Any task that requires a skilled professional for successful implementation is something you shouldn’t do by yourself. In the case of installed sound systems, an audio consultant is a key professional who understands the entire design process, how to make the various parts of the system work as they should, and has a lot of creative ideas for each project.
Independent Resource
Because good sound doesn’t just happen, it’s very important to involve the right professionals in the process, preferably early in the design phase of a project. One of the primary benefits an audio consultant provides to the customer is their ability to act as an independent resource. They’re product agnostic, meaning their singular goal is to choose the best possible product for their customers’ application and bottom line.
By keeping up to date on the latest product offerings and trends in the audio and IT industries, a good audio consultant knows what solutions are out there and what applications work best. They ask questions like: How is this room going to be used? Is it just recording musicians or will there be sound design, too? What’s the occupancy of the room? What materials make up the walls and floors? Where should the speakers and microphones be placed for best results? They can walk into a room and start immediately building the system in their head.
Technical Representative
Another benefit of working with an audio consultant is that they can act as the end user’s technical representative and liaison between their needs and those of the integrator. Not only can they design an audio system, they can come in after the integrator has implemented the design and ensure that it meets all the criteria the end user requires. If it doesn’t, the consultant and integrator will work together to make the appropriate changes.
There are many instances where audio consultants and audio integrators work closely together to create very successful audio solutions for their customers. In fact, for some projects, a consultant may have favorite integrators to refer the owner to for purposes of receiving a bid for the proposed system. These are integrators the consultant has typically worked with in the past and knows will deliver a high quality installation.
Having a qualified bid list will help the project move toward successful completion even before any actual installation work is done. A consultant working with a capable integrator makes a powerful team.
What Could Make Your Control Room Better?
Good sound is skillfully designed and installed–it doesn’t just happen. Once you find a skilled audio professional, in any part of the project process, get them involved early and then let them do their job.
We are music industry professionals experienced in designing high-end audio systems. Whether it is studio construction or acoustical analysis, we can help.