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Catalyst Collaboration - IAC Acoustics & Sound Seal - BMG New York

QuietStar Industries, a representative of both IAC Acoustics & Sound Seal, realized the benefit of doing business with Catalyst Acoustics Group during a recent project for BMG, an international music publishing and recording company. Having the resources of two well-regarded acoustics manufacturers at his disposal, QuietStar’s Steve Dutton helped to make the Big Apple a little quieter through the custom fabrication and installation of products from both powerhouses.

studio package

The Problem

In 2020, international music publishing and recording company, BMG, moved New York operations into a sprawling space in the heart of the city. To provide artists the opportunity to write, perform and record music as they do in their other locations, they enlisted the help of QuietStar Industries. The end goal was twofold: to deliver a custom fabricated music studio that would become both a working space and focal point in this contemporary office environment.

QuietStar’s Steve Dutton and BMG project manager Dale Roadcap, worked collaboratively, and through a detailed exchange, outlined the scope and requirements of the project. Then, working with an architect to create drawings of the room, a plan to integrate the new recording studio into the space and the building’s electricity and HVAC systems was devised.

Numerous logistical complications had to be considered and overcome prior to and during this installation. Notably, BMG’s office is on the eighteenth floor of a Manhattan hi-rise, and the receiving area and loading dock are located on busy and narrow streets. Once inside BMG’s office, the music room needed to be maneuvered around and situated within inches of priceless musical art and mid-century architecture.

The Solution

IAC Acoustics Accutone2 Studio was chosen for its proven performance, modularity and flexibility. Specced out at a Noise Isolation Class (NIC) of 53, the space ensures that the artists do not disturb workers in the office space and vice versa.  Of note are the internally sloped Noise-Lock Window and STC-51 Noise-Lock Door, two ways in which the room is made to feel more open. In addition to being clear on his desired acoustic needs, Roadcap had strong opinions on aesthetic finishes, as well.

The exterior of the studio was powder-coated in a custom color, BMG red, to ensure that the space is as visually appealing as it is acoustically effective. Tapping into the offerings of Sound Seal, fellow member company of Catalyst Acoustics Group, Dutton outfitted one interior wall with sleek Sound Quality Fabric Wrapped Panels and faced another in a dramatic Sound Seal WoodTrends Acoustical Wood Wall product. The visual results inside the booth speak for themselves; the acoustic results are likewise noticeable.

The Results

With the combined offerings of IAC Acoustics and Sound Seal, QuietStar Industries was able to deliver a custom fabricated music studio that complements the contemporary and chic décor in BMG’s New York space and meets the mission to provide artists a dedicated space to record and perform music.

[We are] ... very excited about the potential that [BMG has] with the studio space here now. Providing service for our artists and songwriters is everything we do, so [the studio built through the IAC Acoustics & Sound Seal collaboration] is another great resource.”

— JASON HRADIL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, RECORDED MUSIC / SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL REPERTOIRE AT BMG