Following an intensive five-month building project, Sony Music has officially opened its new 5020 Studio Madrid, a PMC-equipped, state-of-the-art, four-studio recording complex and creative centre. Based in the Spanish capital, it aims to promote collaboration between Latin artists and artists from other parts of the world.
A collaboration between Sony Music and PMC has resulted in all four studios being equipped with the company’s loudspeakers. These include BB6 XBD and PMC6 monitors in the two main recording studios, PMC8-2 XBD in production room one, and a 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system in production room two. This system comprises PMC8-2 XBD for the front and centre channels and Ci65 for the surround channels. Finally, there is a media room that can be converted into a cinema, and this is equipped with a Doby Atmos 7.1.4 system based around the home audio favourites, twenty5.24i, twenty5.Ci, plus Ci140 SUB subwoofers and Ci45 speakers for surround and height channels, both from the crossover domestic and pro Ci series.
Project Director Diego Acosta, who was responsible for the conceptualisation, development and implementation of the studios, commented: “As an engineer, I always dreamed of having access to the best tools so that I could create the best possible music. With this facility we have followed that philosophy, and it is an honour to have accomplished what we set out to achieve. The PMCs in each studio are incredible and deliver all the clarity and precision anyone could want. This is not just my opinion – everyone who has used the rooms has commented on how great they look and how amazing they sound.”
The Madrid facility – the largest new studio complex to open in Europe in recent years – is the latest addition to the multinational’s 5020 Studio brand, which already includes the acclaimed 5020 Studio Miami and 5020 Studio Mexico City. As well as promoting partnerships between Spanish and Latin artists, 5020 Studio Madrid also aims to build cultural and creative bridges between Europe and Latin America.
“The success of 5020 Studio Miami, which opened in 2021, was a major driver for this project,” Acosta added. “5020 Studio Miami averages 650 hours of recording every month across three studios, and we wanted to emulate that success in other territories where music in Spanish is booming. Spain was the obvious location because it allowed us to build bridges between Latin America and Europe. In addition, Madrid is a beautiful city and the centre of music sung in Spanish in Europe. Building our new facility there made perfect sense on a strategic level.”
Although 5020 Studio Madrid is only available to Sony artists, Acosta anticipates that it will appeal to artists from many different musical genres. Indeed, this is a main reason why the facility incorporates a live room because genres such as rock, flamenco, jazz and classical require space to record lots of different instruments.
“We actively encourage collaboration, and we want the music that is being created in Spain to influence the music created in the rest of the world, so that everyone is enriched by the experience,” he concluded. “This entire facility was created with longevity in mind, and we hope that a lot of beautiful music is captured and recorded here for many years to come.”
A video of 5020 Studio Madrid, including interviews with the engineers about the PMC systems, can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/yu99mshy
