German University Upgrades Recording Facilities, Goes Immersive

Natick, Mass. (March 10, 2026)—Stuttgart’s State University of Music and Performing Arts (HMDK), founded in 1857 and located along the German city’s Cultural Mile, recently upgraded its recording facilities with a 9.1.4 control room featuring a Genelec monitor system.

HMDK has developed into one of Germany’s largest and most prestigious universities for the arts, while also playing an important role as a concert promoter and cultural center. “We have four performance spaces: our large concert hall, a chamber music hall, a theatre and an orchestra rehearsal hall, which can also be used as a performance venue,” comments Arne Morgner, HMDK’s deputy technical director. “We host 500 to 550 events per year, which actually makes us the largest event organizer in Stuttgart!”

As Morgner points out, HMDK’s recording studio fulfils multiple important functions beyond recording classical music. “We’re also responsible for livestreaming and broadcasting, including collaborations with the public broadcaster SWR, and we function as the technical backbone for all event technology. It’s also the center for all servers and networks related to audio, video, and lighting in the building.”

HMDK’s broadcast operations were previously able to produce binauralized 3D audio content but lacked a proper room with the necessary monitoring capabilities. “We wanted to be able to work with established formats like Dolby Atmos, but also to produce 3D audio independently of any specific standard. As a result, we decided on a 9.1.4 setup,” Morgner says.

Discover more great stories—get a free Mix SmartBrief subscription!

With Morgner handling the planning and implementation alongside HMDK colleague Walter Schimon, Control Room A’s 9.1.4 system features Genelec 8351As in the LCR positions, with 8341As as surrounds and overheads, supported with a 7370A subwoofer for LFE. Control Room B is equipped with a stereo pair of 1032Bs, plus a 2.1 system comprising 8341As with a 7370A sub. Lastly, a pair of 8350A monitors powers the studio’s Recording Room. 

HMDK’s Klangmobil truck is powered by 4430A Smart IP loudspeaker models, which deliver studio-quality Genelec performance with the added power and flexibility of Dante/AES67 network connectivity.