Music producer, writer and mastering engineer Paul Grundman has installed a pair of IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R155 acoustic-isolating monitor stands at his project studio to optimize the performance of his nearfield monitor speakers and ameliorate some of the control room’s acoustic irregularities.
IsoAcoustics innovative speaker stands have a unique, patented isolation technology which effectively eliminates the transfer of energy to surrounding surfaces, providing better focus across the frequency spectrum along with enhanced stereo imaging.
Grundman frequently collaborates with EDM artists Celeste and Rokuro under the moniker Grundmaster, and works as an engineer at one of the top Hollywood music mastering facilities, Bernie Grundman Mastering.
He reports that the new IsoAcoustics stands almost instantly improved the performance of the Focal Solo6 Be near field monitors in his project studio, which is located in a beach bungalow in Malibu.
“Things became more balanced immediately,” he says. “Previously, the bass wasn’t as focused. With the IsoAcoustics stands, the bass is more focused; in fact, the whole frequency spectrum is actually more focused.”
The proof, says Grundman, is in the improved speed and accuracy with which he can now finish a mix with the IsoAcoustics stands.
“Before the IsoAcoustics stands were in my project studio I had to do six to eight revisions and recalls of my own mixes—going back and forth to the car for reference, checking to hear if the vocals were too hot or not hot enough—because of all the midrange null points in the room.
“I’m able to now reduce the amount of times I go back and forth to the car and listen. After I installed the stands I sent a mix to Rokuro and he said, ‘I think you got it in one!’ So the stands have made a difference.”
The ISO-L8R155 stands have significantly improved the performance of his near field monitor speakers in the critical low and low-mid frequencies.
“My control room has a lot of diffusing properties, but there’s this wonderful midrange that just loves to gather in that room,” Grundman continues. “I’ve almost wanted to put a sub in the room, but I felt like that would add hilarity to the clarity. Everything in the 200 to 600 Hz range is going to ruin your life; all that confusion just starts to happen. But everything in that range got more under control once the ISOs went in. They made everything seem like the room wasn’t so bad any more. It was a real improvement.”
Any project studio can benefit from the implementation of high quality monitors and acoustic treatment, says Grundman, “But I feel like the ISOs are probably some of the best money you can spend in improving your home studio. I have a schoolhouse-type desk and I’ve found that if I’m sitting with the monitors at waist high, I can tilt them up with the three-inch separators and they are just right. They work really well for me.”
