15dB room environment with imaging that has to be heard, not explained (see testimonials page 7). Bottom: Frequency response of main boost would create for a monitor’s drivers. The monitors before and after PFS careful inclusion of subwoofers relative to phase Two – The low frequency extension of the implementation and crossover points and slopes is the solution to system will be typically around 20Hz – 25Hz. the problem. However, without proper Surprisingly, many large soffit monitors do not implementation techniques, what you end up go that low. with are inaccurate speakers with more low- A Mid-Field PhantomFocus System offers the end. same qualities as the near-field system but with This is why several speaker manufacturers have an enlarged sonic image and longer throw. offered “auto-tune” DSP to their monitors in an These systems have been implemented in attempt to ameliorate or at least temper these mastering suites and often used in Dual problems, because they realize that it is PhantomFocus Systems where the near-field impossible for them to build a monitor that is and mid-field speakers share the same immune to fluctuating real-world conditions. subwoofer system but are tuned separately. However, it is also impossible to design “auto- A Mains PhantomFocus System may be tune” that can be as aggressive and as configured several ways including a Dual intuitive as it needs to be. It would be like PhantomFocus System. being able to buy a “mix” software program where you could simply press a button for “Rock,” “Pop,” “Jazz,” “Country,” “Hip- Hop,” etc., depending on the project you were working on, and it would come out perfect every time. 5 Near-Field System Mid-Field System Main Monitor System The most popular PhantomFocus Mid-Field Systems deliver the same Depending on the studio’s goals, the System choice offers the frequency full frequency response as the Near- main monitors can either be tuned to range of large mains but with the Field System but with a wider and maximize the existing monitors, have intimacy and impact of near-fields. larger image. Pictured, a PFS is used the low end extended or match the Here the PFS is coupled with here with a pair of Quested monitors low frequency response of the Near- Dynaudio M1 monitors and a Carl at Full Moon Studios. Fields in Dual PhantomFocus Tatz Signature Series™ by System (a Near-Field PFS will often Auralex control room acoustics “Carl Tatz installed a Mid-Field have a more extended low end than package creating the PhantomFocus PhantomFocus System in Full Moon large mains). Pictured here: The MixRoom™, where a former Recording’s ICON control room, Gallery at Reba McEntire’s bedroom is transformed rendering utilizing the existing Quested HQ210s. Starstruck Studios in Nashville with spectacular results, down to 25Hz. The results have been amazing; mixes Boxer T5 monitors. now have unreal stereo imaging and “In my career, I have been insane bass response. The “With the PhantomFocus System, privileged to work in studios all over PhantomFocus System has been the Carl Tatz has given our mains new the world, but the experience of best investment I have ever made in purpose. Incredibly, what you hear is using my PhantomFocus MixRoom my studio!” – Ron Ruane – Full what you’ve got, at any volume – We trumps them all - and at a very Moon Recording, Charlottesville, love it! Our clients love it!” – Cliff . VA Williamson – COO, Reba’s affordable cost ” – Dream Room Owner/Engineer Bob Bullock Business, Inc., Starstruck Studios, (Shania Twain, George Strait, Nashville, TN Reba McEntire) 6 FAQ All systems using Is the PhantomFocus System some dampening modules; proprietary near-fields share sort of software creating a PhantomFocus speaker stands; and identical speaker psychoacoustic effect? the PhantomFocus eChair™, which is spacing, tweeter- an integral element. to-tweeter, No. Quite simply, it relies on the laws of physics to set up and tune monitors Mid-field systems include the same enhancing image in the listening position, correcting compatibility elements but may require custom frequency and phase anomalies stands that are to be determined per from system to commonly overlooked in studio implementation. system. control rooms via critical physical alignment and powerful DSP. Soffited main monitor systems include all of the above without the Are you using an RTA and graphic stands depending on the studio’s EQ to change the frequency specific goals. response? How long does it take? Phase and frequency information is measured using a 1/24-octave time Once preliminary consultation and The Four Basic Systems: domain FFT data analyzer. The evaluation is complete, on average, tuning is performed by actively two days – the first day for the PFS One: 6,000Watts RMS continuous (10,000 peak adjusting the crossover frequency physical LaserQuad™ alignment and Watts), 118dB for control rooms up to 9,500+ cubic feet – points, slope and gain while the phase the second to tune. 15Hz extension relationship between the speakers and the subwoofer system is continuously Can I use a PFS One in a small PFS Two: 3,000Watts RMS continuous (9,000 peak monitored assuring a sonically room? Watts), 115dB for control rooms up to 7,400 cubic feet – seamless coupling. High-resolution 20Hz extension (32 bit/96kHz) digital parametric Absolutely.