Toolroom Records Studio Facilities

Client requirements:

Kazbar Systems Commercial Audio specifies, supplies and installs pro audio equipment and acoustic treatment for Toolroom Records new facilities.

Toolroom Records

Toolroom Records, one of the largest independent music labels in the world has been working with Kazbar Systems since co-founder and DJ Mark Knight was recommended to us 4 years ago by producer/engineer James Reynolds.
They have recently moved their operations to a new office suite in Madistone, Kent along with their studios and boardroom. This kind of move is never easy so to help smooth the process, Toolroom Records employed Kazbar Systems to help speck their new facilities, move existing equipment and help with acoustic treatment in the new studio rooms.

Toolroom Records Boardroom

The boardroom needed a discreet and functional sound system along with visuals and communications including a Skype connection.

Speakers

For the sound we opted for a Bose Freespace 5.1 system, Mark was already familiar with the Bose sound and wanted a system where the sound would be evenly distributed around the Boardroom.
The speakers were placed in each top corner angled slightly downwards and the Bose Freespace Sub unit placed in the far corner near to a cupboard which housed the Yamaha AV Amplifier and an Apple MacBook Pro.
All audio cabling was fully discreet using an access point to the ceiling where we ran the cables to a cavity in the wall then out to the Yamaha Integrated AV Amplifier we provided.
The audio feed is provided from an Apple Macbook Pro connected to an input on the Yamaha AV Amplifier. Between the MacBook Pro and the Amplifier is a TC Electronics Level Pilot volume pot control placed in the centre of the boardroom desk which allows simple control of the audio volume.

Visual

A Panasonic 42” LCD Display/TV was mounted to the centre of the far wall at a height so that anybody in the boardroom could comfortable see the display.
The display was wired to a Digital TV Receiver and also the MacBook Pro. The audio output from the Digital Receiver is connected to an input on the Yamaha Av Amplifier.

Toolroom Records Communication System

For the use of Skype so that that anybody in the office could communicate and be seen on a call, we installed a camera which is connected to the MacBook Pro. We also installed an omnidirectional MXL Microphone which is placed in the centre of the Boardroom table and then connected to the MacBook pro via repeated USB cables. The MacBook Pro being connected to the internet allowed for Skype Calls to be seen and heard via the MXL Microphone, the Camera and the Panasonic 42” LCD Display.

Toolroom Records Studio 1 & 2

Toolroom wanted to convert two offices into studio rooms, which could combine simple audio production while still function as working offices too.
To offer a simple but effective solution within the designated budget, we used Universal Acoustic’s foam-based room acoustic tiles along with Kazbar Systems Acoustic Panels, placed in the immediate areas of the rooms which would be used for music production.
Toolroom also purchased KRK Active Monitor Speakers and Apogee Duet Audio Interfaces.

Mark Knight’s Office AV System

Mark’s sound system needed to be professional with good volume control, blend with the aesthetics of the office and have the ability to play audio direct from laptops and mobile devices.

Speakers

Working alongside Angie Bunyan from Room 7 Interiors, Angie designed and crafted an exciting, edgy workspace for Mark and associates to manage their business and Kazbar Systems provided the audio-visual solution.
The Bose Acoustimass 10 was the chosen system for sound due to the extra sound coverage provided by its bi-directional corner mounted cube speakers and it’s discreet, aesthetic qualities.
Audio cables were run around the office before the interior walls were built then fed to a corner point where the Yamaha RX-V1900 AV Amplifier is placed and connected the Bose Acoustimass 10 Sub Bass unit.
Another requirement was to be able to simply play audio direct from laptops and mobile devices. This was partly why the Yamana RX-V1900 AV Amplifier was specified due to its Yamaha YBA-11 Bluetooth option.
This allows for users to connect to the sound system via Bluetooth and then play their content without the use of cables.

Visuals

A Digital TV feed was provided to the office, we then connected the feed to a Samsung F6100 46” LCD Display TV which was mounted on the wall. The audio output was then fed into the Yamaha RX-1900AV Amplifier.