It’s Out with the Old—Almost—at Japanese Studio

Japan (September 16, 2025)—Prime Sound Studio Form in Japan has become known for the Genelec 1035A main monitors in Room 1. The facility recently upgraded the enclosures with 1235A Smart Active Monitoring components but retained the old HF driver with hands-on support from the manufacturer.

Part of the Japanese label Avex, the facility—which has hosted numerous hit productions—has been a cornerstone of the country’s music industry for more than two decades. The studio has now transformed its 1035A monitors into the latest 1235A Smart Active Monitoring models via a retrofit upgrade.

“They were the face of the studio,” recalls recording engineer Koji Morimoto. “Back then, we tried a few options, but the 1035A just felt right. Even when we compared it to the next generation 1035B, I still preferred the A model. It became our standard.”

The team decided against replacing the reference monitors, instead opting for a retrofit that retained the enclosures while upgrading the internal components to 1235A specification. “It was a way to keep our identity, but move forward,” explains technical engineer Yuhiko Utsu. “I’d first heard the 1035A back at Victor Studio in the late ’80s. At the time, no two large monitors sounded alike—you’d spend days tuning. But the 1035A didn’t need that. It was a revelation.”

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The retrofit delivered Class D amplification, lower noise and Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring technology. “The S/N ratio has drastically improved,” notes engineer Yuji Tanaka. “We used to hear a faint hiss. After the upgrade, it was gone. That was a real surprise.”

Yet one part of the original system remained essential. “The retrofit allowed us to upgrade all the drivers, but to us the sound of the 1035A’s high end is still the reference,” Morimoto says. “So, we asked if it was possible to retain the original HF driver, and Genelec said yes. They even rewrote firmware and updated the PCBs to make it work. That level of manufacturer support is rare.”

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Close collaboration with Genelec Japan was central to the project. “It’s unusual these days for manufacturers to stay hands-on,” Utsu adds, “but they still visit because they still care. We’ve always been able to talk directly with their technical team—and that’s huge.”