Markus ‘Hossi’ Hossack on the rise of immersive audio exhibition events

Markus ‘Hossi’ Hossack, sound supervisor at Berlin Stereo, discusses his immersive audio work, particularly for unique events such as Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Exhibition – which offers a fresh perspective on Marvel’s rich 80+ year history – and his approach to immersive audio in his Genelec-equipped studio.

What first sparked your interest in sound design?

I have always loved music, movies, sound design, and live concerts. I was fascinated by sound – how it can be used to achieve different goals and create a powerful impact. That passion started when I was around 10 years old. I grabbed my mum’s hi-fi system and told her I needed to use it. I went to the flea market to buy some microphones and anything that made sound, connected it to the hi-fi, and ended up blowing the speakers!

I started playing the piano, and by the time I was six years old, I was also playing drums and guitar. Music has always been my passion, and with that comes sound as well. My first steps into the industry were with bands and live musical staging. When I finished high school, I was thinking about what I should do with my life. What should I study?

I completed civil service in Germany, then spent a year travelling and working in Australia. While I was there, I bought a DVD – a documentary about Alan Parsons and how he produced The Dark Side of the Moon for Pink Floyd. I watched it and thought, ‘That’s it. I have to do this. I want to study engineering. I want to work with musicians. I want to work with artists’.

When I returned to Germany, three months later, I was studying to become a sound engineer. Later on, I delved deeper into music, studying classical music, jazz, and more. Around 2009, I built my first studio with whatever equipment I could find.

Was there a specific moment or project that solidified your passion for immersive audio?

As part of our studies, we had to produce something in 5.1 discrete surround sound – whether it was mixing radio plays, concerts, or movie post-production. Even just working in 5.1 was a revelation at the time. It felt like opening the gates, moving from basic stereo left and right to having sounds coming from behind me. That fascination only grew.

The first time I saw a Dolby Atmos studio with speakers above me, I thought, ‘What the f**? This is incredible!’ I was completely hooked. I started upgrading my studio, moving from a standard stereo setup to 5.1, then adding ceiling speakers. Over time, my setup kept growing, and now I have around 50 speakers in various configurations.

Thinking back to when I started with a simple 5.1 setup and now working on productions with up to 80 speakers – it's just amazing.

How do you see immersive audio evolving in the next decade?

I think we’re just at the beginning, and there are exciting times ahead. One area I find particularly interesting is education.

With exhibitions and museum installations, we see younger generations with everything at their fingertips and who are already accustomed to immersive experiences – whether through gaming, cinema, or home hi-fi setups, which are often surround sound these days. They expect this kind of audio experience, and I believe the demand will continue to grow.

Over the past five years, I’ve noticed a major shift in exhibition audio. Budgets are increasing, allowing for more speakers and more immersive experiences. That’s a huge step forward. Dolby Atmos, in particular, offers an incredibly flexible platform for immersive audio.

You work on some unique immersive audio projects. For instance, Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Exhibition in New Zealand provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of some of pop culture’s most iconic stories and characters – enhanced by an immersive soundscape from Genelec. You used 70 Genelec 4430 Smart IP networked loudspeakers for the exhibition. Where did you start with this ambitious project?

This exhibition, produced by Semmel Exhibitions, began with one key question: What is the idea?

We spoke to the producers and creators about their vision for the exhibition. What did they expect from the sound system? What did they need? How could we transform their ideas into an acoustic reality?

We considered everything: whether the music would be ambient or narrative-driven, if there would be voiceovers, or if we needed special sound effects. From there, we started crafting a musical journey.

With 11 different rooms, we had to carefully balance the budget and speaker placement. Some rooms had a more traditional museum-style setup, while others were packed with action, projection mapping, and vibrant visuals. I adjusted the speaker distribution accordingly – using fewer in quieter rooms and maximising the impact in high-energy areas.

The foundation for my mixing process was Dolby Atmos. It’s ideal for creating audio that’s ready to be shared with producers and designers during development. I then handled all the down-mixes for each room.

The audio elements played a huge role in bringing the characters to life. For example, the Captain America statue – frozen in ice – emitted eerie ambient drones and crackling sounds. Doctor Strange’s surreal multiverse had swirling, otherworldly sonic textures, while the back alleyways of New York City pulsed with urban beats…

The Captain America scene is a great example. I stripped the overall musical theme down to a more ambient sound and applied filtering to make it feel colder. This allowed space for the ice crackling effects to take centre stage, enhancing the immersive experience.

You don’t just use Genelec for installations; you also have an immersive recording studio at Berlin Stereo. What equipment are you using there?

In my studio, I run a 7.1.4 setup. My front monitors are The Ones 8351s paired with W371A woofers. My rear speakers are 8350s, and my ceiling monitors are 8340s. It’s a fantastic setup!I work on a lot of films and cinema mixes, so I wanted a system where I could monitor full-range sound with total accuracy.

My history with Genelec speakers goes way back; after blowing up my mum’s hi-fi, my first proper monitors were Genelec 8020s. It’s like the sound became part of my DNA!

The GLM software is an absolute game-changer. Initially, you might think, ‘Wow, these speakers are expensive,’ but the value they bring is immense. The DSP correction and GLM calibration system save so much time and ensure accuracy.

I’m not an acoustic engineer – I understand room acoustics and audio technology, but I don’t specialise in them. I didn’t want to spend endless hours trying to fine-tune my space manually. With Genelec’s room correction tools, I can trust what I’m hearing. For me, it was a no-brainer.

What’s next for you at Berlin Stereo? Do you have any other immersive installations coming up?

The Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Exhibition is heading to Germany in March, so I’ll be setting it up and mixing it there. Then, the Disney 100 exhibition opens in Paris in May, followed by Chicago. After that, the Spider-Man exhibition will also debut in Chicago.

Exhibition images via Marvel