A household name in the world of dance music, Dutch DJ/producer Hardwell recently upgraded his presonal studio in Breda, replacing his original Genelec 1034s with the next-generation 1234A Smart Active Monitors.
A driving force in the global music scene for more than a decade, Hardwell’s career is intertwined with that of studio designer Jan Morel. ‘We began at his parents’ house studio over 13 years ago, and since then, Hardwell has kept refining and upgrading his spaces,’ Morel says. ‘Each studio is a step beyond the last – his ideas are always evolving.’
Located in Breda in the Netherlands, the new studio reflects both this growth and Hardwell’s high standards. At the heart of this latest overhaul are Genelec monitors, which Hardwell has consistently trusted for their quality. ‘When we first built a studio together, Jan introduced me to Genelec. I was using different brands, but hearing the 1034s for the first time blew me away. Since then, I’ve been hooked,’ Hardwell says.
In his latest set-up, Hardwell installed two white 1234A main monitors as part of an stereo monitoring system that also includes pairs of 8341A and 8020D close-field models, complemented by a 7073A subwoofer. As part of the Smart Active Monitoring family, the 1234A and 8341A models integrate with GLM calibration. ‘The speakers calibrate to the room, and now the whole space feels like a sweet spot,’ Hardwell reports. ‘I don’t experience phase cancellation when moving around, and everything just sounds smooth. Normally, you’d hear more low-end in the back of a room, but these speakers balance everything out.’
With Morel’s attention to detail, each aspect of the studio was designed to meet Hardwell’s needs, often evolving through spontaneous changes and new ideas. ‘With Hardwell, design is an ongoing conversation,’ he says. ‘We’d work on the front wall, and then he’d say,”let’s look at the ceiling”, then the side walls, and so on. It keeps the process exciting and results in a studio perfectly tailored to him.’
The Breda studio now provides Hardwell with an ideal environment for producing and exploring new horizons. ‘It’s like discovering the music all over again,’ Morel says.
More: www.genelec.com
