Genelec R&D director Aki Mäkivirta has spoken to Headliner about the brand’s new UNIO Personal Reference Monitoring Solution, unveiled at last month’s IBC 2024, and what it’s launch means for the studio market.
The new Genelec 8550A Professional Reference Headphones and Aural ID V2.0 Binaural Headphone Monitoring Technology build on the UNIO ecosystem by offering the most accurate and truthful headphone listening experience ever, according to the Finnish brand.
This latest solution comprises the 9320A SAM Reference Controller, Reference Measurement Microphone and the new 8550A Professional Reference Headphones – which help create an more seamless bridge between professional in-room loudspeaker and personal headphone monitoring.
Furthermore, with the additional headphone calibration features available within Genelec GLM software – and the optional Aural ID V2.0 binaural headphone monitoring technology – users can enjoy a ‘personal and truthful’ headphone monitoring experience.
To find out more about the technical innovation that fuelled the creation of the new UNIO PRM system, Headliner caught up with Mäkivirta to discuss the new launch what it means for audio professionals…
When did work on the UNIO Personal Reference Monitoring Solution start, and what was the philosophy behind it?
Like all Genelec technology, the UNIO PRM has involved many years of development. The aim of the UNIO Ecosystem is to enable headphones to be used as a monitoring tool with a level of accuracy that loudspeakers have traditionally provided. UNIO gives audio professionals the ability to seamlessly navigate different monitoring options, whether that’s in-room loudspeakers or headphones, for the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime – from stereo to immersive.
This is not possible with headphones alone. But reliable neutral headphone reproduction is the key and the fundamental building block. Without neutral headphones, it is not possible to take advantage of binauralisation technology like our Aural ID, which enables virtual loudspeakers to be created using the headphones, delivering the kind of externalised sound stage presentation that you would expect from loudspeaker-based monitoring.
Being an ecosystem, UNIO extends far beyond headphone-based personal monitoring alone, bringing in connectivity features that enable professionals to work with all audio signal types, including audio over IP.
The philosophy we embrace is that of freedom – freedom of choosing when and where to work, and providing a personal monitoring experience without compromise.
This is an incredibly significant launch for Genelec. What has the response from the market been like?
The market reaction has been extremely positive, and people are immediately coming up with ideas of how they can liberate their working process using our new solution. We launched the UNIO PRM at IBC in Amsterdam a few weeks ago, and this gave visitors the opportunity to compare stereo and immersive mixes on loudspeakers and headphones. They could literally switch back and forth between the two, and were very quick to comment on how good the translation was in both directions.
Who is this product aimed at?
The UNIO solution is aimed at professionals working in stereo or immersive who need flexibility in their workflow without sacrificing resolution, accuracy and detail in monitoring. With immersive content particularly, it provides democratisation of production, since access to immersive in-room loudspeaker monitoring is not always available, or practical. Typical customers range from audio and film production, to broadcast audio applications, and creatives too. The mobility of the UNIO PRM solution can be a great asset.
