Our Philosophy

“Why is it that the wonder of technology, though facilitating our life so much, gratifies us so little? The simple answer is – because we have not yet learned to make proper use of it...We have only to do that, which eliminates the misuse of this resource.”
(Albert Einstein)

Why do so many recordings gratify us so little? The simple answer is -- because we have not yet learned, that it is not technology alone that leads to excellent sound. In studios crammed full with electronic equipment, technology can seduce one into forgetting the most important of all guages – the human ear. And even when one “trusts one's ears”, one is forced to artificially change the sound because of the inappropriate acoustics of the recording room. And above all – on the day of the recording, the musicians are expected to perform at their best. But how can they do this when – as many complain – they find the studio acoustics uninspiring, dry and sterile – in short, worse than where they usually perform?

Our studio's name, ACUSTICA, already alludes to the objective of recording sound as purely and authentically as possible as it propagates through space, i. e. in its acoustics. The recording philosophy of ACUSTICA is based on the tested premise that – despite the possibilities of today's digital reverberation processors – natural reverberation sounds better than that which is added artificially. In other words, a superior result is attained when the final sound has been already established in the recording hall and does not have to be subsequently produced in the studio control room. To achieve this, however,
1. excellent room acoustics
2. the choice of microphones
3. the positioning of the microphones
are of decisive importance.

Die KLANGSCHEUNE, the recording hall of ACUSTICA, offers these ideal acoustical conditions for authentic recordings of all types and instrumentations of classical music and jazz, as well as other genres of music. The positioning of the favoured microphones (Brüel & Kjaer 4006, Schoeps MK2H, Schoeps MK4, AKG C414, Neumann KM 184 among others) is derived from the experience gained in innumerable hours of sound-checks by ACUSTICA's recording engineer Jan Zacek.

Our attitude at ACUSTICA is nevertheless neither rigid nor purist. Highest quality sound editing equipment is present in the studio and may be used if the customer so desires.

ACUSTICA maintains a dialog with leading instrument makers, all of whom value highly the studio's manner of working.

The philosophy of ACUSTICA may be expressed by the following statement -- Our focus is not what we can transform sound into, but sound itself. This is why ACUSTICA recordings sound so authentic and vital. In short – ACUSTICA is more interested in music and its sound than in mere technology. ACUSTICA hears with the ears of the musician rather than with those of the technician.

This philosophy of sound has brought ACUSTICA several international awards for its CD recordings – in Germany, France, Switzerland, the U.S.A., and Japan.