At the upcoming IBC show in Amsterdam, Genelec has announced that it will unveil the 9320A reference controller as a bridge to its new UNIO audio monitoring service that brings together the platforms of the company’s Smart Active Monitors, GLM 5.0 calibration software and Aural ID 2.0 technology in an integration between professional in-room loudspeaker and headphone monitoring services.
Specifically, the 9320 provides connectivity, a headphone output and tactile hardware control of Smart Active Monitors, GLM and Aural ID. Meanwhile, the range of Smart Active Monitors utilize auto-calibration and cloud computing to help enable the production of reliable mixes that translate consistently to other rooms and systems. And for professional headphone users, Aural ID technology is designed to provide a headphone listening experience with a more natural sense of space and imaging.
With the introduction of UNIO and the 9320A, users can integrate these technologies and services via a single mobile desktop device and view the entire system via the user’s own MyGenelec account. As a bridge to UNIO, the 9320A offers management of multiple Smart Active Monitoring systems from stereo to immersive and comes with a factory-calibrated reference microphone to allow automated system calibration and control of key GLM software features.
The 9320A can control up to three separate monitoring systems plus headphones, and each system can operate at a calibrated listening level, according to EBU R128, ATSC A/85 or SMPTE RP200 standards. While the 9320A can support any active loudspeaker system – such as one or two ALT stereo sets – it provides one-click access to a number of extra monitor control features built into Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family.
The headphone output of the 9320A allows users to combine their choice of headphones with the latest Aural ID 2.0 headphone plugin to experience quality personal headphone monitoring while simultaneously measuring sound exposur to ensure safe listening. Additionally, the 9320A allows integration with any DAW or audio interface, and with its analog AES/EBU and USB connectivity, the 9320A can connect directly to stereo monitoring systems (with and without subwoofer), providing monitor control and doubling as an A-D and D-A converter for both monitors and headphones.
The introduction of UNIO and the 9320A also coincides with the latest GLM 5.0 loudspeaker manager software release that provides support for both the 9320A and the 8381A free-standing main monitor unveiled earlier this year. GLM 5.0 employs cloud computing, enabling UNIO to integrate a range of reference audio monitoring services, including room analysis, in-room system calibration, monitor control and personal audio monitoring.
Genelec managing director Siamäk Naghian states, “Audio professionals in music, broadcast, post-production and game audio are increasingly wanting the flexibility to work wherever and whenever they want, even if that sometimes involves unpredictable and challenging acoustic environments. To be able to switch instantly between well calibrated in-room and headphone monitoring without any interruption in workflow is crucial to this way of working, and so we see UNIO and the 9320A as powerful tools in creating a truly next-generation reference quality monitoring system.”
