Featured Projects and Industry Solutions

UMG Universal Studios

Location: Burbank, CA

Industry: Professional Sound Studio

Installation Type: New construction within an existing building

Products Used: QuietRock 545THX

Design Partner: Delta H Design

QuietRock has been installed in more than 50,000 projects, including sound studios for Ozzy Osbourne, Sheryl Crow, and Snoop Dogg.

Universal Music Group (UMG), part of NBC Universal Studios, is the world’s leading music company and is comprised of two core businesses: recorded music and music publishing. The company discovers, develops, markets and distributes recorded music through a network of subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensees in 77 countries, representing 98% of the music market. UMG also sells and distributes music video and DVD products, and licenses recordings, encouraging the legal distribution of music online and over cellular, cable and satellite networks.

Universally Big Challenge

When UMG decided to create seven new music mastering rooms inside the shell of a commercial building, they chose to work with Delta H Design, an acoustics and studio design firm that offers acoustic, architectural, interior design and construction. Delta H Design is known for the ZR Acoustics® offering, a modus operandi for designing audio production spaces with crystal clear acoustics and world class acoustic signatures utilizing everyday construction materials.

Hanson Hsu, founder of Delta H Design said, “For the world’s leading music company one vendor is responsible for the entire project, and Universal’s biggest project requirement for their new recording studios can be summed up in one word: perfection.”

For Delta H Design, that meant meeting stringent project requirements:

• Excellent sound signature, high acoustical performance and noise isolation values
• Conservation of square footage to create the largest amount of useful space
• Economic value

The Solution: THX Certified Sound Reducing Drywall

QuietRock has been the choice of top studio designers since 2003. One and 3/8 inch thick QuietRock 545THX is the only sound reducing drywall product that is THX Certified. QuietRock 545THX is an 11 layer, internally-damped CPG composite drywall panel specifically designed and engineered to meet THX requirements for demanding media and privacy environments, including commercial theaters, recording studios and home theaters. QuietRock 545THX is the highest performance sound damping drywall product in the world.

“It’s a brilliant and elegant solution to every acoustical issue we all face,” said Ed Abbot, Sr. Engineer at Universal Music Group.

Results

Delta H Design’s ZR Acoustics incorporated QuietRock 545THX in their unique solution.

“We offer Universal a guarantee that their studios will be designed and constructed according to their high standards,” said Hanson Hsu, founder of Delta H Design. “Acoustics is an unforgiving, exacting science and art form. I don’t like to change our materials because it can cost us money, time, and pain, while seriously undermining the quality of our products. The first time we used QuietRock was because a customer requested it. We did our homework, read the reports, looked at samples, and decided to try it. I was impressed by what I heard, or didn’t hear in this case, and now UMG is the latest in a long list of projects which we require QuietRock in the design and construction processes.”

When hearing the Delta H Design’s audio solution, Paul West, vice president of Universal commented, “All I hear is the dispersion pattern of the speakers.”

Benefits: QuietRock with ZR Acoustics

• STC Value – An increase of the STC ratings by 7 points.
• Saves Space – Wall sections went from between 12 and 15 inches before QuietRock to 6 ½ inches after.
• Reduced Materials – Before QuietRock, Delta H Design had to use twice the materials to build out a studio.
• Cost-Effective – Used less material with QuietRock which required less labor.

The results, a reduction in overall total costs.

About Delta H Design

Delta H Design fuses design and technology for the music, film and television industries. The company focuses on the seamless integration of acoustic space and sound system design, which lies at the heart of every custom audio production space. Delta H Designs’ history includes sound for: live sound, theater, music recording studios and film + television post-production studios.