Molok Studios launches with Genelec the first Dolby Atmos game studio in Italy

Located in Milan, Molok Studios has launched two 7.1.4 rooms powered by Genelec, thus becoming the first game studio Dolby Atmos from Italy.

When creating its new facilities, Molok observed the trend in gaming towards spatial audio environments and decided to create these new rooms 7.1.4. Andrea Cunto, CEO of Molok, says that “we knew that Atmos was going to launch and be available on PS5 and consoles, and we thought: 'no one is taking advantage of it, so let's make it happen!'

In need of a seamless monitoring solution compatible with Atmos, Genelec emerged as the choice. The Chief Audio Engineer Samuele Daccò spearheaded the project, ensuring the studio layout was tailored to Atmos specifications to create a 7.1.4 system in both Molok control rooms. “Genelec was our first choice when we designed the rooms and we just had to choose the models, and think about what would sound best for us and our needs,” he explains. “Translation works perfectly in our rooms.”

Genelec monitors have been a mainstay in Molok's audio production, starting with the ultracompact model 8010 near field. “I learned about Genelec monitors when I started doing engineering in 2018 – and in many studios I have worked in, there is usually the 8010,” says Daccò. “They are very popular in Italy, it's hard to miss them!”

The newly built studio complex consists of six recording rooms and the two immersive control rooms -Scorpion and Sub Zero-, which take their name from Mortal Kombat characters and have an identical Atmos design, but with inverted color schemes.

For its new control rooms, Molok turned to a solution 7.1.4 Genelec Smart Active Monitoring. Both Scorpion and Sub Zero have three 8351 coaxial three-way in the L-C-R positions, with 8340 two-way deployed for the surround and height channels and a 7380 subwoofer to handle the low frequencies.

“The twin Molok spaces have asymmetrical colors and identical acoustic and technological performance,” he says. Cecilia Torracchi, acoustic and civil engineer and partner at Studio Sound Service, which collaborated closely with Molok on the design of the studios. "We were happy to learn that the initial choice was Genelec because we know their products very well. We had already designed many Dolby Atmos rooms with Genelec and the results have always been excellent."

The transition to 7.1.4 systems has transformed the approach to audio production, allowing the studio to deliver immersive experiences that could translate accurately across multiple playback systems. “Atmos is great to work with, and by integrating Genelec, it creates a whole new world for us,” adds Daccò. “The end-user gaming experience may be similar to our mixing room – with different levels of playback – but the immersive level of mixing has changed everything for us.”

Vertical growth

With PS5 and other consoles adopting Atmos and many game titles supporting the format, Molok is well prepared to meet new standards. “We've had brilliant vertical growth over the last few years and we're only seeing it increase as we start to really use Dolby and see its full capabilities,” says De Cunto. “Thanks to new studies, it seems that we are in the right place at the right time.”

“Working for the guys at Molok was very pleasant, they are among the friendliest and most enthusiastic clients we have ever had, and it was a pleasure to see their satisfaction at the end of the project,” reflects Torracchi. "For this project we tried to respect these human traits: the rooms have simple geometries, but a lot of character, their style reflects the technological state of the art. When we discovered that the boys had named the new rooms after characters from Mortal Kombat we went crazy, it sounded perfect."

De dear to the future, Molok Studios demands Expand your use of Atmos beyond gaming, to music and home entertainment, pointing to a global market. “We are trying to expand our reach with our focus on Sound Effects and Atmos mixing,” concludes De Cunto. “Our goal is to explore new frontiers and deliver immersive audio experiences beyond the realm of gaming on a global scale.”