National, 20th November 2023: Compass Box Studio, located in the vibrant city of Ahmedabad, stands as a beacon of creativity and innovation in the heart of Gujarat, the westernmost state of India. Established in 2019 by Raag Sethi, an accomplished producer and musician, this studio has swiftly risen to prominence as a focal point for Gujarat’s independent music scene. With its modern and well-equipped facilities, Compass Box Studio provides a nurturing environment for artists and professionals from various creative fields, including music, film, and OTT content production. Among its standout features is a dedicated Dolby Atmos Music Mix Room designed for audio mixing and mastering, as well as a dynamic LIVE room tailored to cater to the diverse needs of music production and independent artists.
Ragg Sethi started this studio in 2019 primarily as a practice and jamming space for himself as his friends. Over time, it has evolved into a well-equipped recording studio where many original compositions are recorded.
Ragg named the studio ‘Compass Box’ because it is located near a school, and he wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia associated with a school environment that many people can relate to. “I chose this name also because I envision the studio to be like a compass box for artists – a place with all the essential tools and resources that they need, just like the compass boxes we used in school,” Ragg explained. And for Ragg, the newest addition to his toolbox is none other than the Neumann KH monitors.
Ultimate Precision and Quality
Compass Box Studio features three KH 150s as LCR, eight KH 80 DSPs as surround and ceiling monitors, as well as one KH 870 subwoofer, in a 7.1.4 configuration, making it the first Dolby Atmos immersive studio in Gujarat. The immersive format is not yet widely adopted in Gujarat, but Ragg believes that this is the direction in which the industry is moving.
“The KH monitors sound extremely transparent and powerful. Despite their compact size, the KH 80s deliver a solid deep bass, and the larger KH 150s are even more impressive in this regard. The KH 870 subwoofer is a formidable addition, capable of reproducing the cinematic low-end sound pressure levels found in theatres. The precision and clarity of these monitors are second to none,” shared Ragg.
On 27th August, Neumann and Compass Box Studio organized a launch event to showcase the state-of-the-art studio set-up at Compass Box Studio. Over 50 music producers, local artists, studio owners and audio engineers attended the event and had a chance to experience the Neumann monitor speakers in a Dolby Atmos room, as well as some of the newer products from Neumann, such as the KH 120 II studio monitor, the NDH 30 headphone, and the MT 48 audio interface
For Compass Box Studio, this event is just a start. Ragg hopes that more people can get a chance to experience immersive audio and its potential. “Working with Dolby Atmos and Neumann has been a fascinating experience. The ability to immerse the audience in a truly unique sonic experience, whether in the context of a movie or music, is an experience that can only be achieved within a Dolby Atmos equipped room with reference-grade studio monitors like Neumann.”
Compass Box Studio is more than just a studio. Over the years, it has become a hub for emerging talents to express their creativity. The studio has been producing single take, live sessions under its “Compass Box Live Sessions” programme for artists across India at no cost as a way to support artists who are passionate and talented but have no means or knowledge of how to put their music out there.
Ragg shares his vision for Compass Box Studios, “Four years into the journey, I hope that Compass Box Studios can continue to offer state-of-the-art recording facilities to our diverse clientele, so that they no longer have to travel to bigger cities like Mumbai for any professional audio recording, especially now with our immersive offerings.”
