Three recording studios in the University's new arts and media center have been equipped with high-end PMC monitors. Music students at the University of Salford can now perfect their recording technique on PMC monitors, which have been installed in three of the six studios in the University's New Adelphi building.
Built at a cost of 55 million pounds sterling, the new arts and media center is one of the largest newly built studio complexes in the UK. It gives the university a home for creativity and gives students access to advanced facilities and equipment as they progress in their careers in the music and post-production industry.
PMC IB2S-A monitors have been installed in the control rooms of Studios 4 and 5, while in Studio 2, where the control room is larger, the University has opted for the extended response of a PMC IB2S XBD-A system.
"Our recording courses are deliberately genre-neutral and assessed on their own merits, so we can have any kind of music in the recording studios"
Andrew Davison, Technical Manager at the University of Salford's School of Arts and Media, says: "Once we made the decision to use PMC monitoring in those spaces, the choice of speaker model was based largely on what was most appropriate for each room. We had used PMC IB2 speakers in a previous studio build and they were very well received, so the IB2S-A digital speakers were a fairly easy choice".
Davison also adds that the sound quality PMC provides was a key reason for choosing them. Once the installation was complete, the University took advantage of PMC's calibration service to ensure optimal performance.
"The service was second to none, and it was also fantastic to get an assessment of the control rooms and the speakers' performance on site," says Davison. "After calibration, the incredible clarity of the audio they reproduce is really impressive. The even response and sound quality, even of the IB2S-A units on their own, is quite striking."
"We have the luxury of secondary nearfield monitoring in each of our studios (speakers that are excellent in their own right), but the PMC units are undoubtedly in another league".
The studios in the New Adelphi building have opened in stages since September of last year and are now fully operational. Other facilities in the building include art studios, photography studios, workshop facilities with industrial machinery, voice and screen studios, a large ensemble room, a 300-seat theater, a theater company, dance studios and rehearsal rooms.
"For the first time, the New Adelphi project brings together a wide range of disciplines", explains Davison. "The building is a place for 'making', where practical work can be developed without it being anything out of the ordinary"
The range of work carried out by students on the Creative Music Technology and Popular Music and Recording courses is incredibly diverse. One day they are recording a vocal, while another they might be capturing the sound of a solo guitar or a heavy metal band.
says Davison. "All six studios are designed to use the same digital infrastructure, so students can become familiar with the setup, but we've added variations in the configuration of the live rooms, booths, outboard gear and instruments, and the main monitors. Our main goal is to create an environment that fosters academic excellence and strengthens students' employability".
