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Dweezil Zappa Unveils His Immersive Hikari Studios

Dweezil Zappa’s new Hikari Studios, built from the ground up in Los Angeles, is equipped with a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system.

Dweezil Zappa inside Hikari Studios with his ATM monitors
Dweezil Zappa inside Hikari Studios with his ATM monitors. Photo Credit: Timothy Kuratek

Los Angeles, CA (October 19, 2021)—Dweezil Zappa’s new Hikari Studios, built from the ground up “in a secret location” in Los Angeles, is equipped with a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system composed entirely of ATC monitors along with racks and racks of outboard gear.

Hikari’s 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system comprises three ATC SCM45A monitors at LCR; eight ATC SCM12 Pro monitors at sides, back, and height; and five ATC SCM0.1/15ASL subwoofers (three across the front and two in back). Giant racks of analog gear interface with the DAW via a 512 I/O analog router with instant digital recall.

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“I always found ATCs to be accurate without being over the top,” said Zappa. “I could work on them all day long. Now that I’ve become familiar with ATCs in my own studio, I have discovered that anything that was done very well sounds correct and natural and full-range and smooth. But any flaw in the recording pokes out. I can even hear flaws in some of my favorite records. That gives me confidence that everything I do going forward will translate. With five ATC subwoofers, this room can feel like a thrill ride at Universal Studios! It shakes in such a good way!”

Hikari Studios

Hikari Studios is one of the few that is set up to record in immersive audio from the very beginning, and features microphones in the ceiling of the live room. The facility also offers integrated video production facilities. Zappa’s artist-centered music platform, www.rewardmusic.com, is set up to handle multi-channel immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics.

“In terms of remixing existing material for immersive audio, artists can provide an entirely new format to fans,” Zappa said. “There are lifetimes worth of work out there, so many songs to be remixed in this new format! Whoever can get good at the process will have work piled up for years to come. From a technical standpoint, the big difference in mixing immersive is that you don’t have to make all the compromises that stereo mixing requires. In stereo, there’s so much carving and compression that has to happen to make things fit. Sometimes that’s cool, but sometimes it’s not. In Atmos, the extra speakers take the burden away from the front speakers.”

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